All Categories — All Formats  

Classic early work from Kenny Dorham as a leader – a brilliant set that sparkles with modern touches! The group's a quartet that pairs Kenny's trumpet with the alto sax of the late Ernie Henry – a perfect accompanist that brings out both the brightness in Kenny's horn, and the edgier touches that made him one of the most exciting trumpeters to appear in the 50s scene. The rest of the group features GT Hogan on drums and Wilbur Ware or Eddie Mathias on bass – and the session's got a great reading of Kenny's classic "Lotus Blossom", plus the tracks "Jazz Classic", "Noose Bloos", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Soon".

Classic early work from Kenny Dorham as a leader – a brilliant set that sparkles with modern touches! The group's a quartet that pairs Kenny's trumpet with the alto sax of the late Ernie Henry – a perfect accompanist that brings out both the brightness in Kenny's horn, and the edgier touches that made him one of the most exciting trumpeters to appear in the 50s scene. The rest of the group features GT Hogan on drums and Wilbur Ware or Eddie Mathias on bass – and the session's got a great reading of Kenny's classic "Lotus Blossom", plus the tracks "Jazz Classic", "Noose Bloos", "The End Of A Love Affair", and "Soon". CD also features a bonus track – an alternate take of "Sposin".

Kenny may be quiet, but he's never muted – and the record is far from the sleepy session you might guess from the title! The album's a real standout in the Dorham catalog – a set that let's Kenny's trumpet sparkle beautifully in a quartet that includes piano from Tommy Flanagan, bass from Paul Chambers, and drums from Art Taylor – all bringing their own spirit to the record, but really hanging back in the space to let Dorham's sound dominate the record. Kenny's notes are beautifully shaped throughout – in a mode that has echoes of Clifford Brown's sweetness, but which also speaks with a raspier, earthier tone overall! Titles include 2 key Dorham classics – "Lotus Blossom" and "Blue Spring Shuffle" – plus "Mack The Knife", "My Ideal", "Blue Friday", and "Old Folks".

One of our favorite albums ever by Kenny Dorham – and a really different session than his usual studio work! The album captures Kenny in a relaxed live setting, with a bit more dirt on his horn than usual – blowing with a tone that's much more open and a bit less poised – in the company of a really great group that features JR Monterose on tenor, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bobby Timmons on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Arthur Edgehill on drums. The CD features a total of 17 tracks in all – titles from the original LP, plus rare extra material, and some bonus alternate takes – all remastered by Rudy Van Gelder. Titles include Dorham's boppish "Mexico City", plus other enigmatic compositions like "Monaco" and "Hill's Edge", and tracks that include "Round Midnight", "Riffin", "My Heart Stood Still", and "NY Theme".

An excellent groover from Kenny Dorham – possibly one of his best ever albums for Blue Note – a record that shows how much he was pushing past his bop roots in his later years! The tracks are extremely long, and with a Latiny feel that's surprising when you look at Dorham's earlier material. He's helped along in his endeavors here by a fresh group of modernist geniuses that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Joe Henderson on tenor, Butch Warren on bass and Tony Williams drums – and the album's got 3 long, incredible Dorham originals: "Una Mas" fills up side one, and "Straight Ahead", and "Sao Paulo" cover the flip.

Arguably one of the most lyrical and expressive trumpeters in the history of Jazz, Kenny Dorham was unquestionably the one the foremost players of his generation. An absolute must own for all fans of the mid 50's to late 60's hard bop as defined by this side and many other contemporaneous selections from the Blue Note catalog, all the hallmarks of the classic "Blue Note" are embodied in this LP: hard, swinging blues, atmospheric modal pieces, and mellow, introspective playing. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico", plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", and "Windmill".

Stone cooking hardbop – done with all the sharp edges of a New York session, even though the material was recorded live in Rio! The setting is an unusual one – a State Department tour of American jazz musicians – but a lineup that moves way past some of the overly-mainstream "ambassadors" out there – given that the players include Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn on tenors, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Herbie Mann on flute, and even Ahmed Abdul-Malik on oud! Tracks are nice and long – very much in a jam session mode on the best numbers, but mixed with some well-played mellower moments too – and titles include "Wee Dot", "Red Door", "Autumn Leaves", and the haunting original "Ismaaa", which has a great Eastern feel, thanks to the oud!

