Customer Reviews

Know What I Mean (20 Bit Mastering)

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Despite being overshadowed by the musical reputation of John Coltrane, Cannonball never needs apologies or justification, and this is a superb example of his playing. On this recording, Adderly's lyrical sound and masterful technique are at their best. His music is lightly lyrical and it swings hard, but it always seems to have (dare I say it?) joy at its base. This fine jazz album was created by two musicians who participated with Coltrane in the sessions for Miles Davis' famous "Kind of Blue" album. Cannonball Adderly is the alto saxophone player on that album and Bill Evans is the pianist. Reunited here, it's obvious that they respect and enjoy one another's music, and the album--recorded over a three month period in 1961--reflects their mutual comfort. The songs include Evans' "Waltz for Debbie," now a 3/4 time jazz standard, and the title track "Know What I Mean?" Evans is joined by half of the Modern Jazz Quartet--Percy Heath on bass and the always-appropriate Connie Kay on drums to complete the rhythm trio. They provide solid support for Cannonball throughout the album. As I noted, Cannonball is ebullient throughout, and Evans' superb solos and his prescient interplay with Adderly make this album a must have jazz recording.

The leisurely solos on Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye" and Earl Zindars' "Elsa" and Silver's "Nancy" exemplify Evans and Adderly at their best as balladeers. Adderly's treatment of Gershwin's "Who Cares?" is infectiously bright, lightly lyrical, and Kay and Heath forcefully drive the rhythm. Evans' solos on the two takes typify his harmonic inventiveness, no small matter in any musical universe. The quartet's rendition of John Lewis' "Venice" from the MJQ's "No Sun in Venice" features Heath's stately bass with simple, unassuming statements by Adderly and Evans. Clifford Jordan's "Toy" is a rollicking tune that showcases Cannonball's improvisional virtuosity--long fluid lines, effortless runs to crisp twists and turns. Evans proves once again that he can cook. The two takes of "Know What I Mean?" are further explorations in Bill Evans' modal harmonic world with some truly inventive rhythmic variations courtesy of Mr. Kay. Must hear music.

This collaboration between two highly intelligent and creative musicians should be in every jazz CD collection, and should be ranked up there with the 'Ah Ums' and 'Blue Trains'. Evans and Adderley clearly loved each other's playing and it shows in every note. I wish they had recorded more together. Both were at the peak of their powers in 1961 and recent graduates of the great Miles Davis Sextet of 1958-9 which some reckon the best jazz combo ever. I never get bored of this record. Evans is often accused of lacking a hard swing and even of not playing jazz at all. This record is the most eloquent counter to that argument there could be - Evans swings every bit as hard as the swinging and funky Adderley, playing great jazz before fashion and the desire to make a buck pushed the great altoist off in a different direction. BUY IT TODAY!!

It's 1961, and for recording sessions in January, February and March producer Orrin Keepnews has snagged Cannonball, one of the five best saxophone players of the era; Bill Evans, one of the five best pianists, and the team of Connie Kay and Percy Heath, fully half of one of the five best jazz ensembles, the Modern Jazz Quartet. So the bass and drums are in superior hands, and the lead instruments are in superstar hands. A decision is made to create a record for the Riverside label, at the time a decent-size player in the jazz business along with Prestige and Blue Note and Verve and the majors. Further decisions are to record two Bill Evans compositions, a tune by the Gershwins, one by John Lewis, pianist/leader of the MJQ, one by jazzman Clifford Jordan, and one by Gordon Jenkins, one of the most popular orchestra leaders for recordings in that time frame. The parties agreed that the project would be mostly mellow, but with a swinging foundation. The whole recipe worked perfectly, and now, 40 years later, we have this current release with two bonus tracks, alternate takes of two of the eight original selections. They turn out to be almost as good as the ones first chosen for the vinyl LP. From the first notes by Evans of his own tune "Waltz for Debbie" to the closing notes on the alternate take of "Know What I Mean?" this disc is a delight. If you like Adderley or Evans at all, grab this document attesting to how beautifully they worked together once. This one is somewhat hard to find, but worth the searching. Beautiful music that will never go out of style and is far more than background sound deserves to be in your home. You don't have to be a jazz fan to like it. Somehow this project has drawn less attention from critics and fans than it deserves. I love it.

