LP-613

James Moody - Moody's Mood For Love

Released 1956

Recording and Session Information

December 14 1956, New York
Johnny Coles, trumpet; Donald Cole, trombone; James Moody, tenor saxophone, flute; Tate Houston, baritone saxophone; Jimmy Boyd, piano; John Latham, bass; Clarence Johnston, drums; Eddie Jefferson, vocals

8356 I'm in the mood for love
8357 Billie's bounce
8358 You go to my head
8359 Phil up

January 13 1957, Chicago
Johnny Coles, trumpet; James Moody, tenor saxophone, flute; Jimmy Boyd, piano, peckhorn; Benny Golson, piano; John Latham, bass; Clarence Johnston, drums

8383 Tenderly (unissued)
8384 Foolin' the blues
8385 Don't blame me (unissued)
8386 Mean to me
8387 Star dust
Plus eight

Foolin' The Blues	James Moody	January 13 1957
Plus Eight	James Moody	January 13 1957
I'm In The Mood For Love	McHugh-Fields	December 14 1956
Phil Up	James Moody	December 14 1956
You Go To My Head	Gillespie, Coots	December 14 1956
Billies Bounce	Charlie Parker	December 14 1956
Stardust	Carmichael, Parish	January 13 1957
Mean To Me	Ahlert, Turk	January 13 1957

Liner Notes

Any impressive performance demands an encore.

James Moody's first Argo album revealed not only his remarkable abilities as a jazz flutist, but also sold gratifyingly, proving, we guess, that you have the same admiration for him that we do.

So this is the second of what will undoubtedly become a series of Moody portraits in vinylite.

Moody's abrupt emergence as a flutist of great ability should come as no surprise to those familiar with his career. Since his initial national exposure as tencr soloist with Dizzy Gillespie's big band in 1947, through his prolonged stay in Europe from 1948-'51, where he influenced and spurred into action overseas jazzmen and became equally known for his alto work, right up to the present time, as leader of his own group, his distinctive style and fluent technique on the saxes have made him notable.

The addition of the flute to his onstand collection of horns was a logical step for a man of his musical curiosity to take. Audience response was immediate, and he has become a confident exponent of the instrument, one which has come into wide general use among jazzmen.

That he has in short order become one of the best is once more evidenced record-wise here, as he moves easily from the finger-snapping Foolin' the Blues to an extended, lovely Stardust, with stops along the way for the swinging Plus Eight, the vibrant Phil Up, and a thoughtful You Go to My Head.

Eddie Jefferson's King Pleasure-sprung vocals on I'm in the Mood for Love and Billie's Bounce, and Moody's moving alto solo on Mean to Me complete the set.

Here is a full rundown on the tracks.

Foolin' the Blues: Benny Golson's piano, Johnny Latham's bass, then the express-like drums of Clarence Johnson precede Moody's entrance. His three choruses are followed by alternate solos from Jimmy Boyd on peck horn and trumpeter Johnny Coles. The rhythm section plays catch with it for awhile before Moody closes out with shave-and-a-haircut. Six bits.

Plus Eight: Moody uses an interesting variation here as he first plays two choruses of blues, then an eight-bar bridge that is never again employed (hence the title), and back to 12-bar fluted blues for four more choruses, one chorus from piano, 12 bars of stop choruses, then out.

Phil Up: Moody stretches out like a cat here, digging incisively into a loosely-strung chordal framework of 16-bar length that neatly lends itself to improvising. More shave, more haircut, and more loot wrap it up.

You Go to My Head: Tate Houston's baritone sax provides the bottom voice in the quietly persuasive background to Moody's flutematism on this ballad, one which has become a standard vehicle for many a jazzman's explorations.

Billie's Bounce: Eddie Jefferson again, and he lays down a vocal line to the mid-'40s Charlie Parker original, the recording of which served to introduce Miles Davis to the jazz audience. Here the trumpeter is Coles, with Moody and Houston again in evidence.

Stardust: An obscure ballad written by movie actor Hoagy Carmichael features just rhythm, Moody, and Coles, who plays a lovely solo here. Especially dig Moody's haunting little coda.

Mean to Me: The great influence that Charlie Parker had on Moody's style is most obvious when James plays alto, as he does on this fine oldie. Coles once more follows Moody's opening chorus, Boyd comes in on piano, and Moody closes up shop plaintively. Though James Moody strangely continues to remain virtually ignored and unnoticed by jazz critics, he has a faithful vanguard of appreciators who are aware of his extraordinary swing, unbounded musical imagination, and ability to communicate with immediacy.

If you are not yet one of those who numbers himself in that group, listen to this album.

You will be.

The personnel on the following tunes: — I'm In The Mood For Love, You Go To My Head, Billies Bounce & Phil Up are as follows: James Moody-tenor & alto flufé; Jimmy Boyd-piano, Clarence Johnston-drums, Johnny Lathem-bass, Tate Housten-baritone, Johnny Coles-trumpet & Donald Cole — Recorded in N. Y. 12/14/56

The personnel on the following tunes — Stardust, Mean To Me, Plus Eight & Foolin' The Blues are as follows: James Moody-tenor & alto flute, Benny Golsen-piano, Jimmy Boyd-piano & peck horn, Johnny Coles-trumpet, Johnny Lathem-bass, Clarence Johnson-drums — Recorded in Chicago 1/13/57

Recording Engineer: JACK WEINER
Cover Design — CHUCK STEWART
Supervision: PHIL CHESS
CHESS RECORDS, 2120 South Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.