BST 84433

The Best Of Blue Note - Volume 2

Released - 1986

Recording and Session Information

WOR Studios, NYC, July 18, 1944
Ike Quebec, tenor sax; Roger Ramirez, piano; Tiny Grimes, guitar; Milton Hinton, bass; J.C. Heard, drums.

BN988-1 Blue Harlem

WOR Studios, NYC, September 26, 1947
Fats Navarro, trumpet; Ernie Henry, alto sax; Charlie Rouse, tenor sax; Tadd Dameron, piano; Nelson Boyd, bass; Shadow Wilson, drums.

BN306-5 Our Delight

WOR Studios, NYC, November 21, 1947
George Taitt, trumpet; Edmund Gregory, alto sax; Thelonious Monk, piano; Robert Paige, bass; Art Blakey, drums.

BN321-1 'Round About Midnight

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 2, 1952
Eddie Bert, trombone; Gil Melle, tenor sax; Joe Manning, vibes; George Wallington, piano; Red Mitchell, bass; Max Roach, drums; Monica Dell, vocals.

BN462-3 (tk.8) The Gears

WOR Studios, NYC, June 9, 1953
Clifford Brown, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto sax; Elmo Hope, piano; Percy Heath, bass; "Philly" Joe Jones, drums.

BN492-0 tk.9 Brownie Speaks

WOR Studios, NYC, August 14, 1953
Bud Powell, piano; George Duvivier, bass; Art Taylor, drums.

BN512-2 tk.20 Collard Greens And Black-Eyed Peas

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 10, 1956
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Hank Mobley, tenor sax; Horace Silver, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Louis Hayes, drums.

tk.12 Senor Blues

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 16, 1956
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Sonny Rollins, tenor sax; Wynton Kelly, piano; Gene Ramey, bass; Max Roach, drums.

tk.1 Decision

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 9, 1958
Miles Davis, trumpet; Cannonball Adderley, alto sax; Hank Jones, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Art Blakey, drums.

tk.4 Somethin' Else

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, October 30, 1958
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie Merritt, bass; Art Blakey, drums.

tk.19 Blues March

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 31, 1959
Blue Mitchell, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto sax; Horace Parlan, piano; Laymon Jackson as Jack Laymon, bass; Dave Bailey, drums; Ray Barretto, congas.

tk.13 Lou's Blues

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, July 14, 1960
Tommy Turrentine, trumpet; Stanley Turrentine, tenor sax; Horace Parlan, piano; George Tucker, bass; Al Harewood, drums.

tk.26 Wadin'

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 28, 1962
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet, flugelhorn; Dexter Gordon, tenor sax; Herbie Hancock, piano; Butch Warren, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

tk.6 Watermelon Man

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 27, 1962
Dexter Gordon, tenor sax; Sonny Clark, piano; Butch Warren, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

tk.3 Three O'Clock In The Morning

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 3, 1963
Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Joe Henderson, tenor sax; McCoy Tyner, piano; Butch Warren, bass; Pete La Roca, drums.

tk.14 Blue Bossa

Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 21, 1965
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Joe Henderson, tenor sax; Ronnie Mathews, piano; Victor Sproles, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

1571 tk.2 The Rumproller

Track Listing

Side One
Artist	Title	Author	Recording Date
Ike Quebec	Blue Harlem	Ike Quebec	July 18 1944
Tadd Dameron	Our Delight	Tadd Dameron	September 26 1947
Thelonious Monk	Round Midnight	Thelonious Monk	November 21 1947
Gil Melle	The Gears	Gil Melle	March 2 1952
Bud Powell	Collard Greens And Black Eyed Peas	Oscar Pettiford	August 14 1953
Horace Silver	Senor Blues	Horace Silver	November 10 1956
Side Two
Sonny Rollins	Decision	Sonny Rollins	December 16 1956
Clifford Brown	Brownie Speaks	Clifford Brown	June 9 1953
Dexter Gordon	Three O'Clock In The Morning	Robado-Terriss	August 27 1962
Lou Donaldson	Lou's Blues	Lou Donaldson	October 31 1959
Side Three
Art Blakey	Blues March	Benny Golson	October 30 1958
Horace Parlan	Wadin'	Horace Parlan	July 14 1960
Lee Morgan	The Rumproller	Andrew Hill	April 21 1965
Side Four
Cannonball Adderley	Somethin' Else	Miles Davis	March 9 1958
Joe Henderson	Blue Bossa	Kenny Dorham	June 3 1963
Herbie Hancock	Watermelon Man	Herbie Hancock	May 28 1962

