Drummer
Art Blakey's quote posted at the beginning of the liner notes to Living Era's
Earl Bostic tribute album says it all: "Nobody knew more about the saxophone than
Bostic, I mean technically, and that includes
Bird." Now,
Charlie Parker is never lightly invoked, least of all by someone as involved and well-informed as
Art Blakey. A skilled multi-instrumentalist and arranger,
Earl Bostic was first and foremost a virtuoso saxophonist who developed his stunning intonation and almost superhuman dexterity on the road during the 1930s with bands led by
Joseph Robichaux,
Charlie Creath,
Fate Marable,
Ernie Fields,
Edgar Hayes, and
Don Redman.
Bostic's first opportunity to record occurred in 1939 with
Lionel Hampton. He then worked with the
Hot Lips Page band and made his first big mark on
jazz and popular music by composing
Gene Krupa's hit tune "Let Me Off Uptown." It took
Bostic many years to find the right formula for success, and the appropriate record label for his special brand of jumpin' jazzy
r&b. After a series of false starts with the Majestic and Gotham labels,
Bostic initiated a very productive business arrangement with King Records in 1949.
Bostic soon became famous for being able to take any song in the world and transform it into ideal jukebox material for either slow-grind dip or
rock & roll dancing. Living Era's outstanding survey of
Bostic's best years covers a time line from November 1945 to January 27, 1955.
jazz heads who scan through the enclosed discography will gape at some of the names that crop up: trumpeters
Benny Harris,
Blue Mitchell,
Johnny Coles, and
Tommy Turrentine; trombonist
Benny Morton; reedmen
Eddie Barefield,
Don Byas,
Walter "Foots" Thomas,
Pinky Williams,
John Coltrane,
Benny Golson, and
Stanley Turrentine; vibraphonists
Teddy Charles and
Gene Redd; guitarists
Al Casey and
Tiny Grimes; and pianist
Jaki Byard (identified here as "
Jaki Bayard"). The music is thrilling, the bands are excellent, and
Earl Bostic, as previously noted, was without question one of the most ferociously facile saxophonists in the history of the instrument. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide
