Customer Reviews

Blue Soul

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It's great to see this old album re-released.
I saw Blue Mitchell many times when he played with Horace Silver. It's hard to reconcile the mellow, really nice guy he was off-stage with the guy who stood in front of the band, eyes closed, looking like some kind of trumpet ninja about to blow the doors off the club.
Curtis Fuller is a great foil for Blue, and Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Heath, and Philly Joe couldn't be a better rhythm section.
This was recorded in 1959, long ago in other words, but still ahead of the modal ramblings of what was to follow. Classic hard bop with some really lovely slower things---especially the too-rarely done Park Avenue Petite. Great Stuff.

It's a shame that not many people name check trumpeter Blue Mitchell as being a legend, because after hearing recordings like "Blue Moods," "Out Of The Blue," "The Cup Bearers," "Big 6," and this recording, I think he is without a doubt a remarkable trumpeter with a beautiful lyricism. He's definitely in my top 10 jazz trumpeters of all time. "Blue Soul" is another fine release from this gifted musician. Blue is joined by Jimmy Heath on tenor saxophone (who's work I'm only now finally getting around to), Curtis Fuller on trombone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. This is a remarkable recording of hard-bop and anyone a fan of any of these musicians should definitely get this one. Highly recommended.

Most jazz fans probably know Blue Mitchell as a member of Horace Silver's classic quintet that recorded numerous albums from 1959-63. Blue also recorded several excellent albums for Blue Note after his association with Silver, and for Riverside, including "Blue Soul," prior to and while he was with the Silver band. "Blue Soul" is almost a jazz throwback. At a time when most label's recordings were quickly thrown together jam sessions, "Blue Soul" was meticulously asembled. Not only does the album feature a stellar band of Jimmy Heath, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Philly Joe Jones, but Benny Golson was also brought on board to lend his arranging talents. The nine songs are all on the short side (reminiscent of the jazz from the early 50s when 10" vinyl limited lengthy improvisations), but don't confuse quantity (or length) with quality. Blue has a way with making it short and sweet, and even when Heath and Fuller sit out on three of the album's tracks, he holds down the fort just fine, particularly on the sultry "Park Avenue Petite." Anyone who loves good 50s jazz, and especially Horace Silver and the Jazztet, will love "Blue Soul."