Unsung Saxophone Masters #2 – Tina Brooks: The Sound of Almost

Posted in saxophonists, The Jazz Continues..., Under The Radar, Unsung Saxophone Masters with tags , , , , on March 5, 2026 by curtjazz

Tina Brooks - Back to the Tracks

Tina Brooks (1932 – 1974)

“I loved Tina. “He had a nice feeling…. He would write shit out on the spot and it would be beautiful. He wrote ‘Gypsy Blue’ for me on the first record, and I loved it. I just loved it. Tina made my first record date wonderful. He wrote and played beautifully. What a soulful, inspiring cat.” – Freddie Hubbard

He was small of stature, soft spoken, bullied as a child and saddled with a woman’s name as a nickname from a very early age. But when he picked up that tenor sax… Harold Floyd “Tina” Brooks became a powerful giant.

He recorded just a handful of sessions as a leader for Blue Note Records between 1958 and 1961. Only one of them, True Blue, was released during his lifetime.

There are some musicians whose careers feel unfinished.

And then there are musicians whose recordings feel complete, even if their lives did not.

Tina Brooks belongs to the second category.

Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1932. His nickname was a variation on “Teeny”, which alluded to his small size. He grew up primarily in New York City. The sounds of rhythm & blues, church music, and the emerging language of bebop were part of the atmosphere there.

Music was already in the family. His father, David Brooks, sang professionally in vocal groups. This included the famed Ink Spots–style harmony ensembles that were popular in the 1940s. So Brooks grew up around working musicians. Jazz wasn’t a distant art form, it was a trade.

By his late teens, he had taken up the tenor saxophone. He began absorbing the language that dominated the New York scene of the early 1950s. Like many young tenor players of the period, he listened closely to Lester Young. He also paid attention to Dexter Gordon. Additionally, he absorbed the emerging modern vocabulary of Sonny Rollins.

But Brooks was not an imitator. Even early recordings reveal a voice that is inward and deliberate

Apprenticeship Years

Before recording under his own name, Brooks worked the New York club circuit and gained visibility through sideman work.

His first significant recording appearance was with Jimmy Smith. Smith’s revolutionary Hammond B-3 sound was redefining the organ trio format. Brooks appears on Smith’s 1958 Blue Note session The Sermon!, where his tenor sits comfortably inside the groove-oriented, church-inflected atmosphere Smith created.

It was a perfect setting for Brooks. His tone had a quiet blues authority; not flashy, but deeply rooted.

Around the same time, Brooks began working with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, another rising voice in the Blue Note orbit. Their collaboration on Jackie’s Bag (recorded 1959) showcased Brooks alongside players such as Freddie Hubbard and Paul Chambers. This firmly situated him within the hard-bop movement of the period.

Yet even within these high-level sessions, Brooks rarely behaved like a player trying to steal the spotlight. His solos are thoughtful, measured, and structurally clear.

He sounded like someone thinking while playing.

The Blue Note Leader Dates

Between 1958 and 1961, Brooks recorded several sessions. They were all for Blue Note Records. Brooks worked with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder.

These sessions included:

But here is the strange twist that shaped his reputation.

Only one of these albums, True Blue, was released during Brooks’ lifetime.

Tina Brooks did not record again past the age of 29. His other recordings sat in the Blue Note vault for years. They did not appear until the label’s archival reissues in the late 1970s and 1980s. These reissues brought renewed attention to overlooked sessions.

Why were they shelved?

No single explanation exists. Blue Note was recording prolifically at the time. Market decisions affected outcomes. Scheduling priorities interfered. The emergence of newer stars also played a role. Brooks’ personal struggles with health and addiction also complicated his career trajectory.

But the music itself tells a different story.

These are not tentative sessions. They are confident, mature statements from a fully developed modern tenor voice.

The Composer

One of Brooks’ most overlooked strengths was his writing.

Pieces such as:

  • “True Blue”
  • “Good Old Soul”
  • “Minor Move”

are elegantly constructed hard-bop compositions that balance blues feeling with harmonic sophistication.

They sit comfortably alongside the writing of contemporaries like Hank Mobley and Horace Silver. However, Brooks’ tunes often have a slightly more introspective quality. He wrote two tracks that appeared on Freddie Hubbard’s debut album as a leader, Open Sesame.

They feel less like vehicles for blowing and more like small musical architectures.

The Sound

Brooks’ tone is distinctive once you learn to hear it.

It is:

  • Lean rather than lush
  • Focused rather than expansive
  • Expressive without being demonstrative

Where John Coltrane pursued intensity and harmonic expansion, Brooks seemed more interested in clarity and pacing.

His solos unfold patiently. Ideas develop logically. There is very little excess.

You hear intention in every phrase.

The Quiet Fade

By the mid-1960s, Brooks’ health had deteriorated significantly. The combined pressures of the jazz lifestyle and personal struggles gradually removed him from the recording scene.

He died in 1974 at just forty-two years old.

By that time, his recorded legacy was already largely forgotten.

It would take the Blue Note reissue programs decades later for listeners to rediscover the depth of his work.

