Handy Jugend

A talented and adventurous altoist whose career has gone through several phases, John Handy started playing alto in 1949. After moving to New York in 1958, he had a fiery period with Charles Mingus (1958-1959) that resulted in several passionate recordings that show off his originality; he also recorded several dates as a leader for Roulette. Handy led his own bands during 1959-1964, and played with Mingus at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival, but it was at the following year's festival that he was a major hit, stretching out with his quintet (which included violinist Michael White and guitarist Jerry Hahn) on two long originals. Soon, Handy was signed to Columbia, where he recorded his finest work (three excellent albums) during 1966-1968…

Five years after recording the amazing Karuna Supreme, John Handy and Ali Akbar Khan reconvened for a follow-up. This time out, Shyam Kane performs on tabla in place of Zakir Hussain, and Carnatic violinist L. Subramaniam is added as a soloist. Subramaniam turns in some fine playing, and Shyam Kane does a decent job in support on the tablas, but he lacks the excitement and attentive reactions that Zakir Hussain supplied…

The two albums on this CD were the first John Handy recorded as a leader. This young alto saxophonist he also plays tenor on the first album - from Texas had gained exposure and experience working with Charles Mingus and Randy Weston in 1959. They taught me self-confidence, he said, and these recordings are full of it. His flawlessly controlled playing is strong and inventively contemporary without succumbing to the tyranny of Bird. For his well-received leader debut, In the Vernacular, he shared the front line with the brilliant trumpeter Richard Williams supported by a near-perfect rhythm section with pianist Roland Hanna…

John Handy is one of the unsung greats of modern jazz - as saxophonist, composer/arranger and group leader - especially for the series of four albums he recorded for Columbia between 1965 and 1968. This Mosaic Select is devoted to the three albums he made for the label that featured violin in the instrumentation - Recorded Live At The Monterey Jazz Festival, The 2nd John Handy Album and Projections, plus a live Carnegie Hall performance. Handy's playing, on alto sax in particular, is a wonder with a beautiful "legit" sound, perfect intonation and articulation, and an extraordinary control of the upper register which he uses quite often in building excitement and intensity in his solos. He utilizes all of these extraordinary attributes in frequent lengthy and compelling acappella solos. His unending flow of fresh ideas seemingly devoid of licks is another striking characteristic of his work…

Pianist Bill O'Connell keeps it nice and lean here – working in a core quartet that moves its instrumentation around, but always in ways that maybe bring more of an edge to the record than some of O'Connell's previous records – yet all without losing the soulful charms that make him so great! Bill himself plays acoustic piano, but switches to Fender Rhodes on two cuts – a theme that's followed as Craig Handy plays soprano sax on three, and tenor on two more – while bassist Lincoln Goines shifts between acoustic and electric basses. Steve Jordan handles drums, and Pedrito Martinez adds percussion on a few tracks – exploring some of the Latin currents that Bill sometimes adds to his records.