Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-12-21
THE WEEK IN
RECORDS
BY ALBERT ANDERSON
Variety In Jazz

fans Of certain jazz idioms that
too much of one type of jazz music
is being emphasized in our weekly
reviews. While it is true that in
dividual columns have been devot-
ed to specific types Of jazz, the
capsule criticism is far from being
accurate or fair.
Over the entire range, we do
attempt to cover all stripes Of
jazz - modern, soul, swing and
standard - in the full spectrum.
1t is impossible to please every
body, but we try, nontheless.
This column is another effort at
pleasing. 1t contains modern, soul,
standard jazz, and a disc featur-
ing the blending of blues and wes-
atern rhythm. Pianist Bobby Tim
mons fashions soul music; Steve
Lacy, the modern tunes; Jonah
Jones dresses up a number Of
standards, and the Ramsey Lewis
group provides the experiment of
blended blues and westerns. Start
ing with Timmons' waxing, here is
the fare:
WEET AND SOULFUL
SOUNDS: - Riverside LIP (422)
featuring the Timmons trio. Tunes:
"The Sweetest Sounds" Turn
Left" God Bless te Child" You'd
Be So Nice to Come Home to-"
Personnel: Tmmons, piano; Sam
Jones, bass; Roy McCurdy, drums.
The title of this recording Is
most appropriate The music
of Timmons and his able sidemen
is not only soulful and delightful,
but highly imaginative as well :.
Technically, it shows that Tim
mons has absorbed and put to use
a great deal Of the knowledge he
has gained by working with jazz
trailblazers as Cannonball Adder
ley Sonny stitt, Kenny Dorham,
the Art Blakey Jazz Messengers
and big band leader Maynard Fer
guson.
His piano playing plainly re-
fleets the Bud Powell influence
Timmons has long been Powell
devotee But the overall effect
Of Tmmons contribution here also
reflects his own personality E.
This Is quickly discernable in his
two originals - Turn Left" and
Another Live One" These
two tracks are Timmons' own in
depreciation Of Funk Jazz and
blues e.. Live One") AS a
leader, he gets the full coopera-
ton of his sidemen McCurdy's
solo on why Was Born?" is a
good example 1t is typical Of
Timmons' idea Of freedom with a
tune, without resorting to the ard
ical approach The top tune in
the set in this reviewers opinion,
is the title number, taken from
Richard Rodgers mo Strings"
suite The tune, as presented
by the Timmons trio is sweet, soul
full and subtle This disc should
fully establish Timmons both as a
leader and composer It Is
bound to click IT'S TOPS.
EVIDENCE: - New Jazz LIP
(S271). Featured: The Steve Lacy
quartet. Tunes: THE Mystery
Song, Evidence" Let's Cool
One" San Francisco Holiday
Something to live For, who
Knows?" Personnel: Lacy, sop
rano saxophone; Don Cherry,
trumpet; Carl Brown, bass; Billy
Higgins, drums.
All good modern jazz music
must be imaginative and interpre-
tive and Lacy's waxing provides
both Most of the compositions
were scored by the highly imagin-
ative Thelonious Monk, high priest
Of modern jazz, and the Lacy group
does a bang up job Of succoring
their essence with a few personal
infections The set Is not all
modern, however, as the quartet
also treats a Duke Ellington COM
position of yesteryears ("Mys-
tery'D and another by Billy Stray
horn ("Something ~ of the
more or less standard variety :.
The improvisation Of the quartet is
also a big feature of the set :.
This is particularly noted in the
many fine solos, such as Lacy's
floating treatment of Evidence"
and Cherry's excursions with the
same tune and on Lets Cool One"
The rhythm men, Brown and
Higgins play complimentary but
useful roles Apart from the
orchestration, I like the unique
sound created by the blending Of
soprano and trumpet "Evi-
dence" is the top tune . This is
one of the best modern set the
writer has heard.
JAZZ BONUS: - Capitol LIP
(1773). Music by special group
Rnn turing Innas Tunes. "Snft