Booker Ervin

• 3-CD SET

• INCLUDES 5 COMPLETE ORIGIAL ALBUMS

• 32-PAGE BOOKLET

This release presents, for the first time ever on a single set, all collaborative small-group albums led by Booker Ervin and Horace Parlan. Other than these albums, they only recorded together as members of the celebrated Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop. The five LPs included here in their entireties (along with all existing material from the sessions) are Cookin’ (Savoy Records MG 12154), That’s It (Candid CJM-8014), Up and Down (Blue Note BST-84082), Happy Frame of Mind (Blue Note BST-84134), and Exultation (Prestige PRLP-7293).

One of many jazz stars to die prematurely, the brilliant tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin (1930-1970) died of kidney disease when he was only 39. Aged 85 at this writing, pianist Horace Parlan was stricken with polio in his childhood, resulting in the partial crippling of his right hand, which led him to develop a particularly “pungent” left-hand chord voicing style, while comping with highly rhythmic phrases with the right. Another big star on this set is guitarist Grant Green, heard on two of the LPs.

PERSONNEL:

• BOOKER ERVIN, tenor sax, and HORACE PARLAN, piano, on all tracks, plus:

• CD 1 [1-5]: COOKIN':
• RICHARD WILLIAMS, trumpet
• GEORGE TUCKER, bass
• DANNIE RICHMOND, drums
• New Jersey, November 26, 1960

• CD 1 [7-10] & CD 2 [1-2]: THAT'S IT
• GEORGE TUCKER, bass
• AL HAREWOOD, drums
• New York, January 6, 1961

• CD 2 [3-9]: UP AND DOWN
• GRANT GREEN, guitar;
• GEORGE TUCKER, bass
• AL HAREWOOD, drums.
• New Jersey, June 18, 1961

• CD 2 [10] & CD 3 [1-5]: HAPPY FRAME OF MIND
• JOHNNY COLES, trumpet
• GRANT GREEN, guitar
• BUTCH WARREN, bass
• BILLY HIGGINS, drums
• New Jersey, February 15, 1963

• CD 3 [6-13]: EXULTATION
• FRANK STROZIER, alto sax
• BUTCH WARREN, bass
• WALTER PERKINS, drums.
• New Jersey, June 19, 1963

TRACKS:

• CD 1: TOTAL TIME: 71:21 Min.
• 01 DEE DA DOO
• 02 MR. WIGGLES
• 03 YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
• 04 DOWN IN THE DUMPS
• 05 WELL, WELL
• 06 AUTUMN LEAVES
• 07 MOJO
• 08 URANUS
• 09 POINCIANA
• 10 SPEAK LOW

• CD 2: TOTAL TIME: 76:33 Min.
• 01 BOOKER’S BLUES
• 02 BOO
• 03 THE BOOK’S BEAT
• 04 UP AND DOWN
• 05 FUGEE
• 06 THE OTHER PART OF TOWN
• 07 LONELY ONE
• 08 LIGHT BLUE
• 09 FUGEE [alternate take]
• 10 HOME IS AFRICA

• CD 3: TOTAL TIME: 72:24 Min.
• 01 A TUNE FOR RICHARD
• 02 BACK FROM THE GIG
• 03 DEXI
• 04 KUCHEZA BLUES
• 05 HAPPY FRAME OF MIND
• 06 MOOCHE MOOCHE
• 07 BLACK AND BLUE
• 08 TUNE IN
• 09 JUST IN TIME [short take]
• 10 JUST IN TIME [long take]
• 11 NO LAND’S MAN [short take]