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Morgenstern, Dan. [Record Review: Lucky Thompson: Kinfolks Corner

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Morgenstern, Dan. [Record Review: Lucky Thompson: Kinfolks Corner ploying some "hip" ideas but not really the forlorn weariness and hopeless hope •n,provising ima~inatively. of a chick that's been had but still wants downbeat's 1 Night, a tightly-arra nged selection, is the guy-perhaps only to end her loneli­ retlY much a waste. The arrangement is ness. 13th YEARBOOK ~leasant hut nothing special, and the solo­ Miss Simone harmonizes with herself 'sts don't have enough room. (via tape, of course) on Cherish. Al­ ~ 1 James Moody 's ballad, Love, a show­ though the effect of the double voicing at music '68 case for Owens, is a highlight of the al­ times tends to obscure the lyric, the reso­ _J bum- Owens plays with considerable nant beauty of Miss Simone's treatment warmth and sensitivity, showing a Miles brings it off. But it might have been just brings you insight and in­ pavis influence, but not aping Davis. (On as effective had the singer merely hummed formation about jazz, rock, the other tracks, Owens' work isn't nearly her way through. as Miles-like.) The arrangements seem at times to have blues and pop in more than If. He Despite having been Jet down by his Miss Simone at their mercy. To these ears, 100 action-packed pages. )lo on playing here, I still submit that Owens she's best with a small group. -Nelsen , has great promise. He's a fine technician Will there be a fusion of r. He with excellent range. Few men can handle rock and jazz? Read the as im­ the fluegelhorn as well as he. The horn inating doesn't seem to present him with any par­ AlHA.PP.INESS Tanner ----------- IS . .- . TAKIN' CARE OF divergent opinions of , solo. NATURAi.. BUSINllSS . DIG? !-Touchc Leonard Feather, ticular problems; he plays high notes TRl.P 100: Zn/1n11ic11;TIJe · Masi; K~1ba!; Poor ilis al­ strongly and cleanly, and produces a big, Me: Bro,uo·11•1 B/utsJ Rolon's G,00 111. Stanley Dance and -Pekar rich tone. And he has demonstrated in the Personnel : George Alexander, trumpet aod Duce; Roy HcnderS!)n, tenor _saxo,ehone_; Ta.oner, Don Heckman past that he can play with daring and piano; Edgur Williams, bass; William (SmjJcy) imagination. \'q Ince.rs, drums. · on this hot topic. Bluish I wish I could be as enthusiastic about Rating:*** lam,- A Barron. He was once one of the most ex­ This is a solid San Francisco-based John Coltrane lives on -fluegel­ citing young jazzmen. His recorded work group that plays in the Jazz Messenger through his records. ,; Mike of several years ago with Dizzy Gillespie tradition. Though Tanner is the leader, the 1 Manne, and James Moody was brilliant. At that notes imply that Winters is the outstand­ MUSIC 68 brings you the tirne, he employed complex single-note ing musician in the group . Apparently he first complete Coltrane ece of lines and sometimes played with consider­ is accorded a considerable amount of re­ discography, a listing of from ably lyricism. His exquisite solos on spect in San Francisco, though he has no every record on which this i most Moody's Another Bag LP (Argo) remind national reputation. This isn't unusual. listen rne of Al Haig's work. Many gifted jazzmen, for one reason or great artist appears. quick- On this album, however, Barron's work another , stay on their home base for years, is far Jess interesting. His solos are rela­ playing well but attracting little attention, Is there new life in the nance, tively simple and lack substance. Too often while other, sometimes less talented mu­ avant-garde of jazz? ngs, is he employs common-property funky de­ sicians gravitate to New York and make Bill Quinn takes a 1 wail, vices. names for ·themselves. t of a Maupio's tenor solos are tl1e outstand ing Winters is a major foaguer-a crisp, au­ searching look. across. feature of the LP, ,though I get the feeling thoritative accompanist and, if his playing Do you dig the blues? :umpet that he also has more going for him than on Poor Me is represent ative, a musical of the he shows here. His spot on Listen is no­ soloist who sustains the momentum in his Pete Welding offers a ; jazz. table for its variety of colors and textures. spots very well. critical guide to the best He contributes good, hard-swinging tenor Alexander isn't the most polished trum­ available records. finitely to Giehl and John. -Pekar peter around, but he is a stimulating solo­ of the ist. I'm particularly impressed with his Other features include, .. them­ melodic inventiveness; his lines are com­ 1 Wof­ NinaSILK Simone AND SOUL-Victor•---------- LSP 3837: It Be's plex and fresh. He has a bright tone and an INDEX to Down Beat s 'r.bdl IP'ay So11111lme;The Look o' Lout£ Go 10 mist is lltll; l.Qua o' Lo11t• Clurifb• l P:iJh 1 Kmw frequently uses the upper register; unfor­ 196 7 issues .