OLIVER NELSON - Blues And The Abstract Truth (Stereo and Mono Versions)
Bonus Albums ‘Trane Whistle’ and ‘Straight Ahead’
Green Corner 100894 (2 CDs)
Main album musicians
Oliver Nelson (alto and tenor saxophones); Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone and flute); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); George Barrow (baritone); Bill Evans (piano); Paul Chambers (bass);
Roy Haynes (drums)
Recorded 23 February 1961
I'd forgotten how wonderful this album is. Listening to it again after a few years, I was surprised by the energy, the lucidity, and the presence. How to account for it? Simple really, everyone on this date was at their peak, particularly Freddie Hubbard and Bill Evans. Eric Dolphy, disciplined by the charts, channels his energy and his imagination and uses that wonderful idiosyncratic tone to play some of the best solos of his short life.
Short lives are a feature of this album. Oliver Nelson died at 43 and his composer’s talent did not really have time to realise its full potential. This presentation, in addition to the mono and stereo versions, also has the album ‘Trane Whistle’ which features Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis. The album ‘Straight Ahead’ is also included. The two bonus albums were recorded in the early sixties.
‘Stolen Moments’ opens the album. It is a memorable tune which is graced with a sensitive restrained solo by Freddie Hubbard. Dolphy on flute and Nelson on tenor follows. Bill Evans plays to finish. An early version of ‘Stolen Moments’ from the album ‘Trane Whistle’ is also included. Both are great examples of improvisations balanced by superior writing.
Hoe-Down is a rousing folksy piece. Freddie Hubbard takes off with brio and makes you wonder why he languished in the shadow of Miles Davis. Eric Dolphy’s alto sounds like no one else’s alto. Everything he plays sounds new, even at this distance in time.
‘Cascades’ started, according to Nelson’s notes, as an exercise for his saxophone playing. Freddie Hubbard is inspired by the tune as is Bill Evans. ‘Yearnin’’ opens with Bill Evans playing the blues and sounding most unlike Bill Evans. Dolphy’s solo is pure Dolphy: angular, dissonant, searching. Hubbard’s thoughtful work here shows him at his best as he constructs a solo that is the opposite of Dolphy’s.
A seemingly simple bop tune, ‘Butch and Butch’, gives George Barrow on baritone a chance to solo. There is also time to appreciate the contribution made by the rhythm section, especially Roy Haynes on drums who does his usual unshowy best. Bass player Paul Chambers opens ‘Teenie’s Blues’. Oliver Nelson plays alto on this track and at times he sounds as though he is trying to emulate Dolphy.
The album ‘Trane Whistle’ features Eddie Davis and writing from both Nelson and Ernie Wilkins but has space for Eric Dolphy. Eddie ‘Lockjaw Davis’ races through the arrangments with his unique mixture of energy and excitement. Clark Terry is featured in the brass section. Dolphy is also featured on the album ‘Straight Ahead’.
Both of the bonus albums are not as ground-breaking as ‘Blues And The Abstract Truth’ but, as Joe Goldberg writes in his album notes, ‘Oliver’s insistence on preparation and Eric’s on spontaneity might seem to be mutually exclusive…….. but both ideals are achieved’. That is exactly why this music is so successful.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Bonus Albums ‘Trane Whistle’ and ‘Straight Ahead’
Green Corner 100894 (2 CDs)
Main album musicians
Oliver Nelson (alto and tenor saxophones); Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone and flute); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); George Barrow (baritone); Bill Evans (piano); Paul Chambers (bass);
Roy Haynes (drums)
Recorded 23 February 1961
I'd forgotten how wonderful this album is. Listening to it again after a few years, I was surprised by the energy, the lucidity, and the presence. How to account for it? Simple really, everyone on this date was at their peak, particularly Freddie Hubbard and Bill Evans. Eric Dolphy, disciplined by the charts, channels his energy and his imagination and uses that wonderful idiosyncratic tone to play some of the best solos of his short life.
Short lives are a feature of this album. Oliver Nelson died at 43 and his composer’s talent did not really have time to realise its full potential. This presentation, in addition to the mono and stereo versions, also has the album ‘Trane Whistle’ which features Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis. The album ‘Straight Ahead’ is also included. The two bonus albums were recorded in the early sixties.
‘Stolen Moments’ opens the album. It is a memorable tune which is graced with a sensitive restrained solo by Freddie Hubbard. Dolphy on flute and Nelson on tenor follows. Bill Evans plays to finish. An early version of ‘Stolen Moments’ from the album ‘Trane Whistle’ is also included. Both are great examples of improvisations balanced by superior writing.
Hoe-Down is a rousing folksy piece. Freddie Hubbard takes off with brio and makes you wonder why he languished in the shadow of Miles Davis. Eric Dolphy’s alto sounds like no one else’s alto. Everything he plays sounds new, even at this distance in time.
‘Cascades’ started, according to Nelson’s notes, as an exercise for his saxophone playing. Freddie Hubbard is inspired by the tune as is Bill Evans. ‘Yearnin’’ opens with Bill Evans playing the blues and sounding most unlike Bill Evans. Dolphy’s solo is pure Dolphy: angular, dissonant, searching. Hubbard’s thoughtful work here shows him at his best as he constructs a solo that is the opposite of Dolphy’s.
A seemingly simple bop tune, ‘Butch and Butch’, gives George Barrow on baritone a chance to solo. There is also time to appreciate the contribution made by the rhythm section, especially Roy Haynes on drums who does his usual unshowy best. Bass player Paul Chambers opens ‘Teenie’s Blues’. Oliver Nelson plays alto on this track and at times he sounds as though he is trying to emulate Dolphy.
The album ‘Trane Whistle’ features Eddie Davis and writing from both Nelson and Ernie Wilkins but has space for Eric Dolphy. Eddie ‘Lockjaw Davis’ races through the arrangments with his unique mixture of energy and excitement. Clark Terry is featured in the brass section. Dolphy is also featured on the album ‘Straight Ahead’.
Both of the bonus albums are not as ground-breaking as ‘Blues And The Abstract Truth’ but, as Joe Goldberg writes in his album notes, ‘Oliver’s insistence on preparation and Eric’s on spontaneity might seem to be mutually exclusive…….. but both ideals are achieved’. That is exactly why this music is so successful.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
