I was never a cowhand.

I was thinking about great jazz album covers after seeing the Bobby Timmons post from a few days ago. I'm not one to have covers blown up and hung on a wall like Larry does (your lounge looks great, Larry, this isn't a dis) but if I was, this might be my first choice.

one of the best covers, great music too

I love the cover to Way Out West (Contemporary Records, 1957). As a crime writer I feel like I could write a decent story based on this image alone. The saxophone wasn't around for much of the cowboy era (it was invented in Belgium by Adolphe Sax in 1840) but maybe this character was the first to play it in the Old West. I wonder when that instrument first made it to America?

The album isn't just about the photo, the music is fantastic too, and is another example of a piano-less saxophone trio. 

Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone

Ray Brown - bass

Shelly Manne - drums

Ray Brown and Shelly Manne are two of the best out there and the three of them make some great music together. I think I'll listen to this one tonight. I can hear Shelly Manne tapping out the opening of "I'm an Old Cowhand" in my head right now.

Albums That All Humans Should Own #10

Jim and Sonny

I’ve been thinking about Sonny Rollins lately and wanted to put out there again that despite saying I can’t bear to hear “St. Thomas,” I’m a big fan. 

It got me thinking about his music and what album of his I would pick as my all-time favourite. Yes, you know how I like lists and rankings when it comes to jazz.

My first thought was The Bridge (RCA Victor, 1962), which is one of his most famous albums and has all sorts of mythology around it. 

The story goes that Sonny was tired of the music biz and was feeling like his playing wasn’t developing like he wanted it to, so he walked away from recording and performing. 

Instead, he’d take his sax out to the Brooklyn Bridge and play for the pigeons, trash barges and passing cars. After a certain amount of time, Sonny felt ready and he returned to the studio and recorded one of the great jazz albums, The Bridge.

Now as much as I love The Bridge, this isn’t my recommendation of Albums That All Humans Should Own. It might come later, but I’m going a different direction today.

The reason The Bridge came to mind last night as a potential Favourite Sonny Rollins Album is due to Jim Hall’s appearance on that album.

I've written before about how much I love Jim’s playing. He’s one of the top few jazz guitarists of all time. I love his playing on The Bridge. He is unobtrusive and gives Sonny a perfect place to lay down his tenor sound. Jim played with just about everyone during his long career. If some evil genie said that you could only listen to albums that had Jim Hall on them, your jazz collection would still be fantastic.

If I were to list all of the Giants he played with, this post would be far too long, so here's a brief highlight of some of my favourite Jim collaborations: Bob Brookmeyer, Paul Desmond, Art Farmer, Jimmy Giuffre, Chico Hamilton and Hampton Hawes. 

So enough beating around the bush. 

ok, not the greatest cover, but the music is tops

Jim Hall Live! (Horizon, 1975) is my tenth pick of Albums That All Humans Should Own.

It’s a gorgeous record that shows the master at the apex of his powers. Maybe I also like the fact that it was recorded at a Toronto jazz club. By the time I moved to Toronto, the Bourbon Street club was closed, but there were still a few great places open back then.

I’ve said it many times: a trio sinks or swims on the strength of the group. The greatest trios have three players working together, it’s not just the leader’s show. Jim Hall’s trio on this date is fantastic.

Jim Hall-guitar

Don Thompson-bass

Terry Clarke-drums

Don Thompson on bass

It’s no secret I’m a fan of the bass, and even have a couple of them in my basement (or bassment? No, that’s a terrible pun, ignore that). Don Thompson is one of the best, though he won’t make many best-of lists. That’s okay. He doesn’t need a list. He’s got the talent. He sounds great backing Jim, but Don really shines when it’s time for his to take the spotlight. His solos are beautiful and perfectly suited for Jim’s sound. Don has a long list of credits and it’s no surprise that he was a sought after bassist.

He’s Canadian too, which is nice. Canada has a decent number of Jazz Greats, but we’ll save that topic for another time. Perhaps tonight over a stout?

Have a listen to 'Angel Eyes' and see for yourself why I love this album so much.

Sorry Sonny, I Can't Do St. Thomas

Relationships are tough. Even great relationships will have times that are damned difficult. Relationships can do permanent damage. Relationships can even destroy a perfectly fine jazz standard.

That look...You're making me feel guilty.

Okay. It's confession time.

I don't like Sonny Rollins' classic tune "St. Thomas" that was first released on the album Saxophone Colossus (Prestige, 1956).

In fact, I don't like any version of that song.

'Why?' you ask.

I understand your confusion. You know better than anyone how much I like Sonny Rollins. He's one of the greats. Top 5 tenor sax players all time.

But as soon as I hear those first playful notes that should bring to mind Caribbean joy, I cringe.

I went out with someone who loved that song. Oh god how she loved it. She loved it so much that she wanted to make a CD (yes, this story takes place in those archaic days of the compact disc) that contained every version of "St. Thomas" that she could find. Could you image that? 70 minutes of St. Thomas over and over and over and over? There are no shortage of recordings of that track since it has become a jazz standard so she could have done it, but no. No, no, no, no. Not for this guy. Sorry Sonny, but your happy song brings back the blues.

Music for a Polar Vortex

It’s cold. So damned cold it’s making headlines around the world. It got me thinking about winter-themed jazz and I think I found the album for this Polar Vortex (which sounds like the name of a 1970s jazz combo, maybe one featuring one of the Brecker brothers...).

one of my favourite album covers

Let’s take a look at the Ornette Coleman Trio’s “At the Golden Circle, Stockholm” volumes 1 & 2 (Blue Note, 1965). It was the cover that came to mind.

I’ll say that I know some of you won’t go for this. It might push too many boundaries for you, and that’s okay. No judgement from me. I’m fine to follow Ornette on this musical journey. I’m listening to “Faces and Places” right now. Yeah, this music cooks and will help warm you from the ears on down. Your feet will be tapping and blood will be flowing to your icy appendages.

The trio is unusual in a Sonny Rollins kind of way, Sax, bass, drums. No where to hide here. It takes a tight group to make it work and Ornette and company have what it takes to make this album cook.

The band:

Ornette Coleman-alto saxophone, violin, trumpet

David Izenzon-bass

Charles Moffett-drums

Like any great rhythm section, Izenzon and Moffett are so good that I’ll listen to the two of them on their own, like on the last half of the track “European Echoes.” They might not be known to you, but they are brilliant musicians and free jazz specialists who played with a who's who of that sub-genre. 

Aside from Ornette Coleman, David Izenson also recorded with Jaki Byard, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Steve Kuhn, Paul Motian, Yoko Ono, Archie Shepp and Sonny Rollins.

Charles Moffett recorded with Archie Shepp, Prince Lasha, Ahmed Abdullah and Joe McPhee.

If you really want to push things, you can listen to Ornette screech away at the violin on “Snowflakes and Sunshine.” I’m always up for a bit of adventure, but I admit I didn’t quite follow Ornette on that violinistic journey. He also pulls out the trumpet on that song and fares better.

The album is good, adventurous stuff and worth a listen if you need to expand your mind and concept of what jazz can be.

a trio pushing the limits