Customer Reviews

Ask Me Now (Dig)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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When I was younger and in love with the clarinet playing of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Ed Hall, I found it hard to take Pee Wee Russell's edgy, thin tone; but as time went on, I began to realize that Russell's improvisations were so much more inventive and creative than Goodman's that the comparison worked in Russell's favor.

In his later years, Russell played more in the lower register, producing a beautiful, soft woody tone that complemented his sharp, acidic upper range. That is the sound he used when playing with Thelonious Monk, and that is the sound you hear on this CD. All of the tracks are exquisite, there is not a dull or uninteresting piece in the entire set, and Marshall Brown is able to follow Russell's thoughts beautifully, complementing or contrasting with the clarinetist as need be.

Unlike Coltrane or Coleman, Russell could not work without some harmonic underpinning, as is evidenced in his set with Monk when the pianist suddenly stops feeding him chords and he gets lost, so the Coltrane and Coleman pieces on here are harmonized by Brown to keep Russell grounded, but that is the only concession made to the sexagenarian clarinetist. Musicians ranging from Coleman Hawkins to Ornette Coleman praised this recording when it was first released, and with good reason...it proved that Pee Wee Russell's creative genius was still very much alive at this late point in his career, and the choice of material served to completely sever his ties with the "Nicksieland" jazz of the Eddie Condon gang, with which he had played for close to 20 years.

Highly recommended.

Dixieland icon and all around unpredictable clarinetist Pee Wee Russell released his groundbreaking album Ask Me Now! in 1963. In much the same way that Sonny Rollins re-invented himself on The Bridge, by embracing the structural freedoms of avant garde jazz, Pee Wee Russell does much the same on Ask Me Now!. Wanting to distance himself from the traditional Dixieland scene that he had been part of all his life, Russell formed a small piano-less quartet, featuring valve trombonist Marshall Brown, to play modern jazz. Although the album is primarily a fairly straight ahead swinging affair rounded out by a few ballads, included are tunes penned by Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and a fantastic cover of Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround". Ironically, this may be one of the most timeless sounding albums released by Impulse!.

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A fine session of cool jazz as a late framework for old-timer Pee Wee Russell. (Inflects the timbres of What Is There to Say? and Birth of the Cool .) Rhythm section good. Marshall Brown excellent on slide trombone and bass trumpet. Lighter atmosphere without staccato piano. Remastered sound excellent. All-around nice set. (Only drawback are short track times due to Pee Wee's advanced age.)
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Stretching. Open. Hyper-sensitive. And the recording! Sometimes it's like we can hear all the hollowness in the center of the clarinet body. Amazing to hear Pee Wee play Ornette, Coltrane, Monk (imagine his recording with Monk if it would've been put together anywhere nearly so carefully as this session was). Some of the more "avant" compositions are still treated as 12-bar blues, or simply as melodies,and so Pee Wee just does his thing, without really having to deal with either post - 50's changes playing, or post - changes playing!. But still, the absence of piano or guitar, the modern playing of George (bass) and Bedford (drums) and the intelligent, searching arrangements of Marshall Brown push Pee Wee to a height of lyricism and intensity. In other words, this CD is maybe not as modern as it's hyped-up to be, but it's still modern, or better than modern - timeless. And I definitely don't miss those Nixieland confreres.

I disagree with those who assert that, by making this recording, he was trying (or even wanting) to "sever his ties" with 'Dixieland', 'Nixieland', or any other earlier style of jazz. He was at home in many jazz styles and, in my opinion, was simply showing that in this particular recording; everybody likes a change of pace from time to time! His love of the older jazz styles never left him, as his choice of sidemen showed when he had a chance to lead/form a group.

Dear old Pee Wee!born at the beginning of the century,friend of Louis Armstrong,member of Eddie Condon's Chicagoans,he used to play during the fourties a music that was often called "dixieland"; but they simply called it music,as Condon said.Pee Wee was a tight-rope walker,brother of Jimmy Yancey and Thelonious Monk (he even recorded with Monk at Newport). This recording is one of the greatest sessions produced by Impulse;Pee Wee doesn't play "dixieland" here;the tunes were written by Coltrane,Ellington,Matt Denis,Monk,and even Ornette Coleman (you're not drunk,you red it correctly).Just listen to "prelude to a kiss" or "I'll climb the highest mountain";if you don't think that you're listening to one of the greatest jazz players of all times,then you should stop listening to this music. Really a superlative session,with great trio.I've been looking for years for this record,and finally bought the original lp last year;now I will order for the cd,and it will be played very frequently.Hope you'll do the same !

I'm in love with this CD. First off we must take a look at Pee Wee. He is a shy guy with a funny expressive face and numerous Facial and body ticks. But when he puts that liquorish stick in his mouth, all that melts away and sweet jazz just seems to ooze out into the air. Pee Wee spent numerous years playing with Count Basie and often performed with Basie alumni. On this CD he is paired up with a fantastic valve trombone/bass trumpet player named Marshall Brown. The music is bordering on old school swing with a tinge of New Orleans blues and Cool jazz with a Dixieland touch. It may sound weird but that's because Pee Wee has a style that is in a class all its own and is hard to define. Pee Wee has always been wrongly categorized as a Dixieland musician. He performed at the Newport Jazz Festival with Thelonious Monk and on this CD performs composition written by Monk, Ornette Coleman and John Coletrane........That ain't Dixie to me. You'll just have to decide for yourself.

Pee wee was unique, no one really played clarinet the way he did...a true iconoclast..inventive and swingin'. This disc is excellent, and a must for pee wee fans and fans of great jazz. The no piano quartet puts a bit more focus on his clarinet, so this album provides another perspective to his art, more modern but still rooted in tradition. The recorded sound is superb as is the remastering (by Suha Gur- this guy might not be as well known as some other mastering engineers- but he does consistently excellent work). I've been waiting for this to come out, and it was worth the wait. Jazz collectors are gonna rejoice over this one... A one of a kind album by a one of a kind artist. Some complain the cd is too short, nowadays people feel cheated unless the disc includes "bonus tracks" or is a "twofer", but I think this is the only album he recorded for impulse and it is bargain priced. I also highly recommend "portrait of pee wee", available as a single cd or Lp, or as part of the twofer disc "swingin with pee wee".

I love listening to Pee Wee. I never took to Goodman or Shaw or DeFranco. They were simply too smooth and big time and clever in a seemingly calculated way. They could never soulfully satisfy me the way that Pee Wee does. He just put more heart into his special art. He doen't put out that sound perfect tone or have lighting speed on the horn, but his gravely tone, phrasing and heartfelt and enthusiastic interpretations are special. If you enjoy this one as much as I do, check out "Swingin' With Pee Wee."

The fact that as of this writing 20+ copies are available new and used at big discounts might be a warning sign. The big-concept selling point here is that on this album PWR was finally freed to be his highly original self,and played tunes by Ornette Coleman,Coltrane,and Monk (along with his more standard fare). However,on these supposed epochal encounters with the ultra-moderns,he does little more than state the themes as written,with no improvisation at all on two and minimal improvisation on the third. Critics whom I trust praised this highly,and I bought it on their recommendation--my mistake; don't make it!