This is the kind of CD that makes us love reissues! Why? Well, because it features 2 incredibly rare jazz albums – both of which never turn up on vinyl, and are lovingly packaged here on 1 CD filled with a dozen hard bop grooves. The album Matador was originally issued under Kenny Dorham's name, and Inta Somethin' was issued under Jackie McLean's name – but both players are sort of co-leaders on both albums, and it's fitting to pair the records together here because they represent the unique union of these two different players. Dorham's lyrical trumpet is an unlikely match for McLean's edgey alto, but the records work well, and with a modernist groove that's extremely compelling. Titles include "El Matador", "San Francisco Beat", "Prelude", and versions of "Una Mas" and "Melanie" – both of which were recorded later by the artists on Blue Note.

A brilliant album from Kenny Dorham – one of his more far-reaching efforts, with the expansive compositional style that he started bringing to some of his Blue Note work of the early 60s! The record features a group with Jackie McLean on alto, Bobby Timmons on piano, Teddy Smith on bass, and JC Moses on drums – all working with Kenny in a slightly Latin tinged mode that features some really shimmering trumpet work! The record features a stunning 3 part reading of McLean's haunting tune "Melanie" (done under his name on the album A Fickle Sonance) – plus the tracks "Prelude", "El Matador", "Smile", and "There Goes My Heart".

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payned on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia".

A completely unique little session – and a record that's every bit as musically striking as you might guess from its title and cover! The date's a rare Latin-tinged one for trumpeter Kenny Dorham – a record that takes his usually smooth sound and sets it up against octet backings with horns from JJ Johnson on trombone, Cecil Payned on baritone sax, and Hank Mobley on tenor – plus piano from Horace Silver, bass from Oscar Pettiford, and drums from Art Blakey – plus added congas from Patato Valdes! The expanded group plays with a great sense of power – really pushing Kenny's sound tremendously – and although the album also features a few tracks by a smaller group with less percussion, these also have a bit of a Latin/exotic tinge too. Titles include "Basheer's Dream", "Lotus Flower", "KD's Motion", "Venita's Dance", "Minor's Holiday", "La Villa", and "Afrodisia".

Some of the earliest recorded work from trumpeter Kenny Dorham – presented here in an overstuffed set that brings together most of his appearances on the Savoy label! The core standout tunes here are 10 numbers recorded in 1946 by The Bebop Boys – a combo that featured Dorham, Sonny Stitt, and Bud Powell coming together on tight, short, very upbeat bop material that ranked with some of the best early 78s of the genre. Titles by this group include "Seven Up", "Bebop In Pastel", "Serenade To A Square", "Fools Fancy", and "Bombay". Other material on the CD includes a solo by Kenny on "The Jitney Man" by Billy Eckstine, plus 3 tracks with the Milt Jackson Sextet from 1949 – including "Conglomeration", "Bruz", and "Roll Em Bags". Kenny also plays on three 1949 recordings with Charlie Parker – "Barbados", "Scrapple From The Apple", and "Bebop" – as well as four 1956 numbers with Cecil Payne – including "Grooving High", "Man Of Moods", and "Saucer Eyes".

A pretty warm and lyrical set by Kenny – accompanied here by a larger group that includes Cecil Payne, David Amram, and Cannonball Adderley on horns, plus a young Cedar Walton on piano. Dorham wrote 4 of the album's tracks, and they provide a perfect showcase for his polished trumpet style. Titles include "Spring Cannon", "Blue Spring", "Poetic", and "Passion Spring".

Nice early work from Kenny Dorham – emerging here with lyrical power and a good sense of the hip, and playing with a strong group that includes Jimmy Heath, Walter Bishop, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. The material was originally issued as a 10" LP – but this 12" version features 2 extra tracks that are alternate takes from the session. Titles include "Osmosis", "An Oscar For Oscar", "Ruby My Dear", and "I Love You".

