Ira Sullivan

Art Blakey - The Jazz Messenger (1956) {Columbia Jazz Masterpieces, CK 47118 rel 1991})
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© 1956, 1991 Columbia / Sony Music | CK 47118
Jazz / Hard Bop / Drums

Digitally remastered from the original analog masters. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers not only supplied consistently exciting and innovative music for nearly 40 years, but also provided the experience and mentoring for young musicians to learn their trade.

Eddie Harris - Come on Down! & The Reason Why I'm Talking S–t (2006) {Atlantic–Collectables COL-CD-7672 rec 1970-1975}
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© 1970-75, 2006 Atlantic / Collectables Records | COL-CD-7672
Jazz / Jazz-Funk / Soul Jazz / Blue Humor / Comedy / Saxophone

This repackages two of Eddie Harris' 1970s albums: Come on Down! was recorded in Miami in 1970 and The Reason Why I'm Talking S–t is a bizarre live album from 1975. Released as a two-disc collection, this is one of the stranger things Collectables has ever done. The first disc is a solid soul-jazz, rock, and funk date with Ira Sullivan, pianist Dave Crawford, Duck Dunn on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar with an all too rare appearance by Tubby Zeigler on drums. Harris wrote all but one track. Produced by Tom Dowd, it's a gritty, greasy burner with the guitars allowed front space with the horns and paired with Harris' electric sax. It's FONKIFIED.

Lin Halliday - Delayed Exposure (1991) {Delmark DE-449}
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© 1991 Delmark Records | DE-449
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Lin Halliday's first album was titled Delayed Exposure because the big-toned tenor saxophonist was 55 before given a chance to record as a leader. This fine release showed listeners outside of Chicago what Windy City residents had realized for many years – that he was a passionate, richly expressive hard bopper who never failed to swing. Heartfelt performances of "Woody'N You" and "Serpent's Tooth" leave no doubt that Sonny Rollins is Halliday's primary influence, but also demonstrate that he's very much his own man.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Originally (1956) {Columbia ‎COL4718722 rel 1990}
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© 1956, 1990 Columbia / Sony Music | COL 471872 2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Drums

This LP contains valuable performances by the early Jazz Messengers that sat unissued until decades later. Four selections feature the band when drummer Art Blakey and pianist Horace Silver were co-leaders; trumpeter Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley on tenor and bassist Doug Watkins were also in that quintet. Two numbers from June 1956 find Blakey as sole leader of The Messengers for the first time, heading an otherwise unrecorded unit with Byrd and multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan.

J.R. Monterose's first session as a leader was a thoroughly enjoyable set of swinging, straight-ahead bop that revealed him as a saxophonist with a knack for powerful, robust leads in the vein of Sonny Rollins and Coleman Hawkins. With a stellar supporting group of pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Ira Sullivan, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer "Philly" Joe Jones, Monterose has recorded a set of bop that swings at a measured pace and offers many delightful moments. Throughout the session, Monterose sounds vigorous, whether he's delivering hard-swinging solos or waxing lyrical. With his bluesy vamps and soulful solos, Silver is equally impressive, while Sullivan's spotlights are alternately punchy and skilled; similarly, the rhythm section is tight, letting the music breathe while keeping the groove. In fact, the quality of the music is so strong, J.R. Monterose qualifies as one of the underappreciated gems in Blue Note's mid-'50s catalog.