Then Again

Limited pressing edition. Reissue album from ELVIN JONES. Releasing in SHM-CD. Originally released by Atlantic in 1965. Recorded on Feb. 16(Tr. 1, 4, 6) & Mar. 18(Tr. 2, 3, 5, 7), 1965 in New York. J.J. Johnson(tb), Frank Wess(ts, fl), Charles Davis(bar), Don Friedman, Hank Jones(p), Art Davis, Paul Chambers(b), Elvin Jones(ds), Thad Jones(cnt, arr).

The reunion between pianist John Taylor, singer Norma Winstone and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler finds Azimuth (which was always a part-time group) performing fairly spacy improvisations. All of the selections are group originals (mostly by Taylor), except for Bobo Stenson's "Mindiatyr" and an almost unrecognizable reshaping of "How Deep Is the Ocean." Taylor sometimes recalls Keith Jarrett, while Wheeler comes across as the most conventional of the three participants, and Winstone's voice keeps the music from getting too comfortable or predictable. Interesting but not essential music from three adventurous spirits.

After both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley left Miles Davis' quintet, he was caught in the web of seeking suitable replacements. It was a period of trial and error for him that nonetheless yielded some legendary recordings (Sketches of Spain, for one). One of those is Someday My Prince Will Come. The lineup is Davis, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and alternating drummers Jimmy Cobb and Philly Jo Jones. The saxophonist was Hank Mobley on all but two tracks. John Coltrane returns for the title track and "Teo." The set opens with the title, a lilting waltz that nonetheless gets an original treatment here, despite having been recorded by Dave Brubeck. Kelly is in keen form, playing a bit sprightlier than the tempo would allow, and slips flourishes in the high register inside the melody for an "elfin" feel. Davis waxes light and lyrical with his Harmon mute, playing glissando throughout. Mobley plays a strictly journeyman solo, and then Coltrane blows the pack away with a solo so deep inside the harmony it sounds like it's coming from somewhere else.