Customer Reviews

At the Five Spot Cafe

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I strongly disagree with Mr. Berndt that this live 1959 session is an average album, because it is in a totally different style. If one is only familiar with the guitarist thru the low down, greasy, after hours style of "Midnight Blue" then it is not hard to see why "At the Five Spot" would be dissapointing. Kenny Burrell can play it all whether it be ballads, gutbucket soul- jazz with either Jimmy Smith or Stanley Turrentine, or blistering hard bop. This record is proof of the latter that rivals KB's previous Blue Note affair "Blue Lights". While Burrell is on fire, it features some very strong performances from the underappreciated tenor sax genius Tina Brooks, especially his fine solo on "Swingin'". Bobby Timmons gives his all on the 4 cuts he's featured, and his solo on "Birk's Works" is one of the most exciting of his that I've heard. Sir Roland Hanna the other pianist on this date alternating with Soulful Mr. Timmons, offers interesting contrast to Timmons sanctified musings with his fast fluid lines, and percussive attack, highlighted well on "Hallelujah". Art Blakey on drums(as he was on Blue Lights as well) plays wonderfully offering a great solo with mallets on skins also on "Hallelujah". A very worthwhile album, which I heard is about to go out of print, get while you can. Coincedentally this was recorded 2 years to the day after Kenny appeared on Jimmy Smith's classic "Houseparty" which featured him doing some spirited wailing on "Cherokee".

Burrell (g) Tina Brooks (ts) Bobby Timmons or Roland Hanna (p) Ben Tucker (b) Art Blakey (d) 8/25/59.

This is a great live set with a lot of the tracks lengthy enough to give everybody a decent taste. There is so little of Tina Brooks available (he died young) that anything (4 tracks here) is welcome. Burrell loved the blues, but only 3 tunes are blues; one, BIRK'S WORKS, is a 10-minute workout on the form and very good. SWINGIN' is a nice original by Clifford Brown, where Blakey is front-and-center. Hanna is best on the blues waltz BEEF STEW BLUES. One of Kenny Burrell's best albums. Recommended.

This is a classic Kenny Burrel recording with the traditional bluesey Burrel touch added to every note. This is the kind of recording every fan of hard-bop will love. The sidemen on this CD include Art Blakey, Bobby Timmons, Roland Hanna, Tina Brooks and Ben Tucker. All first class.

A lot of great atmosphere on this location recording and Burrell's playing can't be faulted: it's deeply soulful yet tasteful. But the poor piano needed a good tuning! It sounds completely out of whack and it's very distracting. That said, "Beef Stew Blues" is my fave cut.

It's always a pleasure to get some of the typical live atmosphere of a club date into your home, so I advice you to listen, close your eyes and you find yourself at "Five Spot", because this album really keeps that "groovy joint sound" The personnel, including Bobby Timmons, Art Blakey and the wonderful Tina Brooks on tenorsax is not a working group, but a happy meeting of some great cats having a ball playing together. The first tune, "Birks Works" will immediatly catch you: Bobby Timmons'funky intro (on a slightly ill-tuned piano) sets the pace for a typical "Messengers'Groove" and after the theme, things start off with a most relaxed, well constructed solo by the leader and typical soulful messages from Tina Brooks and Bobby Timmons. "Lady be Good", the second tune (I'd say it's "Rifftide", because that's the line they are using, based on the chord changes of "Lady Be Good") is pure bop with some really great tenor by Brooks, and Timmons shows his Bud Powell influence. The second half of the album (minus Brooks and with Roland Hanna replacing Timmons) is not so exiting, but I like the lyrical Ballad "If You Could See Me Now".

It's always a pleasure to get some of the typical life atmosphere of a club date into your home, so I advice you to listen;close your eyes and you find yourself at "Five Spot", because this album really keeps that "groovy joint sound". The personnel, including Bobby Timmons, Art Blakey and the wonderful Tina Brooks on tenorsax is not a working group, but a happy meeting of some great cats having a ball playing together. The first tune, "Birks works" will immediatly cath you: Bobby Timmons`funky intro (on a slightly ill-tuned piano) sets the pace for a typical "Messenger's Groove", and after the theme, things start off with a most relaxed, well constructed solo by the leader and typical soulful messages from Tina Brooks and Bobby Timmons. "Lady be Good", the second tune (I'd say it's "Rifftide", because that's the line they are playing, based on the chords of "Lady be Good") is pure bop with some really great tenor of Brooks, and Timmons shows his Bud Powell influence. The second half of the album (minus Brooks and with Roland Hanna replacing Timmons) is not so exiting, but I like the lyrical Ballad "If You Could See Me Now".

After buying and listening to Burrell's really outstanding record "Blue Midnight" I expected much more. But exept "SWINGING" it is an average album. I would not miss it...