Search - Curtis Fuller :: South American Cookin / Magnificent Trombone of

Two for One Bone-us

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 12/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After running through all of trombonist Curtis Fuller's recordings for Prestige, Blue Note and Savoy (not to mention all those appearences with the Jazz Messengers and Jazztet), I figured it was time to pick up this reissue on the Collectables label. This disc collects two LPs originally made for Epic -- "South American Cookin'" from 1962 featuring Zoot Sims, Tommy Flanagan, Jymie Merritt and Dave Bailey, and "The Magnificent Trombone" from a year earlier with Les Spann, Walter Bishop Jr., drummer Stu Martin, and Jimmy Garrison and Buddy Cattlett alternating on bass. These are both solid dates, but what is lacking in my opinion is more frontline interplay. I suppose Fuller was tired of playing second fiddle, or more appropriately the third horn role, on so many sessions, that he has put himself mostly out front here. When Sims plays on "South American Cookin'" it is usually only to solo after Fuller has stated the theme, and Spann's guitar (we get no flute from the multi-instrumentalist) on "The Magnificent Trombone" is largely reduced to supporting rhythm work. Those new to the trombonist would be best served looking elsewhere (check out my reviews of The Opener or Blues-ette), but for Fuller fans this two-fer is a bone-us for your collection."