Screamin the Blues

Oliver Nelson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000Y4V
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,213 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a front line, June 15, 2000

By 

Tyler Smith (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Screamin the Blues (Audio CD)

What a shame that the men on this front line are all long since departed. Take the impeccable taste of Nelson's tenor and his compositional and arrangement talents, the boundless creativity of Eric Dolphy's alto, and the vastly underrated power of Richard Williams's trumpet, and you have all the ingredients for a powerhouse recording. "Screamin' the Blues" proves to be just that.

If you're familiar with Nelson's wonderful "Blues and the Abstract Truth" recording, you'll be surprised by "Screamin' the Blues," which is much earthier and much hotter. Williams's trumpet, for example, is scorching throughout, particularly on "March On, March On," and "The Meeting," a great excursion back to the church. Contrast his playing with Freddie Hubbard's on "Blues and the Abstract Truth." They're both great, but Williams will raise you out of your seat a couple of extra notches.

Dolphy, as was the case on "Blues and the Abstract Truth," is in superb control here without ever losing his edge. His fiery playing contrasts well with Nelson's controlled heat.

"Altoitis" is a great closer, a tribute to three departed giants, who testify on their horns for all they're worth. Savor every second of this release and don't be afraid to go ahead and scream your approval for these jazz/bluesmen.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Screamin' is right!, May 5, 2000

By 

Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Screamin the Blues (Audio CD)

I bought this cd because I knew Eric Dolphy was on it but at the time I had never heard Oliver Nelson. SCREAMIN' THE BLUES is the absolute perfect title for this cd and it's title-track. Nelson reminds me of a simplified version of Cannonball Adderley (though Adderley didn't play tenor), or maybe of a more soulful version of a 1950's R&B saxophonist. Oliver could have been the star musician at the school dance in the movie BACK TO THE FUTURE.

Nelson's tenor just oozes the blues on the title track! I'm not really knowledgeable on Church or Gospel music but my nickname for the title-track on this cd is the "Take-me-to-church track!". Richard Williams is the trumpet version of Nelson, just absolutely soul-deep in the blues tradition.

THE MEETIN' has a very ghostly, spiritiual Dolphy solo. The world lost something huge when Eric died and took that gorgeous tone with him.

Then to top it off, you get to hear both Nelson and Dolphy cut loose on their alto's on ALTO-ITIS. Two very different styles... Dolphy with his "slurred swing" style and Nelson with his "deep blues traditional" style, but the differences in style and similarities in emotional depth make them a great team.

This cd really surprised me, I never expected it to be as great as it is.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW !, November 28, 1999

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Screamin the Blues (Audio CD)

O.K. First of all BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH was one of those MUST LISTEN JAZZ ALBUMS... you know, the kind you listen to and it just throws you into another world... And who could even imagine JAZZ without STOLEN MOMENTS... you walk away from that album thinking, "Woe, what a genius arranger and composer Nelson was,"- - SCREAMIN THE BLUES to me, made me more aware of his blowing ability - - atleast what I really got out of it was hearing Oliver Nelson, the deep and tasty enlightened minimalist (very intervallistic and triadic solo style) next to the wild and untamed Eric Dolphy (John Coletrane on Jolt Cola)... They're such contrasts, yet in many ways they're doing the same thing and saying it differently. Then you have the variety of songs (The Drive is a fave.) - - Minor Blues, Soul Jazz, a blues March, heavy swinging hard bop... and the title cut which is reminiscent of a Louis Jordan type thing. (Then I read the cover notes and found out Oliver Nelson started out playing with Louis Jordan, and had played for Quincy Jones.) Well... I won't even describe the other elements (Richard Williams, Richard Wyands, George Duvivier and Roy Haynes), because I only have 1,000 words... This is a great album... file it next to those Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers CDs ! It will relax you and tire you out at the same time !