Customer Reviews

This Time the Drum's on Me

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

 

 

I am Stan's oldest son Robert Levey and I have very particular tastes in music. I feel this is a classic, very special album and is on my A list of top 10 Jazz albums. I love Tony, Buddy, Elvin, Louis Hayes, Jeff Ballard, Billy Hart etc. I love free, bop, Harbop, funk etc. So I have very broad tastes. I do not choose this as a top ten just because it is my Dad.

I just think the compositions, the blowing, the recording, the comping, the time and taste are next to perfection.

IMHO

Bob Levey

It's a little difficult for me to be objective about this record- it was my first "modern jazz" album and caused me to switch from clarinet playing dixieland to tenor sax playing jazz when I was still in high school, about 1957. Everyone on this record is at the top of their form. This is by no means "West Coast Jazz" rather hard driving be bop by the best the west coast had to offer at the time, that is, some of the best white players in jazz at the time plus Dexter and the huge walking bass sound of Leroy. The recording quality is exceptional for the time in spite of a few spots when the recorded sound is over driven and a bit distorted. To me it always added to the excitement and intensity of the record. Conte Condoli sounds beautiful and very soulful on "Ruby My Dear" and everybody grooves hard on the uptempos. The three horn charts are great although no credit is given to the arranger. This is a SUPER record and I recommend it highly. (I've been looking for it in CD format because my LP is scratched a bit and has a skip here and there from being played so many times.)

Mid-1950s session featuring the great Dexter Gordon on tenor, and Lou Levy on piano. Strong bop flavor, with a bit of west coast cool overtone. Worth checking out, particularly for Dexter's performance.

This is the 2nd of three recordings Levey did for Bethlehem. The front line is terrific with the rare inclusion of Dexter Gordon playing on the west coast. Nice arrangements, swinging band - one of my favorites.

Great music here, just listen to some of the samples available here on Amazon. It is not a genre for all, but considering the fact you have made it here to this review you know what you are getting close to. I assume.

If a drummer - its a must. If a fan of Levey like music - listen to the samples and decide. Regardless - great music if for background of for getting into headfirst.

This is a great example of West Coast Jazz of the 1950's with an East Coast flare. The rhythm section is impeccable, a perfect groove provided by leader of the session Stan Levy on drums, tasteful comping and soloing by pianist Lou Levy anchored by the huge sound of bassist Leroy Vinegar. The horn line is in rare form with Conte Condoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino trombone and long tall Dexter Gordon on tenor sax. My personal favorites- Monk's "Ruby My Dear", a perfect framework for Condoli's warm trumpet sound and "Stanley The Steamer", a cookin' blues feature of chorus after chorus of hot steamin' tenor sax by Dexter. Rosolino shines through out. The charts are a perfect blend of West Coast Cool and East Coast Heat. I first heard this album as a young man in the 1950's and lost track of it until the 90's. It has held up very well over the years. Great recorded quality, a warm to hot mix of some great classic jazz. Originally on Bethlehem records. Very cool cover art.