Nothing too quiet here – as the album's one of
Max Roach's key classics from the Mercury years – recorded with one of the hippest groups he ever led! Players here are all wonderful – Julian Priester on trombone,
Stanley Turrentine on tenor,
Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Bob Boswell on bass, and
Max on drums – all working together in a very hip groove – no piano at all in the mix, which makes for even more interplay between the horns as they dance around tightly at the heads on each tune, always with sharp modern tones – then break apart beautifully for richly expressive solos! The arrangements are wonderful – proof that
Roach was really moving past straight hardbop modes by this point in his career – and titles include "Quiet As It's Kept", "To Lady", "Lotus Blossom", "As Long As You're Living", "Juliano", and "The More I See You". Parisian Sketches features the same great piano-less lineup and a fantastic groove – more soul jazz than most of
Roach's work, but also with angular touches of modernism that make the album have a very edgey quality – a perfect blending of the two best Modes that
Max explored in the years after Clifford Brown's death. Stan and
Tommy never sounded so great – and titles include "Nica", "Petit Dejuner", "Liberte", and the extended "Parisian Sketches" suite.