Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' else

Let me introduce you one of the 25 best Blue Note albums, and also the album on which we can hear the best performance of the standard, Autumn leaves. It's always exciting when the biggest names work together: a historic event, and probably the result will be unrepeatable. Now the big names are: Miles Davis (trumpet), Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Art Blakey (drums), Hank Jones (piano) and Sam Jones (bass).

I often think about the word perfection, especially in music. Can we talk about it? Does a perfect performance exist of a standard? I don't know, but listening to Autumn leaves on this album, I feel the perfection. Everything is on its right place, in a right mood, in a right rhythm, and so on. They don't just play at the same time, they play together, and feel each other. And there's enough place for the parts, they don't make it too fast, which is very positive. Starting with Miles' clear, dry trumpet voice, the contrast will be Cannonball's warmer and lighter saxophone melody. In the whole track, Art Blakey stays in the background, just to create an even more softer atmosphere for this standard. And in the end, we can hear Hank Jones' beautiful piano solo. After the main theme, everything get silent, and the piano cries its monologue, to start the introducing theme again, which leads us out of the song.

But don't think that it's an outstanding album just because of this track: listen to Love for sale, for example, with its nice delight and cool rhythm. I always say in myself that cool music = cool melody in cool rhythm - to make it simple, and it seems that they feel it, too. The last track, Allison's uncle is also a story: that day, when they recorded it, Cannonball's brother, Nat Adderley's daughter was born. Its other title is Bangoon. I would praise this record for a longer time, but the main meaning appears by listening to it.

This is a must-hear album for fall. Perfect choice for example in the morning on an autumn day, when you cook in the kitchen, and you hear it from the living room. The early morning autumn sunlight is floating into the room. Personal experience.

Autumn leaves:

Herbie Hancock - Maiden voyage

It's my first review of a real classic masterpiece in jazz. I often think about: Can we state that it's perfect about an album? Does any perfect album exist? I don't know that we should dare to say something like that... but Maiden voyage makes me think about it.

"The sea has often stirred the imagination of creative minds involved in all spheres of art. There still exists an element of mystery which surrounds the sea and the living aquatic creatures which provide it with its vital essence. Atlantis, the Sargasso Sea, giant serpents, and mermaids are only a few of the many folkloric mysteries which have evolved through man's experiences with the sea.

This music attempts to capture its vastness and majesty, the splendor of a sea-going vessel on its maiden voyage, the graceful beauty of the playful dolphins, the constant struggle for survival of even the tiniest sea creatures, and the awesome destructive power of the hurricane, nemesis of seamen." (Herbie Hancock, Maiden voyage)

Yes, it has the touch of mystery - and beauty as well. I've always liked the mix of these two components. And as you start listening to it: first it pulsates... than flows. As you hear the first rhythm, you fall into that atmosphere "in medias res". Than the saxophone and the trumpet plays together, and a beautiful, but unsteady colour starts to evolve - like a maiden voyage (from the dictionary: maiden voyage / maiden flight - done for the first time, usually about ships). Now have your maiden voyage with this album, listen to Herbie Hancock, one of the most famous jazz pianists, and such a great person who could create valuable and everlasting music in quite different musical styles, from classical jazz to fusion/funky.

Listen to samples on the BlueNote website: http://www.bluenote.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistId=903322&PromoId=&UPCCode=724349533127

And a performance from a concert:

part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qorvyRszZKs&feature=related

part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtLe2sne0fI&feature=related

Eric Dolphy - Out to lunch

There's always a part of a day, when the sun is around at the top of its way, and everything's seem to be stopped. It's hot and silent, and it's usually at summer. Out to lunch has a this kind of mood for me.

Cast: Eric Dolphy - bass clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, Freddie Hubbard - trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone, Richard Davis - bass, and Tony Williams - drums. The instruments live different lives, but then they are also together - they find ourselves. This makes it free, and it's listenable, doesn't get too helter-skelter and unenjoyable. You will meet strange rhythms, unsteadily moving melodys, and there's a constant kind of atmosphere in all tracks - this makes something to a real album. The vibraphone is ice on the cake.

I could write many more lines about it, but that's unnecessary - sometimes it don't need to write about music, it needs to hear that music. And please don't ask me about it, I'm out to lunch!

It' released in 1964.

Listen to samples on the BlueNote website: http://www.bluenote.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistId=902468&PromoId=&UPCCode=724349879324