Today, albums like Back to the Tracks and Minor Move are often talked about with reverence. This is usually reserved for more famous artists.

But during his lifetime, Brooks never experienced that recognition.

Where to Begin (If You’re Listening Tonight)

If you’re discovering Brooks for the first time, start here:

  1. “True Blue” (Title track from True Blue) listen to the construction of his solo. Notice the pacing.
  2. “Good Old Soul” (Also on True Blue) the blues sensibility beneath modern harmony.
  3. “Minor Move” (Title track from Minor Move) lean, direct, unsentimental.

Don’t stream it casually. Sit with it.

Tina Brooks is not background music.
He is a study in understatement.

Why He Belongs in This Series

Jazz history tends to celebrate the revolutionaries.

The language of the music was shaped by musicians. They extended the tradition quietly. They worked thoughtfully and with immense discipline.

Tina Brooks was one of those musicians.

His discography is small.
His voice is unmistakable.

And that is why he belongs among the Unsung Tenor Giants.

Discography (all are on Blue Note Records)

(As a leader/co-leader)

True Blue (1960) with Freddie Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Sam Jones and Art Taylor

Minor Move (1958; Released 1980) with Lee Morgan, Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey

Back to the Tracks (1960; Released 1998) with Blue Mitchell, Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor

The Waiting Game (1961; Released 1999) with Johnny Coles, Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware and Philly Joe Jones

Street Singer [co-leader with Jackie McLean] (1960; Released 1980) with Blue Mitchell, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor

(As a sideman[Partial])

Blue Lights Volume 1 & 2 [with Kenny Burrell] (1958)

Redd’s Blues [with Freddie Redd] (1961; Released 1998)

House Party [with Jimmy Smith] (1958)

Open Sesame [with Freddie Hubbard] (1960)

Jackie’s Bag [with Jackie McLean] (1961)

CurtJazz Radio’s TOP 5 Tina Brooks Tracks:

  1. “Good Old Soul” (True Blue)
  2. Title Track (The Waiting Game)
  3. Title Track (Back to the Tracks)
  4. Title Track (Minor Move)
  5. “Theme for Doris” (True Blue)

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Reviving Unsung Tenor Saxophone Masters

Posted in saxophonists, Under The Radar, Unsung Saxophone Masters with tags , , , , on March 3, 2026 by curtjazz

THE RETURN

Fourteen years ago, I began a series here at CurtJazz.com called Unsung Saxophone Masters.

I wrote one entry.

Then life, radio, teaching, and a thousand other beautiful distractions carried me in different directions. The series quietly sat there; unfinished, like an unresolved cadence.

But some music waits.

The tenor saxophone, perhaps more than any other instrument in jazz, carries stories. These stories deserve to be told again. They especially include the stories of those who stood just outside the spotlight. As we revive this series, we will start with the tenor players.

When we think of the great jazz tenors, certain names come instantly to mind: Coltrane. Rollins. Webster. Getz. Shorter. Giants, all of them.

But jazz history, and jazz listening, is far richer than its headline names.

This series is about the masters who:

  • Recorded brilliantly but briefly
  • Worked steadily but without myth
  • Influenced deeply but quietly
  • Never quite became the brand

These are not “minor” players. They are musicians of consequence whose legacies deserve deliberate attention.

Back in 2012, I began with Curtis Amy. He was a West Coast tenor with Texas roots. He had a preacher’s warmth in his tone and a sense of spiritual grounding. This often gets overlooked in discussions of Los Angeles jazz.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/96/Way_Down_%28album%29.jpg

Amy was never marketed as a movement leader. He was never canonized. But listen closely to Way Down or his sideman work, and you hear authority. Depth. Patience.

He was not unsung because he lacked substance.
He was unsung because history can be selective.

And so, we return.

In the coming installments, we will revisit voices such as:

  • Tina Brooks — the brilliant Blue Note modernist whose recorded legacy is heartbreakingly small
  • J.R. Montrose — harmonically bold, often mislabeled as “West Coast cool”
  • Harold Land — steady, searching, and perpetually underrated
  • And others whose work shaped the sound of modern jazz without always shaping its marketing

This will not be a nostalgia project.

It will be a listening project.

Each post will explore:

  • The sound
  • The context
  • The sideman work
  • The overlooked sessions
  • The emotional center of the player

Because jazz history is not only written by the most visible.

It is carried in tone.

If you’ve followed CurtJazz Radio for any length of time, you already know that we program beyond the obvious. This series simply gives that philosophy a written home again.

The tenor saxophone remains the storytelling horn of modern jazz.

The posts in this series will appear once a week.

Let’s listen to the stories we missed.

I’m not going to leave you musically empty handed. Here’s a sampling of some excellent tenor work on that greatest of tenor jam tunes: “The Eternal Triangle”. Featured are three modern cats. They all deserve wider recognition. They are Eric Alexander, Ralph Lalama and Tad Shull with the great organist Mel Rhyne. . Let this tide you over until our next post in the series, which will feature Harold “Tina” Brooks.

