Milt
Jackson - Vibes
with Lord
Nelson & his Boppers, the Sonny Stitt/Milt
Jackson Sextet, and the Milt Jackson Quartet,
Quintet, Sextet and Ensemble
Milt
Jackson is probably best known as an integral
part of the Modern Jazz Quartet, but this
compilation concentrates on the recordings
he made before the MJQ was formed in late
1952, and later (up to 1956) with other groups.
In fact the first disc in this collection
includes tracks recorded by the Milt Jackson
Quartet with the same (or almost the same)
personnel as the MJQ. Tracks 14-17 of the
first CD are by Milt with John Lewis on piano,
Percy Heath on bass and Kenny Clarke at the
drums - the original line-up of the MJQ. These
tracks definitely foreshadow the style of
the MJQ: a more restrained, even polite, music
than Milt Jackson had been making elsewhere
with such beboppers as Dizzy Gillespie and
Sonny Stitt.
As
Joop Visser’s sleeve-note says, “Milt Jackson
was the first bebop musician to play vibes”.
The bebop influence can be heard on many of
the tracks in this collection. Third
Song,
the opening tune on the first CD, is actually
a version of Sonny Stitt’s Steeplechase,
a bebop standard. The recording sounds as
if it was made in a cave but Milt’s bebop
influences can be clearly heard in his brief
solo. The same applies to the subsequent tracks
by a group co-led by Milt and Sonny Stitt.
Another feature which marks Milt Jackson out
is his fundamental feeling for the blues,
which imbues much of his work. This is obvious
in tunes like his own composition, Bags’
Groove, where
he sounds entirely at home with the simple
blues sequence.
On
the second CD, it is good to hear Milt in
the company of Horace Silver and Frank Wess,
although his own playing remains basically
unchanged. In fact boredom might set in at
this stage if it wasn’t for the varied line-ups
and the chance to sample other musicians.
Things brighten up on the third disc, where
the underrated tenorist Lucky Thompson is
featured on all eleven tracks - as well as
the first eight of the fourth CD, with the
Milt Jackson Quintet or Sextet. Thompson seemed
to combine the qualities of Coleman Hawkins
and Lester Young, making for a fascinating
soloist.
On
the fourth CD, variety is provided by So
in Love
and the two following tracks, which augment
Milt’s sextet with five woodwinds arranged
by Ralph Burns. It shows us a different side
of Jackson, whose playing is very flowery
here, often in double time. The last three
tracks on this CD bring in guitarist Barney
Kessel, who contributes some subtle chording
and solos.
As
usual with Properboxes, this set comes with
a highly informative booklet including recording
details and personnels, photos and track-by-track
analysis. It is not without its mistakes -
for example, one song is listed as The
Songs is Ended!
But in general this boxed set is good value
(56 tracks for around £13), especially in
illustrating some lesser-known sides of Milt
Jackson.
Tony
Augarde
CD1
1. Third Song
2. Red Shoes
3. Bebop Blues
4. Royal Wedding
5. Find and Dandy
6. Milt Meets Sid
7. D & E
8. Yesterdays
9. Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
10. Autumn Breeze
11. Moving Nicely
12. ‘Round About Midnight
13. Bluesology
14. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
15. Love Me, Pretty Baby
16. Heart and Soul
17. True Blues
18. Tahiti
19. Lillie
20. Bags’ Groove
21. What's New ?
22. On the Scene
23. Opus De Funk
CD2
1. Wonder Why
2. I Should Care
3. My Funny Valentine
4. Stonewall
5. Moonray
6. The Nearness of You
7. Opus De Funk
8. Opus Pocus
9. You Leave Me Breathless
10. Opus And Interlude
CD3
1. Come Rain or Come Shine
2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
3. Wild Man
4. Soulful
5. Fred's Mood
6. Flamingo
7. Bright Blues
8. How High The Moon
9. Lover
10. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
11. The Lady is a Tramp
CD4
1. Angel Face
2. Sometimes I'm Happy
3. Now's The Time
4. Ellington Medley - In a Sentimental Mood/Mood
Indigo/Azure
5. Minor Conception
6. Soul In 3/4
7. So In Love
8. They Didn't Believe Me
9. Solitude
10. The Song is Ended
11. Gerry's Blues
12. These Foolish Things
CD Reviews
Properbox
126
