Customer Reviews

Night at Birdland 1

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Five stars! And Volume 2 is even better! This is one of the best places to hear Clifford Brown, live and in extended format - better in fact than in the Blue Note albums under his name (he also appears in Volume 1 of J.J.Johnson's recent remaster). All these musicians are on fire, but some of Brownie's solos are just unbelievable. Be-Bop, Hard-Bop, call it whatever you like, this is some of the most exciting music you're ever likely to hear.
*
The remastering is fantastic. The difference between this and the original transfer is staggering - if you own the old and you're hesitating to buy the new, then don't hesitate any longer: it's almost as if you've never heard the music before, there is that much added detail and presence. Yes, it's a live mono recording from February 21st, 1954, but the sound is more vivid that most contemporary recordings (say, Joshua Redman's Village Vanguard set).
*
Of Art Blakey's numerous other recordings, I'd also recommend 'Mosaic', 'Free for All', and 'The African Beat', although many others contend. But make sure you listen to Volume 2 of this set - the opening version of 'Wee-dot' is one of my favourite jazz perfomances of all time. How could Clifford Brown die so young?? An enormous tragedy.

With no intended slights to Louis, Diz, Miles, Wynton and all the others, for many trumpeters and other musicians Clifford Brown was the Bird of the trumpet--all the more fitting that his finest hour should be this session captured live at Birdland. Clifford had that timbre, akin to Pops and Bird at their best, that made the horn sound like two instruments playing in unison. There was no holding back, no merely "cool" or "playful" licks, no "hip" cliches. It was all about risk, passion, soaring lyricism--especially with Art Blakey on hand. Volume One strikes me as the better of the two albums--certainly the more dramatic (Pee Wee Marquette's announcement of the musicians along with Blakey's introduction of "A Night in Tunisia" must be included among the highlights ). The only weakness of the album would have to be Lou Donaldson's playing which, though competent, is no match for the level of musicianship of his colleague. The 4-bar solo break at the end of the first chorus of "Night in Tunisia," the one made famous by Charlie Parker's never-equaled statement on the 1947 Carnegie Hall concert, is given to Donaldson (who flounders, flubs, merely fills space) rather than Clifford. Too bad, because I have a hunch Brownie could have held his own even in direct comparison with Bird.

As named in the profile section, this is in my personal top 5. The reasons are twofold: it is LIVE, and Brownie is there. There is something about LIVE, when it is right - like Duke in '56 at Newport, Diz in '57, Joao at Montreaux in '85 - that calls history into sharp focus. This does that, as does Volume 2. Sure, there is a 'clam' or two, like Donaldson on the harmony coming back in on "Split Kick", but it makes it human, and more fun. The tempos are smokin' without being pushed too fast (Blakey makes sure of it) and the give-and-take between the players, as well as the conversing by MC Pee Wee Marquette, and Blakey's intro to "Night In Tunisia" give the feel of the event. Horace Silver and Lou Donaldson are perfect with Brownie, and Blakey plays loose and fast on this gig. Curly Russell rounds out the quintet. If you like your bop hard AND soulful, you will definately dig this.

First of all, enough other reviewers have covered the history and make-up of this CD, so I won't do that. All I want to say is, this is a delightful and historic piece of live jazz music that simply cannot be surpassed. The players assembled make this recording one for the ages. And if you think you might enjoy this (jazz fans definitely will, I reckon), my suggestion would be to go ahead and get Clifford Brown's The Complete Blue Note & Pacific Jazz Recordings, because that includes both this CD and the volume 2 companion, plus two more CD's of Brown's work. Wonderful, wonderful jazz you'll want to share with everyone you know.

From the very opening moments of these remarkable recordings, one is at once struck by the sense that a moment of historical importance is being witnessed all over again. Blue Note's Alfred Lion, in his unerring vision, decided to record Art Blakey's new band at Birdland in February 1954. He had rightly sensed that something new, something thrillingly new, was afoot. Though Charlie Parker was still a year from death, bop was demanding an invigorating lease of life to take it into a new dimension of expressiveness and vitality. The resulting transformation of the now hackneyed music into something raw, urgent and fizzing with energy was to be popularly called "hard bop", and was thrust into public consciousness on this record, and its sister volume (Birdland, Vol. 2 - which should be purchased with Vol. 1). The set opens with a presentation by Birdland's MC, the quirky, shrill-voiced Pee Wee Marquette. The sheer confidence of the ensemble emerges instantly: Art Blakey had assembled the hottest combo of the moment. Even Miles Davis, who had attended a rehearsal shortly before the recording, had sarcastically expressed a desire for Clifford Brown to "break his chops". He was clearly awestruck by Brownie's now legendary round, fat tone, and a seemingly limitless capacity to conjure up melodies and counter-melodies, weaving in perfectly-executed arpeggios to accentuate the harmonic changes. His solo on "Quicksilver" is brimming with all of these qualities - no wonder Miles was intimidated. Lou Donaldson's first solo on "Split-Kick" is right out of the Charlie Parker-inspired tradition. But it emerges throughout the records that Donaldson's attack, tone and phraseology is confidently his own. Art Blakey, who was older than his sidemen by a decade, had with his avuncular authority nurtured the chemistry that would make his fledgling Jazz Messengers the most fecund school of music for the next 30 years of jazz history. Bebop classics such as "Now's the Time", "Confirmation" and "A Night in Tunisia" reveal the influence of the tradition (then barely a decade old) and its central place in the repertoire of even a cutting-edge band. But more revealing still is the presence of new numbers composed by Horace Silver ("Split Kick", "Quicksilver", "Mayreh") and Lou Donaldson ("Lou's Blues"). The band was giving well-known material an electrifying, vigorous treatment, illustrated clearly by Donaldson's blistering break before his solo on "A Night in Tunisia", and at the same time developing a body of original work to cement the compositional and performing talent of its young members. From an historical perspective, this recording and Vol. 2 are the decisive springboard from which Clifford Brown was to become the most talented and popular trumpeter of his generation. A mere month later Max Roach called him to form what was to become the most sought-after small jazz group of the 1950s, and one of the most admired in history. From this band also, Horace Silver grew to become a leading voice of the hard bop movement and a Blue Note icon. Blakey himself went on to give opportunities to young musicians such as Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Doug Watkins, Hank Mobley, Bill Hardman, Johnny Griffin, Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Wayne Shorter... Perhaps no other jazz musician's generosity and insight has given wings to so many great players. Listen to these records and wonder what might have happened to American music if Art Blakey hadn't been born.

People tend to focus so much on Clifford Brown's dynamic partnership with Max Roach that they forget that it all started in the very first edition of ART BLAKEY'S JAZZ MESSENGERS. I, admittedly, am one of these people, and didn't discover this recording until many years after indulging in those aforementioned gold Mercury recordings with Roach. What was I THINKING??

"A Night at Birdland" captures some of the most crackling, sharp, burning, emotional, and hard-driving jazz ever recorded. Many consider this to be the first "hard bop" recording ever released - "hard bop" being a buzzword for jazz that blends gospel, R&B, blues, and an extra emphasis on blowing. Considering that Art Blakey's groups are seen as the archetypal hard bop groups, it's only fitting that jazz's best trumpet player kick-starts his own career, a genre, Art Blakey's messengers, and Horace Silver's future groups all in one night.


Listen to Brownie, Brownie, Brownie. Oh my God. My trumpet professor considers Clifford's opening solo on "Split Kick" to be one of top 5 jazz solos ever. This Horace Silver tune, written over the changes to "There Will Never Be Another You," gives Clifford a vehicle to just UNLEASH HIMSELF! Not resting on his laurels, he gets right up to play a ballad and will have you smiling ear to ear with his tender and delicate interpretation of "Once in a While." All night Clifford had his A game flowing thru the trumpet.

Horace Silver is one of jazz's (and definitely hard bop's) best composers, and this night was his big break for his compositions. The aforementioned Split Kick gets its first famous reading, as well as his blistering "Quicksilver," written over the changes to "Lover Come Back to Me," and "Mayreh," written over the changes to "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm." They're very catchy and challenging.