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The Four Movements of A Love Supreme: A Spiritual Journey

Posted in faith and religion, john coltrane, saxophonists with tags , , , on February 28, 2026 by curtjazz

When John Coltrane released A Love Supreme in 1965, he did not include scriptural citations. There are no chapter-and-verse references in the liner notes, no theological footnotes, no formal doctrinal claims. What he offered instead was testimony.

In a brief but powerful statement inside the album, Coltrane wrote that he experienced “a spiritual awakening” in 1957. This awakening led him to gratitude and a life oriented toward God. A Love Supreme was his effort to say thank you.

He does not quote the Bible directly. Nonetheless, the suite: Acknowledgment, Resolution, Pursuance, and Psalm, traces a spiritual arc. This arc resonates deeply with biblical themes. This resonance is not because it tries to preach Scripture. It embodies a pattern Scripture repeatedly describes: recognition, commitment, seeking, and offering.

I. Acknowledgment – Recognition Before Response

The opening movement begins with Jimmy Garrison’s now-iconic four-note bass motif. When Coltrane enters and later chants “A Love Supreme,” the music feels less like argument and more like realization. It is declarative, steady, unhurried.

This movement carries the spirit of Psalmic gratitude:

“You are my God, and I will praise You…
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” (Psalm 118:28–29 NKJV)

Before obedience, before discipline, before mission, there is recognition. Acknowledgment is not striving toward God; it is awareness of grace already given. The repeated motif mirrors the constancy echoed throughout Scripture: “His love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV).

Coltrane does not try to prove divine love. He simply names it.

And naming is powerful.

II. Resolution — Gratitude Becomes Decision

If Acknowledgment is contemplative, Resolution is grounded. The quartet moves with confidence. McCoy Tyner’s harmonic architecture feels intentional, settled. The mood shifts from awareness to will.

Scripture often frames faith as choice as much as feeling:

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NKJV)

Recognition demands response. Gratitude, if genuine, moves toward commitment. In Romans 12:1, Paul calls believers to present themselves as “a living sacrifice”, an embodied, daily offering. For Coltrane, that offering was disciplined artistry. Practice was not separate from devotion; it was devotion.

Resolution is the moment where inspiration becomes direction.

III. Pursuance — The Urgency of Seeking

Then comes motion.

Pursuance surges ahead with restless intensity. Elvin Jones propels the rhythm with urgency; Coltrane’s improvisation stretches, presses, reaches. The music feels hungry.

This is not the calm assurance of arrival. It is the energy of pursuit.

Paul’s words to the Philippians almost serve as subtitle:

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward to what lies ahead, I press on…” (Philippians 3:13–14 NIV)

The spiritual life in Scripture is rarely static. The psalmist writes, “My soul thirsts for you” (Psalm 63:1 NKJV). Thirst implies motion. It implies need. It implies that faith is not merely declared, it is chased.

Pursuance reminds us that awakening does not remove longing. If anything, it intensifies it. Once divine love is acknowledged and chosen, it must also be sought.

There is discipline here. There is urgency. There is effort.

And there is honesty.

IV. Psalm — Breath as Offering

The final movement shifts dramatically. Coltrane wrote a prayer-poem printed in the liner notes and then performed it instrumentally. His saxophone follows the cadence of the written text, transforming breath into praise.

The resonance with Scripture feels unmistakable:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight…” (Psalm 19:14 NKJV)

And perhaps even more fitting:

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6 NKJV)

In Psalm, breath itself becomes theology. The horn does not argue. It testifies. It does not demand attention; it offers reverence.

There is a humility in this closing movement. After recognition, commitment, and pursuit, the suite resolves not in triumph, but in surrender.

The striving subsides. What remains is communion.

The Spiritual Architecture of the Suite

Taken as a whole, A Love Supreme mirrors a pattern found throughout biblical narrative:

  • First, recognition of grace.
  • Then, commitment of will.
  • Followed by disciplined seeking.
  • Culminating in offering and communion.

Coltrane does not instruct the listener how to believe. He invites the listener to witness gratitude unfolding in real time. The suite is not a theological argument; it is a spiritual autobiography set to sound.

That may be why it continues to resonate across traditions and generations. It speaks to something fundamentally human: the wish to respond to love with love.

In the end, A Love Supreme suggests that the deepest prayer may not always be spoken in words. Sometimes it is carried on breath. Sometimes it rises through brass and reed. Sometimes it is four notes repeated until recognition becomes reality.

Coltrane did not cite Scripture.

He embodied it.

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Reviving the Jazz Blog After 5 Years

Posted in Uncategorized on February 27, 2026 by curtjazz

Hey everyone! It has been a very busy last few years.

We can only give attention to a finite number of things at a time. Which means that sometimes, even the things you enjoy have to take a back seat for a few minutes. In the case of this blog, that few minutes turned into five years!

Nevertheless, I kept the page alive, knowing that one day, I would return. That day is today.

