LP-758

Ahmad Jamal – Extensions

Released 1965

Recording and Session Information

Ahmad Jamal, piano; Jamil S. Nasser, bass; Vernel Fournier, drums
Nola's Penthouse Studios, New York, May 18-20 1965

13961 This terrible planet
13962 Dance to the lady
13963 Bogaloo (?) (unissued)
13964 Whisper not
13965 Extensions (pt 1)
13966 Who can I turn to? (unissued)
13967 The first love song (unissued)
13968 unknown title (unissued)
13969 Look at that face (unissued)

Track Listing

Extensions	Ahmad Jamal	May 18-20 1965
Dance To The Lady	John Handy	May 18-20 1965
This Terrible Planet	Bob Williams	May 18-20 1965
Whisper Not	Benny Golson	May 18-20 1965

Liner Notes

IT IS always delightful exposing oneself to Ahmad Jamal's talents because he posesses all of the ingredients of 'the real jazz musician'. Innate ability varies in people but this man has been given an infectious swing, a wide harmonic scope, and a love for beautiful melodies.

Until a couple of years ago, he often said. "I haven't had a lesson in fifteen years: I was playing this way when I was twenty!" In his native Pittsburgh, and later while working Chicago night spots, his exceptional gifts were recognized, hut we have to differ with Jamal — he's playing greater than ever! This album is a testimony to that, sanctioned by the extremely capable bassist, Jamil S. Nasser, and the superb drummer, Vernei Fournier. Jamal's preference for the trio has persisted for sixteen years and this seems to be an ideal choice.

From "Wanted...Peace," one of Bob Williams' musicals, comes THIS TERRIFLE PLANET. A rhythmic combination of tambourin, sock cymbal, and side tom helps set the pace of this F-minor medium offering with a bluesy-eastern flavor.

Ahmad says, "THIS TERRIBLE PLANET is a most interesting composition and the words are equally interesting. I'm looking forward to people like Johnny Hartman doing it."

The runs of John Handy's DANCE TO THE LADY advance ripples of feeling. A&R man Dave Usher, highly excited in the control booth, is prompted to tell Ahmad after the take. "Yea! The lady dances with us!"

"DANCE TO THE LADY is a pretty tune," says Ahmad. "I dig it! Written by one of the most talented and scholarly musicians today, John Handy. He holds a masters degree and lives in San Francisco. A person, in musician circles, is very unfortunate who hasn't discovered him, very unfortunate!"

Benny Golson's WHISPER NOT is in the 'groovy modern tradition'. A fiery flavor is given underneath the beat by Vernel's fantastic top cymbal work.

Ahmad reminisces, "WHISPER NOT is such a swinger! A tune I've been doing for some time. Wrinen by one of my favorite musicians who has the rare facility of being a fine writer and instrutnentalist. When he was with Earl Bostic, he used to come to the Pershing. This is one of many of his compositions I enjoy."

After an ensemble intro, we go into the only original, EXTENSIONS. Then comes a bass solo, then one by Fournier, then Ahmad surprises us by tastefully plucking the piano strings. Following is a series of exchanges and then an up-tempo demon-like swing: a sort of intellectual adventure. a variety of interesting rhythms.

Ahmad considers EXTENSIONS to be the most important tune in the album and it has occupied his thoughts considerably: "This is a flag-waver even time we perform it. Wc did it with the Cleveland Orchestra on July 28, 1965. This is definitely 'thinking' music. Ever since we starred doing EXTENSIONS it hasn't failed to overwhelm the audience to the point of standing ovations."

Vernel Fournier has experienced two jazz history-making cities and perhaps this has contributed to his more than adequate percussion endowment and made him an expert. He was born in New Orleans and migrated to Chicago at twenty. A recording studio technician says. "He plays so politely!" Fournier rides his top cymbal brilliantly and with accompanying accents, using sock, brass, snare and tom — a soloist can't helped being moved. A brief spell away from the trio caused him to say on returning, "It's good to be back. I missed Ahmad!"

Vernel says. "THIS TERRIBLE PLANET is some title! It has a beautiful African sound. I play 3/4 and 4/4 time, Jamil 3/4, and Ahmad 3/4. DANCE TO THE LADY has a beautiful melody," Vernel continues, "I love this one! I like WHISPER NOT's beat. Going to listen carefully to the playback. Yea, " Vernel amens, "this EXTENSIONS really gives me a fast up-there challenge!"

Jamil S. Nasser is also from a city with a jazz tradition, Memphis. He allied himself to the bass in 1948 and, now being one of the prominent men on that instrument in New York, shows that this alliance wasn't fruitless. Of significance, however, is the pleasure of hearing his power, steady beat, and fertile rhythmic imagination.