Arguably one of the most lyrical and expressive trumpeters in the history of Jazz, Kenny Dorham was unquestionably one of the foremost players of his generation. An absolute must own for all fans of the mid 50's to late 60's hard bop as defined by this side and many other contemporaneous selections from the Blue Note catalog, all the hallmarks of the classic "Blue Note" are embodied in this CD: hard, swinging blues, atmospheric modal pieces, and mellow, introspective playing. Titles include the great "Sunrise In Mexico", plus "Buffalo", "Sunset", and "Windmill".

A classic early set featuring the Jazz Messengers back when the group still included Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, and Kenny Dorham – one of the earliest and purest versions of Blakey's hardbop vision, touched with the slightly exotic lyricism of Silver, which gives the tracks a wonderful edge. The playing is excellent throughout – and the album's the kind of live stormer that shows why the group were such a huge draw right out of the box, and why they performed as well (if not better) in a live setting than they did ain a studio one! Tracks include "Minor's Holiday", "The Theme", "Prince Albert", and "Deciphering The Message" – and the CD features 3 bonus tracks, all long, plus great remastering!

A stone killer from the early Blue Note years of tenorist Joe Henderson – a key example of why the label had so much faith in him right from the start, and why Henderson's horn was quite different than so many other players of the 60s! There's a sharp edge here, but there's also a soulful sense of swing – that balance that Joe had more than most of his contemporaries – and which he only continued to develop as the years went on. Echoes of "new thing" modes lie in the background of the record, but upfront things have a sharp 60s Blue Note punch – thanks in part to a great lineup that also includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Henderson's tone is rough and young – but in a great way, one that's perfect for the exploratory nature of his original tunes on the set, and which matches the mood of Dorham's compositions as well. Tracks include "In N Out", "Short Story", "Brown's Town", and "Punjab".

One of Joe Henderson's first true moments of greatness – a landmark session recorded with a quintet that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums! LaRoca's very free on the drum kit, and gives the set a rhythmic looseness that's a bit of a hint at some of Joe's 70's recordings – and that style's even further supported by Tyner's long flowing lines on piano, and Dorham's sparkling work on the trumpet! Includes the classic reading of Kenny's "Blue Bossa", plus the titles "Recorda-Me", "Jinrikishna", "La Mesha", and "Homestretch".

One of the few records ever cut by this fantastic alto player from the mid 50s! Henry most famously worked with Monk, but his albums as a leader are great – and this one features Kenny Dorham, Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware, and Art Taylor, all components of a totally solid Riverside lineup. Titles include "Orient", "Active Ingredients", "Checkmate", and "Free Flight".

Mid 80s effort from 2 of the greatest modern trumpeters to have put a horn to their lips. Woody & Freddie run through a set of tunes, all written by trumpeters, like Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham, as well as their own, with a group of the then-young players on Blue Note, like Carl Allen & Kenny Garrett. The playing is crisp & tight, if not as over the top burning as the sides these players cut during their younger years, and includes "Lotus Blossum", "Hub-Tones" and 'Boperation".

One of the most ambitious albums ever recorded from Clifford Jordan – a totally righteous little effort that was the first installment in the legendary Dolphy Series on the Strata East label! The set has Jordan working with a larger group than usual – an all-star array of players that includes Kenny Dorham and Don Cherry on trumpets, Julian Priester on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Wilbur Ware and Richard Davis on bass, and drums from Roy Haynes, Ed Blackwell, and Albert Heath. The titles are originals by Jordan – long numbers that flow out slowly as they build up new musical ideas – all in a style that's somewhat laidback and spacious, very organic, and a bit like some of the best early 70s Impulse material by Archie Shepp. Album features 4 long tracks – "872", "Vienna", "Doug's Prelude", and "Ouagoudougou".

Great great early work by Horace – featuring that hard-hitting blend of styles that characterized his early recordings with Art Blakey. The tracks are short, done with a great mix of lyricism and hard-edged playing – and the writing is superb, especially on classics like "Doodlin", "The Preacher", "Hippy", and the amazing "To Whom It May Concern" – one of our all-time favorite tunes in the 50s Blue Note catalog! Kenny Dorham is on trumpet and Hank Mobley's on tenor – and the record is both soufully funky, and darkly tinged bop. A real classic!