This relaxing and thoroughly unforgettable album brings together the high-spirited Cannonball Adderley and pianist Bill Evans, who had both worked with Miles Davis just two years earlier, along with the Modern Jazz Quartet rhythm section of Percy Heath and Connie Kay. The juxtaposition of these two jazz giants and their contrasting styles, seems to have brought out some of the best playing from both of them. Evans is heavily featured in intros and outros, as well as with his reprertoire staples "Elsa" and his well-known "Waltz For Debby". His playing here is enthralling, exuberant and melodic, being spurred on by Cannon's warmth, and his bouncy improvised melodies on the more up tunes, aided by and the cozy charm and accompaniment of Heath and Kay.
This is indeed one of those rarest of sessions -- every track is a gem, and almost all of the solos are without a doubt inspired. For professional musicians, these would be ideal for study transcriptions in the improvisational art of jazz. Cannonball's sweet treatments of Gordon Jenkins' poignant "Goodbye" and Frank Sinatra's gorgeous "Nancy" display a ballad artistry not always emphasized in contemporary writings about the artist; often invoking a Benny Carter approach. Bill Evans, (sharing almost equal billing with Cannon on the album cover) was perhaps at his first creative peak here in 1961, and is far more than a sideman: he makes every note count, and consice statements flow from his sensual, yet never maudlin piano. His playing on Earl Zindars' beautiful waltz "Elsa" rivals the many other versions he did over the years, as he shapes and carefully hones every phrase. That "inner conviction" he often spoke about in interviews, is most apparent here, and again on "Nancy." It would only be three months after this album was completed that Evans' classic trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian would be recording "live" at the Village Vanguard -- recordings which became his most popular and critically acclaimed albums ever.
Make no mistake, these guys swing too on this session, and bright and airy it is --notably on the often neglected "Toy" by Clifford Jordan, (listen to Cannonball's "laughing" sax motifs and the piano interplay too) and the rousing Gershwin classic "Who Cares". (The CD gives us a previously unreleased version which is just as much fun.) Connie Kay's time is steady and the feeling is light, yet relentless in its refined groove; his long MJQ association with Percy Heath bearing much fruit and spurring on the soloists.
It is not often that a jazz album invokes such intelligent romanticism, without being corny in the least, yet peppered with such joyous swinging. "Know What I Mean" creates a definable and exquisite mood thoughout, and I wouldn't doubt that many romantic evenings were spent with this classic LP on the turntable in the early sixties. Many Julian Adderly fans have said this is some of their favorite work by him, and the same could be said of Evans' superb performance as well.
The sound of the recording is also quite remarkable for the time, which contributes to the overall freshness of these sessions. That these players were all at the top of their form, and outwardly projecting such joy and innate musicality only adds luster to their stature as legends, and it all makes this album one that will keep playing in your head for a long, long time.

This is truly one of the great jazz albums of all time. Surprisingly, Evans' introspective style and Cannonball's soulful approach meld together perfectly. Perhaps this is testament to just how hugely talented these men are. Both The technical skill and pure musicmanship displayed on this record is just amazing. I've owned this CD for over 10 years now and still find so much to listen to in these recordings. Highlights are the amazing "Waltz For Debby" and Earl Zindars' waltz "Elsa", easily one of the most beautiful songs ever written, in my opinion. You simply cannot go wrong with this CD.

This was the first jazz album I ever bought (remaindered, sometime in the mid-60s) and after hundreds of others, it remains one of the five or six finest in my collection. Both Adderley and Evans, talented as they were, would succumb to 60s self-indulgence in later years, but in 1961 they were at the same peak you can hear in their album with Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue," which is on everyone's all-time top-ten list. And I prefer this to even "Kind of Blue" -- there's a bright crisp happiness that pervades it, even in the elegiacal "Waltz for Debbie", that has brought me back to it again and again for over thirty years.

