Search - Jay Thomas :: Blues for Mcvouty

Solid hard bop from an under-appreciated horn man

dave young | st. paul, mn | 05/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First my disclaimer---I'm selling a copy of this CD on Amazon. Nothing against the music though. Jay Thomas isn't really under-recorded; he's got a number of his own sessions out in addition to being heard as an always tasteful sideman on a bunch of others' dates, notably Jessica Williams. It sometimes seems like every town's got one or two though---the local star tenor or trumpet (Thomas is both) who seems to have it all but who never gets the wider recognition that's so obviously deserved. Thomas is Seattle's version of this story and this session is one of his earlier and (for me) best offerings. Recorded in '91, it's a straight ahead hard bop outing featuring selections from the songbook, a handful of modern jazz classics (from the likes of Parker, Powell and John Lewis) and a couple of originals. Thomas is wonderful on tenor, trumpet and flugel and the pleasure is amplified by the presence of Billy Higgins on drums and Cedar Walton on four of the cuts. For me, the best of the disc is the title track, Blues for McVouty, where the leader plays with a swaggering self-assurance, not a note nor inflection of which is less than dead-on.

Check this guy out on his more recent and still (hopefully) available CD's or in person if you get the chance. And I still find that this one rewards every time I replay it. Too bad it's out of print. Or will someone tell me that it's still available? Please."