A tremendous live set from Randy Weston – and one of the best illustrations of the unique approach he brought to modern jazz at the end of the 50s! The set has Weston working in very Monk-like territory – not just musically, but at the legendary Five Spot Cafe, Monk's old stompin grounds – where Randy's leading a complex septet that features great tenor work from Coleman Hawkins – who's hitting those arch-modern notes he forged so nicely with Monk – plus Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Wilbur Little on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. Melba Liston wrote the arrangements, but unfortunately couldn't make the date herself – and titles include Randy Weston classics "High Fly", "Where", "Beef Blues Stew", "Spot Five Blues", and "Lisa Lovely".

A great follow-up to the initial News For Lulu project – a late 80s reinvention of the sound of Blue Note, handled by this trio of key modernists from the time! As proven by recordings like this over the years, John Zorn's a player who – despite his own very modern and avant tendencies – has a great respect for older jazz traditions, and a strong ability to bring them into his music – even if the connections aren't always that obvious! Here, the link is explicit – in the album's choice of tunes by Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, Kenny Dorham, John Patton, and Freddie Redd – all Blue Note legends from the hardbop generation, providing core elements that are completely reworked into modern showcases for the alto of Zorn, guitar of Bill Frisell, and trombone of George Lewis. Lewis' presence is especially great – a rhythmic pulse and sense of depth that really grounds the session nicely. The CD features material from two live performances – and titles include "Melody For C", "News For Lulu", "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Gare Guillemins", "Hank's Other Tune", "Minor Swing", and "Peckin Time".

Blue Note Now – and Blue Note Then – a cool little set that mixes contemporary grooves from the Blue Note catalog with some of the older gems that made the label great back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s! In truth, some of the contemporary cuts go back more than a few years – but come together nicely on CD1, to show the way the label's really grown in the past decade or two – moving into great soulful territory with tracks like "Little B's Poem" by Quasimode, "Freedom Dance" by Lionel Loueke, "It's All Over Your Body" by Jose James, "Black Radio" by Robert Glasper Experiment, "Soin Something" by Soulive, and "Time After Time" by Cassandra Wilson. CD2 features loads of older killers – including "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Harlem River Drive" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Kathy" by Horace Silver, "Adams Apple" by Wayne Shorter, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, "Black Byrd" by Donald Byrd, and "Speedball" by Lee Morgan.

Mid 80s effort from 2 of the greatest modern trumpeters to have put a horn to their lips. Woody & Freddie run through a set of tunes, all written by trumpeters, like Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham, as well as their own, with a group of the then-young players on Blue Note, like Carl Allen & Kenny Garrett. The playing is crisp & tight, if not as over the top burning as the sides these players cut during their younger years, and includes "Lotus Blossum", "Hub-Tones" and 'Boperation".

A very nice little Milt Jackson album – cut in the mode of some of his excellent soul jazz group sides from the mid 60s. This set pushes Milt past the format of much of his other work – especially that of the MJQ – as it features him in a very soulful sextet, working with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Jimmy Heath on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Connie Kay on drums. The presence of Dorham and Heath give the album a light lyrical swing that really opens things up – and there's a fair bit of modally-oriented tunes on the set that hint at the more soulful playing of most of the players in the 70s. Tracks include a great version of "Invitation", plus "The Sealer", "Poom A Loom", "Ruby", and "None Shall Wander".

This is a repackaged version of an album that was originally issued under Cecil Taylor's name, under the title Hard Drive (and later Stereo Drive, or something like that). The record brings together two of the late 50's most promising modernists – Cecil Taylor and John Coltrane – in a group that includes Kenny Dorham, Chuck Israels, and Louis Hayes. The music is a startling mix of styles – as Taylor's heavy piano clashes noisily with Trane's free flowing lines on the tenor. It doesn't always work, but it's well worth a listen, and stands as a critical meeting of two important talents that were both best known on their own. Tracks include "Shifting Down", "Double Clutching", and "Just Friends".

