St. Paul recorder., 1963-12-05
THE WEEK IN
RECORDS
BY ALBERT ANDERSON


Chicago (ANP) - The enter
prising Art Blakey hits the jazz
spotlight this week with a new
recording that is both imagina-
tive and delightful. It is typical
Of the Blakey line of music, but I
believe jazz fans in general will
find it interesting.
The Blakey waxing is one of
three LIPS that are featured here
because of their uniqueness. The
music of each is interpretative as
well as tuneful. Details of the re-
cordings follow:
"Ugetsu": Jazz Messengers At
Birdland": - Riverside LIP (464)
featuring Art Blakey and the Mes
sengers. Personnel: Freddie Hub
bard, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, from
bone; Wayne Shorter, tenor saxo-
phone; Cedar Walton, piano; Reg
gle Workman, bass; Blakey, drums.
Tunes: "One by One; "Ugetsu"; +;
Time OFF,; Ping Pong; "I
Didn't Know What Time It Was;
ION the Ginza."
What is "Ugetsu ?" Musically,
Blakey has assembled one of the
finest group of young jazmen to
provide the answer with this LIP
The title sounds African, but
the music is really a reflection of
a Japanese fantasy, according to
Art e. This fine jazz session con-
sists of several changing jazz
themes, imagfnatively and yet mel
odiously rendered Blakey in
PRODUCES most of them, and then
moves into the background to give
his sidemen a chance to express
themselves in solos Each does,
expertly Blakey also shared
composing honors with Shorter
cone by One") and Walton, who
penned the spirited and delightful
title tune - the top entry . . The
music on this record achieves a
two-fold objective: 1t makes the
listener thing, while providing him
with fine entertainment e..
Another Solid Effort BY The Mes
sengers.
Earl 'Fatha' Hines: - Capitol
LIP 197D. Personnel: Hines, pi-
ano; orchestra conducted by Ralph
Carmichael. Tunes: my Monday
Date; II Amt Got Nobody; !;
Memories of Live; Thou Swell;
After All I've Been to You; T.;
Deep Forest"
The years have done little, if
anything to dim the ability or
magic of "Fatha'" Hines, as this
waxing proves He is still one
of the most artistic of jazzpianists
The tunes for drive, as MEM
ories e" and Thou Swell" in
dicate e. Hines play good through
out the recording, and the back
ground music is basically good
Somehow, however, one gets the
impression that the orchestration
is not typically Hines interest
ing
Music From The New African
Nations, Featuring The Highlfe":
- Colpix LIP (456). Personnel:
Weston, piano; Ray Copeland
trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland, Quen-
tin Jackson, trombones; Julius
Watkins, French horn; Aaron Bell
tuba; Budd Johnson, soprano sax
ophone; Booker Erwin, tenor saxo-
phone; Peck Morrison, bass; Char
lie Persip, frankie Dunlap, Archie
Lee, George Young, percussion.
It has long been said that jazz
really has its root in Africa If
this be so, as I am prone to be-
Iieve, then the blending of Amer
lean jazz influence with contem-
porary African music is most ap-
propriate This record repre-
sents what appears to be a sue
cessful effort in that respect d.
It is a good samphng of the blend
ing of American and African jazz
sounds, and to leader Weston and
arranger Melba Lston must go
great deal of credit for it The
disc features some of the most in
teresting and pleasant sounds
heard on record The 90. . High
Life -, played in lively, two
step tempo, is delightful and easily
the best tune in the set All of
the tunes, however, are interesting,
even a slow one which seems to be
some sort of funeral dirge An
Unusual But Fine Recording.