Search - Harry Allen :: A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2

Hard Bop Genesis

G B | Connecticut | 12/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1954 live recording is a momentous one in jazz history -- it's one of the first recordings in a style that would be known as hard bop. Blakey's quintet, a clear forerunner of his Jazz Messengers, approaches the classic bop style, mixes in some soul and gospel, and cranks up the energy. Art Blakey's turbocharged drumming, Horace Silver's funky, blues-drenched playing, and the formidable frontline of trumpet wizard Clifford Brown and Bird disciple Lou Donaldson set the mold for the style.Highlights of Volume 2 are a blistering interpretation of the Kern-Fields classic "The Way You Look Tonight" and two Charlie Parker tunes, "Confirmation" and "Now's The Time". Clifford Brown really burns on these tunes. If you like this CD, be sure to buy Volume 1 as well as the two Bohemia recordings of Blakey a year later."

A great night for jazz

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 03/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This second volume of the Art Blakey Quintet live at Birdland (2/21/54) is just as good as volume 1. Clifford Brown, alto man Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver, and Curly Russell join Blakey for some swinging hard bop performances. "Wee-dot" is a fast blues, as is "Lou's blues," which might be just a tad too frantic. All the playing is exceptional, though, on every track. Should be had with volume 1, and both CDs are must-have deals."

Pressure Cooker

Pharoah S. Wail | Inner Space | 01/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Be careful folks, this one can scorch your knickers! Everyone here is in tip-top shape and there are times when this one is a full-blown show of pure firepower.



It also slows down nicely though when it does pull back to the mid and slow tempos. Actually the mid-tempo stuff here is my favorite. Lou Donaldson purely shines here. He really should be more well-known. His playing is an absolute joy from beginning to end and, at least for me, he is the true star of this release. Of course there is also no lack of material here to please the Clifford Brown crowd, either. Sometimes upper-register pyrotechnics types of trumpet players seem to kill my ears. It's not my most favored style, but I still can't help but marvel at the lines Brownie blows here. When listening to him, I get the feeling that audience members probably broke out into a sweat just from hearing and seeing him play.



Even though Jazz at Massey Hall (whether partial or the complete one) is often viewed as a high-water mark in bebop, I'd tend to go with this disc as a better example of what it's all about. The sonic quality of this recording is fuller, richer, and I just think the performance is better, too. This disc has hard-bop-lengthed solos, but bebop style and freneticism... along with the killer slower stuff, as I mentioned earlier.



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