LOUIS SMITH - The Legendary 1957-59 Studio Sessions
Phono 870246
Louis Smith, Booker Little - trumpet; Cannonball Adderly, Frank Strozier - alto sax; Charlie Rouse, George Coleman - tenor sax;
Duke Jordan, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Phineas Newborn - piano; Calvin Newborn - guitar; Doug Watkins, Paul Chambers, Jamil Nasser - bass; Art Taylor, Charles Crosby -drums.
Louis Smith isn’t perhaps quite well-known enough for these sessions to warrant the title of ‘legendary’, but that’s entirely due to his unromantic but prudent decision to retire from the front-line of 1950s bop to pursue a career in the Ann Arbor public school system, rather than any musical shortcomings on his part. As the impressive personnel on these recordings indicates, he was highly regarded by his peers in the business, to the extent of being hailed as the ‘new Clifford Brown’. Smith’s high, fast and even attack, faultless time, and thorough understanding of the language of bop did indeed put him in a league with Brown, and with the latters‘ tragic death in 1956, and the removal of fellow contender Howard McGhee from the scene on drugs charges, the stage could have been set for Smith to forge a successful career.
These recordings are culled from three separate sessions that resulted in three well-received album releases, and all feature the cream of the hard-bop players operating on the East Coast at the time. Cannonball absolutely burns on the 1957 sessions, which are worth checking out for his contributions alone; Smith makes a very simpatico partner, matching his fellow front-liner in speed, accuracy, passion and swing, and the rhythm section are exemplary . The 1958 session with Rouse is no less accomplished - ‘Wetu’ especially is a a template for frantic bop, and Rouse rises to the occasion with a torrent of speedy and sure footed choruses. The 1959 session is more restrained and blues- and-mainstream based but has a rare glimpse of Phineas Newborn (sadly rather quietly recorded) in an accompanist’s chair, and the under-represented Frank Strozier sounds great on alto. This set has been attractively re-packaged and re-mastered and commends Smith very well to the attention of bop-lovers. One is left wondering how he would have fared in the revolution that was about to hit jazz after he took an honourable early retirement.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Phono 870246
Louis Smith, Booker Little - trumpet; Cannonball Adderly, Frank Strozier - alto sax; Charlie Rouse, George Coleman - tenor sax;
Duke Jordan, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Phineas Newborn - piano; Calvin Newborn - guitar; Doug Watkins, Paul Chambers, Jamil Nasser - bass; Art Taylor, Charles Crosby -drums.
Louis Smith isn’t perhaps quite well-known enough for these sessions to warrant the title of ‘legendary’, but that’s entirely due to his unromantic but prudent decision to retire from the front-line of 1950s bop to pursue a career in the Ann Arbor public school system, rather than any musical shortcomings on his part. As the impressive personnel on these recordings indicates, he was highly regarded by his peers in the business, to the extent of being hailed as the ‘new Clifford Brown’. Smith’s high, fast and even attack, faultless time, and thorough understanding of the language of bop did indeed put him in a league with Brown, and with the latters‘ tragic death in 1956, and the removal of fellow contender Howard McGhee from the scene on drugs charges, the stage could have been set for Smith to forge a successful career.
These recordings are culled from three separate sessions that resulted in three well-received album releases, and all feature the cream of the hard-bop players operating on the East Coast at the time. Cannonball absolutely burns on the 1957 sessions, which are worth checking out for his contributions alone; Smith makes a very simpatico partner, matching his fellow front-liner in speed, accuracy, passion and swing, and the rhythm section are exemplary . The 1958 session with Rouse is no less accomplished - ‘Wetu’ especially is a a template for frantic bop, and Rouse rises to the occasion with a torrent of speedy and sure footed choruses. The 1959 session is more restrained and blues- and-mainstream based but has a rare glimpse of Phineas Newborn (sadly rather quietly recorded) in an accompanist’s chair, and the under-represented Frank Strozier sounds great on alto. This set has been attractively re-packaged and re-mastered and commends Smith very well to the attention of bop-lovers. One is left wondering how he would have fared in the revolution that was about to hit jazz after he took an honourable early retirement.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