So, where have I been? I have been earning a Master’s Degree. I’ve been working hard. I took on a college professorship. I traveled to Europe with my family. I also met jazz greats who have passed through The Jazz Room, among other things.

I’m not going to make any promises I can’t keep, like blogging daily. I do promise that there will be at least one post per month. That’s a small goal that I can keep up with. As in the past, the posts will relate to one of my favorite topics. This topic is the music we call “jazz”.

If you read in the past, thanks for your patience. If you are new, welcome! Let’s restart the conversation.

And yes. CurtJazz Radio is STILL on the air, after almost 22 years! Click the link below to listen. It is still FREE on Live365.com

https://live365.com/station/CurtJazz-Radio-a09856

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30 Day Song Challenge: Day 2 – A Song That Always Makes Me Smile

Posted in 30 Day Song Challenge with tags , , , , , , on January 30, 2021 by curtjazz

Day 2 – A Song That Always Makes Me Smile – “Spanish Rice” – Clark Terry and Chico O’Farrill

It was a close contest between this and another Clark Terry tune, “Mumbles” but the fact that I am addicted to 60’s soul jazz and Latin-soul jazz, won the day for this classic. It’s the title track to the album that these two legends made in 1966 for Impulse Records. The album itself is good (not great) overall, but this tune’s groove is near-perfection, and the humorous bilingual patter between the two leaders is priceless. Terry gives us, what turned out to be, his wife’s recipe for the dish and then talks O’Farrill into a cab up to Harlem, to sample some, at “Fat Mama’s Soul Food”. Pure boogaloo fun and even a belch (gross!) from C.T., near the end. I’ve hear it a million times and it still never fails to make me smile!

Tomorrow: Day 3 – A song that makes me cry

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30 Day Song Challenge – Day 1 – A Song I Discovered This Month

Posted in 30 Day Song Challenge with tags , , , on January 28, 2021 by curtjazz

There are a lot of “challenges” on the web these days. Most, I will not participate in, for good reason. The “30 Day Song Challenge” lists that are going around, however, captured my interest. For one, it doesn’t involve public humiliation, for another, I do not have to risk injury to be involved and finally, it involves something that I am always interested in – music. I also decided to blog my daily choices because the brief articles around each choice, would force me back into the habit of writing, on regular.

I hope that you will join me for this month-long journey, and I hope that I can introduce you to some new music, in the process. It will be mostly jazz, of course but when necessary, we will go “beyond”, such as on this first selection.

Day 1 – A Song That I Discovered This Month – “Colors” – Black Pumas

Blame it on Biden.

I had never heard of this intoxicating duo out of Austin, TX, until the concert celebration, on the night of the new President’s Inauguration. In the middle of all the stars, they stood out, for their quiet passion and smooth soulfulness. “Colors” is the song that they performed that night. It reminded me of my all-time favorite soul singer, Al Green, when he was in his estimable prime. And they have a band that sounded Willie Mitchell (Green’s producer), had returned to lead The Roots.

As soon as they finished performing, I jumped on to Spotify, to hear more from Eric Burton, Adrian Quesada, and their musical colleagues. They’ve got a brand-new fan, in me. And I’m certainly not the only one, as they have been nominated for three 2021 Grammy Awards.

Black Pumas – If you haven’t heard them yet, I recommend that you come for “Colors” and then stay for the rest of their beautiful, rootsy, soul music.

Tomorrow, Day 2 – A Song That Always Makes Me Smile

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2021 Jazz (and More) Grammy Nominations

Posted in 2021 Grammys, Uncategorized with tags , , , , on January 4, 2021 by curtjazz

This is something that I usually do when the Grammy nominations are first announced, each November but I took a little unscheduled break from blogging and the awards still aren’t going to be presented for another four weeks, so I have (a little) time.

Here’s a listing of all of the nominees for 2021 Grammys, in the jazz categories AND in the categories that are jazz related, such as Contemporary Instrumental (aka Contemporary/Smooth Jazz). Also, some of the artists from the jazz world, have started to drift into the R & B categories, such as Robert Glasper, Thundercat and Gregory Porter, so I want to at least give them a shoutout for their noms.

The awards will be presented on Sunday, January 31. The awards in all of the categories below will be handed out, beginning at 3pm (ET) during the Grammy Premiere Show, prior to the prime-time telecast, which will begin at 8pm (ET)

As usual, we will have a lot more to say about the nominated jazz music during the weeks prior to the awards. Until then, for those of you who were unaware, here are the nominated performances. Congratulations to all!

Best Improvised Jazz Solo
For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter’s name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.

  • GUINNEVERE
    Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, soloist
    Track from: Axiom
     
  • PACHAMAMA
    Regina Carter, soloist
    Track from: Ona (Thana Alexa)
     
  • CELIA
    Gerald Clayton, soloist
     
  • ALL BLUES
    Chick Corea, soloist
    Track from: Trilogy 2 (Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade)
     
  • MOE HONK
    Joshua Redman, soloist
    Track from: RoundAgain (Redman Mehldau McBride Blade)

Best Jazz Vocal Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal jazz recordings.

