BST 84266

Larry Young - Contrasts

Released - June 1968

Recording and Session Information

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 18, 1967
Hank White, flugelhorn #1-3,5; Herbert Morgan, Tyrone Washington, tenor sax #1-3,5; Larry Young, organ; Eddie Wright, guitar #2,6; Eddie Gladden, drums; Stacey Edwards, congas #1-3,6; Althea Young, vocals #6.

1945 tk.4 Evening
1946 tk.6 Majestic Soul
1947 tk.7 Means Happiness
1949 tk.11 Major Affair
1948 tk.17 Tender Feelings
1950 tk.21 Wild Is The Wind

Session Photos

Photos: Francis Wolff

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
Majestic Soul	Larry Young	September 18 1967
Evening	Larry Young	September 18 1967
Major Affair	Larry Young	September 18 1967
Side Two
Wild Is the Wind	Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington	September 18 1967
Tender Feelings	Tyrone Washington	September 18 1967
Means Happiness	Tyrone Washington	September 18 1967

Liner Notes

LARRY YOUNG is of love, peace, restraint, patience, understanding, compassion and orderliness. Larry is also a young man whose talent and depth of perception are far beyond his years. In fact, if we were to trance the genesis of his recording career on Blue Note, we'd find ourselves at Blue Note 4187. That's the point at which I got hip to this "Young Demon" of the organ. I found myself attracted to a tune in that set called Paris Eyes. It was at that point that I discovered Larry Young had some, other ideas in mind for that often overworked and frequently misunderstood instrument. Yeah, that was the side, Into Somethin'.

Selectivity is another key word and but one more of the many facets of Larry Young's make-up. By that, I mean he has the ability to choose the men who will best interpret the ideas he sets down. I further believe that it's the interpretation rather than the mere "playing of notes" that is most important. Larry always offers us a challenge, that of really having to open up our ears, as it were, and discovering those other vistas that he points to in his music. Certainly, if you have followed his path on record, you must know that he has explored many different avenues of thought and sound, yet each of his albums, ("Contrasts" brings to four the total on Blue Note) is related to the next.

No matter how wide or bold the range, it all leads back to oneself. Kahlil Gibran said: "For self is a sea, boundless and measureless." believe the diversity of Larry Young stems from the natural inquisitiveness of the man. He questions the universe and seeks the answers through his religion and his music. His music is vital, is alive and indeed is a testimony for all who will hear his meaning. His soul, if you will, is "Majestic". In it burns a flame so bright, that at its apogee, and its ebb, the brilliance suggests all that is the fervor, determination and beauty of the youthful Black Revolution in America. In fact, beauty is a constant factor with Larry, and encompasses all that he does.

Majestic Soul is like a journey straight into the eye of a hurricane. Once inside, we find a vibrant rhythm session in progress. Stacey Edward's conga supplies the rhythmic base on which everyone dances.

Majestic Soul fades into Evening and as the darker mood sets in, we find silhouettes in sound, with each man darting in and out, and each lighting the others' path. Together, they leave luminous trails.

Now we come to Major Affair. Listen, to the support Larry gets from Eddie Gladden. Listen, just the two of them, it's their thing, they skip, dance, sing and play. The mood has now been set for the ensuing contrasts.

The scene changes, the focus sharpens to reveal Althea, Larry's wife who offers a wistful reevaluation of a tune that is now a standard, Wild is The Wind. Based on what Althea does in this one tune, I would like to hear her on some other material, possibly originals. Althea's approach to song vibrates deep within me and I like it. One gets the feeling she really listens to what she is singing.

Tender Feelings, a Tyrone Washington contribution to the date, is kind of a montage piece following closely on the heels of Wind. In fact it seems almost like an extension of the previous idea, in terms of the mood it evokes. It has a very pretty melody line. The theme comes on like dawn with a peaceful, bittersweet air. Fragrant is it's nature. Our young composer, who is a Blue Note recording artist, is already an alumnus of one of the Blue Note heavies, Horace Silver.

With the increasing awareness of, and interest in Astrology, I feel compelled to tell you that Air, Water, Fire and Earth are represented in this set. For your information and edification I submit the following:

Larry Young: Libra/ Air
Tyrone Washington: Gemini/ Air
Herbert Morgan: Virgo/ Earth
Edward Gladden: Sagittarius/ Fire
Edward Wright: Leo/ Fire
Stacey Edwards: Leo/ Fire
Hank White: Cancer/ Water
Althea Young: Gemini/ Air

The foregoing is offered as an aid in charting the progress of these men and Althea. In the case of the latter, I hope she is sufficiently encouraged to pursue her musical aspirations.

Hogogugliang is the word that Means Happiness. The term derives from Eastern thought. At one point in the development of these ideas and thoughts, Larry and I got together to exchange a few ideas and to just "vibrate" in general. The pleasure of his company is always reassuring and quite comforting. Larry always seems to know what you're (I'm) going to say next, really. He's very sensitive and open, and that involves heart, mind and ears. Anyhow, on that rainy afternoon we listened to a test pressing of "Contrasts". As we talked and listened, I noticed Larry kept getting up, and going over to the box to play Means Happiness again and again. Periodically, we'd put on some "Price of Darkness, (Larry and I share a prodigious love for Miles, his musicians and his music.) Oh, we had a ball. Pretty soon, Larry went back to New Jersey where he lives and I continued what I was doing, but I couldn't get the tune out of my mind. To this day, I don't know what it is that Larry gets from the tune, but apparently I'm not getting it. I suspect that I'm getting something entirely different. Chances are you will too. After all, why shouldn't you get something different? A musical experience can be shared, but it can still be, for the most part, a very personal experience. We may both listen to the same thing at the same time, but we don't necessarily hear the same thing. Tell you what—you listen to Means Happiness and see what you get. All of his music here comes from a very private region of Larry's mind, yet, he's able to share. My annotations here are personal opinions shared. By the same token, you may not agree with my findings. Be that as it may, one thing is certain, it all goes back to the personal thing.

There is one point around which we can all rally, and that is the fact that Larry Young's approach to his instrument is decidedly and delightfully different and fresh. Fundamentally the difference between Larry and many of his contemporaries is that he chooses to make music first. Since his choice of instruments is the organ he uses it as a tool in making his music. Making music rather than playing the organ becomes his apparent goal. Now don't misunderstand, Larry Young knows his instrument. Knowledge is power too, but instead of overpowering us with sound, he makes music.

In summary, "Contrasts" is another excursion by Larry Young into the realm of Love and Beauty by making music. Everyone else on this date is to be commended for so sensitively and tastefully contributing to the overall success of this voyage.

— ED WILLIAMS — Maiden Voyage WILB-FM N.Y.C.

75th Anniversary CD Reissue Notes

Larry Young's fourth Blue Note album "Contrasts" finds him expanding his sound and his ensemble. Drawn primarily from the ranks of talented musicians from his home town of Newark, Young, for the first time, writes most of the material for his album. The exceptions are Tyrone Washington's "Tender Feelings" and the standard "Wild Is The Wind", sung by his wife Althea.

Larry uses his ensemble (two tenor saxophonies, fluegelhorn, guitar, drums and congas) in a variety of combinations to achieve a wide range of sounds and textures. Many of the tracks are under six minutes and show a greater degree of detail and focus than previous album projects. One of the more outstanding tracks is "Major Affair" which is a dialogue between Larry and drummer Eddie Gladden.

Michael Cuscuna