Cootie Williams in Hi Fi

Cootie Williams | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00001U060
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,544 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Just in Time

2. Summit Ridge Drive

3. Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)

4. On the Street Where You Live

5. I'll See You in My Dreams

6. Contrasts

7. Caravan

8. If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight)

9. Air Mail Special

10. My Old Flame

11. Swingin' Down the Lane

12. New Concerto for Cootie

13. Rinky Dink

14. Please Give Your Love to Me

15. Block Rock

16. Percy Speaks

17. Now That You've Loved Me

18. Blue Sunday

19. Available Lover

20. It's All in Your Mind

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great swing, fantastic sound!, February 4, 2001

By 

Car Guy "desertgrj" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cootie Williams in Hi Fi (Audio CD)

This is my only solo Cootie Williams music, so I don't know how this compares to other solo recordings. I will say, though, that this is wonderful, rythmic swing, just like the music he made with his boss for so many years, Duke Ellington. Don't hesitate to buy this disk.

Most of the music is Cootie using his trademark plunger mute; you'll swear he's actually talking with it. Great large band support from the usual late fifties Ellingtonians, except Duke; he sits out on this set.

This is one of a series of cd reissues of the RCA Victor jazz catalog. Although a fairly minor catalog, I'd say these recordings (Paul Gonsalves, Joe Williams, Johnny Hodges, Al Cohn, etc.) by RCA are some of the finest swinging jazz from the fifties and sixties you'll find, as well as being some of the best sounding. Remastered with 24 bit technology, the sonics and sense of space is near perfect. Why can't new recordings sound this golden?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great swing, fantastic sound!, February 4, 2001

By 

Car Guy "desertgrj" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cootie Williams in Hi Fi (Audio CD)

This is my only solo Cootie Williams music, so I don't know how this compares to other solo recordings. I will say, though, that this is wonderful, rythmic swing, just like the music he made with his boss for so many years, Duke Ellington. Don't hesitate to buy this disk.

Most of the music is Cootie using his trademark plunger mute; you'll swear he's actually talking with it. Great large band support from the usual late fifties Ellingtonians, except Duke; he sits out on this set.

This is one of a series of cd reissues of the RCA Victor jazz catalog. Although a fairly minor catalog, I'd say these recordings (Paul Gonsalves, Joe Williams, Johnny Hodges, Al Cohn, etc.) by RCA are some of the finest swinging jazz from the fifties and sixties you'll find, as well as being some of the best sounding I've heard. Remastered with 24 bit technology, the sonics and sense of space is near perfect. Why can't new recordings sound this golden?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasing Effort, October 30, 2010

By 

Johnny Hodges (Clark Fork, ID United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi (Audio CD)

Personally, I would not call this jazz. Its occupies more the territory between swing and pop music, with jazz sensibilites perhaps by the musicians. The band is skilled and well drilled, and it all comes off sounding very right. Bill Stegmeyer's arrangements are tight and bright, and add a lot to the old war horses played. The completely new take on Cootie's classic "Caravan" is particularly noteworthy.

Williams is monster enough a trumpet player that the band's trumpet section consists of him alone, with 4 trombones and 5 saxes. No big name musicians, but obviously thoroghly competent ones. I find it unusual that they manage to sound so lively, given the lack of solo space and the scripted arrangements. The effect is that of a well oiled machine. Not competitive with Cootie's more adventuresome trumpet as a Duke Ellington player, nor was it intended to be. Don't need your big ears to reach for it, Cootie delivers here.

If you like this, try to get a hold of Big Challenge while there are still used copies at a reasonable price.