Richard Elliot: Straight Up Down (Shanachie 5516)
This is the 21st album by “smooth jazz artist” tenor and soprano saxophonist Richard Elliott, born in Scotland but raised in Los Angeles. As a teenager, he performed with Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters and in the 1970s with Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and the Four Tops. His smooth sound guaranteed that he would appeal to various jazz/pop audiences.
He says that his sister introduced him to her collection of jazz records, and he was later impressed by hearing Dexter Gordon in an LA club. He relates: “This big man came out on stage with his low voice and this huge tenor sound” and confesses “I thought I was doomed. I will never come up with a sound anywhere near this guy.” He also listened to and absorbed the sounds of Johnny Griffin, Gene Ammons and Coleman Hawkins.
Straight Up Down, with multiple strings and elevator musak backgrounds, has him playing nine undistinguished compositions, with a pleasant but unvarying (yet distinctive) sound. He is quoted as saying “If there are a few people out there that enjoy or feel impacted or moved by what I do, I feel I’ve accomplished something. If my music affects them in a positive way, then I am happy.” I can only quote Sam Goldwyn’s riposte “include me out”. But with over 20 top ten smooth-jazz singles, various awards and a signing with Blue Note records, Elliott perhaps has every monetary reason to be happy.
Grant Green: Green Street (Twentieth Century Masterworks Coloured Series 350274)
Often ignored or underrated during his lifetime (and still absent from many reference books), Grant Green (1931-1979) was a remarkable and instantly identifiable guitarist, with his roots firmly in the blues. As his star was on the rise, he told Dan Morgenstern “The first thing I learned to play was boogie woogie. Then I had to do rock and roll. It’s all blues anyhow.” Unlike his contemporary Wes Montgomery, Green fashioned a spare, melodic, pulsing and fleet-fingered style like Kenny Burrell. Beginning in the 1960s, he made numerous studio albums for Blue Note, as leader and sideman, with Hank Mobley, Lou Donaldson and Stanley Turrentine. His albums as leader included work with Sonny Clark (1961-62), The Latin Bit (1962) Idle Moments (1963) and Solid (1964).
This 1961 trio session with bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Dave Bailey is a reissue of the original album minus later additions of six titles (but with two takes of Alone Together). It can be recommended. Three Green originals – No.1 Green Street, Grant’s Dimensions and Green With Envy (the longest track) reveal him as a composer as well as performer. The two takes of Alone Together differ in detail but are equally satisfying. The excellent stereo sound (with Green emoting on a separate speaker) enhances the entire proceedings. The ballad Round Midnight is taken at a gentle tempo with a pensive and extended Green solo. It’s followed by the jaunty and aptly titled Grant’s Dimensions, which features the metronomic bass of Ben Tucker and crisp punctuation from Dave Bailey. In 1962 Downbeat recognised Green as a “Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition”. Unfortunately, from 1967-1969 he was largely inactive because of drug problems.
In his liner notes to the original LP, Leonard Feather wrote that the opening track, No.1 Green Street, conveys an “overall mood (and) the complete facility and fluency that will convince you of the virtues of this trio in general and its leader in particular”. His single, flowing lines (if sometimes repetitive) evoke echoes of Charlie Christian but with even greater and boppish dexterity. Listen and then decide.
Oscar Peterson Quartet: City Lights – Live In Munich, 1994 (Mack Avenue MAC 1212)
Can a CD be worn out by repeated playing? If so, my copy of this issue will have to be immediately replaced. This is one of Oscar’s first European concerts after he suffered a stroke in 1993, rendering his left hand practically useless. He underwent intensive medical care and at the age of 68 began to reinvent his style. This is the fifth (and arguably the best) in a series of recordings produced by his widow, Kelly. It is remarkable in every respect, not least because of the empathetic and masterly support provided by N-H Ørsted Pedersen, Martin Drew and (newcomer) Lorne Lofsky on guitar.
Although (unavoidably) there is a marked difference between these and Oscar’s pre-stroke studio and concert performances, City Lights (a Peterson original) is more mellow, restrained and vibrant than his previous virtuosic displays. Unable to play counterpoint with his left hand, he proceeded to develop his dazzling right, with shades of Art Tatum. The concert began with Drew setting the rhythmic pace, followed in turn by Lofsky and Pedersen who are then joined by the master in a brilliant version of the aptly titled There Will Never Be Another You. The ensuing songs – five of which were Peterson compositions – find the group in complete rapport. On Kelly’s Blues, OP pays deserved tribute to his wife and mentor, and the quartet quickly fashion a hypnotic groove. The enclosed booklet contains her tributes to him and from their daughter Céline (too young to have heard him before his stroke) reflecting on her father’s physical and musical odyssey.
The Gentle Waltz, another Peterson original, is dominated by his right hand, with his colleagues compensating for the absent left. Lofsky and Pedersen deliver scintillating solos. Love Ballade, as the title suggests, is a gentle (10½ minute) excursion – much appreciated by the audience. Satin Doll becomes a joyous romp with Oscar and Lofsky striking sparks off each other. My favourite track is a “New Testament” version of You Look Good To Me, a Peterson staple – now with added and mischievous quotes – with Pedersen playing a leading role and OP not far behind. A swaggering (if slightly subdued) Satin Doll is followed by a closing Nighttime (also an OP composition) which features a fleet-fingered Lofsky, a comping OP, a storming Pedersen and l’ensemble entier in a glorious finale.
Righteous Rooster: Fowl Play (Shifting Paradigm Records SP 211)
This is the debut album by the Chicago “jazz groove” organ trio Righteous Rooster who obviously couldn’t resist the title’s weak pun. No matter, it has to be judged on its musical merits. Organist Henry Dickhoff (no further pun intended), guitarist Kenny Reichert, and drummer Luke Sagadin offer a blend of near-jazz, funk and soul on six original compositions that are unlikely to appeal to true jazzers. A fatuous publicity handout maintains that “the music is cool and passes the ‘can’t sit still test’ which is all that is required”. The opening track Groovin’ On Claremont features a heavy drum beat and cinema matinee organ. Reichert’s guitar does slightly relieve the monotony. The End Of The World is a more gentle composition, but closes with an over-powerful drum solo. James Beam, we are informed, was “inspired by a night of over-indulgence” and has an ear-splitting and distorted guitar solo followed by block-chording organ. The final (and the best) track Night Reprise, opens with a guitar/organ interaction and bounces along at a merry pace, with creative group interaction, and mercifully short drum breaks. But this is a less than engaging and also decidedly jazz-lite album. The publicity hand out offers the intelligence that Righteous Rooster “draws inspiration from iconic groups such as the Devon Lamar Organ Trio, Soulive, Medeski Martin & Wood… and the Sam Yahel Trio”. One lives – and possibly (?) learns.