Search - Carmell Jones :: Mosaic Select

A Great Find

Robert Baier | Florence, TX USA | 06/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I met Carmell Jones in 1980 when he returned to Kansas City from Germany. I operated a brass and woodwind repair shop there and he came in with problems with his instruments. I had not heard of him at that time, but when he tested his horns after the repairs, I knew he was a special talent. I had opportunities to hear him play in the following years, before I moved from the area, and always wanted to find his older recordings. His album "Jayhawk Talk" was reissued and is a great find, but this collection documents his early career and reinforces the impressions I developed when I met him years later. I've heard it said that, as a young man, he was expected to become the "next Clifford Brown" but he never fulfilled that promise. Given the climate for music and for jazz in particular in the early 1960's, I don't know if Clifford Brown would have become Clifford Brown. The Carmell I knew comes through in this set. He was always a gentleman, always prepared and in technical command of his instrument. His confidence enabled him to be generous with the sidemen on his sessions, giving them room for expression without having to dominate the session. And, the sidemen are terrific. Harold Land on tenor on many tracks is a great foil to Carmell. The liner notes in this set reproduce the originals with some enhancement. It did take me a few days to get the nerve to play the "Jazz Impressions of Folk Songs" on disc three. I was afraid that this would be a "sell out" to the folk craze of the time, but it's become one of my favorites. These recordings were made in the early 1960's, but they could have been made last week. If you are a fan of jazz trumpet, I don't think you will be disappointed."

Superb set

Sophia Illescas | Norcross, GA USA | 12/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is a amazing set of music. i did not know him until i got this as a gift from mosiac records. carmell is joined by gerald wilson on many of the songs. his trumpet plays loud, clear, melodic, and never gets tiresome. it's unforunate he is not well known as miles, shorter, byrd, hubbard or even blues mitchell. but he should be up there with the rest of the great trumpet players....i love this set and listen to it regularily. you wont be disappointed if you buy it."