Customer Reviews

Criss Craft

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Sonny Criss displays his finest saxophone playing ever on this incredible recording. Starting from the Horace Tapscott composition, Isle of Celia, through to the burning Crisscraft, Criss is in complete command of his masterful jazz playing. His solo on Blues of My Heart is an excursion into the dark, blue side of his emotions which Sonny has always been honest enough to reveal, and his interpretation of the classic All Night Long is further proof of Criss's special abilties to capture the essence of a song, from the inside out. This recording, made just a few years prior to Sonny's untimely death in 1977, is further proof that Sonny Criss stands alone as the premier jazz alto saxophonist of our time.

Sonny Criss's story is quite a sad one. One of many sad stories I know, but the depth of soul which can be felt on these tracks certainly point out what an overlooked and under-appreciated alto saxophonist that Sonny Criss was. If you are looking for a deeply soulful album with blue-mood aplenty this one is hard to beat.

I think Sonny Criss is one of great underground musician of all time and a talented bop altoist influenced by Charlie Parker. But He has his own heavier sound. I love to hear Crisscraft a bebop blues, All Night Long a haunting melody, Blues In My Heart morchismo, I'm from Seoul Korea. Thank you so much.

The 1998 Jazz 32 release is the second packaging of this session, released originally in 1975 and most recently in 2003 on the Savoy label. My copy of the Savoy edition does not include the bonus tracks ("All the Things You Are" and an alternate take of "Blues in My Heart"). You'll notice that Amazon's tune listing makes no reference to the inclusion of those tracks on the present CD, though my hunch is that you'll find them here.

As for the "guaranteed" tunes, the extended "Isle of Celia" as well as "This Is for Benny" bear traces of the limited, repetitious harmonies jazz musicians felt compelled to play throughout much of the 1970's. The uptempo, bebop-ish groove on the blues, "Crisscraft," comes as a welcome change of pace.

Tune choices aside, the taste and musicianship of all members on this session are of a high order. Sonny was one of those proficient, fluent, communicative players about whom it's possible to have certain reservations. His sound has the penetrating quality and tightly-spun vibrato of many "new age" players, and his lines, while lyrical and logically connected, iron out many of the complexities characteristic of Bird-influenced soloists. But his is an individual, engaging voice that deserves to be heard and remembered. For this purpose, the "Complete Imperial Sessions" are probably a better bet.

Criss Craft finds Sonny Criss in peak creative form on this 1975 session originally recorded for Muse. Criss hadn't recorded as a leader for six years prior, so he was more than ready to take the helm and lay down some smoking sax licks. Guitarist Ray Crawford, pianist Dolo Coker, bassist Larry Gales, and drummer Jimmie Smith provide solid support. There are many compelling moments throughout this fine set.

I agree with pretty much everything the reviewers below had to say but wanted to add some more detail. These tunes were mostly recorded on February 24th, 1975 with a band consisting of Criss on the alto sax, Ray Crawford on the guitar, Dolo Coker on the piano, Larry Gales on the bass and Jimmy Smith on the drums.
Criss is easily my candidate for the most underappreciated alto player of all time. A superb bop stylist, he could play anything. His recordings always featured wonderful blues playing, incredibly melodic ballad playing and when he kicked into uptempo, he was as fast and articulate as was humanly possible. He was also the possessor of an unique tone- very fiery and passionate in his sound. It is as recognizably his own as Jackie McLean's or Parker's or for that matter, Julius Hemphill's or Arthur Blythe's.
One of his favorite song writers was the great LA pianist, Horace Tapscott (another great artist who has been ignored outside of his home turf). Tapscott is the writer of my two favorite songs on this album The Isle Of Celia and the breathtaking This Is For Benny. On the latter, Criss starts off way fast and just throws off melodic variation after variation. All within a solo that has an overall logic and development. How do people think or create at this level? Truely wonderful.
The band of LA veterens that accompany him on this disc are mini-revelations in themselves. Coker and Crawford are wonderfully melodic soloists in their own right.
Two years after this recording, Sonny Criss died at his own hand. None of us can do anything about the fact that he was so largely ignored during his lifetime. Now would be a good time, however, to learn about this talent. I believe you will as captivated as I am. Who knows, you may want to spread the news about him as much as I do. Criss was a great player, someone you should know if you love bop sax players. This is a great album to start your acquaintance with him. Trust me, you will not stop with this one.

Yet another reissue of a highly admired Sonny Criss session from 1975. For some reason, this 2003 Savoy release omits "All the Things You Are," the bonus track on the 1998 reissue on Jazz 32. A pity, because the program could use some variety. The extended "Isle of Celia" as well as "This Is for Benny" bear traces of the monochromatic, repetitious harmonies jazz musicians felt compelled to play throughout much of the 1970's. The uptempo, bebop-ish groove on the blues, "Crisscraft," comes as a welcome change of pace.

Tune choices aside, the taste and musicianship of all members on this session are of a high order. Sonny was one of those proficient, fluent, communicative players about whom it's possible to have certain reservations. His sound leans more toward "new age" players, and his lines, while lyrical and logically connected, iron out many of the complexities characteristic of Bird-influenced soloists. But his is an individual, engaging voice that deserves to be heard and remembered. For this purpose, the "Complete Imperial Sessions" are probably a better bet.