Fav Songs Off The Mitchell Set

[Soulstation1]

any favs or solos?

ss1

[Big Al]

Fungii Mama!!!

Tones for Joan's Bones

I could listen to "Togetherness" over and over and never get tired of it!

[Uncle Skid]

I think more than a few people already mentioned it in the other Blue thread, but I gotta add my vote for "Good Humor Man".

B)

[Peter Johnson]

Wowwwwww...listening to Junior Cook's SMOKIN' tenor sax solo on Chick's Tune (off The Thing to Do) right now...I've always loved that tune, and that solo is great...followed by a nice one from Blue.

Tasty. I'll have to listen to more tonight.

[Brad]

Fungii Mama quickly come to mind.

[danasgoodstuff]

Fungii Mam

Hi Heeled Sneakers

Gingerbread Boy

As you might guess, I find the liner notes continual dissing of the 'funk' tunes on this set tiresome. since it's essentially the same tune, "Hi Heeled Sneakers" might just as well have been called "Got My Mojo Working", if any thing Blue's groove on this is closer to Muddy's than to Tommy Tucker (or any of the 4 other versions of HHS that made the charts). Lovely set overall, I didn't buy only 'cause I've already got 3/6 originals.

[Big Wheel]

"O Mama Enit" never fails to put a smile on my face.

[wesbed]

With the release of the Blue Mitchell RVG, I'm listening to the Blue Mitchell Mosaic. The Blue Mitchell Mosaic features several tunes with Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook.

I know Mitchell and Cook played together in Horace Silver's group. But, damn, these boys are generic. I'm not saying they are generic in the sense that they aren't good or that they don't swing. I'm enjoying the playing of Mitchell and Cook. But, what do they sound like? What's their style?

I've read the comparison of Blue Mitchell's trumpet to Hank Mobley's 'middle-weight' saxophone style. I understand and appreciate the middle-weight comparison given to Blue Mitchell.

I recognize the playing of Lee Morgan, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Henderson. If I heard Mitchell or Cook, however, and didn't know who was playing, I'd never guess it was Mitchell or Cook.

I don't mean to talk bad about Mitchell or Cook, I want to understand them. I'm hoping somebody will write something in this thread saying I'm wrong about Mitchell and Cook and disagree with me. I'm hoping somebody can describe some unique characteristics of the playing of Mitchell and Cook.

What makes Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook unique? What do they offer that other players of jazz don't offer? What should I listen for? Why should I listen to them?

[sidewinder]

What makes Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook unique? What do they offer that other players of jazz don't offer? What should I listen for? Why should I listen to them?

For me the combination of these two is very definitely not generic. Great teamwork, an instantly recognisable paired sound and great 'vibe' to their paired work. Hard to put this into words but the level of mutual support and respect comes across to me as comparable to that achieved by Kenny Dorham and Joe Henderson. Heck, if it was good enough for Horace Silver all those years.. B)

Favourite track off the Mitchell Mosaic. 'Heads Up! Feet Down!' from 'Heads Up!' absolutely kicks ass !

[Parkertown]

Another big thumbs up for "Togetherness." That one just takes me away...

[Shawn]

"Millie" (Duke Pearson)

[jacknife]

I think more than a few people already mentioned it in the other Blue thread, but I gotta add my vote for "Good Humor Man".

Another vote here for "Good Humor Man"! I enjoy the entire Blue Mitchell set emensely but "Good Humor Man" speaks to me like no other, I don't know why but I think this tune is one of my all time favorites.

[Shrdlu]

I especially like the unfortunately titled "Tones For Joan's Bones". That is an odd session if you listen to it in order of recording. First, you get a regular hard bop feel, with Cedar Walton (I think) on piano. Then, Chick Corea appears, and there is a real Corea flavor to everything - like a spell taking over.

