Customer Reviews

The Blues and the Abstract Truth

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ok, I'm kidding about the Debussy part. But Oliver Nelson uses an impressionistic vocabulary of harmonies to create the abstract truth of the blues. Within these arrangements, Nelson, Freddie Hubbard and Eric Dolphy play outstanding blues solos.

In a way, the three are like Cannonball, Miles and Coltrane on "Kind of Blue." However, Nelson plays the Miles role. His solos are restrained and concise. To further the connection to Debussy, Nelson's solo's are enormously infused with a classical music sensibility. Hubbard plays the Cannonball role: unbelievably fluent and fluid running of the changes without losing blues feel. Dolphy plays the Coltrane role. However, he goes way further out in space while keeping the blues connection strong.

In fact, for me, Dolphy is the real unexpected joy of this album. It sounds like he's taking a Charlie Parker solo and, in the process, flipping the music upside down and playing right to left. Then, in the middle of some really "outside" playing, he'll segue into and out of a musical quote from "Camptown Races." Do dah indeed! 20 or more years later, you could hear The World Saxophone Quartet do that kind of stylistic pastiche. Free jazz, ragtime, bop...Dolphy just had a really scary mind for improvisation.

Oh yes, I forgot: the rhythm section is Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes. It doesn't get any better than that! I like Haynes crisp, driving style especially here.

As for the tunes, "Stolen Moments" is a jazz classic that you have to have if you like jazz. Butch and Butch is a great up tempo rave. Yearnin' and Teenie's Blues are great slow blues tunes that showcase Oliver Nelson's genius for arranging.

If you know someone who likes jazz and doesn't have this album, this is a slam dunk good gift.

Interestingly, given the mix of classical, blues, bop and free jazz, this is a good album to get someone who's new to jazz. It's all there and it all works.

Known more for his arranging and composing than his playing, Oliver Nelson demonstrates here that he is equally facile in both arenas.

The title of the album is accurate; this is the abstract blues. That is to say, it is the blues reduced to its pure musical essence. The now famous tune: "Stolen Moments," which is often the sound track for various movies and advertisements, has become famous in its own right, but is only a scratching of the surface of Nelson's immense talents.

I failed to keep up with him in his later musical life, but here is a beautiful summary of all of his talents on display, and with a cast of young musicians who would later go on to becomes giants in their own right: And here I am of course speaking primarily of Eric Dolphy and Freddie Hubbard.

Five stars

I've always loved this album, and after years of playing it, I still play it frequently. I do not hold it in quite as high esteem as Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue," but Oliver Nelson's "Blues And The Abstract Truth" is way up there on my jazz favorites list.

After hearing snippets of this much acclaimed album I finally purchased it in order to delve deeper into this multi-talented performer/arranger and his all-star quintet of guest artists. From the outset, I would have to rate `Stolen Moments' as one of the all time great jazz tracks. It is perfect in every way, the total arrangement through to the improvised solos of each performer. Freddie Hubbard's soulful trumpet work is an absolute standout for me...soooo smooth! The other highlight is `Yearnin', which is yet another classic recording with its wonderful opening chorus from Bill Evans that sets the tone for the piece and makes it a 5 star performance. While the other tracks are solid, for me they don't quite reach the same lofty heights (hence the 4 star rating) that could have elevated the overall album to `Kind of Blue' status. However, it is good to hear this concept album in its entirety, with its interesting and original deconstruction of the various facets of the blues.

The blues form is perhaps just one, among many, important features on this album, as one might be led to emphasize the blues emphasis by the album title, but moreover, the brilliant ensemble performances on this album, unlike that of other jazz groups recorded during this time (early to mid 60's, which itself is the pinnacle of jazz performance), provides a jazz statement can still include detailed composition for a group context, while still providing room for individual improvisation. For instance, we hear counterpoint meeting hard bop, just one aspect of the music, leading to an extraordinary performance and set of creative statements on this album.

So much has already been written that there is little left for me to say. If you love jazz and do not own this recording then you have yet to realize just how much you love jazz. If I had to give away all of my jazz recordings but could keep just one, this would be the one.

I think this is one of the best jazz albums ever made. The arrangements are great, and the soloing is incredible. Should be a staple in any jazz library.

I had heard the feature song of this album for years (Stolen Moments), from the album or done by others, and always loved it, but didn't know what album it was from. My cable TV service has a FANTASTIC jazz channel that broadcasts info about the songs while they play. After learning that it was an Oliver Nelson tune, and from this album, I bought it. The rest of the album is fantastic as well, with great band members (even with Eric Dolphy before he got too avant garde for my taste). I now consider this one of my favorite albums, up there with "Kind of Blue", "Maiden Voyage", and "My Favorite Things".

At first the music seems simple, but that's a bit deceptive. Nelson, along with some great accompaniment, have managed to distill the essence of jazz blues down to this album. Among the hundreds of jazz albums I own, this is probably in the top 5 that I consistently reach for when I'm not sure just what to listen to.

Introspective, haunting, and played to perfection...it just doesn't get much better than this. For fans of this album, it's worth checking out Bill Cunliffe's Blues and Abstract Truth Vol. 2-a bit fuller and richer, perhaps, than this original; yet faithful to the origins.

A must have for a well-stocked jazz fan!

It was the year or so of giants: Miles' Kind of Blue, Mingus' Ah Um and Dynasty, Brubeck's Time Out, Trane's My Favorite Things, and Oliver Nelson's The Blues and The Abstract Truth.
I had the privilege of seeing Nelson's Quintet live at Lafayette College in Easton PA this year. Nelson was playing his classic Coltrane concept & Hodges singing tone saxophone, Eric Dolphy's flute and bass clarinet, the underrated and soon lost Richard Williams on trumpet, Richard Wyands on piano, the brillian George Duvivier and Mr. Snap Crackle: Roy Haynes.
Find all of the Prestige/New Jazz Oliver Nelson group CDs; they all have something special to offer, mostly from Nelson but much from his sidemen.
By the way this album has little to do with More Blues and the Abstract Truth which a much more traditional but equally-satisfying set.