The Rep Posted October 29, 2006 Report Posted October 29, 2006 (edited) I have chosen this album not because I consider Cal Massey some kind of lost great but he was a good jazz man and a very good composer.This Blues For Coltrane, is his only recording under his own name. There are five tracks all written by Massey. As most of these have been recorded by other musicians, I like to hear the compositions played by the composer as this sometimes gives you a bit of a insight into thier thinking.The musicians are, Cal Massey - Trumpet, Julius Watkins - French Horn, Hugh Brodie - Tenor, Patti Bown - piano, Jimmy Garrison - Bass, G T Hogan - Drums, As I said Massey wrote some good stuff, The Damned Don't Cry, written for his friend Coltrane which did not make it onto the album Afrca/Brass for which it was written. The first track on this a Blues For Coltrane, slightly untidy but I think Massey is sounding sharp. You have to feel sorry for Brodie, with that tital a comparison to Coltrane was always going to be made but he does OK and shows his own colour. Track 2 Whats Wrong is quite short 3.39. track3 Bakie, this piece was also written for Coltrane, who recorded it in 1957 but Massey's version shows subleties in this Arab accented number that Coltrane and co seem to have missed. Track 4 These Are Soulful Days which was written for and recorded by Lee Morgan. Here it is a much faster version and shows more what Massey had in mind. Track 5 Father and Son is the longest at 11.15 and perhaps the best on the album. I pull this album out every so often enjoy it. When Massey died at the young age of 44, he had just written a musical play about Billy Holiday. Edited October 29, 2006 by The Rep Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 29, 2006 Report Posted October 29, 2006 I agree 100% Rep; Massey wasn't a giant but was a good musician who wrote some pretty good tunes. I got this years ago because I wanted to hear how he did "These are soulful days", which I had by Don Patterson. It's an album that's always satisfying to listen to. I only wish it also contained "A pilgrim's funny farm", another good one he wrote, which Lee Morgan recorded on "The Rajah"; but I guess he didn't write that until later. Glad you picked this. I'll pull it and Rajah off the shelves. MG Quote
sidewinder Posted October 29, 2006 Report Posted October 29, 2006 The Damned Don't Cry, written for his friend Coltrane which did not make it onto the album Afrca/Brass for which it was written. It did make it onto the 2CD Impulse 'Complete Africa Brass' set. An interesting composition and arrangement but poorly executed by the ensemble. Shame it didn't get more rehearsal/shake-out. Quote
JSngry Posted October 29, 2006 Report Posted October 29, 2006 I really like this album, probably more than it deserves, but hey. As is sometimes the case with people who focus on writing over playing, Massey was not a particularly fluent instrumentalist. But his playing is saturated with soul and personality, and he can't help but bring a unique perspective to his own compositions. Sometimes when you hear a composer play their own material, they focus more on the technical particulars, on bringing out certain constructional elements that others might not. But Massey does this with the "mood" elements of his pieces, and that's what I dig. Brodie? Hey - this session was done in very early 1961, when Trane was just beginning to really bump it up, & Brodie shows himself to have already absorbed the lessons that Trane was teaching. Who else at that time was displaying such an absorption? That's another "interesting" aspect of this album for me. Our own Harold Z has known & worked w/Brodie, who by all accounts falls into the "interesting character" category, and whose discography is relatively sparse but also, for the most part, interesting. He's the main player on this side from a strictly "playing" perspective. Watkins? Hey, I'm always down w/some Phantom! The rhythm section is good enough, although in spots the finer points of the specificity of Massey's pieces slightly eludes them. But that's as much a function of limited rehearsal/preparation as it is anything, so no demerits on that from me. Massey was in my estimation a major jazz composer. He didn't write throwaway blowing vehicles, he wrote compositions full of detail and, as mentioned above, specificity. Composers like that always appeal to me, because if improvisation is the lifeblood of jazz, composition is the body through which it most fluidly flows (and I apply that principle to totally improvisational music as well, because the most effective improvisational music for me is that which displays an empathy with compositional principles). None of his tunes have really become "jazz standards" but that proves nothing other than that they're too involved at some level to lend themselves to casual jamming, which is a good thing afaic. His music is anything but casual. Massey's cumulative work is long overdue for a rediscovery/reevaluation. There's a lot of meat there, and these are hungry days. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted October 29, 2006 Report Posted October 29, 2006 So this was unissued as an LP, I assume... Quote
