Milt Jackson
Quintet and Sextet, with Lucky Thompson (FSRCD 730-2)
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Quintet and Sextet, with Lucky Thompson
Milt Jackson
Fresh Sound Records
8427328607308
ABS 135214
FSRCD 730-2
JAZZ
2
Quintet and Sextet, with Lucky Thompson
Currently unavailable
2 CD SET
Because of his ideas, time and arresting way of playing, Milt Jackson, nicknamed “Bags”, is considered by many the greatest of jazz vibraphonists. It can be historically verified that Jackson’s nickname stems from his life in Detroit in the early ‘40s. Celebrating his completion of military service, Milt had little inclination to sleep. After a week or so, he had those bags under his eyes. The bags eventually disappeared, but the name stuck. Leading these quintet sessions he had much more opportunity to show his gifts than the context of John Lewis’s MJQ allowed. With him also on all but two tunes, is the superb, Hawkins-rich but always individualized tenor of Lucky Thompson, whose subtle swing and sophisticated solos build logically into satisfying solos delivered with warmth, emotion and an expressively malleable tone. The Savoy “house” rhythm section - Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke, one of the best integrated teams in the history of recorded jazz- is on most of these performances.
On the first date Wade Legge is on piano instead of Jones, and the session retains a relaxed, swinging mood, with all involved in excellent form. As a bonus the sextet sides Milt did for Atlantic—also with Lucky—are included. On them Bags shows not only his great ability to suffuse his sensitive ballad playing with jazz feeling, but also that he was a masterly blues player. And the album as a whole confirms his status as a jazz icon, one of the greats not only on his instrument, but also in the overall jazz pantheon.
PERSONNEL:
CD 1
[1-6] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Wade Legge (p)Wendell Marshall (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
Hackensack, N.J., January 5, 1956
[7-12] Same personnel as above but Hank Jones, piano replaces Legge. Hackensack, N.J., January 23, 1956.
CD 2
[1-4] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
Hackensack, N.J., January 23, 1956
[5-7] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), John Lewis (p) Skeeter Best (g), Oscar Pettiford (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
New York City, on January 17, 1956
[8-11] Joe Newman (tp), Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib) Horace Silver (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Connie Kay (d)
Quincy Jones, arranger. New York City, January 5, 1957.
Sources CD 1:
(2,4,6) from Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy MG12061) - 1,3,5 from Roll ‘Em Bags (Savoy MG12042)
(7-12) from The Jazz Skyline (Savoy MG12070)
Sources CD 2:
(1-4) from Jackson’s Ville (Savoy MG12080) - (5-7) from Ballads & Blues (Atlantic LP1242)
(8-11) from Plenty, Plenty, Soul (Atlantic LP1269)
CD 1:
01. Come Rain or Come Shine
02. They Can’t Take That Away from Me
03. Wild Man
04. Soulful
05. Fred’s Mood
06. Flamingo
07. Lover
08. Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man
09. The Lady Is a Tramp
10. Angel Face
11. Sometimes I’m Happy
12. What’s New?
CD 2:
01. Now’s the Time
02. Medley In a Sentimental Mood / Mood Indigo / Azure
03. Minor Conception
04. Soul in 3/4
05. Hello
06. Bright Blues
07. How High the Moon
08. Ignunt Oil
09. Blues at Twilight
10. Sermonette
11. The Spirit Feel
Because of his ideas, time and arresting way of playing, Milt Jackson, nicknamed “Bags”, is considered by many the greatest of jazz vibraphonists. It can be historically verified that Jackson’s nickname stems from his life in Detroit in the early ‘40s. Celebrating his completion of military service, Milt had little inclination to sleep. After a week or so, he had those bags under his eyes. The bags eventually disappeared, but the name stuck. Leading these quintet sessions he had much more opportunity to show his gifts than the context of John Lewis’s MJQ allowed. With him also on all but two tunes, is the superb, Hawkins-rich but always individualized tenor of Lucky Thompson, whose subtle swing and sophisticated solos build logically into satisfying solos delivered with warmth, emotion and an expressively malleable tone. The Savoy “house” rhythm section - Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke, one of the best integrated teams in the history of recorded jazz- is on most of these performances.
On the first date Wade Legge is on piano instead of Jones, and the session retains a relaxed, swinging mood, with all involved in excellent form. As a bonus the sextet sides Milt did for Atlantic—also with Lucky—are included. On them Bags shows not only his great ability to suffuse his sensitive ballad playing with jazz feeling, but also that he was a masterly blues player. And the album as a whole confirms his status as a jazz icon, one of the greats not only on his instrument, but also in the overall jazz pantheon.
PERSONNEL:
CD 1
[1-6] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Wade Legge (p)Wendell Marshall (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
Hackensack, N.J., January 5, 1956
[7-12] Same personnel as above but Hank Jones, piano replaces Legge. Hackensack, N.J., January 23, 1956.
CD 2
[1-4] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
Hackensack, N.J., January 23, 1956
[5-7] Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), John Lewis (p) Skeeter Best (g), Oscar Pettiford (b) & Kenny Clarke (d)
New York City, on January 17, 1956
[8-11] Joe Newman (tp), Lucky Thompson (ts), Milt Jackson (vib) Horace Silver (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Connie Kay (d)
Quincy Jones, arranger. New York City, January 5, 1957.
Sources CD 1:
(2,4,6) from Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy MG12061) - 1,3,5 from Roll ‘Em Bags (Savoy MG12042)
(7-12) from The Jazz Skyline (Savoy MG12070)
Sources CD 2:
(1-4) from Jackson’s Ville (Savoy MG12080) - (5-7) from Ballads & Blues (Atlantic LP1242)
(8-11) from Plenty, Plenty, Soul (Atlantic LP1269)
CD 1:
01. Come Rain or Come Shine
02. They Can’t Take That Away from Me
03. Wild Man
04. Soulful
05. Fred’s Mood
06. Flamingo
07. Lover
08. Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man
09. The Lady Is a Tramp
10. Angel Face
11. Sometimes I’m Happy
12. What’s New?
CD 2:
01. Now’s the Time
02. Medley In a Sentimental Mood / Mood Indigo / Azure
03. Minor Conception
04. Soul in 3/4
05. Hello
06. Bright Blues
07. How High the Moon
08. Ignunt Oil
09. Blues at Twilight
10. Sermonette
11. The Spirit Feel
