Customer Reviews

Takin' Off

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"Sir" Charles Thompson isn't one of your jazz houshold names. This disc probably has more notoriety from the musicians playing on the three studio dates with Thompson: Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Leo Parker, Pete Brown, and a host of others. That's a real shame, because this record really rocks.

That's not a term I would normally use to describe a jazz record. This release covers three dates from 1945 to 1947. The conventional wisdom on what "made" jazz was being seriously challenged. Big bands were on the way out, and Bebop was making inroads.

Sir Charles mixed big band horn arrangements with Bebop, Jump Blues, Swing, using a fairly large band (seven to ten players). The styles on these dates are all over the place, and yet it all hangs together perfectly.

On the technical side, Delmark had the good sense to use CEDAR for the remastering of the record. I don't know what condition the original parts were in, but the sound quality is great, all things considered. There is plenty of detail, with a bit of background chatter picked up in places. There isn't much by way of dynamic range. This has more to do with the mic quality and placement than mastering. There is a bit of surface noise on some tracks. Overall, I've heard far worse sound quality on AM radio. For those of you with low watt tube amps, this record will really shine.

This album has some really nice gems featuring all-star jazz sidemen. Pianist "Sir" Charles Thompson's' album "Takin' Off" is a sampling of cuts from three sessions done in 1945 and 1947, a time of transition for jazz music. Big bands like those led by Benny Goodman were making way for smaller groups of musicians jamming on sessions. "Sir" Charles Thompson sat at the saddle of the past and future, creating a small-big-band recording on Takin' Off.

The first set of sessions (September 4, 1945) feature the following musicians: Charlie Parker (alto sax), Dexter Gordon (tenor sax), Buck Clayton (trumpet), Sir Charles Thompson (piano), Danny Barker (guitar), Jimmy Butts (bass), and J.C. Heard on drums. These are interesting period pieces featuring a young Dexter Gordon and Charlie Parker. 20th Century Blues is a wonderful piece that seduces listeners.

The second set of sessions (summer, 1947) feature the following musicians: Joe Newman (trumpet), Bob Dorsey (tenor sax), Leo Parker (baritone sax), Sir Charles Thompson (piano), Freddy Green (guitar), John Simmons (bass), and Shadow Wilson (drums). My favorite track from this session would have to be "Tunis In", track number 5, which starts to a happy up tempo piano introduction.

The third set of sessions (December 29, 1947) feature the following musicians: Joe Newman, Taft Jordan (trumpet), H.B. Mitchell (trombone), Bob Dorsey (tenor sax), Tate Houston (baritone sax), Pete Brown (alto sax), Sir Charles Thompson (piano), Hank Morton (guitar), John Simmons (bass), and Shadow Wilson (drums).

Excellent recording, good sound quality and a stellar musical lineup make the purchase of this album a no-brainer! Enjoy it!

This is an important disc because of the September 4, 1945, session included that features pianist Thompson heading a small band with a young Charlie Parker on alto sax. Dexter Gordon and Buck Clayton are also present (Buck in his army uniform), but it's Bird who captures our greatest attention. 20TH CENTURY BLUES is a great slow blues, and I seem to remember it as the opening theme song on a radio show hosted by Ira Gitler and (I think) Dan Morgenstern in NYC back in the late `60s. It knocked me out then, and it still knocks me out. STREET BEAT is an up-tempo add-a-note tune (1234 JUMP by Flip Phillips, played often by Woody Herman, is a similar song), and also has a terrifically energetic Bird solo. Leo Parker (bari sax) and trumpeter Joe Newman are the featured players on another session from 1947, with MAD LAD getting a frenetic playing. All of these sides were originally done for Apollo and 7 unissued/alternate takes are included. Very nice stuff!