Customer Reviews

More Blues & Abstract Truth

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The original "Blues and the Abstract Truth" is one of my all time favorite albums and I rate it at LEAST 5 stars. This "More Blues @ Abstract Truth" is a good follow up, but nowhere near the original, which was recorded three years earlier. I love the fact that Phil Woods is on this album, but am very disappointed that Oliver Nelson does NOT play on this album. Yes, is was generally known that Nelson became more known for his writing skills than his playing, but for me personally, his writing COMBINED with his playing on the original recording made all the difference. If you already have the original "Blues and the Abstract Truth", then this would be a welcome addition. After the 1961 "Blues" original, I personally prefer his 1975 album, "Stolen Moments", and his 1960 recording "Screamin' the Blues" with Eric Dolphy, much more than this CD. Like I said, the fact that he doesn't even perform on this CD is a big minus for me, on an otherwise great CD. 3 Stars.

True, there's no "Stolen Moments," no Bill Evans, Eric Dolphy and Freddie Hubbard. But this sequel to Oliver Nelson's classic "Blues and the Abstract Truth" is every bit as enjoyable and, in some respects, is an even more impressive display of Oliver's compositional-arranging brilliance while leaving even more blowing room than its predecessor.

This time only half of tunes are originals: Dave Brubeck deserves credit for two of the numbers, Hefti gets the honors for the familiar "Midnight Blue" (never sounding better than with this arrangement featuring Ben Webster), and "Goin' to Chicago Blues" receives a fresh and welcome facelift.

It could be argued that pianist Roger Kellaway is more suited to Oliver's extrovertish tailorings that Bill Evans, that Phil Woods is more in the arranger's mainstream-modern groove than Eric Dolphy, and that the trumpet duo of Thad Jones and Danny Moore is at least the equal of Hubbard's horn. And though at times I've had doubts about virtuoso Richard Davis' credentials as a walker, on this occasion he's right in the swing of things.

The arranged heads are frequently beboppish, intricate, orchestrated and executed to perfection. It's nice to see that Oliver thought highly enough of Danny Moore's talents to employ him (I once saw the trumpeter pretty much hold his own against the indomitable Bill Hardman as well as hold up his end in the front-line of a quintet he co-led with tenorist George Coleman, before he vanished from sight).

One undeniable disappointment: the lack of an opportunity to hear the mightily underrated, virtually untouchable player Oliver Nelson lock horns with the widely-acclaimed master, Phil Woods. Was the leader intimidated? Highly unlikely. Was he simply being deferential? Very possibly. Or did these arrangements require more attention to his conducting skills than the previous date? Very likely.

Five Stars? Let's give it SIX STARS!! One of the best composed, wonderfully arranged and inspired blowing session jazz albums in my entire collection. Oliver Nelson's followup to the Five Star CD "The Blues & The Abstract Truth" is FABULOUS! With Nelson in the role of writer, arranger, and conductor, his top drawer arrangements 'unleash' the players to get the very best from each of them. Underpinned by the monster rhythm section of Roger Kellaway, Richard Davis, and Grady Tate, Nelson insured this would be a special burning & swinging experience for the listener. And then he added the unison horns of Phil Woods, Thad Jones, and Pepper Adams for some real spice. Plus he brought in Ben Webster's unique tenor sax. Talk about 'stacking the deck'!!

The 'Piece D'Resistance', the best of the best, amongst this bevy of fabulous performances is the song "Blues and the Abstract Truth", which starts the CD with a long, convoluted, multi-noted, dynamic 'theme in three- sections', setting up sizzling solos by Roger Kellaway, Phil Woods, Pepper Adams, and Grady Tate. Notice how Nelson uses a simple two-noted repeat figure by the rhythm section to raise the second half of each solo to another level of intensity. One of the finest group and individual performances I have ever heard, with each solo 'uping the ante' all the way to the two-headed ending. WOW!