Jamil says. "I love THIS TERRIBLE PLANET and sinking into the rhythm like an anchor. This I call 'anchoring'. DANCE TO THE LADY is unusual, musical, and written by a helluva musician! Love the tune! I get a swingin' kick out of WHISPER NOT." (Nasser danced happily on the playback of this one.) "We really get a good tempo on EXTENSIONS."

Watching Ahmad during a break flipping the pages of a Bach two- and three-part inventions, one thinks — or could think — of the journey trekked by him to the top: it's miraculous! But greatness cannot be harnessed by obstacles or disadvantages — this record is the proof.

And now allow me to present Ahmad Jamal's EXTENSIONS...

—Ahmad Basheer
Off The Record

LP-757

The Ramsey Lewis Trio - The In Crowd

Released 1965

Recording and Session Information

Ramsey Lewis, piano; Eldee Young, bass; Redd Holt, drums
Bohemian Caverns, Washington D.C, May 13-15 1961

13924 A felicidade [Happiness]
13925 Stack (unissued)
13936 Without a song (unissued)
13937 Spartacus [Love theme from Spartacus]
13938 The "In" crowd
13939 Tennessee waltz
13940 A hard day's night (unissued)
13941 Sometimes I feel like a motherless child (unissued)
13942 Come Sunday
13943 It happened (unissued)
13944 And I love her (unissued)
13945 Theme from "Golden Boy" (unissued)
13996 Since I fell for you
13997 Night song (unissued)
13998 You been talkin' 'bout me baby

Track Listing

The 'In' Crowd	Billy Page	May 13-15 1961
Since I Fell For You	Buddy Johnson	May 13-15 1961
Tennessee Waltz	Pee Wee King / R. Stewart	May 13-15 1961
You Been Talkin' 'Bout Me Baby	Garnett / Hirsch / Riviera	May 13-15 1961
Spartacus (Love Theme From)	Alex North	May 13-15 1961
Felicidade (Happiness)	A.C. Jobin / V. DeMorais	May 13-15 1961
Come Sunday	Duke Ellington	May 13-15 1961

Liner Notes

The Ramsey Lewis three are among the best-selling jazz artists on records today. A collection of their works shows the many facets of their styles. Lewis has been presented with big bands and strings in addition to the regular trio format and in all situations he plays good jazz — sometimes pretty, sometimes blue. sometimes cool, but always swinging and straight from the heart of a true jazz artist.

The scope of jazz today has widened and young men like Ramsey Lewis are improvising, drawing from many sources, blending and putting into jazz something that was not there before, but never losing the source — the blues. The shaping of a mature musical personality is a long, slow process that is often as stormy as growing from adolescence to adulthood. In many cases, final crystallization never occurs and the musician is stalled on the brink of something important. For Ramsey Lewis, however, the process is just about complete and there is no doubt in my mind that his playing has reached a finality which indicates the culmination of the long trip.

The strides Ramsey has made in the last few years have been amazing. His sound and style have grown completely distinctive, and could be considered a synthesis of the older elements of jazz — elements that project the roots, beginnings and emotional undercoating of the idiom.

The trio was formed about a decade ago, while Ramsey was a student at DePaul University. The trio still consists of the original members, with bass and cello player extraordinary, Eldee Young, and the brilliant drummer Isaac "Red" Holt. All are from Chicago.

In recent years, the Ramsey Lewis Trio's popularity has risen to phenomenal heights. Nowhere in the country has the trio been more enthusiastically received than in the nation's capitol, where they *enjoy the praises of fans of all nations. It is stnall that hundreds or global neighbors waited in line to enter the beautiful, sculpturesque, world-renowned BOHEMIAN CAVERNS, the home of the 'IN' crowd, to see and hear the Ramsey Lewis Trio.

Recording night for the trio is an event for Washington fans, and this is the trio's second recording date in the famous BOHEMIAN CAVERNS. The first (ARGO LP-741) was as a big commercial success.

The trio opens this albunn with "I'm in with the 'in' crowd...I go where the 'in' crowd goes." Here Ramsey swings with a touch of the blues in the chordal work.

"Since I Fell For You" is a splendid old composition played in a manner that holds the attention all the way to the lonely sounding end.

On "Tennessee Waltz", Eldee Young plays cello with unbelievable dexterity. His approach ranges from a gentle reserve to unpredictable aggressive movements and his "Flamenco" introduction is a priceless bit of merriment.

On other selections, such as "Love Theme From Spartacus." "You Been Talk-in' 'Bout Me Baby" and "Felicidade", I find drummer "Red" Holt increasingly impressive, most effectively so, in his unique contributions.

From the beginning, the trio settled into a comfortable groove. relaxed and swinging. "I'm in with the 'in' crowd I know what the 'in' crowd knows." Yes, they know what the 'IN' crowd wants to hear, so they recorded a thoroughly satisfying collection of fine music, tailor-made for the 'IN' crowd.