I know what you guys are saying about both Blue and Junior. Neither is the very best ever, but they sure worked well together, and the 6 albums with Horace are great. Junior was somewhat of a chameleon, as he sounded a lot like Clifford Jordan early on, and later sounded a lot like Joe Henderson.

[BruceH]

"Andrea"

Don't ask me why. I just love it.

[bluesForBartok]

Two tunes really stick out for me:

"Perception" and the Terumasa Hino tune "Alone, Alone and Alone"

[DrJ]

Another vote for "Alone, Alone, Alone," a fantastic tune that should be covered a lot more.

Also have always loved the Corea tunes, "Straight Up and Down," "Tones for Joan's Bones," and "Chick's Tune." He was on fire back then.

"The Folks Who Live on the Hill" is a real beauty too.

[chris]

Resurrecting this old thread because after resting this box for a year or so, I have grown a new appreciation for the playing here. In particular, the tandem of Junior Cook and Blue Mitchell (not to mention Corea). The first time I listened to this set I was unsettled by the first song 'Mamacita' in which Joe Henderson just blows Mitchell right off the stage! Mitchell's playing there wasn't that interesting and I loved Henderson's solo there. Somehow it left a bad taste in my mouth, especially paired with the "middleweight champ" tag the booklet confers on Mitchell.

But man, Fungii Mama, Perception, Tones for Joan's Bones-- wow. It reminds me I need to read less and listen more

Edited April 28, 2005 by chris

[Noj]

Noj's picks:

Hi Heel Sneakers

Perception

Samba De Stacy

Mamacita

Step Lightly

Fungii Mama

Bring It Home To Me

Tones For Jones Bones

[Guy Berger]

I don't mean to talk bad about Mitchell or Cook, I want to understand them. I'm hoping somebody will write something in this thread saying I'm wrong about Mitchell and Cook and disagree with me. I'm hoping somebody can describe some unique characteristics of the playing of Mitchell and Cook.

What makes Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook unique? What do they offer that other players of jazz don't offer? What should I listen for? Why should I listen to them?

I think of them as solid role-players on a sports team. Individually they wouldn't be able to carry the team. But they do what they need to do well, they don't hog the ball, they mesh successfully with other teammates, and the team is better for it. (Good coaching matters!) And if they're really good at what they do, then they're not easily replaceable.

Guy

Edited April 28, 2005 by Guy Berger

[connoisseur series500]

I believe I could tell a Blue Mitchell solo when I hear it. He swings. I call him the "Grant Green of the trumpet!" Junior Cook is harder to identify. He sounds like Joe Henderson.

Love em both of course!

Edited April 29, 2005 by connoisseur series500

[doubleM]

I just heard the version of "Step Lightly" off of this set yesterday. I liked it so much, I called it w/ my piano & trumpet gig last night. It helps when your pianist knows about every tune ever written!

[ghost of miles]

On 7/29/2004 at 9:28 AM, DrJ said:

Another vote for "Alone, Alone, Alone," a fantastic tune that should be covered a lot more.

 

Yes!  Listening to it right now, and Mitchell's playing on it and today's revisitation of the set in general brought me back to Organissimo looking for a previous thread devoted to this set--an underrated Mosaic, IMO. 

[mikeweil]

I love Mitchell's sweet playing of the old song "Sweet And Lovely", and the grooving tunes from the Heads Up! LP, especially Jimmy Heath's "Togetherness".

I'm glad I made up my mind to get a copy back then when it went Last Chance, like it much better than I expexted. 

[Rooster_Ties]

On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2004 at 9:28 AM, DrJ said:

Another vote for "Alone, Alone, Alone," a fantastic tune that should be covered a lot more.

Terumasa Hino's first recording of the tune (at least I think this version from his 1967 album of the same name is his first ever recording of the tune) is really something special.  I just picked up this album on CD a couple weeks ago (burn-on-demand via CDJapan), and it's really spectacular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn-LQpFhGIY

Edited April 4, 2016 by Rooster_Ties