Customer Reviews

Out of the Afternoon

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This recording is one I listen to specifically for Roy Haynes. I swear, at times he is more melodic than Roland Kirk. What a joy to hear a drummer 'play' the melody - or even just be melodic. Many drummers don't even understand what that means. Once, Jimmy Ponder was playing with a drummer (and ONLY a drummer) who had great chops, and was doing a good job, under the circumstances, of keeping it going. When it came time for his solo breaks, Ponder would occasionally turn and whisper, "Play the melody!" The drummer (a young buck) would look at me with an expression like a deer caught in headlights. During the break, he asked how in the world does a drummer 'play the melody'. I told him that you can do it in a variety of ways, like alluding to it in your rhythm, and then I suggested that he listen to Roy Haynes, among others, but I specifically gave him this CD to punctuate the point. As much as I like the drumming on this (and almost any other Haynes work), I have to agree that this is not of 5 star quality - the best of the best. That doesn't diminish it as a CD at all. I love Henry Grimes' bow bass work on "Raoul", and Kirk is inventive as always, especially on "Snap Crackle". A great Roy Haynes CD.

Roy Haynes played with the best, including Trane, Bird, Miles, Monk etc...He may have had a low public profile, but his sound was huge. On "Out of the Afternoon" he's joined by a stellar group, including the eccentric Roland "Rahsaan" Kirk, the blind virtuoso who thought playing only one saxophone at a time was for squares.

Anyway, this album really smokes, and it's all the more delightful for being so obscure. The style is hard to classify--the music is way too cool and the solos too restrained to be bop--but always melodic, and the solos always swing like crazy. Plus, for those new to Rahsaan, his style is a true revelation, and he's never been in better form. Using multiple saxes simultaneously, he creates chords (!) and jaw dropping solo runs, all while sounding in perfect harmony with himself and the rest of the group.

The tunes are all memorable, about half originals, half brilliantly adapted standards. The opener, the classic "Moonrays" makes immediately clear the confidence, consummate musicianship, and brimming originality of this quartet. And the rest of the album makes good on the promise of this first track, particularly on "Snap Crackle" an homage to Roy Haynes' nickname and the crisp, signature sound of his drums, and "Fly Me to the Moon," another beautifully rendered standard full of sultry swing and terrific solos.

In any case, this is highly accessible, extremely musical, and totally swinging jazz that provides a refreshing change from the overplayed classics.

I recommend Out On The Afternoon more than any album available today simply because it does not get the publicity that it so deserves. It may not be as "good" as My Favorite Things, Kind of Blue etc. but it is a fantastic record, and even more so considering that Roy Haynes had mostly been a sideman at this point in his career. The group and the playing are stellar. Roy is at his best behind the drums, playing stimulating, intense, and above all interesting rhythms and solos, but never becomes self indulgent. Rather, he goves much solo space to Roland Kirk (who simply roars!!), Henry Grymes (who is also with Roy on another fantastic album, Reaching Fourth by McCoy Tyner) and Tommy Flanagan. So definitely give this record a shot. It won't get all the hype that the new Trane Box got, but it's all here in one package. Snap Crackle Pop!

Even though I reviewed the album a little while ago, I think I should write even more. I realized today that I listen to this one probably as much as I listen to Kind of Blue... and when I was drivin' to work today, listenin to Roy play, all I could say was "damn!" Haynes smokes Roland Kirk at some points on this disk... he just kicks it in.... when it Haynes, it roars! Here though, we have an album that needs more press... needs more people gunnin for it. It's cool... it works. Roy and Roland are smokin, as is Henry Grimes and Tommy Flannagan. If you mildly like jazz, or if you even know how to work your radio you should buy this disk. No human being should be without it... so all you people who are still listenin to kind of blue and don't want to hear nothin from a guy named Haynes, well you go out there and get this cd!

As a drummer I find this album out of this world. Roy's approach to comping and soloing is as melodic and tasteful as it gets, and the way he plays solos while the bass walks behind him is unique and incredibly musical. Without ever being overbearing, his drumming is wonderfully featured here and to be relished through every track. A total must for any appreciator of bop drumming and a great jazz album in general.

Among the pantheon of jazz giants, Kirk and Haynes rank high on my list. Kirk, who amazingly, was sometimes dismissed as a novelty act on account of his multi-horn chops, had already created an enviable catalog of jazz sides for the Bethlehem and Emarcy labels. A brilliantly inventive improviser, fluent on numerous reed, wind, and brass instruments, Rahsaan Roland Kirk was also a masterful melodist who loved working with drummers who possessed a strong melodic thrust. Kirk and Haynes prove to be perfect foils for one another. Aside from playing off each other throughout this gem of an album, Haynes and Kirk demonstrate their eclectic and broad-ranging tastes on subtle, subdued ballads with Haynes working his brushes masterfully as well as hard-bop smokers where the two maestros keep upping the ante. As an unabashed groupie, I had the privilege of meeting and conversing with Rahsaan a number of times in the early and mid-'70s as well as witnessing some titanic performances. One such indelible show was in the summer of '72. In a final set at the intimate Lighthouse club in Hermosa Beach, Kirk played an all-gospel medley ending with his powerful take on the chestnut "Old Rugged Cross". Kirk had mastered a technique known as circular breathing allowing him to hold a note (or chord when playing multiple horns) indefinitely. With his left hand fingering his tenor sax and stritch (an antique reed instrument) forming a powerful held chord, Rahsaan extended his right hand to the crowd that came forward one person at a time to take his his hand. When my turn came, the contact was electric. It felt like a form of benign electricity was coursing through by body and being. Now, before you dismiss this as hippy-dippy blather, I must admit that I'm sometimes dubious about others reporting these sorts of experiences. And I've never had any other experience approaching this since. Anyway, if you're impressed with Kirk and Haynes, you're in luck. Kirk was prolific and Haynes continues to turn out brilliant albums to this day.

Great CD if you love jazz. Haynes is an amazing drummer & his band really swings. A definite must buy for any lover of jazz.

They are all listening and giving one another space to play. Genius abounds...their voices are their own...it's passionate...I put it in the category of: "let's be happy we have this to listen to because it's not going to happen again".

All musicians on this CD are favorites of mine - Tommy Flanagan who played on Saxophone Colosuss, Henry Grimes who was played on some adventurous free jazz records, Roy Haynes - ever solid, and of course Roland Kirk.
Here these musicians gather to play together, and produce what to some is amazing results.
I share the views of those who wrote before me, except that the emotional impact the music had on me was not on the level of Kind of Blue, Somethin' Else, Idle Moments, Miles Smiles, Out to Lunch, and recordings by Lester Young, Duke Ellington, early 60's Trane, and the best of Sonny Rollins.
This is why I recommend this music to anyone looking for original (Kirk) and inspired Jazz, but not necessarily as a timeless masterpieace as declared by those before me.

All musicians on this CD are favorites of mine - Tommy Flanagan who played on Saxophone Colosuss, Henry Grimes who was played on some adventurous free jazz records, Roy Haynes - ever solid, and of course Roland Kirk.
Here these musicians gather to play together, and produce what to some is amazing results.
I share the views of those who wrote before me, except that the emotional impact the music had on me was not on the level of Kind of Blue, Somethin' Else, Idle Moments, Miles Smiles, Out to Lunch, and recordings by Lester Young, Duke Ellington, early 60's Trane, and the best of Sonny Rollins.
This is why I recommend this music to anyone looking for original (Kirk) and inspired Jazz, but not necessarily as a timeless masterpieace as declared by those before me.