•. sicians Ha.w 11 Would Pul lo Bt FrH; Tum Ma Ot1,· tunately, his high-note playing isn't too does a Turnillg Poilll; Sorn, Say; Co11summatlo_n. strong. His flute solos on Kuba and Bron­ a survey of the year's Porsonnel: M.is, Simone, vocals; unid emiJied on:hcnrn conducted by S:unmy Lowe. son's Blues are rather amateurish. He musical happenings by udwig, Rating:*** doesn't have technical command of this Dan Morgenstern ..• ~uting. There are few singers who can grab an instrument. a look at 52nd Street's ers, he audience as effectively as Miss Simone, but Tanner and Henderson are competent ictures o,n this album her usual intensity seems post-bop soloists. Henderson's style has golden days with all by restrained. The performances are good, been influenced by John Coltrane, though George Hoefer ... Nelsen m_ostly; but with a singer of Miss Simone's his work is simpler and he has a fuller, Jazz Humor by Ira Gitler ... capacities, one expects something more softer tone. I particularly liked his hard­ distinctive. Perhaps she just wasn't in the swinging, melodically attractive spot on a warmly human account of Poor Me. Tanner plays some neat, un­ .tic SD mood this time. a swinging night in Houston •ht We Three tunes, however, do strike the ear: obtrusive solos, displaying a good, prod­ ~ Yo11?i' ding left hand. -Pekar by Gus Matzorkis ... - !Urni11gPoint, Turn Me On, and Cherish. 1 ,oim presents a little girl made aware for 1967 s best jazz LPs ... .the first time-by her mother-of race. Jazz Casual, a photo essay She tells the parent of tile wonder.ful times Lucky Thompson KINFOLKS CORNER-Ri, •oli LPR 44: Yo11 on musicians by Jack Bradley. sb~and her little brown playmate have at Stt/1/ml: Out of a Dream; Ki11folks Com er; 0[>_611 this is Sclipol. ''Can't she come over and play Haut; _l' II B, Aromu/ ; Star Byas; Poor Bull,r""fly; ALL FOR JUST 1 solo· dolls with me, ma? What? Oh." And an­ Ambropology 1 Who Can 1 Turn To; Cartssablt. Penonnel: Thompson, tcqor and soprano saxo­ round, ~!~.er . innocent is tarnished. The lyric is phone; Tommy l'Janagao, piano; Frank Ander­ n. and "lldlike, thoroughly befitting the circum­ son, o.rgan (cracks 2 6, 8): Wally Richardson , guitar (uacks 2, 6, 8); Willie Ruff, bass; Walter $10 .0 Gichi, stance, and Miss Simone treats it simply, Perkins (U1lcks 4, 9) or Oliver J ack$on, drums. ns are Without affectation, like a tot reading from Rating:**** pnotic, a ~tory book. This is Thompson's best album since on sale at your newsstand owens {""' Mi. On describes a lonely woman that. fine Jerome Kern set of a few years February 1 y ride ~ 0se man has split. The pace ls slow, ago. The program of great standards and n, e[ll· lllost funereal, but the singer evokes all excellent Thompson originals is varied and or see page 37 of this issue. Febr uar y 8 well-paced, and the leader's playing on Father Vaughn has cut LPs and ap. both horns is consistently admirable. peared on network TV shows and at the Lucky is one of the great "loners" in Newport Jazz Festival primarily because jazz. He refuses lo compromise hfa musical he is a curiosity-a clergyman who is also and personal standards of integrity . This a jazz musician. may have cost him public acclaim, since If this LP is representative, however, he be does not work with the frequency Uiat is a mediocre jazz musician. It's difficult his talent merits, but it has kept him sane to describe his style (if it be conceded in mind and body. And judging by this that he has one) . He has borrowed de. record, his chops haven't suffered a bit. vices from a number of musicians. Un. It would be a mistake to equate Lucky's like, say, McCoy Tyner, who has picked principles with a lofty or disdainful at­ up ideas from several sources and synthe. J titude towards music. His use of an organ sized them to form an original approach, on several tracks here, for instance, is Father Vaughn hasn't done much melting hardly an indication of aloofness. And the down-mostly he's just borrowed. Bis title piece features some really down, vocabulary consists of too many common. haunting blues from Lucky's tenor. property cliches that sound hip to those What he does have in the highest degree who haven't heard much jazz.
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