Track Listing

1. Announcement by Pee Wee Marquette - Art Blakey
2. Split Kick
3. Once in a While
4. Quicksilver
5. Night in Tunisia
6. Mayreh
7. Wee-Dot [Alternate Take]
8. Blues

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50743 in Music
• Released on: 2001-08-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com essential recording
For all intents and purposes, the style of jazz known as hard bop came of age at this February 1954 live date from the famous New York club. By adding vibrant elements of blues, funk, soul, and gospel to the technically challenging and highly cerebral bebop form, hard bop became the dominant jazz style and to this day represents what is typically referred to as mainstream jazz. The lineup here resembles the '27 Yankees of the genre: trumpeter Clifford Brown was quickly becoming the red-hot alternative to Miles Davis's cool stylings (his work on the ballad "Once in a While" is worth the price of admission alone); pianist Horace Silver's driving, urgent sound epitomized the funky hard-bop aesthetic; alto Lou Donaldson and bassist Curly Russell had already graced countless essential recordings between them. From this seed grew three of the greatest hard-bop outfits in history: Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Silver's Quintet, and the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet. This short-lived ensemble might have them all licked. For a complete snapshot of the Birdland event, pick up A Night at Birdland, Volume 2, easily on par with Birdland, Volume 1 for sheer artistry. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

The Best of Brown and Blakey
Five stars! And Volume 2 is even better! This is one of the best places to hear Clifford Brown, live and in extended format - better in fact than in the Blue Note albums under his name (he also appears in Volume 1 of J.J.Johnson's recent remaster). All these musicians are on fire, but some of Brownie's solos are just unbelievable. Be-Bop, Hard-Bop, call it whatever you like, this is some of the most exciting music you're ever likely to hear.
*
The remastering is fantastic. The difference between this and the original transfer is staggering - if you own the old and you're hesitating to buy the new, then don't hesitate any longer: it's almost as if you've never heard the music before, there is that much added detail and presence. Yes, it's a live mono recording from February 21st, 1954, but the sound is more vivid that most contemporary recordings (say, Joshua Redman's Village Vanguard set).
*
Of Art Blakey's numerous other recordings, I'd also recommend 'Mosaic', 'Free for All', and 'The African Beat', although many others contend. But make sure you listen to Volume 2 of this set - the opening version of 'Wee-dot' is one of my favourite jazz perfomances of all time. How could Clifford Brown die so young?? An enormous tragedy.

LIVE JAZZ COOKIN' 1954 - bop history.
As named in the profile section, this is in my personal top 5. The reasons are twofold: it is LIVE, and Brownie is there. There is something about LIVE, when it is right - like Duke in '56 at Newport, Diz in '57, Joao at Montreaux in '85 - that calls history into sharp focus. This does that, as does Volume 2. Sure, there is a 'clam' or two, like Donaldson on the harmony coming back in on "Split Kick", but it makes it human, and more fun. The tempos are smokin' without being pushed too fast (Blakey makes sure of it) and the give-and-take between the players, as well as the conversing by MC Pee Wee Marquette, and Blakey's intro to "Night In Tunisia" give the feel of the event. Horace Silver and Lou Donaldson are perfect with Brownie, and Blakey plays loose and fast on this gig. Curly Russell rounds out the quintet. If you like your bop hard AND soulful, you will definately dig this.

Brownie at his best.
With no intended slights to Louis, Diz, Miles, Wynton and all the others, for many trumpeters and other musicians Clifford Brown was the Bird of the trumpet--all the more fitting that his finest hour should be this session captured live at Birdland. Clifford had that timbre, akin to Pops and Bird at their best, that made the horn sound like two instruments playing in unison. There was no holding back, no merely "cool" or "playful" licks, no "hip" cliches. It was all about risk, passion, soaring lyricism--especially with Art Blakey on hand. Volume One strikes me as the better of the two albums--certainly the more dramatic (Pee Wee Marquette's announcement of the musicians along with Blakey's introduction of "A Night in Tunisia" must be included among the highlights ). The only weakness of the album would have to be Lou Donaldson's playing which, though competent, is no match for the level of musicianship of his colleague. The 4-bar solo break at the end of the first chorus of "Night in Tunisia," the one made famous by Charlie Parker's never-equaled statement on the 1947 Carnegie Hall concert, is given to Donaldson (who flounders, flubs, merely fills space) rather than Clifford. Too bad, because I have a hunch Brownie could have held his own even in direct comparison with Bird.