Woody 'n' Me

Woody's deep into it

I love Woody Shaw.

Every time someone starts going on about how Miles Davis is the one and only trumpet god (remember when Tim went on about that? The whole Dark Prince thing?) I sputter and say Louis Armstrong! Art Farmer! Lee Morgan! Charles Tolliver! And of course, Woody Shaw!

My love for Woody came from his recordings with other leaders including Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, the early 1970s incarnation of the Jazz Messengers, and especially Mal Waldron's amazing "The Seagulls of Kristiansund" (Soul Note, 1987), which I will have to write about in detail some time soon.

I love that Live at the Village Vanguard album and it marks another concert that I wish I would have attended. I wish I could have sat there and had a dry vodka martini (does the Vanguard make a decent martini?) and let myself get pulled away by the 26 minute title track.

one of my favourites

Woody's playing is fresh and modern and to my ears, his songwriting places him near the top of jazz composers.

As I write this, I'm listening to "Night Music", which was the first album by Woody that I ever owned. The track is Orange Crescent. It's a great place to start. The fact that the great Bobby Hutcherson guests on the album certainly helps. Steve Turre, who might be the best trombonist you've never heard of, also adds some melodic fire.

Woody's recordings under his own name came in the 1970s and 1980s when jazz was starting (or continuing) its decline in popularity. I think that's the only reason he isn't a legend. Well, he's a legend to me. He was consistently strong and he put out some incredible albums including "The Moontrane" (Muse, 1974), "Little Red's Fantasy" (Muse, 1976) and any of the live albums he recorded. His Columbia recordings are also musts. "Rosewood" (1978), "Stepping Stones" (1979), "Woody III" (1979) "For Sure!" (1980) and "Untitled" (1981).

This is creative, energetic, beautiful music and I urge you to sample some of the riches that he left for us.

This is quite a list of incredible music, and all the more amazing is that he put it all out there before the age of 44, when he died tragically, but let's not talk about his sad end, okay? Let's focus on the music.

Bobby Timmons Is A Name You Should Know

well-dressed and amazing

If you are even a semi-fan of jazz, surely you enjoy the music of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. They went through many encarnations over the years but one of the best groups ever was the one he put together in the late 50s to early 60s.

Now I've always been drawn to this music for the front line of Lee Morgan on trumpet and Wayne Shorter on tenor, but there was someone in that band who I never gave his due: Bobby Timmons on piano.

Not only did he have an incredible acuity, he was also an incredible songwriter. Have a listen to the Jazz Messengers playing his classic 'Dat Dere'.

If that doesn't get your feet tapping you are no friend of mine. I know that must seem harsh, but even I, as easy-going as I am, have my limits. Wayne Shorter plays a killer solo doesn't he? Then Lee does his usual magic, then at 5:05 you've got Mr. Bobby Timmons himself. Incredible.

His solo recordings are equally wonderful and worth seeking out. How about another classic, 'Moanin' recorded in a trio setting? Man, don't you wish you could play like that? Well, maybe you are that good, I don't know. As for me, I'll be content to listen to Timmons and it will help warm me on this -40C day.

Like so many in jazz, he died far too young but let's think about the music he made during his 38 years instead of his early exit, shall we?


He could play, he could write.

The Mysterious Gigi

that must be a hilarious arrangement

I have been thinking a lot about Gigi Gryce lately. One the finest writers, saxophonists and arrangers of the 1950s and '60s, he walked away from jazz to teach public school for reasons that remain mysterious. I love Gigi and could listen to him all day long. There is something extremely intriguing about his playing and I could listen for a week straight (why stop at a single day?) and I'm not sure I'd be any closer to explaining just what it is about his music that pulls me in.

His recordings with Donald Byrd are essential (you can get a good set from iTunes for next to nothing!), but then again, Gigi recorded so little that anything he was involved with is a worthwhile purchase. He also recorded with some of the other finest trumpet players of the era, Art Farmer (another one of my favourites), Lee Morgan (how can you not love Lee?) and Clifford Brown (who died to young, (25), as did Lee Morgan (33) for that matter, but we don't dwell on the negative here, do we? No, let's focus on the music instead of car accidents and murder.)

Not only did he prove that glasses and sweater-vests are extremely cool, (thanks for paving the way, Gigi!) but he left behind a scattering of wonderful music that is just screaming out for someone like Mosaic Records to pull together in some multi-disc retrospective that will help ensure Gigi's lasting legacy.

sweater vests are cool

As a songwriter he wrote a few songs that have become standards including 'Minority' that has been recorded by just about everybody.

Enjoy the music my friends and perhaps you too will become enthralled by Gigi who may or may not have had his house firebombed by gangsters, would have a public school named after him and would change his name to Basheer Qusim. Intrigued? I thought so. Since I miss you so much, I will offer another musical present: Gigi and Monk playing another of his standards, 'Nica's Dream'. I look forward to hearing how much you love it.

What's Spinning Today

Hank Mobley's 'Carolyn' from his brilliant album No Room For Squares (Blue Note, 1963).  If I had to pick one Mobley album (no easy task!) it would be this one.

I love you, Hank Mobley

He has a stellar band.  It was the same cats that played on one anothers sessions and helped make Blue Note the finest label in jazz.

Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd alternate songs on trumpet and two of the finest pianists to come out of the 1960s, Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock alterate songs.  Add the master, Philly Joe Jones on drums and you have the makings of a classic album.  You could pick any track on this album, but 'Carolyn' is playing at the moment.  Lee Morgan wrote it and the band plays it perfectly.  I challenge you to listen to this track and not become, like me, a life-long devotee of Mobley and Morgan.  Enjoy my friends.  I am tired and this song is helping lift my spirits.