Customer Reviews

Bebop

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Fantastic bebop album from Milt. This one was released in 1988 forty years after the birth of bebop to tribute the genius of this music and of its creators Parker, Gillespie, Monk, Christian and Milt himself who was among the best of them all at the time. This album is simply superlative. The line up consists in Milt at the vibraharp, Jon Faddis, the Dizzie Gillespie alumn at the trumpet, JJ Johnson at the trombone, Jimmy heath tenor sx, Cedar Walton (the maestro!!) at the piano, John Clayton at the doublebass, Mickey Roker drums. The tunes are all fast bebop numbers from the era, Ornithology, Au privave, bebop blueses and anatolls from Parker's, Gillespie's, Dameron's pens. In the end of the selection the band play a stellar version of I" waited for you", a marvellous bebop ballad. It's simply pefect in the tune selection too. What can I say more? Uh, yes, the album is perfectly recorded .. it is a bebop album without the limits of the forties in the recording step. So it is a must have. The emphasis of the music is just right, just perfect. Solos are wonderful. I really love this album.

First off, let me say I am a pro jazz guitarist & singer who favors the bebop sound. Milt Jackson (Bags) is most well known for his work in the famous "Modern Jazz Quartet"

The MJQ had a long independent career of some 20 years until disbanding in 1974, when Jackson split with Lewis, partially in an attempt to make more money on his own and more likely because he sought the improvisational freedom he once enjoyed. However, the group reformed in 1981 and continued until 1993, after which Jackson toured alone, performing in various small combos, though not saying no to periodic MJQ reunions, either.

This album, & there are samples of every tune on the site has been a mainstay in my huge jazz collection for years.

If I had to name a fav on the album (put a gun to my head) it would be "Au Privave" written by Charle Parker (Bird). That's the first bebop tune on an album that features not only some of the best bebop tunes ever written, but a group of musicians like Jon Faddis (T); J.J. Johnson (T-Bone); Jimmy Heath (tenor sax); Cedar Walton (P) in a septet.

If you like jazz at all, & bebop in particular, just get it!