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Introducing Nat Adderley
The Adderley Brothers
VERVE 543 828-2
Crotchet   Full price

1. Watermelon
2. Little Joanie Walks
3. Two Brothers
4. I Should Care
5. Crazy Baby
6. New Arrivals Sun Dance
7. Fort Lauderdale
8. Friday Nite
9. Blues for Bohemia

Nat Adderley - Cornet , Cannonball Adderley - Alto,   Horace Silver - Piano,   Paul Chambers - Bass,   Roy Haynes - Drums

In 1955 Nat and Cannonball Adderley were a couple of country boys from Florida, who had arrived in New York to further their already considerable musical education. They sat in on a session at the Café Bohemia in Greenwich Village and it was obvious to everyone present, that here were two future stars of the jazz world. On this their first album, they were fortunate to have what was probably the best rhythm section around at that time. Horace Silver went on to lead one of the most famous Quintets in jazz and Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes, were both recognised as being the best around at that time. Even more remarkably, all the compositions on the album are originals by the brothers, only 'I should care', the Paul Weston and Axel Stordahl tune, is not their own work.

I have to confess a great liking for this era of jazz, where you did not need a PhD in music to fathom out what was going on. The music is well played by men with a perfect mastery of their instruments and that flair for collective improvisation, which is the essence of jazz

Nat Adderley played Cornet whilst all his peers played trumpet, it gave him a mellow sound which probably suited his personality, Julian "Cannonball" was the flamboyant one. Unfortunately neither of the brothers is alive, but the legacy they have left behind in the many records they made will ensure that they are not forgotten.

Don Mather

Don Mather is a Saxophone player and Bandleader in Coventry