Customer Reviews

Body & Soul

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First, before I say another word, check out the personell on this one...
Barry Harris - Piano
James Moody - Flute, Tenor
Dave Burns - Trumpet
Billy Gene English - Drums
Steve Davis - Bass

Barry Harris and James Moody - - need I say anything more...? and if you've never heard Eddie before, I guess it becomes clear that this isn't your typical Jazz vocal album. It begins with a spoken poetic tribute to him with some sweet flute in the backround... then suddenly the master walks through the door with a funky tambourine's a shakin' soul Jazz number that if it was a church, auditorium, Jazz club or whatever would definitely get some booties shaking...

If I'm not mistaken, Eddie was experiencing a bit of resurgence at the time this album was recorded (a.k.a. getting work). Though the Jazz master's he traveled, toured and paid tribute to in his music loved and respected him, for the most part he did not receive the attention he deserved... however, by the time he hit the studio to record this one, he must have felt that he was on a roll... it definitely sounds like it.

Redoing a number of tunes he was already known for, and on top, chosing a repoitoire of (then) contemporary Horace Silver/Adderly type soul Jazz - - in a nutshell, this album is energetic from start to finish.

Almost all the tunes on the album are worth special mention. When Horace Silver recorded Psychadelic Sally and Filthy McNasty they were solid and funky houserockers... Eddie's vocal versions are just as wild if not wilder, because in addition to hearing Sally and Filthy's groove (which is DEFINITELY there), you now get to hear their story... Psychadelic Sally with her painted face... and Filthy, who hangs out in bars and has a few scars.
(A few years later Gil Scott Heron tells a similar story on one of his own albums - - a tune called "A Legend In His Own Mind"... "He's a legend in his own mind, a god's gift to women, on a day God wasn't giving up a thing..."

Of course There I Go, There I Go is an Eddie Jefferson classic (its been redone countless times) - - Eddie's vocal version of So What has also become a vocalist standard even though nothing is standard about the way he hips the listener to Miles Davis(from his solos, to his fashion and mannerisms and why he's like that.) - - Another hard swinger on the album is Oh Gee, which like Filthy has been re-done quite well by the vocalist Kevin Mahagony (Larry Goldings on organ I believe) - - and another organist has tackled a tune on this CD as well (*ahem)... I did Eddie's tribute to Charlie Parker via Now's The Time (come remenisce with me, and think about bird, remember all the things he did and all the things you heard...") on my Eddie tribute album with Giacomo which finally has a label (!) - - ("Eddie Jefferson ? What kind of market is there for an Eddie Jefferson tribute ?")

All in all, there is no doubt that this may be the most influential Jazz album you never heard... its full of Eddie's far out lyrics, great solos, swings hard... so what are you holding off on.... GET IT ! ! ! (Also check out his follow up to it... the equally great COME ALONG WITH ME...)

As a die hard King Pleasure fan I'm always looking for the same style of fine music. Via Amazon I learnd that the real great inspirior of King Pleasure was Eddie Jefferson. This 'Body and Soul' iss the second CD I bought from Mr. 'Skat-Chat' Jefferson and it's certenly not my last !!!! Keep the music playin' and my computer surfin' !!