A 2LP reissue of very hard to find Hank Mobley sessions from the mid 50's – Mobley's Message, and Mobley's Second Message. The record's filled with damn great hard bop tenor material, with groups that include players like Donald Byrd, Art Taylor, Kenny Dorham, Doug Watkins, and Walter Bishop. All tracks are long, with that good Rudy Van Gelder "roominess" that graced most of the best Prestige albums of the late 50's. With the cuts "Bouncing With Bud", "Alternating Current", "Crazeology", "The Latest", and "Xlento".

A great collection of bop tunes recorded for Savoy – all of which feature trumpet solo work by Fats Navarro, plus work by a variety of excellent contemporaries of his – including Bud Powell, Kenny (listed as Kinney) Dorham, Kenny Clarke, Sonny Stitt, Tadd Dameron, and others. Titles include "The Tadd Walk", "Boppin A Riff (parts 1 & 2)", "Fat Boy (parts 1 & 2)", "Everything's Cool (parts 1 & 2)", "Seven Up", "Good Kick", and "That Someone Must Be You".

Don't pass this one up! Although the record looks like a silly "tribute" album from the title – it's actually a brilliant live set that crackles with some intense energy and a soulful spirit that goes way beyond its simple intentions! The album features a sextet of trumpeters that include Woody Shaw, Blue Mitchell, Bill Hardman, Kenny Dorham, Richard Williams, and Walter Kelly – all coming together on a set of long, drawn out tracks that offer a great contrast to some of the studio playing that the artists were doing at the time. There's a feel here that's a bit like some of the Left Bank recordings of the late 60s – but often harder overall, and in a way that really shows the full talents expressed by the players in such an open-ended and inspirational setting. The rhythm section features Lonnie Smith on piano, Peck Morrison on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums – and the whole thing's got a wonderful sound throughout! There's few echoes of Booker Little, Clifford Brown, or Fats Navarro – but plenty of the underground east coast scene of the time – and titles include very long takes of "Bags Groove", "Confirmation", "What's New", "Blues" and "Sweet Clifford".

It's no secret that some of the greatest jazz soundtracks ever were recorded in Paris – and this CD contains 2 of them! First up is the landmark Un Temoin Dans La Ville – recorded under the leadership of tenor sax player Barney Wilen, who had made such a huge contribution to Miles Davis' famous score for Acenseur Pour L'Echafaud. Wilen's score features 12 incredible tracks that are just dripping with black and white cinematic mood – played by a group that includes Kenny Dorham, Duke Jordan, and Kenny Clarke. Titles on that set include "La Pendaison", "Sur L'Antenne", "SOS Radio Taxis", "La Vie N'est Qu'Une Lutte", and "Ambiance Pourpre". The remaining 6 tracks on the CD are from the very rare soundtrack to J'Irai Cracher Sur Vos Tombes – written and arranged by pianist Alain Goraguer, with a group that includes trumpeter Roger Guerin, vibist Michel Hausser, and bassist Pierre Michelet. The soundtrack recalls a lot of Davis and Wilen's work together – and tracks include "Theme De Liz", "Blues De Memphis", and "Surprise Partie Au Bord De L'Eau".

Not so much an introduction to Latin jazz, as it a wonderful collection of Latin-tinged tunes from the mighty catalog of Blue Note Records – and not just New York and Cuban Latin grooves, but also a fair bit of bossa nova and Brazilian sounds too! The 3CD package is overflowing with goodness – and titles include a range of killer Blue Note gems from the 60s – plus related cuts from labels like Capitol, Liberty, and World Pacific. The groove changes nicely throughout the set, and the instrumentation is superb – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Sandalia Dela" by Duke Pearson, "Chitlins Con Carne" by Kenny Burrell, "Loie" by Ike Quebec, "Samba De Orfeu" by Charlie Rouse, "Bossa For Baby" by Hank Mobley, "South Of The Border" by Lou Donaldson, "Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso" by Sabu Martinez, "Minors Holiday" by Kenny Dorham, "Congalere" by Horace Parlan, "Ghana" by Donald Byrd, "Latin Fever" by Jack Costanzo, "No Problem" by Jerome Richardson, "Girl From Ipanema" by Lou Rawls, "Rojo" by Bobby Hutcherson, and "Thousand Finger Man" by Candido. 38 tracks in all!

