Curtis Amy was an accomplished Texas tenor who moved freely and productively between straightahead jazz, blues and rhythm and blues, and both aspects of his musical personality are fruitfully deployed on these enjoyable early 60s West Coast sessions. On the first, “Meetin’ Here,” he brings a fiery conviction to bear on a relaxed, grooving date with organist Paul Bryant. Sharing the front line with them is the solid trombone of Roy Brewster, and the results have the hand-inglove feel of a group to which cooking is as natural as breathing. Whether on a ballad or up-tempo driving, Amy is the main man, bringing a declamatory edge to his tone that reinforces his expressiveness.

After this, the tenor’s career soon shifted into higher gear. Pacific Jazz producer Richard Bock used him in an all-star jazz group to back the veteran blues singer and guitarist Bumble Bee Slim on the second session of this set. Recorded a year later under Slim’s leadership as part of the album “Back in Town!,” it offered, in addition to Slim’s unpretentious, relaxed, and undeniably expressive way with slow, medium and up-tempo blues tunes, gripping soloing by Curtis Amy, and fine contributions by organist “Groove” Holmes and trombonist Lou Blackburn.

PERSONNEL:

[1-6] from the album Meetin’ Here – Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant:

CURTIS AMY, tenor sax
ROY BREWSTER, trombone
PAUL BRYANTM organ
CLARENCE JONES, bass
JIMMY MILLER, drums
Los Angeles, on February 1, 1961.

[7-13] from the album Bumble Bee Slim – Back in Town!:

CURTIS AMY, tenor sax, out on #11
RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES, organ
BUMBLE BEE SLIM, vocals & guitar
LEROY HENDERSON, drums
LOU BLACKBURN, trombone on #9,11,13
Los Angeles, on March 30, 1962.

TRACKS:

01. Meetin’ Here
02. Early in the Morning
03. If I Were a Bell
04. One More Hamhock Please
05. Angel Eyes
06. Just Friends
07. Meet Me in the Bottom
08. In the Evening
09. New B & O Blues
10. Puppy Love
11. Wake Up in the Mornin’
12. Wee Baby Blues
13. I’m the One