Customer Reviews

Jazz for the Jet Set

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Look at the cover of this. If it was 1966 and you brought this lovely women back to your house--sorry, pad-- for martini's and what might come after, this is probably be the album a groovy young man like you would put on the disc pla.......I mean, stere.......um, wait....Hi-Fi. Dig?

Basically, this is easy jazz highlighting the vibraphone. It features such covers as Bobby Hebb's "Sonny," and "You've Got Your Troubles" by the Fortunes, all done in this style.

We hear this music in old movies all the time, but it really did exsist as music, not just Hollywood's idea of what a swarthy young swinger would play. This is not Coltrane, so don't by this expecting any revelation.

But this is very enjoyable listening. Actually, I should say, this is a great bag to get into. I mean, man, don't be a bummer about this and get yourself off into a square trip. The CD.........this platter is a gas.

Just don't play it too loud. The man might call the fuzz.

Herbie Mann's debut as a producer, for which he assembled bands including Bill Doggett's guitarist (Billy Butler), Ray Charles' drummer (Bruno Carr); Clark Terry; and a bunch of others, including -- playing organ throughout -- Herbie Hancock. I'd love to see this in a Down Beat "blindfold test." Pike plays marimba.

According to recent obits of Bobby Hebb, this version of "Sunny" was released before Bobby's own.

To say this album is a period piece is an understatement. Think Austin Powers and it's that level of cheese that overwhelms most of the tracks on this album. Late at night, after a few drinks (and maybe a toke or two), with a group of good friends, this can blend seamlessly into the background and almost sound great. However artists such as Roy Ayers and Cal Tjader (Soul Sauce) have pulled this type of vibe off in a fashion that doesn't require heavy cerebral lubrication in order to not make you feel embarrassed for listening to it. If you think you like this album, try searching through those guys back catalogs first.

I have always had a great review of Dave Pike and his albums and this is another album that I can say is very good. This album is one of his older albums but is still on top of the list for being another great album.