Bobby Hutcherson

Johnny Lytle - The Soulful Rebel / People & Love (2013) {Real Gone Music-Dusty Groove RGM-0145 rec 1971-1972}
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© 1971-72, 2013 Milestone / Concord / Real Gone Music / Dusty Groove | RGM-0145
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Hard Bop / Vibes

Two lost smokers from vibes legend Johnny Lytle – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Rebel is lost early 70s set from Lytle – totally funky, but in a way that's very different than his famous 60s work! The album's got a sweet electric groove that comes not only from Johnny's vibes, but also from the sweet Hammond and Fender Rhodes of Billy Nunn, and the smoking guitar of David Spinozza – who really wails away here, and brings in a cutting edge to the tunes that's a lot sharper than some of his later work! Lytle's vibes are wonderful throughout – filled with that sense of space, soul, and timing that's always made him one of the grooviest players ever on the instrument – and this time around, he seems to have an even greater ear for unusual tones – in a way that makes the album sparkle strongly throughout!

McCoy Tyner recorded five albums for Telarc, beginning with 1999's McCoy Tyner & the Latin All-Stars and ending with 2004's Illuminations. While no one would ever argue that these were the high points of a career that reaches back half-a-century and includes a legendary stint with John Coltrane, the Telarc recordings were all solid affairs and Tyner's genius was still quite evident throughout. Afro Blue is an eight-song compendium that draws material from all five of those releases, providing a neat summation of Tyner's output for the label. Never one to rest on his laurels, Tyner continued to push forward at a time in his life when he could easily have coasted…

I grew up in Newark, New Jersey where such great artists as James Moody, Sarah Vaughan, Walter Davis Jr., Hank Mobley were my neighbors and Wayne Shorter was my dear friend. Wayne and I went to grammar school and Arts High School together. I was very influenced by Wayne in every way and knew at young age that he was a genius. But I could not tolerate the cold winters, so I decided to move to Los Angeles. It was 1960. In 1961, I received a call from Jules Chaikin, a young contractor that I worked for, who knew my playing and asked if I wanted to go on the road with Stan Kenton. I was overwhelmed since this was one of the bands I dreamed of playing with. Nine months later we ended the tour at Capitol Records. I recorded three albums with the band, including “Adventures in Jazz” which won a Grammy for Stan and “Adventures in Blues” which Stan said was my album since it featured the bass walking predominantly through the whole album.

This languid, seductive gem may well be Grant Green's greatest moment on record. Right from the opening bars of the classic title cut, Idle Moments is immediately ingratiating and accessible, featuring some of Green's most stylish straight jazz playing. Whether he's running warm (pianist Duke Pearson's "Idle Moments"), cool (the Modern Jazz Quartet's "Django"), or a bit more up-tempo (Pearson's "Nomad," his own "Jean de Fleur"), Green treats the material with the graceful elegance that was the hallmark of his best hard bop sessions, and that quality achieves its fullest expression here. He's helped by an ensemble that, as a sextet, is slightly larger and fuller-sounding than usual, and there's plenty of room for solo explorations on the four extended pieces…

This CD reissue brings back material that guitarist Larry Coryell recorded for the Novus subsidiary when it was run by Arista. Most of the set matches Coryell with fellow guitarists John Scofield and Joe Beck in acoustic trios, two duets and one overdubbed solo performance. The variation of moods and the jazz-oriented material make this summit meeting a success even if the guitarists tend to sound more distinctive on their electric counterparts; after about 20 minutes of similar sounding acoustic guitars, it is difficult not to doze off. Expanding the original program are four Coryell solo acoustic performances that were originally included in the Arista Novus LP European Impressions. Once again, they are well played but primarily of interest to guitarists.

Larry Young, one of the most significant jazz organists to emerge after the rise of Jimmy Smith, is heard on this limited-edition six-CD set at the peak of his creativity. Formerly available as nine LPs, the set includes the original Larry Young albums Into Somethin', Unity, Of Love and Peace, Contrasts, Heaven on Earth, and Mother Ship, while drawing from the compilations 40 Years of Jazz, The History of Blue Note (Dutch), The World of Jazz Organ (Japanese), and The Blue Note 50th Anniversary Collection Volume Two: The Jazz Message, and also including guitarist Grant Green's Talkin' About, Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand. Young was still very much under Smith's influence on the first four sessions released as Talkin' About, Into Somethin', Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand (all featuring a trio with Green and drummer Elvin Jones plus guests Sam Rivers or Hank Mobley on tenor and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson).