Roy Brooks - Beat

[Stefan Wood]

I saw (and ordered) this cd from Blue Moon/Planet Music:

http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/search.ph...&artist_id=1842

I had it on lp and put it on tape a long time ago, but this is a really nice hard bop session, from Motown, no less! I think this was an attempt by Barry Gordy to do a jazz label. There are a bunch of really interesting Fresh Sound reissues as well, including a Ronnie Scott/Tubby Hayes cd, Complete Coleman Hawkins Jazztone sessions, Warne Marsh, and more. They'll come to Dusty Groove (if they haven't already), but I had to jump on this one.

[Dan Gould]

About three years ago, Bill Fenohr nabbed a copy of this rarity, and shocked me by not waiting til we arranged a trde, he just sent a burn with is Christmas wishes. What a guy- I miss Bill.

But its great that this material is coming out, its practically a missing Horace Silver date, since Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook are the front line. For some reason I am blanking on the pianist but its a terrific hard bop/soul jazz date.

Workshop Jazz was Gordy's half-hearted attempt at the jazz market. The very first release was supposed to be the Four Tops, who actually started as a vocal quartet and got help along the way from Billy Eckstine. That date did come out with extra material on a Motown CD a few years ago. Interesting to hear.

Workshop Jazz also had dates by George Bohannon, who I believe ended up in LA; Johnny Griffith who was a member of the Funk Brothers and died just before Standing in the Shadows of Motown was released.

[brownie]

Fresh Sounds also previously issued the 'Pepper Adams Plays Charlie Mingus' album that was originally on Workshop Jazz.

Glad to see those very rare Workshop Jazz albums being reissued.

[JSngry]

  Dan Gould said:

For some reason I am blanking on the pianist...

Hugh Lawson, right?

Another Workshop Jazz album not yet mentioned was a really nice group of 4 cuts led by pianist Earl Washington, w/Franks Foster (caught JUST getting into Trane, it sounds like to me) & Wess, Thad Jones, Henry Coker, Ed Jones, and Sonny Payne (playing small group jazz very nicely, thank you). The album's called REAL JAZZ, and is Workshop Jazz 202, if you're keeping score at home...

But it's a weird album - there's two other cuts on the album: one that's a totally inane teeny-bopper "twist" type instrumental that doesn't even sound like the same band, and one, yes ONE, cut by a totally different group consisting of Washington, trumpeter John Neely, tenorist John Avant, Herb Brown, & Walter Perkins doing a "Blues March" clone. Don't know if this hints at another session led by Washington, of it this group just cut the one song as filler for this album. Maybe the Basie guys hit it and quit it, if you know what I mean, and some filler was needed for a full LP.

But yeah, the Brooks side is good!

Edited January 15, 2004 by JSngry

[mikeweil]

  Dan Gould said:

What a guy- I miss Bill.

Got some rare unavailable stuff from him, what's happened to him?

[Eric]

This is a good CD - includes a couple of Joe Henderson tunes that you don't see all that often (Homestretch from "Page One" and Soulin' which is on Duke Pearson's "Prairie Dog").

Eric

Edited March 3, 2004 by Eric

[JohnS]

Thanks for the heads up on this one Stefan, just got it today. Playing time's a bit short at 31 minutes and the sound's a shade hard (Fresh Sounds mastering ?) but it's a fine cd nevertheless.

[bertrand]

Did Joe Henderson ever record 'Soulin' as a leader or sideman? He is neither on the Pearson nor Brooks dates.

Thanks,

Bertrand.

[Dan Gould]

I don't believe so, Bertrand, though I'm not a discographer; but it does make the date more noteworthy.

I think of this date as being close to a Horace Silver Quintet date, with Brooks, Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook involved. Kind of like the Blue Mitchell BN date following the breakup of that version of the Silver band. Of course, it doesn't have Horace compositions ...

[JohnS]

Nothing in Lord Bertrand.

Edited April 19, 2004 by JohnS

[LarryCurleyMoe]

I just nabbed this one myself! A very enjoyable session, IMHO. Everyone is in great form, esp. JR. COOK! Wow! I also dig the presence of Bohanon on 'bone - expands the sound (to sextet). Brooks is a master drummer and every occasion to hear him jam is a privilege!