sidewinder Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 So this was unissued as an LP, I assume... I've seen '80s issues of this one around in the racks. Quote
JSngry Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 So this was unissued as an LP, I assume... I've seen '80s issues of this one around in the racks. Must have been a UK thing, then. Don't recall ever seeing it over here. Either way, this was not one of the Candid sides that was released in its time. Quote
felser Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 I really like this album, probably more than it deserves, but hey. As is sometimes the case with people who focus on writing over playing, Massey was not a particularly fluent instrumentalist. But his playing is saturated with soul and personality, and he can't help but bring a unique perspective to his own compositions. Sometimes when you hear a composer play their own material, they focus more on the technical particulars, on bringing out certain constructional elements that others might not. But Massey does this with the "mood" elements of his pieces, and that's what I dig. Brodie? Hey - this session was done in very early 1961, when Trane was just beginning to really bump it up, & Brodie shows himself to have already absorbed the lessons that Trane was teaching. Who else at that time was displaying such an absorption? That's another "interesting" aspect of this album for me. Our own Harold Z has known & worked w/Brodie, who by all accounts falls into the "interesting character" category, and whose discography is relatively sparse but also, for the most part, interesting. He's the main player on this side from a strictly "playing" perspective. Watkins? Hey, I'm always down w/some Phantom! The rhythm section is good enough, although in spots the finer points of the specificity of Massey's pieces slightly eludes them. But that's as much a function of limited rehearsal/preparation as it is anything, so no demerits on that from me. Massey was in my estimation a major jazz composer. He didn't write throwaway blowing vehicles, he wrote compositions full of detail and, as mentioned above, specificity. Composers like that always appeal to me, because if improvisation is the lifeblood of jazz, composition is the body through which it most fluidly flows (and I apply that principle to totally improvisational music as well, because the most effective improvisational music for me is that which displays an empathy with compositional principles). None of his tunes have really become "jazz standards" but that proves nothing other than that they're too involved at some level to lend themselves to casual jamming, which is a good thing afaic. His music is anything but casual. Massey's cumulative work is long overdue for a rediscovery/reevaluation. There's a lot of meat there, and these are hungry days. I have little of substance I can add to the excellent commentary above by JSngry, but want to add another thumbs-up for this CD. I also always have considered Massey a major jazz composer, and therefore assumed, before hearing this, that he must not be able to play very well at all, and that wasn't at all the case. I was fairly shocked at how well he and Brodie (who I am otherwise unfamiliar with) played on this when I got it 10-15 years ago. Quote
Niko Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 found on http://hughbrodie.com (among others!) Quote
The Rep Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Posted October 30, 2006 (edited) Yes its called Blues To Coltrane, Sorry Ray Edited October 30, 2006 by The Rep Quote