Liner Notes

It is appropriate that Ike Quebec be the one to lead off the music in this collection. Not only was Ike a fine musician, but it was probably Quebec who introduced Alfred Lion of Blue Note to the music of Tadd Dameron, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, which became the foundation of the label's thrust into modern jazz.

Blue Harlem was the first significant seller for Blue Note since Sidney Bechet's recording of Summertime (in 1939), kind of a "hit," so to speak. This does not mean that it sold 100,000 copies—it didn't. But, Fred Robbins, a popular D.J. in New York, used Blue Harlem as a theme on his Monday broadcast of blues music and the disc made it to a lot of juke boxes as a result of this exposure. This helped to spread the word about Ike Quebec — and Blue Note, as well. In addition to the passionate blues playing of the leader, guitarist Tiny Grimes also contributes a memorable solo. Ike Quebec has been gone for some time now and Blue Harlem was recorded by him more than forty years ago —but this is still an unforgetable performance. In fact, Scott Hamilton's current group has this tune in its book!

Our Delight vies with If You Could See Me Now as Tadd Dameron's best-known composition. The session for Blue Note, on September 26, 1947, was Dameron's first as a leader and preceded his Savoy date (which also included Ernie Henry and Fats Navarro, who are featured here) by about a month. Tadd was one of the great composers of the bebop era, and while not an exceptional pianist, he was a superb arranger for small combos. In Fats Navarro, Dameron had a magnificent soloist to write for and the trumpeter became the crown jewel in the Dameron Quintet (which also included Allen Eager and Kenny Clarke) that would presently settle in for a long run at The Royal Roost in New York.

While 'Round Midnight is famous as a Thelonious Monk composition, it is not generally known that Cootie Williams is listed as a co-writer. Here, we have Monk's first recording of his own tune - and the bridge which was used in the Williams version (of 1944) does not appear. In fact, it never appeared in any subsequent recording that Monk made of the song, leading one to the conclusion that the pianist didn't care for Williams' contribution. In 1946, Dizzy Gillespie waxed a version with a big band that didn't use the Williams interlude either, but on that occasion the trumpeter himself provided an introduction that has survived to this day — and is included by almost everyone who plays the tune. Monk, of course, didn't utilize the Gillespie intro, but the pianist did reuse the ending, which is heard here for the first time in this performance for Blue Note, in each succeeding version that Monk himself recorded. Actually, Monk cut a lot of sides for Blue Note, but the 78s were issued slowly and selectively. Initially, the critical response was mixed, at best. Recognition and acceptance of the pianist and his music took a long time. However, Monk himself always maintained that the artist should remain true to his own vision and let the public ultimately discover the talent. With this in mind, the pianist/composer was certainly with the right label for the debut recordings of his music.

Saxophonist and composer Gil Melle was not only a musician, but a graphic artist as well - he designed some of the 10" album covers for Blue Note - and also introduced Alfred Lion to recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Melle, who has since become highly successful as a composer for film and television, was a pioneer in what was later termed "Third Stream Music" (a combination of modern jazz and classical elements). In Gil's case, the result was a kind of cerebral be-bop. The Gears, which is from his first, self-produced session (later acquired by Blue Note), is perhaps Melle's most popular piece from the era. Gil, along with pianist George Wallington, are the soloists here, supported by Red Mitchell and Max Roach.

