Customer Reviews

The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions

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Ike Quebec was a surperb musician who has been almost totally ignored by many music historians. Trained as an orchestral musician as well as a featured soloist, he found himself less in demand as the big-band era began to fade. In 1959 Alfred Lion knew Quebec was something special and produced these fabulous Blue Note singles during what is considered his comeback years from 1959-1962. Quebec cut four 45 RPM dates over a two or so year period. Most of the consistantly great 26 selections here offer the big, vibrant tone, bluesy phrasing, and magnificent heart felt solos Quebec is known for by his fans. Great set.

These great recordings have only been previously available on a long out-of-print Mosaic Records set that commanded stratospheric prices. Now, Blue Note has reissued them in a nice package with fantastic sound. Accessible, soulful and thoroughly enjoyable. Grab it while you can!!

In his excellent sleeve notes Bob Porter from WBGO says, "If you are coming to these sides for the first time, you are in for a treat". I was. They are! The disks have Quebec playing with an ever changing array of sidesmen, with prominent organ playing from Edwin Swanston (Tracks 1 to 8), Sir Charles Thompson (Disk 1 9-13 Disk 2 1-4) and Earl Van Dyke (the Motown EVD?)[Disk 2 5-13).The Sir Charles tracks are a basic quartet whereas on the other tracks there is the addition of a guitarist. Whatever the style or genre that the compositions embrace Quebec stamps an authority on them all, but always allows space for (particularly the organ players) to solo. Nor, as the strictures of the sessions might have suggested, are they in any way formulaic, they are played as the sleevenotes suggest 'with creativity and conviction'. Despite the price this would seem like a good place to start to listen to Quebec, still undiminished in his playing despite health problems that were obviously starting to beset him. I'm only amazed that the sessions are still current in the Blue Note catalogue and having been unavailable for so long ought to be snapped up before they disappear.

Bringing together all of Ike Quebec's 1959-62 Blue Note singles, this double-disc compilation is a stimulating and worthy companion piece to the series of great albums the tenor saxophonist recorded for the label in his final months. While naturally not as coherent a program as any of those gems, the 45s (recorded on four different dates over a thirty-one-month period with four - well, three and a quarter - different ensembles) more than compensate with their scope and variety. A whopping twenty-six cuts comprise this set, with half a dozen of Ike's own tunes alongside bits of the great American songbook and more esoteric jazz staples. All are played with exemplary taste and skill, and heard this way they add up to a fairly strong - if at times inconsistent - album in their own right. I'd still recommend one of Quebec's latterday LPs for those as yet unfamiliar with him; fans, however, can and should take great pleasure in this sizable addition to Ike's small but spellbinding 1960s output.

I purchased this item from Amazon for a very dear friend who had not been able to find this artist through other avenues. He was elated with this CD.