This is one of the best post-stroke Oscar Peterson sessions in the catalog, thanks in great part to the distinguished company he keeps (Ray Brown and Milt Jackson) and the stimulating atmosphere of the live setting (New York's Blue Note club). Right from the first track, "Ja-Da," you can tell that this is going to be a fun session, as the slippery, swinging, totally interlocked, totally assured way in which these vets react to each other kicks in immediately. Peterson's right hand is fleet, feathery in touch, and bluesy in feel; the left providing just enough punctuation, and at 75, Jackson's bluesy eloquence had not diminished in the least. Ray Brown's time and placement of notes is, as usual, impeccable, and the very talented drummer in his group at the time, Karriem Riggins, provides a swinging kick for the quartet. In the spirit of democracy, each star gets a solo number - Peterson plays his ballad "When Summer Comes"…
Milton "Bags" Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solos as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet and his penchant for collaborating with hard bop and post-bop players…
Vibrations is an album by vibraphonist Milt Jackson featuring performances recorded in 1960 and 1961 and released on the Atlantic label in 1964.
Vibraphonist Milt Jackson's enormous capacity for invention percolates throughout the sumptuous settings on the "with strings" date, The Ballad Artistry of Milt Jackson. Jackson and the large string section, masterfully arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, mesh beautifully. Equally critical, the rhythm section is superbly integrated in the arrangements, underpinning the billows of violins and cellos with a distinct jazz pulse. Above all, Jackson is himself, bringing his consistently flawless phrasing and subtle, but ever-present, blues feeling to his role as featured solist. Bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Connie Kay, guitarist Barry Galbraith, and pianist Jimmy Jones make up the rhythm section for this 1959 session.
This Savoy CD is a duplicate of the original LP although it lacks the fine liner notes included on the Arista/Savoy 1978 LP. The four selections (which unfortunately total under 34 minutes) are excellent, particularly a fun version of Horace Silver's blues "Opus De Funk" in which vibraphonist Milt Jackson, flutist Frank Wess and pianist Hank Jones have a long tradeoff. The quintet (which also includes bassist Eddie Jones and drummer Kenny Clarke) swings nicely throughout the three blues and lone ballad ("You Leave Me Breathless"). This is not essential, but it is enjoyable music.
This first matchup on records between pianist Oscar Peterson and vibraphonist Milt Jackson was so logical that it is surprising it did not occur five years earlier…
This superior reissue combines together two sessions led by vibraphonist Milt Jackson. Actually, although Bags is in fine form (and contributed four of the seven selections), he is often overshadowed by rather inspired solos from his sidemen. The first side of Plenty, Plenty Soul, which features a nine-piece group, is highlighted by the contributions of the exuberant altoist Cannonball Adderley, while the flip side has a sextet that is not hurt by the solos of tenor-saxophonist Lucky Thompson. With pianist Horace Silver helping out on both sessions, these all-star dates still sound fresh and enthusiastic decades later.