Hear Ye [Original recording reissued, Extra tracks]

Red Mitchell | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 11, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Extra tracks
• Label: Koch Records
• ASIN: B00004NKC2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #604,990 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Triplin' Awhiile

2. Rosie's Spirit

3. Hear Ye!

4. Somara

5. Catacomb

6. Pari Passu

7. I'm Old Fashioned

8. The Way I Feel

Editorial Reviews

From Jazziz

Tenorman Harold Land and bassist Red Mitchell lead an impressive quintet on their 1961 recording, Hear Ye!!!! Hear Ye!!!! Hear Ye!!!! Both came to the fore of the jazz world after 1950: Land with Roach and Clifford Brown; Mitchell with Red Norvo and as a West Coast freelancer. Both men evolved throughout their careers into the 1980s. Mitchell's 1982 work with Hank Jones and saxman Bill Evans - Evidence (Enja) - is one of his best recordings and still sounds fresh and challenging today. One of the finest bass technicians of his generation, he's able to play in the front line during the statements of rather complex themes. He demonstrates not only his chops, but also a fertile imagination during his solos. Land plays a lot of notes here, as he did with Brown and Roach, but his tone is prettier and more refined, and his articulation is cleaner. He's in command of himself and his horn, making very intelligent note choices. In a few years he'd incorporate ideas from John Coltrane into his work, but he never played better than he does here. Trumpeter Carmell Jones appears in the quintet, turning in inspired, Brown-influenced solos. Pianist Frank Strazzeri contributes hard swinging, meaty spots.

--- Harvey Pekar, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars West Coast Radiance!, November 18, 2008

By 

Wayne Dawson (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hear Ye (Audio CD)

Here we go again, another sizzlin' performance by one of the greatest catalysts in jazz. It has now become abundantly clear that the legendary bands of Clifford Brown/Max Roach and The Curtis Counce Group owe their mythic mantle very much to the involvement of Harold Land. Tragically short their comet brilliance was, the phoenix genius of Harold Land kept the trail blazing with recordings under his own name and Hear Ye is another fine example of how he inspired others, while continuing to advance a progressive, assertive, hard hitting swing that bubbles over like quickly poured champagne!

So the rest of this excellent unit includes Carmell Jones on trumpet, Frank Strazzeri on piano and Leon Petties on drums. Of the eight tracks two are by Land, two by Mitchell (who sounds fabulously funky) and one by Jones. By now Land's reputation was such that `Carmell had come out to the coast primarily to work with Harold; he dug him that much'; his warm, bright sound has a little of Miles Davis and plenty of Clifford Brown, adding to an ever growing roll call of top trumpeters eager to face the challenges of such a demanding tenor player. Shortly before this date it was Kenny Dorham's turn in New York with Eastward Ho!

Tight and polished, these are swinging musical lines in the grand, intricate manner of bop that Harold enjoys pulling out of shape with his rhythm and blues influences, whilst maintaining immaculate pitch. The burnished enthusiasm of Carmell Jones is with him all the way. As fresh and vital now as then, the HDCD remastering is just great!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Red In The Land Of Harold, February 2, 2001

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hear Ye (Audio CD)

The small indie Koch label has rescued another jazz gem from the vaults at Atlantic Records! "Hear Ye!," the 1961 "debut" recording from the Red Mitchell-Harold Land Quintet (both the bassist and tenor saxophonist were seasoned veterans of the recording studio independently) also features pianist Frank Strazzeri, drummer Leon Petties and the brilliant, under-recognized trumpeter Carmell Jones. (Carmell made invaluable contributions to the classic albums "The Blues Book" by Booker Ervin, and "Song For My Father" by Horace Silver.) The album's eight tracks consist of six originals -- two by Land (the disc's best in my opinion), two by Mitchell (including the spirited title track), and one each by Jones and Strazzeri -- and two standards. While "Hear Ye!" may not quite rank up there with Land's "The Fox" or "West Coast Blues" (see my reviews), it is a remarkable session that deserved to see the light of day on CD much earlier than the 21st Century.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good session, iffy audio, May 15, 2008

By 

Zoot (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hear Ye! (MP3 Download)

First rate West Coast hard bop session, with fiery contributions by Land and Jones, two very under-rated musicians. While the bitrate is shown at 256, the sound is rather thin for me at least, and the audio balance is a bit out of - well - balance. On Somara, Strazzeri sounds like he's playing a spinet in another room; on Catacomb, Jones' solo following Land is barely audible at the outset. It may be the source material rather than the rip, which is unusual for Atlantic.

Edit: I listened again on another system and the audio was considerably better. Apparently, an issue with my main computer audio, not with the files.