But the rest of the CD is just as interesting, intense, and swinging. Phil Woods and company are in top form ripping off memorable solo after solo (Thad Jones' solo on "Blues for Mr Broadway" is a blue sizzler! Kellaway's solo on "Going to Chicago Blues" is a real hoot, as is Mr Woods). And Ben Webster, obviously in an elder statesman cameo role, almost steals the show with "Blues For Mr Broadway". His solos are models of inventiveness, experience, and cunning, with a voice-like, laconic sound that is one of the rare pleasures in modern jazz. Oliver Nelson was incredible and left the bandstand and the music studio much too young. This is a 'must have' essential CD in any serious jazz collection. Five Stars are not enough Six HUGE Stars!!!!!!

This is a follow-up album (perhaps) to Oliver Nelson's landmark Impusle recording BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH, recorded in 1961. The personnel is different, and although top-notch in their own right, can't compare to the freshness and excitement generated by the original group. Two tracks stand out: THEME FROM MR. BROADWAY, a Dave Brubeck composition done for a TV series, with fine solos by Thad Jones, Pepper Adams, and Phil Woods; the other is GOIN' TO CHICAGO BLUES, which is a complete reworking of the famous Jimmy Rushing-Count Basie tune, with Woods taking solo honors. Ben Webster joins the group on two songs, and his solo on BLUES FOR MR. BROADWAY is long and sonorous and especially fine. It might be unfair to totally piggy-back this album, which was made in 1964, to the 1961 release (other than the near-duplicate title with the perhaps unfortunate use of the word "More" in it, they are very dissimilar), but it's easy to compare the two and bemoan the absence of Freddie Hubbard and Eric Dolphy here.

It is amazing that Oliver Nelson's Blues & The Abstract Truth is a jazz meteorite, but its sequel seems almost nonexistent. The first was one of the first released on the new ABC Imuplse! in 1961 (A-5) and "Stolen Moments" is a track used to teach even Jessica Simpson fans about America's classical music.

Maybe jazz freaks have an aversion to the word "more." This second album does not have a killer track like "Stolen Moment's," but is 100% Oliver Nelson. That silk warm take on traditional blues that makes Nelson Nelson, and makes Nelson so lovable an arranger, is in full flight here.


Listen to these rich and fat orchestrations: how Nelson can turn and turn and turn the blues like a sirloin on a spit, and his blue stakes forever feel fresh. You can love Quincy Jones and Don Ellis and Lalo Shiffrin--all the amazing arrangers that provided such juicy counterpoint to the equally great Coltrane/Coleman/Shepp/Taylor avant-riot-but you'll NEVER mistake Oliver Nelson for any of them. No one dug so deep into the possibilities of jazz blues.

We have been hoodwinked, nicked and dimed. Perhaps the first Blues And The Abstract Truth was so set in classic stone, nothing referring back to it could live in its shadow. Perhaps this should have been given another title--The Great But Untitled Oliver Nelson Album would have worked. But why More Blues And The Abstract Truth has not been issued as a double with its daddy is a mystery, a lack of effort that could raise this to its proper place.

Don't let 'em fool ya. Get this

"MORE BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH" should be seen a seperate entity from "THE BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH", compare apples with apples.
It is not a follow up, the name confuses, but as a stand-alone album it is brilliant and is equally as talented as it's predecessor, but with different style.
The tracks BLUES O'MIGHTY and THE CRITICS CHOICE are fine examples of the diversity of this artist.
Listening to the previous album "BLUES & THE ABSTRACT TRUTH" it becomes evident that this is in the Modal jazz style ( ala Miles Davis ) whereas "MORE BLUES & THE ABSTRACT TRUTH" is in the Bebop style. They can't be compared because of that, but they do share one thing, brilliance - a testament to talented artists under the creative leadership
of Oliver Nelson.
If you love classical jazz and prefer Bebop, then "MORE BLUES & THE ABSTACT TRUTH" is an album you should buy without the slightest hesitation.

while i am more of a fan of the first blues, this is a very good disc. i only suggest this cd if you already own blues. this is a good disc mostly because of the tightness of the group. the song choice is very good (many of nelson's own compositions).