Search - J.J. Johnson :: Complete Recordings

Complete Recordings
J.J. Johnson
Complete Recordings
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (16) - Disc #2

J.J. Johnson's great 1956-1957 quintet played modern jazz with authority, imagination, taste and feeling. Its leader was the trombonist of the era, much emulated and admired by his peers. The Belgian-born Jaspar, who had r...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: J.J. Johnson
Title: Complete Recordings
Members Wishing: 3
Total Copies: 0
Label: Fresh Sounds Spain
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 6/16/2009
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Style: Bebop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 8427328605380

Synopsis

Product Description
J.J. Johnson's great 1956-1957 quintet played modern jazz with authority, imagination, taste and feeling. Its leader was the trombonist of the era, much emulated and admired by his peers. The Belgian-born Jaspar, who had recently won the International Jazz Critics' New Star Award on tenor, proved an ideal foil and a capable modern-mainstream tenor sax and flutist, contributing impressively on both instruments. Flanagan, a superbly swinging pianist, also made an indelible mark on the group, which was graced initially with another bop piano great, Hank Jones, while Little and Elvin Jones' support throughout is admirable. It was an exhilarating band that fully displayed Johnson's well-rounded musicianship.


Tracklisting:

CD 1:
01. Overdrive (Johnson)
02. Undecided (Shavers-Robin)
03. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent)
04. Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Nolan)
05. Cube Steak (Johnson)
06. Never Let Me Go (Scott)
07. Solar (Davis)
08. Chasin' The Bird (Parker)
09. Naptown U.S.A. (Johnson)
10. It Might As Well Be Spring (Rodgers-Hammerstein II)
11. Bird Song (Jones)
12. It Could Happen To You (Burke-Van Heusen)
13. Our Love Is Here To Stay (Gershwin-Gershwin)
14. Blue Haze (Davis)
15. I Should Care (Cahn-Stordhal-Weston)

Total time: 64:02 min.

CD 2:
01. Barbados (Parker)
02. In A Little Provincial Town (Jaspar)
03. Cette Chose (Jaspar)
04. Joey, Joey, Joey (Loesser)
05. Teapot (Johnson)
06. So Sorry Please (Powell)
07. Old Devil Moon (Harburg-Lane)
Bonus: Live "Cafe Bohemia" New York
08. Johnson introduces the members of his quintet
09. Bernie's Tune (Miller)
10. In A Little Provincial Town (Jaspar)
11. I Should Care (Cahn-Stordhal-Weston)
12. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent)
13. Old Devil Moon (Lane-Harburg)
14. My Old Flame (Coslow-Johnson)
15. Dailie Double (Johnson)
16. Theme: Solar (Davis)

Total time: 71:09 min.

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CD Reviews

Post-Bop Treasure
Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 05/02/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although J. J. made plenty of recordings with a two-horn frontline (especially with Kai Winding, Nat Adderley, as well as Rollins and Getz (but not Coltrane, darn it), this one offers a refreshing change of pace. As is the case with any J. J. session, the ensemble work is tight and precise throughout, the trombone artistry is simply unequaled (like Miles, but even more so, J. J. knew what notes to leave out), and Jaspar, the Belgian player who once was married to Blossom Dearie, measures up to J. J.'s demanding standards on flute as well as tenor. In fact, the pair are so in synch I'm reminded of Sonny Stitt playing crisp Bird lines with his Selmer Varitone (a device that coupled the note he was playing with another note a perfect octave below it).



What distinguishes this album from J. J.'s best work on Columbia and/or Impulse and Bethlehem or Blue Note? Not a whole lot, and if you've picked up the magnificent Columbia collection, "Trombone Master," you're off to a good start. But the audio on this one is a bit more "present," the ensemble work is more an extension of J. J.'s image than the aforementioned sets, there are no expendable tracks ("J. J. Incorporated" suffers from a few too many mono-chorded heads, and J. J.'s live sets with Getz and, later, Adderley have no small number of uninspired and even sloppy (though not on J. J.'s part) moments. Most of all, I'd guess that this would be Jaspar's choice of a recording to be remembered by (his eponymous session on Mercury and his undisciplined "jam sessions" with Donald Byrd tend to leave him in the shadows).



J. J. is the succinct, articulate moderator (but without the phony inserted announcements and applause on the Columbia recordings), obviously proud of his all-star cast and getting the best out of each (which in the case of a Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones is as good as it gets). Once again Fresh Sounds proves to be the most valuable producer of priceless reissues on the world scene."