The Magnificent Thad Jones

In 1956, trumpeter Thad Jones was making his way forward as a leader and apart from his important role with the Count Basie Orchestra, having recorded for the Charles Mingus owned "Debut" and Period labels. But this release for Blue Note most firmly established him as one of the premier musicians and composers in modern jazz; it's titled "Magnificent" for many great reasons. There are several precedents set here; the initial foray out of Detroit for the young pianist and fellow Michiganian Barry Harris, the identifying of a personalized small group, as well as individual sound of Jones, and his ability to easily bring great jazz icons together as a team. With Detroit's Billy Mitchell on tenor sax, Percy Heath's bass, and stellar drummer Max Roach, this quintet makes truly great jazz music together…

A leaderless sextet jams on four of pianist Mal Waldron's originals. The performances range from eight to 12 minutes apiece. The all-star lineup - trumpeter Thad Jones, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, guitarist Kenny Burrell, Waldron, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Taylor - is in fine form on the straight-ahead material. Bop fans will want to pick this up.

For his first session as a leader for Blue Note, trumpeter Thad Jones ran through five songs with a small group which also included fellow Detroiters pianist Tommy Flanagan and guitarist Kenny Burrell as well as part-time Detroiter tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. Jones' time with Debut certainly broke him in, and he is thoroughly professional on this record. Compared to its predecessor, The Fabulous Thad Jones, and its successor, The Magnificent Thad Jones, Detroit-New York Junction pales slightly, but it's nevertheless an excellent set of driving hard bop.

Thad Jones - The Complete Blue Note/UA/Roulette Recordings (1997) {3CD Set, Mosaic MD3-172 rec 1956-1960}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 967 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 444 Mb
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© 1956-60, 1997 Mosaic Records / EMI-Capitol Music | MD3-172
Jazz / Hard Bop / Mainstream Jazz / Trumpet

The Complete Blue Note/UA/Roulette Recordings of Thad Jones is a wonderful limited-edition three-disc box set, containing everything the trumpeter recorded for the labels in the late '50s. Jones was a fantastic hard bop trumpeter, and the set captures him in all of his glory, making it of interest to serious hard bop connoisseurs.

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - Potpourri (1974) {Columbia 4714782 rel 1995}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 253 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 106 Mb
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© 1974, 1995 Columbia / Sony Music | 471478 2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Modern Big Band

A magnificent big band record from 1974 on the old, long-gone Philadelphia International label, which was distributed by CBS Records. The band included a who's-who of jazz stars of the day then including Pepper Adams, Billy Harper, Cecil Bridgewater, Jimmy Knepper (of Mingus fame), Jon Faddis, and Sir Roland Hanna, among others, who ALL shine beautifully on eight gorgeous charts, four of which were composed by Thad,himself. There are also two Stevie Wonder tunes, "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", and "Living For The City". DOWNBEAT magazine readers in its 1974 poll had voted this band the #1 Big Jazz Band, and with very good reason.

Kenny Burrell's guitaristry is well-documented in his years with Oscar Peterson and on his first dates as a leader on the Blue Note label, but God Bless the Child, his only date for CTI in 1971, is an under-heard masterpiece in his catalog. Burrell's band for the set includes bassist Ron Carter, percussionist Ray Barretto, Richard Wyands on piano, flutist Hubert Laws, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, and drummer Billy Cobham. CTI's house arranger, Don Sebesky, assembled and conducted the strings in a manner that stands strangely and beautifully apart from his other work on the label. Sebesky understood Burrell's understated approach to playing guitar.

Kenny Burrell's guitaristry is well-documented in his years with Oscar Peterson and on his first dates as a leader on the Blue Note label, but God Bless the Child, his only date for CTI in 1971, is an under-heard masterpiece in his catalog. Burrell's band for the set includes bassist Ron Carter, percussionist Ray Barretto, Richard Wyands on piano, flutist Hubert Laws, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, and drummer Billy Cobham. CTI's house arranger, Don Sebesky, assembled and conducted the strings in a manner that stands strangely and beautifully apart from his other work on the label. Sebesky understood Burrell's understated approach to playing guitar. Burrell didn't belong with the fusioneers, but he could groove better than any of them…