Search - Louis Hayes :: Una Max

Celebration of Post Bop Jazz

jazz lover since 1960 | Tampa, Fl. and Franklin, NC | 12/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Louis Hayes has played drums with the best:several years with Cannonball Adderly, Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, etc. The group on this CD has a more adventurous hard bop sound than the previous mentioned jazz groups. Charles Tolliver is one of the unsung heroes of jazz trumpet. In the last few years, he has only recently come out of retirement with a Big Band . His Coltrane-inspired trumpet is heard here to advantage. John Stubblefield plays a big tenor sax. I have enjoyed his contributions to the Charles Mingus Big Band and enjoy him here. The easily overlooked pianist Kenny Barron anchors this group. Kenny is easily one of the most prolifically recorded pianists in the last many years. He is a joy here. Although not as well known as the others, alto saxist Gerald Hayes acquits himself well in this setting. The sextet mostly plays original compositions. I don't know if this group played together for any length of time, but you will get to enjoy them with this CD. In 1989, I don't think you can find a better jazz group. Another CD entitled "The Crawl" was recorded 2 months earlier by Louis with almost the same personnel. The great Gary Bartz replaces Gerald in the alto chair, and Mickey Tucker played piano. Both these CD's are highly recommended."