Customer Reviews

Sonny Clark Trio

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

 

 

This is an very good session that finally sees the light of the digital day in this terrific hybrid SACD remastered from the original masters by Steve Hoffman. With Hoffman's stamp on this disc, you can rest assured that this disc will sound amazing, and it does not let us down. Sonny's piano is clean and crisp, the acoustic bass is precise without being muddy or buried in the mix, and Max Roach's subtle playing is clearly articulated, especially his brush strokes and cymbal work. It's amazing how a recording done back in 1959 can actually sound better than a tinny, loud modern recording, but in Hoffman's capable hands, that's exactly what you have.

The performances are very impressive on this album. Max Roach is a solid foundation, driving the tunes with some very subtle but effective cymbal work. He also stands out in Minor Meeting, with his most agressive playing. Duvivier is a smooth player who walks the dog as well as anyone in the business and has some tasty business on Sonny's Crip. Sonny Clark is a great bop pianist, who reminds me a lot of Bud Powell, but is more lyrical and melodic in his soloing. The tunes here are not memorable, but basically work as good set pieces for the improvisations.

All in all, this is a quality jazz session that will leave you smiling.

What will NOT leave you smiling though is that as I write this Audio Fidelity has already lost the license to this disc and it is now officially in the "hard to find" category. However, I suggest you seek it out, because you will be very pleasantly surprised at the sound quality and performances on the SACD.

p.s. I would also recommend that you check out the Sonny Clark CDs Cool Struttin' and Leapin' & Lopin'.

This long out of print recording is a must have if you like jazz. This disc is a hybrid which will play on a regular CD player and with a SACD player, you will hear the same music in high resolution. With the alternate takes, you can't beat the price.

Audio Fidelity won't have the license for this forever, so buy it now or pay the big bucks on ebay later.

The music is great and was well recorded. The piano sounds like it's in the room with you, my favor tune is "Minor Meeting".

I've never heard a bad Sonny Clark recording, and this lesser-known album is very enjoyable. If you are a Sonny Clark fan (and what's not to like about his playing?), then you are sure to enjoy it. It's not in the same category as Sonny's Blue Note recordings, both under his own name and as a sideman, though. One misses the presence that engineer Rudy van Gelder always got; the piano on this sounds thin, and it's also a bit out-of-tune and tinny. The bass is very clear and clean, and George Duvivier is a top-notch guy, of course. The drumming is a disappointment, and is partly why I feel that the playing never really cooks as much as one would like. It's always at least a step away from really catching fire. Really, it might as well be a piano-bass duo, as the drumming has little effect. Had I been the producer, I would have urged Max to play a lot more ride cymbal, and start to cook. There's subtlety and taste, and then there's dull. If only someone like Billy Higgins, Elvin Jones or Philly Joe had been used. But, still, it's a good album and I'm not sorry I got it.

If you don't know Sonny's playing at all, I'd strongly recommend "Leapin' and Lopin'" to start with, preferably a Japanese CD, or, for the very rich, the original LP.