Search - Slide Hampton, Clifford Jordan, Cedar Walton :: Roots

Very Pleasing Modern Jazz

David Conklin | Albuquerque, NM USA | 02/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Recorded in 1985, this is a great straight-ahead quintet session led by veteran trombonist Slide Hampton. A fine player, Slide is also a talented composer and arranger; all these skills are amply displayed on this disk. Slide and Clifford Jordan (tenor sax) play especially well together and their warm, fluid horns are supported by the fine play of pianist Cedar Walton, bassist David Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins. Both Walton and (especially) Higgins have appeared on many classic jazz recordings over the years, and they both shine here. I wasn't familiar with the bassist, but he certainly holds up his end and is well-captured in the recording. Each of the musicians gets nice solo space, but it's the arrangements and overall interplay of the group that are probably most impressive. The overall feel of this date is quite relaxed, yet there's no shortage of energy.



Four 8 to 12 minute tracks comprised the original LP, including originals by Jordan ("Precipice"), Walton ("Maple Street"), and Hampton ("Roots"), and a Miles Davis composition ("Solar"). The CD includes 4 additional tracks (1 alternate take and 3 new tunes) probably recorded at the same session. One of the bonus tracks, "Barbados," a Charlie Parker composition which gets a new arrangement here, is as good as the 4 original tracks, and was probably left off the original album only for lack of space. The other 3 bonus tracks sound a bit tentative in places. A fine, often over-looked session from the 1980s. Highly recommended."