Ramsey Lewis has made a lot of fine recordings and this is one more to add to his illustrious background.

Al Clarke
WOOx Radio
Washington. D.C.

LP-756

James Moody - Cookin' The Blues

Released 1965

Recording and Session Information

Howard McGhee, trumpet; Bernard McKinney, trombone; James Moody, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute; Musa Kaleem, baritone saxophone; Sonny Donaldson, piano; Steve Davis, bass; Arnold Enlow, drums; Eddie Jefferson, vocals
Jazz Workshop, San Francisco, June 1961

10955 Bloozey (unissued)
10956 Little Buck
10957 Home fries
10958 Disappointed
10959 It might as well be spring
10960 One for Nat
10961 Bunny Boo
10962 The Jazz Twist
10963 Sister Sadie
Moody Flooty

Track Listing

The Jazz Twist	James Moody	June 1961
One For Nat	Gene Kee	June 1961
Bunny Boo	James Moody	June 1961
Moody Flooty	James Moody	June 1961
It Might As Well Be Spring	Rodgers & Hammerstein	June 1961
Disappointed	E. Jefferson	June 1961
Sister Sadie	Horace Silver	June 1961
Little Buck	James Moody	June 1961
Home Fries	Gene Kee	June 1961

Liner Notes

BACK in 1946, James Moody made his first recording date. He was the featured tenor saxophonist with Dizzy Gillespie's big band on a number called Emanon. Moody was cookin' the blues — to a turn.

Almost twenty years later, Moody is back with Diz, and cookin' better than ever. In between. however, he was a band leader in his own right, as anyone who is aware of Argo Records well knows. Moody's bands have always been big little bands or little big bands, depending on how you look at it. They combined musicality and swing, and certainly knew how to play the blues. This 1961 edition, recorded live at The Jazz Workshop in San Francisco, is no exception. Here the band is heard in a supporting role, save a short solo by pianist Sonny Donaldson on The Jazz Twist. The stage is Moody's for the most part, except on the two selections in which his long-time buddy, singer Eddie Jefferson, steps into the spotlight.

When Moody went to Europe in the late Forties as a member of the Gillespie band, he decided to stay on the Continent. In France and Sweden, he became a recording star on both tenor and alto, his original instrument. When he returned to the United States in 1951, Jimmy continued to utilize both horns. Later in the Fifties, he added flute to his already heavy arsenal. In this album, he uses all three weapons to cook the blues.

Moody is very "vocal" on all his instruments but perhaps no place as much as on alto. His Jazz Twist solo, at a groovy medium tempo, gets into some screaming before it's finished. On the minor-key Home Fries, he does some hard wailing and crying. Even on It Might As Well Be Spring he imparts a bluesy inflection replete with a rowdy rooster crow.

His flute has a pleasing, beautifully-controlled, but never effete sound that is as azure as his other axes. Moody is flutin' the blues on only one track in this set and that's Moody Flooty. Once again he shows how to get a jazz feeling on flute without becoming hysterical.

Moody's tenor is never harsh but has an edge that bites and a center with plenty of guts and he fingers it with the same incredible facility that he brings to the smaller alto. James is a tough man at any tempo. As fellow saxophonist Allen Eager said to me, one night at Birdland, when we were enjoying James' playing, "He can do anything he wants to on his horn."

One For Nat has Moody in full flame and a short drum break by Buddy Enlow. Bunny Boo is in a rocking, finger-popping groove with the mood for Moody set by the walking Steve Davis and Enlow. Moody's Little Buck is a terse, swift, riffy blues with a Lester Young-ish beginning and a few hints of Pres in other places.

In abetting vocalist Eddie Jefferson's portrait of Horace Silver's Sister Sadie, Moody blows a particularly hot tenor chorus. This one swings all the way with Jefferson's words even taking in Blue Mitchell's trumpet solo from Silver's original version.

Jefferson was the first singer to write words to instrumental solos and perform them. "I started doing it back around 1938 or 1939," he told me. "I used to have a record player in my hotel room and just sing along with the records for my own amusement and for the cats who always hung around." Eddie's other solo in this set is Disappointed, based on Charlie Parker's Lady Be Good solo from Jazz At The Philharmonic. The first time Jefferson recorded this, he sang: "I got in trouble foolin' around with a pretty woman." This time he tells us: "I got in trouble feelin' around with a pretty woman." That's some fancy foolin'! Eddie's sense of humor is all over this one in a demonstration of how to make a sad story amusing. It's the only track in the album where Moody doesn't solo, but Jefferson takes good care of all the business. Elsewhere, it's all Moody, and he cooks the blues with the authority and élan of a musical Escoffier.

—IRA GITLER