Great line up - Bill Evans on piano, caught just after his rapid rise within the jazz world. Percy Heath and Connie Kay on bass and drums, together comprising one-half of the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet, masters of chamber jazz. And of course the great Cannonball Adderley, a saxophonist often slighted by those in the know, yet as gifted a player as any in modern jazz, fully confident in any setting, from honking the blues to the subdued melancholy of 'Kind of Blue.' Given the line-up, it's no surprise this album sounds more like 'Kind of Blue' than 'Mercy Mercy Mercy'. In fact, sometimes it's a little too moody and quiet - you want the quartet to let some fire out. But that obviously wasn't the idea behind the session (or sessions - as the liner notes point out, the album was cobbled together from three separate sessions due to scheduling conflicts). But it's a fine album. Cannonball's loving touch with 'Waltz for Debby' is only one of its many charms.

This is a fascinating collaboration. The result is far more rewarding than words can convey. Adderly is playing neither at his most blazing, or his most edgy; rather, he just lays back, relaxes and has fun singing out on some fairly straight-forward, cheerful standards. He occasionally lets his "Charlie Parker" show, but his performance is mostly "engaging". It's also technically wonderful, but the joy of the performance is what holds you.

Adderly shows his typical generosity with his guest musician. Bill Evans is just a few months removed from his legendary Village Vanguard performance. He might as well be hours away - his intriguing voicings and sparse accompaniments are very identifiable. However, he is not constantly trading off licks with the bass player like he did with his regular bassist Scott LaFaro; he has more room to work when it's his turn to solo, so his playing is busier than when he plays with his LaFaro trio. Evans fans may miss LaFaro, but it is a rare treat to hear Evans do all the heavy lifting when it's his turn to solo (at least in this stage of his career).

As a Bill Evans fan, I'm already covered up in "Waltz for Debby" renditions and thought this track would be a throw-away, especially since I have not been enamored with horn parts on the song. What a surprise - this version has quickly become my favorite version of the song and is one of my favorite cuts on the CD.

As a final note, the recording is "just right" here. There is a nice sense of space on this record that puts the listener right in the middle of things. The mix allows everyone to be heard clearly and stands out precisely because it is completely transparent.

These guys can play circles around just about anyone, but because they don't let their technique overtake the music here and let the fun show through, this is a very successful recording as a result.

I really like the comment by the reviewer below, Mr. Adams, who said that the project between Evans and Cannonball strove to be "mellow, but with a swinging foundation". This is precisely what was achieved, and this is also why I like Riverside recordings (and Orrin Keepnews as a producer) so much. The then relatively mid-sized label seemed to not only make most of the right moves and decisions, but also to get exactly what was needed from the personnel on their roster - the best. And this is one of the best concepts - to record Cannonball and Evans together; to team them with the perfect rhythm duo for the occasion in Percy Heath and Connie Kay, as well as to feature compositions which fit the groove that was decided upon. It's true - as long as everything ran as planned, the session was a 'gimme'. It turned out to be a lot more than that. It turned out to be a classic. Cannonball's well-established reputation, as Keepnews notes, was what allowed this to happen in the first place (he is being a little humble, for he and his label saw the possibilities), and this classic, as different as it is from almost any Cannonball before or after, is as good a Cannonball recording as was ever made. You could remaster this in 20,000 bit...it wouldn't matter. It would sound great in mono.

Cannonball's studio meeting with piano giant and fellow Miles Davis band mate, Bill Evans, remains to be one of the most popular albums in both of their vast recorded outputs. This is definitely for good reason since the two fit together perfectly on these sides. It's very interesting to contrast Cannonball's playing here with his many quintet albums of the same period. Since he is the only horn, you really get to hear him stretch out here in a very similar way to how he stretched out on "Cannonball Takes Charge" (see my review), another essential Adderley album. The selections of this album are perfect for these two men. The album is comprised of two Evans originals (the now standard "Waltz for Debby" and the modal title track), two exceptional ballads that weren't done too much at the time ("Goodbye" and the fantastic "Nancy (With the Laughing Face"), and a bunch of other tunes that the ensemble seem to be having a fun time with ("Who Cares?", "Venice", the very playful and aptly titled "Toy",and "Elsa"). Every single track shows off everyone present greatly, especially Julian and Bill who are definitely stimulated by the other man's prescence. All and all, this is an absolutely essential album if you're a fan of either Adderley or Evans, or if you just love great jazz sessions!