This IS the first, and could be considered definitive, hard bop recording. The blues are there - there's a 8:38 improvisation over slow Bb blues. Gospel? There are touches of it in the blues tune. R&B? Listen to the soulful playing of alto wizard Lou Donaldson. The hard blowing? Every second of every song...

Unfortunately, hard bop was just getting started, so the bebop standard of "head solo solo solo solo head" was still as popular as it was. This can get a little monotonous for those who fell in love with hard bop's penchant for slick arrangements, backgrounds, and harmonies.

Nat Hentoff complained of Clifford's playing on this record of "having too many notes." While this is a surprisingly inaccurate claim from the normally reliable Hentoff, he does have a point: the musicians are very excited and driving, and it can get heady if you aren't used to listening to live hard bop.

The songs all have the same introduction and it gets kind of boring/obnoxious - 8 or 16 bar thunderous drum intros by Art Blakey. While he's a hell of a drummer, this is probably the reason he was almost deaf by his death at age 71.

These musicians made history on this night. They didn't know they did - but they sure as nails did. When you listen to this music, think about not only how historically significant it is, but how natural it was for these musicians to just blow and do their thing.

What's the opposite of a point of no return? A launchpad? This recording was the launchpad of 4 of the 5 musicians involved. Clifford moved out west to start his dynamic partnership with Max Roach, Horace Silver and Art Blakey would team up to start the JAZZ MESSENGERS, and Lou Donaldson would hang around Blue Note Records and continue to recruit and blow his butt off. Curly Russell....well, he already had his fun blazing bebop with Bird in the 40's.

Horace Silver has a very interesting playing style on this record. His left hand comping involves a lot of low register notes and busy, driving figures. Silver fans will want to hear how his playing evolved from this to a more funky style in later years.
Trumpet players - have fun with that solo on Split Kick. I know I did.


My favorite track, if you haven't figured it out by this point, it's Split Kick. This song brings out the most energy out of the band and the most inspired musical creativity.

Blakey said that this was the 1st time he enjoyed a recording session - yet, you'll enjoy it by a much larger magnitude than he did. Just have a pillow around - you'll keep falling off of your chair in amazement.

There wasn't exactly a great deal of subtle introspection in this early version of Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but it's some of the hardest-hitting jazz you'll ever hear -- steamy, smoky prime hard bop, soaked in blues and funk and propelled by Blakey's pounding, crashing drum kit. Clifford Brown's spectacular trumpet shines brightest, but Dondaldson is more than capable and Horace Silver serves up the rhythm fast and furious. One of the best-sounding live jazz recordings I've ever heard, even if you don't allow for its age. "This is the first time I've enjoyed a record session," says Blakey himself near the beginning of Volume 2. It's easy to hear why.

Some of the best Trumpet playing I've ever heard is on this album. The entire band rocks - but Cliffor Brown is on fire. I've listened to all the greats - but nothing stands up like this!

This CD, with its partner Volume 2, is one of the greatest live recordings of a club date in jazz history. The hard-driving Blakey with his best group ever; Brownie is incredible. And unlike a studio date, there are no retakes, no editing, just raw improvisation at the highest level.

This excellent and essential live jazz recording features what the cover says is, the "Art Blakey Quintet." I guess this was before the formation of the Jazz Messengers. Anyway, it features the late Great Clifford Brown and the great Horace Silver.

My favorite song is Dizzy Gillespie's immortal classic, A Night in Tunisia and Clifford Brown plays it so well, Dizzy would probably think it better than his own rendition. It has a great fast, turbulant sound to it and an awesome drum intro by the great Titan of the Drums, the Legendary Art Blakey. I really like the cover too. I just love black and white photography. It perfectly captures the spirit of the city nightlife and the smoky jazz club circa 1954. This album perfectly documents the great sounds which came from such a place. Birdland is no more but recordings such as this and its companion volume and John Coltrane Live at Birdland from 1963 leaves behind its great legend and proves that is "sanctified" ground.