Cannonball Adderley

One of the great alto saxophonists to emerge from the hard bop era, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley possessed an exuberant, bright tone that communicated directly and emotionally. With live audiences, his intelligent banter about the music's presentation, combined with wry humor, made him popular.

This CD contains private recordings of Cannonball Adderley's groups during 1967-68 playing at the Half Note in New York City. The music is quite worthy with altoist Cannonball Adderley featured in a quartet setting on "Stars Fell on Alabama," performing three songs with his quintet (including "Fiddler on the Roof") and playing three other pieces (highlighted by "Work Song" and "Unit Seven") with the sextet he had that featured Charles Lloyd on tenor. This music is generally superior to Adderley's commercial Capitol recordings of the period. ~ Scott Yanow

1973's INSIDE STRAIGHT is one of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's last studio recordings–he was dead within two years of its release. But unlike some recordings made toward the end of a jazz innovator's career, it's as exciting and impassioned as most of the albums that precede it. Despite a somewhat suite-like structure–the first and last tracks are called "Introduction" and "The End," and themes recur throughout the eight tracks–this is a relaxed, swinging album…

Unquestionably, the best album under Cannonball's name. The quintet/sextet albums are mostly geared to a more pop market and contain much "packaged" soul and funk, while the dates Cannonball shared with Miles, Bags, Bill Evans, Coltrane, and Gil Evans often find him deferring to or competing against musical temperaments not wholly sympathetic with his own…

By the time of the Somethin' Else session, Cannonball's sound had considerably more nuance, with darker tones and more brooding solos. Nonetheless, the Parker influence continued to shine, and the whole session has a sense of relaxation that results in music that is truly joyous.