  • ONA
    Thana Alexa
     
  • SECRETS ARE THE BEST STORIES
    Kurt Elling Featuring Danilo Pérez
     
  • MODERN ANCESTORS
    Carmen Lundy
  • HOLY ROOM: LIVE AT ALTE OPER
    Somi With Frankfurt Radio Big Band Conducted By John Beasley
  • WHAT’S THE HURRY
    Kenny Washington

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.

  • ON THE TENDER SPOT OF EVERY CALLOUSED MOMENT
    Ambrose Akinmusire
     
  • WAITING GAME
    Terri Lyne Carrington And Social Science
     
  • HAPPENING: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
    Gerald Clayton
     
  • TRILOGY 2
    Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade
     
  • ROUNDAGAIN
    Redman Mehldau McBride Blade

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new ensemble jazz recordings.

  • DIALOGUES ON RACE
    Gregg August
  • MONK’ESTRA PLAYS JOHN BEASLEY
    John Beasley’s MONK’estra
  • THE INTANGIBLE BETWEEN
    Orrin Evans And the Captain Black Big Band
     
  • SONGS YOU LIKE A LOT
    John Hollenbeck with Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry, Gary Versace And the Frankfurt Radio Big Band
     
  • DATA LORDS
    Maria Schneider Orchestra

Best Latin Jazz Album
For vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.

  • TRADICIONES
    Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra
     
  • FOUR QUESTIONS
    Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
     
  • CITY OF DREAMS
    Chico Pinheiro
     
  • VIENTO Y TIEMPO – LIVE AT BLUE NOTE TOKYO
    Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola
     
  • TRANE’S DELIGHT
    Poncho Sanchez

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
For albums containing approximately 51% or more playing time of instrumental material. For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new recordings.

  • AXIOM
    Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
  • CHRONOLOGY OF A DREAM: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
    Jon Batiste
  • TAKE THE STAIRS
    Black Violin
     
  • AMERICANA
    Grégoire Maret, Romain Collin & Bill Frisell
     
  • LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
    Snarky Puppy

Best R&B Song
A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

  • BETTER THAN I IMAGINE
    Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)
     
  • BLACK PARADE
    Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
     
  • COLLIDE
    Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG)
     
  • DO IT
    Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
     
  • SLOW DOWN
    Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)


Best Progressive R&B Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded progressive vocal tracks derivative of R&B.

  • CHILOMBO
    Jhené Aiko
     
  • UNGODLY HOUR
    Chloe X Halle
     
  • FREE NATIONALS
    Free Nationals
     
  • F*** YO FEELINGS
    Robert Glasper
     
  • IT IS WHAT IT IS
    Thundercat

Best R&B Album
For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new R&B recordings.

  • HAPPY 2 BE HERE
    Ant Clemons
     
  • TAKE TIME
    Giveon
     
  • TO FEEL LOVE/D
    Luke James
     
  • BIGGER LOVE
    John Legend
     
  • ALL RISE
    Gregory Porter

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In Memoriam: Jazz Artists We Lost in 2020

Posted in In Memoriam with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2021 by curtjazz

We already know that 2020 was an exceptionally cruel year. And its effect on the jazz world was especially painful. With many of our music’s greats already at an advanced age (albeit vibrantly, for many) and with a brutal virus spreading around, that hits the elderly and those with underlying conditions, far harder than other segments of the population, we knew it could be a tough year for our heroes. Sadly, at least a quarter of those on our list are said to have been suffering from Covid-19 related symptoms, at the time of their death.

So let us pay tribute to those in the jazz world that we lost in 2020. This is not an exhaustive list and I mean no disrespect or slight to the memory of anyone, who was omitted.

  • Tony Allen – Drummer/Percussionist – Musical partner of Fela Kuti for many years. Considered to be the father of the “Afrobeat” style of drumming
  • Ronald “Khalis” Bell – Saxophonist. Founding member of Kool and the Gang
  • Cándido Camero – Cuban percussionist. A pioneer of Afro-Cuban music
  • Jeff Clayton – Saxophonist. Co-leader of the Clayton Brothers (with brother, John). Co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (with Jeff Hamilton)
  • Jimmy Cobb – Master Drummer. Known for his work with Miles Davis (Kind of Blue) and Wes Montgomery (Smokin’ at the Half Note)
  • Freddy Cole – Vocalist and Pianist. Younger brother of Nat “King Cole. An excellent vocal stylist in his own right.
  • Richie Cole – Saxophonist. Known for “Alto Madness” and his work with Eddie Jefferson and The Manhattan Transfer
  • Stanley Cowell – Pianist and Record Company Founder. Excellent, if underrated jazz pianist. Known for his work with the Heath Brothers and co-founding Strata East Records
  • Stanley Crouch – Writer and Critic – Wrote for Jazz Times magazine, for many years. Associated with Wynton Marsalis. Sometimes controversial columnist and author
  • Manu Dibango – Cameroonian Saxophonist. Best known for his 1972 soul-jazz smash hit, “Soul Makossa”
  • Andy González – Bassist.  He successfully bridged the Afro-Cuban and jazz worlds. Co-founded the legendary Fort Apache Band (with brother Andy) and Libré (with Manny Oquendo)
  • Henry Grimes – Bassist. One of the leading free-jazz bassists during the 60’s. Returned to a successful career in the 21st Century.
  • Onaje Allan Gumbs – Pianist/Keyboardist. Worked extensively with Woody Shaw, Phyllis Hyman, and Ronald Shannon Jackson. Also recorded some fine contemporary jazz albums.
  • Jimmy Heath – Saxophonist/Flutist. Co-founder of the Heath Brothers (with brothers Percy and Albert). Played with everyone from Miles to Hargrove. Exceptional composer/arranger.
  • Frank Kimbrough – Pianist. Outstanding N.C. born post-bop pianist. Known for his work with Joe Locke and the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra.
  • Lee Konitz – Saxophonist. A leading influencer for many decades, in the cool-jazz, bebop and avant-garde idioms. Played on Miles Davis’ “Birth of the Cool”.
  • Mike Longo – Pianist/Keyboardist. Worked with Dizzy Gillespie for years, as well as leading his own group, the Mike Longo trio.
  • Johnny Mandel – Composer and Arranger. Winner of multiple Oscars and Grammy awards. Composed “Theme from MASH”, “The Shadow of Your Smile”, “Close Enough for Love”.
  • Ellis Marsalis – Pianist and Educator. A major influence on many on the New Orleans jazz scene. The father of Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis.
  • Lyle Mays – Keyboardist and Composer. Longtime musical partner of guitarist Pat Metheny.
  • Jymie Merritt – Bassist. Most notable for being the bass player with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, from 1957 – 1962, one of their most influential periods.
  • Gary Peacock – Bassist. Well respected and prolifically recorded leader and sideman. Worked notably with Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Albert Ayler, and Paul Bley.
  • Bucky Pizzarelli – Guitarist. Master of the seven-string guitar. Prolific artist who worked with everyone, from Benny Goodman to Anita Baker. Father of John and Martin Pizzarelli.
  • Charli Persip – Drummer. In addition to leading his own band, he worked notably with Dizzy Gillespie’s bands of the late 50’s and early 60’s, as well as with Red Garland.
  • Claudio Roditi – Brazilian Jazz Trumpeter. Worked with Paquito D’Rivera and Dizzy’s United Nations Big Band, in addition to his own impressive career as a leader.
  • Wallace Roney – Trumpeter. Gained immense popularity in the 90’s, after working alongside Miles Davis and receiving the legend’s blessing. Former husband of the late Geri Allen.
  • Annie Ross – Vocalist and Actress. The “Ross” in Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, the most influential jazz vocal group of all time. Also, an excellent vocalist, in her own right.
  • Ira Sullivan – Trumpeter/Flugelhornist/Saxophonist/Composer. Active from the 1950’s – 2010’s. Remembered mostly for his work alongside trumpeter Red Rodney.
  • McCoy Tyner – Pianist. One of the greatest and most influential pianists of the last four decades of the 20th Century. Pianist in the classic John Coltrane Quartet. A legend.
  • Eugene Wright – Bassist – “The Senator”. Known primarily for his role as the bass player in the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet. Was the last surviving member of that group.

We have also included below, a super sized Spotify playlist, that includes a sampling of the music of many of those that we honor. In the case of Jymie Merritt, the best representation of his artistry came from some of his work in the group that he is most closely associated with; the Jazz Messengers. We’ve included “Moanin'”, their signature performance. To hear Merritt at his best, skip to 7:00, near the end of the tune, when he digs into a hard groovin’ bass statement, accompanied only by Blakey and Timmons comp. Sweet!

Enjoy the list and honor the music of those who have joined the ancestors, then remember, that the music can only continue to survive and thrive, if you give love and attention to those who can still hear you give it, our living artists. Let’s strive in 2021, to support those who still play this music despite everything that is against them. Now more than ever, they need to hear your love and support; especially in the legal purchase of their music.

Happy and prosperous New Year, to all.

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My Favorite Jazz Albums of 2020 – The Complete List

Posted in Best Jazz Albums of 2020 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2020 by curtjazz

In the three previous posts, I’ve listed and discussed my favorite jazz albums of 2020. Bright musical oases, in this otherwise miserable year.

In this post, we bring all 30 of them together, in one place. In each album title is embedded a link to the album’s page on Amazon. In these extraordinarily difficult times, we encourage you to purchase these albums, if there’s something that you like. Streaming is nice but the financial support that it provides to the artists, is laughable. So we provide the Amazon links as a first alternative. However, many of the artists also have their own websites, through which you can purchase the music directly from them. If you are so inclined, I encourage you to go that route. It can provide maximum remuneration for the artists that you love. We will also feature tracks from each of these albums, throughout January 2021, on CurtJazz Radio. Click HERE to listen now.

We’ve also created another Spotify playlist, featuring selections from a dozen of the 30 albums on the list, to give those of you who have not yet visited the prior posts, an opportunity to sample the artistry represented here. I can’t say it enough. Streaming is nice but buying is better.

Here are my 30 for ’20, in alphabetical order, by artist name:

ARTISTTITLELABEL
J.D. AllenToys/Die DreamingSavant
John BeasleyMONKestra Plays BeasleyMack Avenue
Lakecia BenjaminPursuance: The ColtranesRopeadope
Peter BernsteinWhat Comes NextSmoke Sessions
Stanley CowellLive at Keystone Corner BaltimoreSteepleChase
Wayne EscofferyThe Humble WarriorSmoke Sessions
John Fedchock NY SextetInto the ShadowsSummit
Champian FultonBirdsongSelf-Release
Nubya GarciaSourceConcord
Jeff Hamilton TrioCatch Me If You CanCapri
Connie HanIron StarletMack Avenue
Jimmy HeathLove LetterVerve
Eddie HendersonShuffle and DealSmoke Sessions
Theo HillReality CheckPosiTone
Christopher HollydayDialogueSelf-Release
Nduduzo MakhathiniModes of Communication: Letters from the UnderworldBlue Note
Jason MarsalisLiveBasin Street
Christian McBride Big BandFor Jimmy, Wes, and OliverMack Avenue
Ron MilesRainbow SignBlue Note
Farnell NewtonRippin’ and Runnin’PosiTone
Redman, Mehldau, McBride, BladeRoundAgainNonesuch
Eric ReedFor Such a Time as ThisSmoke Sessions
The Royal BopstersParty of FourMotéma
Kandace SpringsThe Women Who Raised MeBlue Note
Alexa TarantinoClarityPosiTone
Gregory TardyIf Time Could Stand StillWJ3
The Brianna Thomas BandEverybody KnowsBreathline
Isaiah J. ThompsonPlays the Music of Buddy MontgomeryWJ3
Kenny WashingtonWhat’s the Hurry?Lower 9th
Bobby WatsonKeepin’ It RealSmoke Sessions

Thank you all, for reading and listening. Here’s to a great 2021. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get back to live music by the time you read my next “Best Of…” list.

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My Favorite Jazz Albums of the Year: 30 for ’20 (Part 3 of 3)

Posted in Best Jazz Albums of 2020, Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 29, 2020 by curtjazz

In our last set of my favorite jazz albums of 2020, we’ve got a reunion from a group of musicians who made remarkable music a quarter century ago, a very impressive debut album by a promising young pianist and a vocalist who delivers the remarkable album that we’ve been waiting for from them. Let’s take a look.

Once again, the albums are in alphabetical order, by artist name.  We will also try hard again, to adhere to the three-sentence rule. So far, we’ve been mostly unsuccessful.

  • Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: RoundAgain (Nonesuch)
    • Joshua Redman’s 1994 album MoodSwing remains in my top three all time favorite discs by the prolific saxophone master. Redman was but 25 at the time of the album’s release (his third). He was joined by a trio of young (under 25) musicians, who held promise for what they could bring to jazz’s future: Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade, on drums. They dropped one exceptionally fine album and disbanded, all going on to fulfill their promise and become four of the most respected musicians in jazz today.  Twenty-six years later, Redman reunited the group to deliver RoundAgain. Whereas Redman was the star the first time around, they have all returned as equals, each getting co-billing and contributing as composers. Other than that, absolutely nothing has changed. The four are still as swinging, tight and fiery as they were in 1994. Their work is now, as then, exemplary, and highly recommended.
  • Eric Reed: For Such a Time as This (Smoke Sessions)
    • It happens to me every year. I will have carefully selected the music to be included on this list by around the end of November. But there’s always some artist who will release an album, late in the year, that doesn’t reach my ears until December. Invariably, the music will be excellent and cause me to reconsider my “Best ofs”. This year, that artist is my old friend, Eric Reed. His new album, For Such a Time as This, is hands down, his best in over half a decade. This album was recorded in late June of this year, during the pandemic related lockdown, in Los Angeles. Mr. Reed assembled a hand-picked quartet of local musicians, and away they went. With all going on, this year, from COVID-19 to racism and racial injustice, to our fraught political environment, this became a very personal musical statement, for the pianist. I felt that. But I also felt that because it was so personal, his musicianship and those of his bandmates, moved to a higher level. Well done.
  • The Royal Bopsters: Party of Four (Motéma)
    • The most welcome sophomore release of the year for me, turned bittersweet, when I learned that one of the members of this wonderful vocal group, Holli Ross, had succumbed to cancer, between the completion of the album and its release. The album itself, is just as great as their stunning 2015 debut. The group’s harmonies are drum tight and joyous, even on the ballads. Guest spots by Christian McBride, Sheila Jordan, and the late Bob Dorough, enliven the proceedings even more. Ms. Ross, you have left us a beautiful memory, Rest in Peace.
  • Kandace Springs: The Women Who Raised Me (Blue Note)
    • This is the album that I’ve been waiting for from Kandace Springs, since she first grabbed my attention on her compelling but uneven debut album Soul Eyes. Perhaps because on The Women Who Raised Me, which is a tribute to the vocalists who influenced her, she finally has an album’s worth of material worthy of her stunning talent. Her honest, soul drenched voice, has never sounded better. With guest appearances by Norah Jones, David Sanborn, Chris Potter, Christian McBride and others, this album has placed her in the upper echelon of young soul-jazz vocalists.
  • Alexa Tarantino: Clarity (PosiTone)
    • Another on the growingly impressive list of jazz artists, under 30, who a creating a bright future for jazz, Alexa Tarantino is a multi-reed player, who demonstrates stunning proficiency on flutes, and soprano and alto saxophones, on this, her second album. Ms. Tarantino also wrote four of the nine selections, including two of the best performances, “Through”, which features her on flute and “A Race Against Yourself”, on which Tarantino delivers a blistering turn on alto sax. Two albums, in two years, each better than the last. I’m looking forward to hearing what next year will bring.
  • Gregory Tardy: If Time Could Stand Still (WJ3)
    • I’ve been an admirer of this big-toned tenor, ever since his impressive debut for Impulse! Records, 22 years ago. On this date, his first for Willie Jones III’s fine WJ3 label, he wraps that tone around seven originals and one standard. Mr. Tardy is an intelligent soloist and an excellent composer. His name should be far better known than it is. If Time Could Stand Still, is another winner in his catalog, a fine straight-ahead date with excellent solos from Tardy, guest star Alex Norris on trumpet and pianist Keith Brown, son of the piano master, Donald Brown. Keith is new to me and very impressive. I look forward to hearing more from him, in the future.
  • The Brianna Thomas Band: Everybody Knows (Breathline)
    • Oh my! I had no idea that Ms. Brianna Thomas existed until a few tracks from this album appeared in my new release file, a few months ago. Her voice is a marvel. It’s a blend of soul, blues, jazz, and world-weary heartbreak, that gives her a sound like no one else working today. Ms. Thomas delivers a cooking set, that straddles the line between blues and jazz, doing both idioms proud. Any vocalist who can pull off “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie”, “Mississippi Goddam” and the slightly raunchy “My Stove’s in Good Condition”, with equal aplomb, on the same album, is my kind of singer. Nice to meet you, Brianna Thomas. Let’s do this again, soon.
  • Isaiah J. Thompson: Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery (WJ3)
    • I first heard the young, brilliant pianist, Isaiah J. Thompson, on Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s release A Handful of Keys, which featured several pianists of various ages and experience levels. Though Mr. Thompson was the youngest of the group, he managed to stand out among his seasoned colleagues. On his full album debut as a leader, he tackles the music of the youngest of the Montgomery Brothers, pianist Buddy. Mr. Montgomery wrote some fine and so far, under-recorded tunes, which makes this album quite appropriate. It’s also quite good. Mr. Thompson has impeccable taste as a soloist. He avoids the unnecessary runs and flourishes that plague many keyboardists of his age. This album is an outstanding start for an artist who has a very bright future.
  • Kenny Washington: What’s the Hurry? (Lower 9th)
    • This is the New Orleans native’s debut album, as a leader, at the tender age of 63 (thus the tongue-in-cheek title). He has often been confused with the popular jazz drummer of the same name (they are no relation) and during his 35-year career, Mr. Washington has often been shy about promoting himself and his considerable talents. Like the man himself, this album is not going to get in your face. It is low key, it swings, and it will insidiously wrap itself around your brain. Washington’s intonation and phrasing are excellent, and he has a marvelous way with the standards that make up most of the selections on the album. An excellent debut. Let’s hope a follow-up is forthcoming, soon.
  • Bobby Watson: Keepin’ It Real (Smoke Sessions)
    • Bobby Watson, who has had a long and storied career, as a musician, bandleader, and educator, has been on a hot streak of late, especially from a recorded perspective. The superb Keepin’ It Real, is the third critically acclaimed Smoke Sessions release that Mr. Watson has been a part of, in the last three years. Here, he just continues to do what he has been doing so well, since his days as musical director of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and then with his own group, Horizon; create catchy and memorable hard bop arrangements and infuse them with his inimitable sound and swing on alto sax. Now that he has retired from the education field, Mr. Watson has spoken of having more time for touring and recording. If he keeps producing music of this quality, the jazz world will be incredibly pleased. [Bobby Watson joined me, to discuss this album and his career, on Conversations with Curtis. Click HERE to view that interview, on You Tube].

A reminder, if you are interested in purchasing any of the music that we’ve discussed in these posts, clicking on the album title, will take you to the album’s page on Amazon.com. There is also a Spotify playlist below, which includes a track from each of the albums discussed here, for you to sample. And we’ll be featuring many of these albums throughout January 2021 on CurtJazz Radio. But please don’t just stream. During these tough times, these musicians can use your support more than ever, so if you like it, buy it.

Our next post will be a summary listing of all 30 albums, in our 30 for ’20 list. It will be up on the site, tomorrow.

 Thoughts and opinions are welcome, as always, in the comments.

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