Blue Note's relationship with Bud Powell was never a formal one. This performance, of Collard Greens And Black-Eyed Peas, recorded in the summer of 1953, was preceded by sessions in 1949 and 1951, all of which occurred while the pianist was cutting sides for other labels, as well. The tune, written by Oscar Pettiford and better known as Blues In The Closet, was a favorite vehicle of Powell's, who had a pronounced preference for music of the bebop genre. This particular recording is also notable for the contribution of George Duvivier. Although the bassist had previously worked with Coleman Hawkins and Jimmy Lunceford, the fame that he eventually achieved began here, on the sides he waxed with Bud.

Horace Silver arrived at Blue Note in 1952 and he stayed until 1980. That's a long time to be with one record label, and during which the pianist managed to record in almost every conceivable setting. What Horace is best remembered for are his Quintets and Senor Blues was from the first Blue Note L.P after the break-up of the co-op group that Silver had with Art Blakey ("The Jazz Messengers"). Byrd, Mobley and Watkins, who are also heard here, were holdovers from that group (Donald had replaced Kenny Dorham) and this particular session also marked the recording debut of the then eighteen-year-old Louis Hayes. Senor Blues, a minor blues in 6/8 time, was a big hit for both Horace and the label and inspired countless Blue Note artists to similar attempts. In 1959, Silver re-recorded the tune, this time adding his own lyrics and featuring a vocal by Bill Henderson.

1956 was the Year of Sonny Rollins and the tenor saxophonist recorded a lot of important music in that year, both as a leader and as a sideman. Sonny's contract with Prestige expired in early December of '56 and within ten days he was recording the first of three studio sessions for Blue Note. From this date, we here have Decision, a tricky thirteen-bar minor blues. In addition to Rollins, we have nice solos by Donald Byrd, Wynton Kelly and Max Roach (with simple wire brushes).

Brownie Speaks is from Clifford Brown's first session for Blue Note, made as a co-leader With Lou Donaldson. It was also the first time that Clifford had recorded one of his own compositions and which, like so many of the originals that were introduced on the label, has remained in the repertoire of a great many musicians ever since. Donaldson and Brown were a most compatible team and would join forces once again for the famous Birdland date in 1954, with Art Blakey.

Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was one of the great reclamation projects for Blue Note and it is possible to refer to his albums for the label as a sort of 'second-coming.' Gordon had made a name for himself in the 1940's and early 50s, but by the middle of the decade, his star had faded. Dexter began to record for Blue Note in 1961, cutting nine L.P.'s (two of which were not issued until the mid-70's), and stayed with the label until 1966, by which time Dexter had regained his place at the top. Three O'Clock In The Morning is from Go!, Gordon's third album for Blue Note and contains Dexter's trademarks: his audacious quoting (from Five O'Clock Whistle & Take Me Out To The Ballgame) and hard swing. In 1985, Gordon returned to Blue Note and his recent double L.P , Nights At The Keystone, celebrates the group he formed after Dexter moved back to New York, in the mid-70's.

Lou Donaldson, who really needs no introduction by now, first arrived on Blue Note in the summer of 1952 and his second session for the label included an unknown trumpet player from Florida, Blue Mitchell. Almost eight years later, Mitchell and Lou would team-up, once again, on Donaldson's The Time Is Right L.P This also ocassioned the second recording, on the label, of Lou's own tune, Lou's Blues, a simple riff-based theme that is typical of Donaldson's compositions. In addition to the altoist and trumpet player, the date also featured a fine, functional rhythm section, headed by pianist Horace Parlan. Lou Donaldson may not be the most profound alto saxophonist In the world, but his music always goes dowm easy and possesses a natural, good-sounding swing.

Art Blakey played on a lot of Blue Note records, both as a leader and as a sideman; but the session that Art made With his "Jazz Messengers," on October 3, 1958, was probably his most important. Blues March (written by Benny Golson) comes from this date and every subsequent edition of the 'Messengers' has had to play the tune, almost every night (almost as often as Moanin', which was recorded at the same session)! Benny Golson, who also composed three additional numbers for that same album, didn't stay long with the band. Blakey really burned-out tenor players in those years: Golson had replaced Johnny Griffin, before giving way to Hank Mobley's second stint with the group. In the summer of 1959, Wayne Shorter replaced Mobley, and remained with 'The Jazz Messengers' for five years, finally giving some stability to the chair.

