Customer Reviews

The Gene Ammons Story: Gentle Jug

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most of these reviewers classify Gentle Jug as dinner music or smooth jazz. That's too bad. I'm a tenor player and a very serious jazz fan and I consider this to be one of the all-time great albums of the genre. Jug is the source of a tradition - the tenor balladeer. In opera, its Caruso before Pavoratti. In jazz tenor ballads, it's Ben Webster and Gene Ammons before all others. After Hawk's 'Body and Soul,' the tradition of the tenor ballad was fully defined by Gene Ammons and Ben Webster. Jug knew how to love and how to cry. Spent a lot of years in jail persecuted for his drug habit. His pain and his blues come through these classic ballads. He doesn't try to pretty them up with virtuosity: just straight story-telling, which is what a ballad is. If it hadn't been for this recording, there would never have been a Houston Person or Scott Hamilton: probably no Coltrane Ballad album either. This CD is the source of a tradition. One of the absolute necessities to any jazz collection.

This CD is made up of 2 Moodsville LPs, "Nice 'n' Cool" and "The Soulful Mood." Moodsville specialized in entire albums of ballad performances, and these 2 are no exceptions: all the tempos are slow. But Ammons can do wonders with a ballad, and most of these cuts are excellent. Ammons's approach usually consisted of slow tempo at first, then a middle section of double-time before going back to slow again for the ending. It's a formula, but it works well. The best-ever version of "Under a Blanket of Blue" is found here. If you like ballads you'll like this CD for sure.

Gene Ammons came upon my jazz scene when I was as a child during the late '50s, early '60s. I had the pleasure of listening to his music in New York City later as a young man interested in his music. He grabs you. He didn't get the recognition as, say, Coltrain, but he's in the same league. His clarity and harmonic tonality provides the listener with a honey tone expression that is uninterrupted by wastefulness or excessive motion. It's pure pleasure. This album is a classic!

Both this album and Gentle Jug 2 are the kind of music that make jazz fans. On them Ammons and his group take some of the best standards and make them their own. I never tire of listening to these mellow renditions of some of my favorites.

From the first 20 seconds into the first track, I was hooked. The smooth sound of the sax, the articulate jazzy feel of the piano and the noticable stand-up bass is the best I've heard! Great for relaxing by yourself, with that special loved one or even background music at you next together. If you like jazz, REAL JAZZ, you got to get this one!

I was in Atlanta on business. Stopped into a little record shop. Gentle Jug was playing. It was smooth, fine, perfect. I asked the owner, "You have anything better than this?" He called to an old man across the room, "Anything better'n Gene Ammons around here?" he asked. "Ain't nuth'n better'n Jug" he replied, "nuth'n." He was right.

This is a fine piece. Mellow. A thing of beauty. You will come back to it over and over again.

Well, apparently I am the 4th Amazon reviewer who has bought this record from an "unnamed" small record store in downtown Atlanta (I did it during a trip, as it was playing in that store and I was instantly captivated). Nevermind the coincidence, this record is as good as they come. Instead of describing it, let me tell you one way to use it. You are having a small dinner party for perhaps 3-4 very close friends. They appreciate good music and can carry intelligent conversation while listening to it. You wanted to put some arias as a background music but you actually are tired after cooking and want something more mellow, yet penetrating. You think about an Ella CD. You welcome your guests with a song book. What else could follow a song book from Ella? Well, Gene Ammons will do the trick. As the evening mellows and your friends are happy and relaxed, they start talking about the big questions of life. Gene Ammons will nicely go along and give them inspiration. This is music to open your soul to.

This is one of the best CDs I've ever owned. The music is romantic, relaxing, and induces sleep in my children!

My husband discovered this CD when he heard it playing in a small record shop in Atlanta (where we live). I wonder if it was the same shop where the Park City music fan found this CD!

Gene Ammons plays with a huge sound, not unlike his old pal Dexter Gordon. Another thing they have in common, is the art of ballad playing.

This record is mellow at times, but very focused, and intense. Ammons plays great, and improvises with command and authority. He can really make that tenor sing, and plays ballads in a way where I can listen to this stuff all night...

Shawn

My wife bought me this CD several years ago while at meeting in Atlanta. She said she went into this 'little record store'and it was playing. Best CD I've heard for smooth, relaxing after dinner wine music. Invite your best gal over, light some candles and you'll be slow dancing around the living room in minutes.