A hip collection of tracks recorded during the early 60s years of the Candid label – all of them great, and all of them exclusive to this LP! The album does a great job of digging into the modern jazz underground of the early 60s – and titles include "R&R" by Charles Mingus, "Oh Yeah Oh Yeah" by Kenny Dorham and Benny Bailey, "Lord Lord Am I Ever Gonna Know" by Lucky Thompson, and "Father & Son" by Cal Massey.

One of Joe Henderson's first true moments of greatness – a landmark session recorded with a quintet that includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums! LaRoca's very free on the drum kit, and gives the set a rhythmic looseness that's a bit of a hint at some of Joe's 70's recordings – and that style's even further supported by Tyner's long flowing lines on piano, and Dorham's sparkling work on the trumpet! Includes the classic reading of Kenny's "Blue Bossa", plus the titles "Recorda-Me", "Jinrikishna", "La Mesha", and "Homestretch".

A 70s issue of 2 late 50s hard bop sides released by Argo and Cadet. Though the title and packaging might lead you to believe Max and Art are performing side by side, it's really just two albums slapped together, and not necessarily inappropriately, in a gatefold sleeve to sell easily. The first set is Blakey's Tough, one of those obscure sessions recorded during the years after the time he and Horace Silver split, with a transitional early lineup of the Jazz Messengers featuring Jackie McLean and Bill Hardman up front with Sam Dockery and Spanky DeBrest filling out the rhythm section. Included are a swinging Gershwin medley and two Duke Jordan tunes "Scotch Blues" and the classic "Flight to Jordu". Max's sides were issued as Max, a killer set of bop tracks recorded by Max with Hank Mobley and Kenny Dorham – plus a guest appearance by Ramsey Lewis on piano, in one of his few non-Chicago, non-trio sides! The record's got that great kind of energy that Roach could hit when he really was kicking his group into gear – and although the overall approach is mostly hard bop, there's plenty going on under the surface. Tracks include "CM", "Four X", "Crackle Hut", and "Speculate".

One of the best 60s albums ever from the legendary Toshiko Akioshi – a session recorded back in the US, with help from a quartet of American musicians! The album's got a strongly boppish feel overall – as Toshiko's piano comes into play with trumpet from Kenny Dorham, tenor and flute from Lew Tabackin, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Mickey Roker – all working in a style that has a lot of dark corners and very subtle edges. Hints of Toshiko's later arranging styles creep into some of the tunes, but overall the work is relatively spontaneous and open – quite lyrical and points, especially on some of the original numbers that have some slightly Japanese themes alongside more conventional jazz progressions. Dorham's trumpet is obviously a great asset in a setting like this – and the record is one of his rarest appearances from the time. Titles include "The Night Song", "How Insensitive", "Phrygian Waterfall", "Let's Roll In Sake", and "Opus No Zero".

"Starting Time" is a great early 60s session by Jordan – who at the time of the recording, was one of a number of firey young tenor players from Chicago – all of them hard-blowing, with a nice soulful bottom that opened up a bop sound to more moods and emotions – but Jordan stood apart from most of them with an approach that was decidedly more complex and forward-thinking. As you'll hear on the album's tracks, he wasn't content enough to just blow off a riff – but had to twist things up a bit, working a tune for more shades and colors than it might yield with another player, pushing on the proceedings with an edge that's very strong. The great Wilbur Ware's on bass, and a young Cedar Walton's playing piano, and with warmth like that, Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham sound great next to each other. Loads of original hard bop lines by Jordan, including "Extempore" and "Quittin' Time", plus "Mosaic" and "One Flight Down" by Cedar Walton. Even better is A Story Tale – a brilliant collaboration between Clifford Jordan and Sonny Red! Red's tone is excellent – a sharper one next to Jordan's more supple blowing – and the pair are a perfect team to lead off tunes like "Prints", "Hip Pockets", "A Story Tale", and "Defiance".