Horace Parlan's first appearance on Blue Note was in the rhythm section on Lou Donaldson's The Time Is Right L.P. (see above). Between February 1960 and June 1963, Parlan recorded seven albums of his own as a leader (in various settings), in addition to contributing to dates with Donaldson, Stanley Turrentine and Dexter Gordon. Wadin,' included here, is from Horace's first quintet session, Speakin' My Piece, which featured both of the Turrentine brothers (fellow Pittsburghers). The tune, a Parlan original, achieved a great deal of air play across the country at the time of its release. Unfortunately, the pianist didn't remain with the label for very long (which is unusual) and eventually moved to Europe. However, Horace Parlan's albums for Blue Note sound just as fresh today, as they did when first issued in the early 60's.

Lee Morgan was the quintessential Blue Note trumpet player, appearing on numerous dates as a sideman — and with over twenty-five albums under his name as a leader for the label. A major post-bop stylist, Lee was also an accomplished composer who was aware of the market and was especially adept at making accessible modern jazz — without compromising his own playing. Andrew Hill's tune, The Rumproller, was a follow-up to The Sidewinder, Morgan's biggest hit, which had been recorded four months earlier. Lee Morgan first recorded for Blue Note, at age eighteen, in 1956; stayed until 1960 (when he split from the recording scene for a few years) and returned in 1964. Lee was still one of the label's brightest stars when he was killed, by a lady-friend, in Slug's, a New York Jazz club, on February 19, 1972.

It should in no way disparage the (considerable) abilities of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley if it is suggested that Alfred Lion's main interest in recording the Somethin' Else album was the participation of Miles Davis. The title track (a Davis composition), which is heard here, is a virtually themeless blues with altered changes, allowing for maximum blowing by all concerned, and which is typical of the sort of thing Miles was working on in 1958. The session was also notable for a rare Blue Note appearance by pianist Hank Jones.

Is Joe Henderson the last hard bop tenor player? Certainly, his 1963 arrival on the scene was rather late for the genre, but Joe's own playing has always contained too much structure and discipline to be confused with the avant-garde. Originally from Detroit, Henderson was first heard on Blue Note with Kenny Dorham (on the Una Mas L.P.) and two months later, Joe made his debut as a leader for the label, with Page One. From this session, comes the modern classic, Blue Bossa, to which trumpeter Dorham and pianist McCoy Tyner lend their musical talents. The tune itself (penned by Dorham), has become one of the most recorded jazz compositions of the past twenty years.

Herbie Hancock came to Blue Note via the Donald Byrd Quintet (Royal Flush was his first session) in September of 1961. Herbie's own first date, as a leader, Takin' Off, was recorded in May of 1962 and that L.P really took-off, as they say, thanks to the opener, Watermelon Man. Hancock's tune was not only a big hit for it's composer, but also for Mongo Santamaria, who covered it (In a different style) on a Riverside subsidiary. Herbie's (original) version, though not as big a seller, was no slouch-and a 45 r.p.m. single (sans the solo by Dexter Gordon) was issued by Blue Note. Hancock quickly established himself as house' pianist for the label, appearing on dozens of sessions throughout the 1960's. However, Herbie's own albums for Blue Note were not as prolific. This was due, no doubt, to the pianist's own musical evolution, but also to the careful planning and deliberation that is a fundamental aspect of Hancock's recording process. In fact, Herbie once went almost three years without making an album under his own leadership! Of course, Herbie Hancock has become a long term jazz success, who in the last ten years or so, has divided his time, roughly 50/50, between jazz and various pop idioms.

There is a lot of distance between the playing of Ike Quebec in 1944 and the 1960's Blue Note sound of Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver; but there are similarities, as well. The thread that binds this music is the universal language of the blues. The application of blue tonality - regardless of the structure of the piece — is what unites these artists and their performances. It also provided the essence of the vision of Alfred Lion, the one "artist" who was involved in all of these recordings. Like the first double album of The Best Of Blue Note, this companion volume and the music collected here, is but a part of his legacy.

BOB PORTER
W.B.G.O./JAZZTIMES