Ronnie Mathews / Roland Alexander

Ronnie Mathews | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 30, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 1961
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Prestige
• ASIN: B00006AGEZ
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,094 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Thang

2. Ichi-Ban

3. The Orient

4. Let's Get Down

5. Prelude to a Kiss

6. 1239-A

7. Lil's Blues

8. Orders to Take Out

9. My Melancholy Baby

10. Pleasure Bent

11. I'll Be Around

12. Dorman Road

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent Modern Jazz, May 8, 2010

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ronnie Mathews / Roland Alexander (Audio CD)

Of the hundreds of remaindered Fantasy/OJC CDs I have purchased over the past two years, this Ronnie Mathews/Roland Alexander two-fer has to be one of my fondest discoveries. The album cover is nondescript, so I almost flipped past it in the bins at Newbury Comics, but the inclusion of Freddie Hubbard's name on the cover caught my eye thankfully before it was too late. Having previously worked together on the terrific Charles Persip & The Jazz Statesmen, Mathews was able to get the young trumpet phenom to join him in the studio for Prestige on December 17, 1963, during his heyday with the Jazz Messengers and as a leader for Blue Note. The remaining players on the album originally titled "Doin' the Thang!" are Charles Davis on baritone sax, Eddie Kahn on bass and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums. The quintet lays down some great grooves and impressive modern jazz, equal to anything from the period -- seriously! Despite its lack of starpower, the accompanying set by tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander is just as good. Originally recorded for Prestige's New Jazz division two and a half years to the day earlier (June 17, 1961), "Pleasure Bent" also features Mathews (thus this pairing) with Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, Gene Taylor on bass and Clarence "Scoby" Stroman on drums. (Coincidently, Alexander and Belgrave also played on that same Persip album!) I am overwhelmed by the sincerity and maturity of the frontline playing, and can't help but wonder why Alexander and Belgrave didn't become major stars in the 60s. Before this CD becomes a rare collector's item, do yourself a favor and pick up some great jazz by a couple of cats who probably aren't, but deserve to be, in your collection.