Four Hundred Saturdays [LIVE]

Frank Hewitt

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• Original Release Date: October 11, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Smalls Records
• ASIN: B000BITTXA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #375,527 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The Research and Reviews Quarterly of The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors Vol 39 No. 2 - May 2006
a wonderful soloist...hard to resist jazz this honest and real

Product Description
The third volume in the epic series of Frank Hewitt's posthumously-released recordings. The legendary Frank Hewitt Quintet, veterans of four hundred Saturdays at Smalls, on an especially cooking 3am set. Now you know why we were addicted to Smalls.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's Not Too Late to Discover Frank Hewitt, April 20, 2006

By	Ronald Lyles "relyles" (West Hartford, CT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The two previous recordings that posthumously introduced the jazz community outside the Smalls inner circle to Frank Hewitt were trio studio recordings. "Four Hundred Saturdays", is the first opportunity for those of us not fortunate to be present for one of Hewitt's regular Smalls appearances to hear him in a live setting. It is also our first opportunity to hear him with horns. The language Hewitt spoke was unmistakably bebop. Here, Hewitt and his cohorts stretch out on four tunes that might have been played regularly during bebop's heyday. Although these performances were recorded in 1999, in the case of Hewitt the music feels like it is being played by someone who actually lived it, as opposed to studying it decades later. His piano playing is somewhat quirky. To these technically untrained ears he mastered his own dialect that was logical and technically impressive. One critic described Hewitt's playing as something which would be most appreciated by "insiders", but IMO if you listen and allow yourself to feel the music, Hewitt can and will be understood and thoroughly enjoyed by those like myself who could not tell you which notes should be played in a particular chord if my life depended on it. In addition to Hewitt, the two saxophonists (tenor saxophonist Chris Byars and alto saxophonist Mike Mullins) contribute impressive solos throughout, and the rhythm section (bassist Ari Roland and drummer Jimmy Lovelace) is rock solid and in sync throughout. Easily recommended.

0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Overhyped, March 18, 2006

By	Allan Suchinsky (Kensington, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Frank Hewitt has been receiving alot of publicity lately as an overlooked gem. After listening to this disc, I am not sure where this comes from. His solos do little for me. He doesn't really seem to be going anywhere and at times, appears to get kind of lost. Whatever his ideas may be, they get lost in lengthy statements that, basically, ramble and sometimes stumble.

There is some decent ensemble work here, and Ari Roland on bass and tenorman Chris Byers do some nice soloing. But the overall effect is so so, particularly since the leader disappoints.