sidewinder Posted October 30, 2006 Report Posted October 30, 2006 So this was unissued as an LP, I assume... I've seen '80s issues of this one around in the racks. Must have been a UK thing, then. Don't recall ever seeing it over here. Quite possibly. Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted October 31, 2006 Report Posted October 31, 2006 First, I'd like to thank The Rep for making this album of the week. I pulled it out (can't believe I said that...) last night and enjoyed the playing even more than I remembered, even Cals' quoting "Nobody Knows the Trouble..." in two different songs. Of course, the writing is lovely. I've long thought that BN could do a nice CD of various artists' versions of Massey's tunes- These Are Soulful Days Leeway Nakatini Suite Leeway A Pilgrim's Funny Farm The Rajah Taru, What's Wrong With You Taru A Baby's Smile Carumba! The Cry of My People Sixth Sense Toyland Demons Dance Message From Trane Demons Dance Father & Son Here to Stay Asunta Here to Stay Taht would 72+ minutes. Have I forgotten anything? But since they'd probably sell dozens, I can understand that they probably won't do it. Pity. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 31, 2006 Report Posted October 31, 2006 First, I'd like to thank The Rep for making this album of the week. I pulled it out (can't believe I said that...) last night and enjoyed the playing even more than I remembered, even Cals' quoting "Nobody Knows the Trouble..." in two different songs. Of course, the writing is lovely. I've long thought that BN could do a nice CD of various artists' versions of Massey's tunes- These Are Soulful Days Leeway Nakatini Suite Leeway A Pilgrim's Funny Farm The Rajah Taru, What's Wrong With You Taru A Baby's Smile Carumba! The Cry of My People Sixth Sense Toyland Demons Dance Message From Trane Demons Dance Father & Son Here to Stay Asunta Here to Stay Taht would 72+ minutes. Have I forgotten anything? But since they'd probably sell dozens, I can understand that they probably won't do it. Pity. An impressive list! MG Quote
mikeweil Posted October 31, 2006 Report Posted October 31, 2006 What JSngry said. I was really grateful that they released the complete album at last - and I am willing to buy anything with Julius Watkins playing a solo. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 31, 2006 Report Posted October 31, 2006 Got this on now - just listened to Lee Morgan's "Rajah". Hugh Brodie is groovin'! MG Quote
The Rep Posted October 31, 2006 Author Report Posted October 31, 2006 (edited) Got this on now - just listened to Lee Morgan's "Rajah". Hugh Brodie is groovin'! MG I have not got RAJAH, so I have had a look round and in the uk I can only find it at £33.00 so if any of you gentlemen in the USA spot it cheaper please let me know. Cheers Ray Edited October 31, 2006 by The Rep Quote
kh1958 Posted October 31, 2006 Report Posted October 31, 2006 If I recall correctly, Father and Son was released by the original Candid on an anthology. This is the song that has stuck with me from this recording. Quote
Chas Posted November 1, 2006 Report Posted November 1, 2006 Of course, the writing is lovely. I've long thought that BN could do a nice CD of various artists' versions of Massey's tunes- These Are Soulful Days Leeway Nakatini Suite Leeway A Pilgrim's Funny Farm The Rajah Taru, What's Wrong With You Taru A Baby's Smile Carumba! The Cry of My People Sixth Sense Toyland Demons Dance Message From Trane Demons Dance Father & Son Here to Stay Asunta Here to Stay Taht would 72+ minutes. Have I forgotten anything? A more complete list ( beyond Blue Note ) of Massey compositions is available here . Massey's sons Taru and Zane have been podcasting his music during this past year . You can download those podcasts here . As for the Blues to Coltrane album , I heard it years ago when it first came out and was somewhat underwhelmed by it . When it becomes more readily available I will re-listen . As I remember it , Massey's trumpet playing was serviceable without being terribly distinctive . I feel about Massey the way I feel about Gerald Wilson : love the pen , indifferent towards the axe Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted November 2, 2006 Report Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) Chas, Thanks for the link, I knew I'd forgotten something - "I Thought I'd Let You Know" from McCoy's Expansions would make the proposed CD 78+ minutes, still doable. "These Are Soulful Days" from Benny Green would put us onto a second CD... An unlikely project for BN in any case, unless some of their current roster were interested in doing some of Cal's tunes. Edited November 2, 2006 by danasgoodstuff Quote
thetarushow Posted December 3, 2008 Report Posted December 3, 2008 The Music of CAL MASSEY only on: thetarushow.libsyn.com Quote
JohnS Posted December 3, 2008 Report Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) Good to see this topic reactivated. Definitely one to put on the to play pile. Edited December 3, 2008 by JohnS Quote
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