Elmo Hope - The Final Sessions

[bertrand]

Looking at Noal Cohen's Hope discography, I realized that I now have all his sessions as a leader (and most of his sidemen dates) except the Final Sessions.

I did hear it once, and I remember being annoyed by how out-of-tune the piano was. The AMG review points this points this out as well.

I know the music is great but - how grating is the out-of-tune piano? Can I live with it?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

Edited December 26, 2003 by bertrand

[brownie]

The piano is out of tune but it is not bad enough to distract from the great playing by Elmo Hope. I have enjoyed the two Inner City LP albums of those 'Final Sessions' for years.

[jazzbo]

I don't know Bert. The out of tune piano doesn't bother me. It might bother the hell out of you as I know we are two different people and listeners. Does the Dolphy at the Five Spot piano bother you endlessly (if you're familiar with those recordings)?

[JSngry]

In the sense that the poor piano is a symbolic parallel to Elmo's life and career at the time of the recordings, it's actually appropriate, I think.

[Philip]

The Final Sessions show that Elmo's playing style had not stood still; it is not so far from contemporaneous McCoy Tyner as one might have thought..

[brownie]

I gave those Final Sessions a spin yesterday. There's really beautiful music in those albums. The piano on the first session is not THAT bad. If it's the same in the second session (the one with Philly Joe Jones on drums), that one is a bit of a problem. It may have been left untuned after the first session or it might be that the studio people bought the piano from Cafe Bohemia that Horace Silver struggled on for the 'Jazz Messengers at Cafe Bohemia' sessions. Or the one from the Five Spot used for the Dolphy live sessions that Jazzbo already mentioned.

[mikeweil]

In the sense that the poor piano is a symbolic parallel to Elmo's life and career at the time of the recordings, it's actually appropriate, I think.

I guess that's the reason I never even noticed!

His playing is definitely more together on these than on the previous three LPs after the Riverside albums, and his interplay with Philly Joe is good.

Edited December 28, 2003 by mikeweil

[agriffith]

Elmo & Philly are a special combination! The Final Sessions are beautiful! (And John Ore plays beautifully as well.) Some of my favorite Hope, but I like everything he did.

Sure would LOVE to hear the band he had in the mid to late 60's that apparently included the GREAT Tina Brooks!

[JohnS]

Thanks for the reminder Bertrand, I've not played these for a while, all I can recall is the piano sound. I'll add them to my to play pile.