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Posted (edited)

I hate the use the "U" word, because about 99% of jazz musicians are IMHO, but I really think it is sad that Sonny Fortune only has 1-2 albums in print. I happen to be listening to a burn I made of his A&M lps and they are really, really nice. BTW, the All Music Reviews of these things are way hosed at 2 stars each - yeah there is a clinker of two, but they are mostly great 70s modal jazz.

I think his Blue Note stuff is also very nice and is worth searching out. Any other SF fans out there and/or recommendations?

Eric

Edited by Eric
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Posted

"Great Friends", a live date in Paris from the 1980's with Fortune, Billy Harper, Billy Hart, Reggie Workman, and a pianist whose name escapes me right now, was reissued last year and its great! Highly recommended.

Posted

I think the Horizon stuff is great. The BN stuff is good, but the Horizon stuff is great.

Anybody heard his Konnex things? I haven't.

Joe Milazzo played me some relatively newly released live Mongo thing on Columbia from the late-60s or so that was positively gonzo. Gotta get that one!

And both his and Charles Sullivan's Strata-East dates merit a-huntin'.

Posted

I've got his "A better understanding" from BN and it's definitely a :tup

Sonny Fortune - Fiddle, Flute, Flute (Alto), Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Producer, Liner Notes

Billy Hart - Drums

Jerry Gonzalez - Trumpet, Conga, Flugelhorn

Kenny Barron - Piano

Steve Berrios - Percussion

Ronnie Burrage - Drums

Wayne Dockery - Bass

He also wrote all the songs on the disc.

Posted

"Great Friends", a live date in Paris from the 1980's with Fortune, Billy Harper, Billy Hart, Reggie Workman, and a pianist whose name escapes me right now, was reissued last year and its great!  Highly recommended.

f75368z6234.jpg

This one !

I got it for Xmas & it definately SMOKES

Posted (edited)

Have not heard fresh Fortune in quite some time. The previous posts have raised my interest in his recent stuff. Liked his two Horizon albums 'Awakening' and 'Waves of Dreams'. Both featured that great underrated trumpet player Charles Sullivan.

Sullivan was also in top form in Sonny Fortune's 'Long Before Our Mothers Cried'. Great Strata-East album from 1974 where Stanley Cowell already handled the piano chores.

Edited by brownie
Posted

Can't find the images on line. Been looking. Lon's right, INFINITY IS has a goofy-ass cover.

There was a third Atlantic - WITH SOUND REASON. They were all "good", but a HUGE let-down after the Strata-East & Horizon stuff.

Posted

Anybody heard his Konnex things? I haven't.

I have Laying It Down and It Ain't What it Was. I have not listened to either in a while, but my memory is that both are solid quartet recordings.

Posted

I've got one of those BN's (From Now On) and have enjoyed it. Are you guys hip to the Nat Adderley disc "On the Move" recorded live at Keystone in '83? *Great* session ------ Sonny sounds marvelous on it!! Check it out if you get a chance......

Posted

I don't have much by this guy; only Sahara with McCoy Tyner (which certainly kicks arse) and a few things he did with Miles circa Agharta.

Certainly plays mean alto. Seems to be the sort of guy that avoids (or appears to avoid) licks. Maybe thats why his modal efforts have been so convincing.

I saw a Dave Holland gig a few years back where Antonio Hart featured and I thought his playing was reminiscent of Fortune's. I really should look into some of the things you fellas have been talking about.

cheers, tonym

Posted

That N. Adderley band on the early '80s with Fortune was something else. Fortune and the rhythm section (Larry Willis, Walter Booker, Jimmy Cobb) were locked tight and on fire. Likewise, a somewhat earlier Charles Sullivan-Fortune band I caught live in Chicago, with another fine rhythm section (Juney Booth is the only name I recall). That was the first time I heard Sullivan, who seemed like he might be Booker Little reincarnated.

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