Blue's Moods [Original recording remastered]

Blue Mitchell | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Jvc / Xrcd
• ASIN: B0000589DS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #722,884 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I'll Close My Eyes

2. Avars

3. Scrapple from the Apple

4. Kinda Vague

5. Sir John

6. When I Fall in Love

7. Sweet Pumpkin

8. I Wish I Knew

Editorial Reviews

Blue Mitchel cemented his reputation as a lyrical player was a beautiful timbre in Horace Silver's hard driving bop bands of the late '50s and early '60s. This session from 1960, featuring Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Roy Brooks is a supreme example of Blue Mitchel at his best.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful....., August 29, 2003

By 

Rolltide (Columbia, Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue's Moods (Audio CD)

I have come to really love this album and find myself playing it as much as any in my collection. This is blue playing in a quartet without any other wind instruments. Blue had recorded similar material on occasion in his 3 previous riverside albums(All great) so it was inevitable he would do a whole album of this material after recording in sextets and quintets. Here he stretches out and over all the work is a success.

The first cut is a solid energetic number with some great soloing from blue whose lyrical trumpet seems to always find a song within the song. Avars is a classic; very well done. I think that was used for a mustang commercial in 1965 but don't hold me to that. "Scrapple from the apple is a classic parker tune that blue plays to perfection. The album ends with 2 very strong lyrical numbers with vitality "sweet pumkin" and "i wish i knew". All good stuff and worthy of a full 4 stars but what puts this over the top for me is the 4th cut "kinda vague". This is all pure unadulterated blues and no trumpet player could play the blues better than it is done here. I can't stop listening to it! Of course the piano is essential to the success of an album like this and wynton kelly does not disappoint and his solo on "kind vague" will tear you up! Sam jones gives a clinic on bass and while i miss philly joe jones roy brooks(From the horace silver quintet) does a fine job.

Lyrical, bluesy, sweet and energetic blue mitchell's 4th album for riverside in 1960 is a great addition to any jazz collection.

..................socks

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars nice album, great sound, April 5, 2001

By 

Steve Marshall "Steve" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blue's Moods (Audio CD)

One of the biggest challenges for a musician is to front a quartet. There's no one to hide behind. For Richard "Blue" Mitchell, Blue's Moods was his debut as the lone horn player. In the earlier part of his career, Blue was strongly self-critical, always concerned that he wasn't living up to his (self-perceived) potential. His last effort, Blue Soul was a turning point for him. Three of the cuts on Blue Soul were quartet numbers, giving him the chance to show his newly found musical maturity and confidence. Blue's Moods builds on the same sound heard on Blue Soul, and takes it to the next level.

The songs on this album cover a wide range of feelings and tempos, hence the name Blue's Moods instead of Blue's Mood. Mitchell slips right into the groove on "I'll Close My Eyes." and never looks back. The rhythm section on these sessions--Wynton Kelly (piano), Sam Jones (bass) and Roy Brooks (drums)--is outstanding. As you listen to these tracks, it's readily apparent that this wasn't just a one-off thing. Kelly and Jones both get to stretch out a bit on the lightly swinging "Avars." One of the best cuts here is the superb rendition of Charlie Parker's "Scrapple From the Apple." This may be Blue's date, but the trio really stands out on this one.

Blue played a vintage cornet owned by the album's engineer Ray Fowler on the introspective "Kinda Vague." The sparse arrangement really accentuates the horn's somewhat dry sound. Mitchell displays his penchant for the blues on tracks like "Sir John," and "Sweet Pumpkin." Jones' walking bass line on the latter makes this tune another highlight. Maybe you're looking for something in more of a romantic vein. "When I Fall in Love" is the perfect track to share with your significant other. Light some candles, get a nice bottle of wine and you're set.

But let's face it--your significant other probably doesn't care about sound quality, and since this CD technically falls under the audiophile heading, that's what you really want to know about, right? I'll just say this. As with just about all of the XRCD discs, the extended resolution and definition provided by the 20-bit, K2 mastering process is nothing short of amazing. The OJC version of this CD never sounded bad, but when you compare it to this pressing, it sounds like an AM radio. There's really that much of a difference. To sum things up, Blue's Mood is an instantly enjoyable album by some of jazz' finest musicians; and thanks to the folks at JVC, it never sounded better.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an under-rated gem, March 17, 2001

By 

p dizzle "p dizzle" (augusta, georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue's Moods (Audio CD)

blue mitchell was a great, lost trumpeter of the 60s hardbop movement, falling in the shadow of miles and even his blue note stablemates, lee morgan, donald byrd, and freddie hubbard. this is too bad because mr. mitchell had a style and sound all his own. he drenched his approach in the blues and came up swinging, avoiding the angularisms of a more bop oriented style. he didn't play faster than anybody else and he didn't play with form a whole lot. instead, he worked to find the blues within the tune and created a tone of bouncing blue. this particular album starts with some great bop, highlighted by a superb take of "scrapple from the apple." then the comes the blues-- "kinda vague," "sir john," and the wonderful "sweet pumpkin" reveal mr. mitchell's penchant. the sound is swinging and smoky. the support on the album is superb. wynton kelly on piano, sam jones on bass, and fellow horace silver alumni, roy brooks, on drums work well together and keep the sound rolling. this is a great album.