Cool Struttin'


Sonny Clark

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Amoeba Review

John Schacht 06/16/2010

This 1958 date is a fine example of Blue Note’s hard bop blowing sessions from this era: the musicians were given simple blues-flavored heads and uncomplicated arrangements, and proceeded to knock out a near-classic of the genre in one day. They were able to do so, in part, because the musicians were recording constantly with each other on their own records and as sidemen for other leaders; this was pianist Sonny Clark’s fifth session as a leader in less than six months. So when Clark recruited this quintet he knew exactly what he was getting before they stepped into the studio. Noted for his fluid, funky style, Clark’s influences – Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Errol Garner and Bud Powell – inform this set, and the sidemen are well-matched. Trumpeter Art Farmer’s cool lyrical style contrasted beautifully with Jackie McLean’s strident and aggressive alto sax, and Miles Davis’ recent rhythm section of bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones could put the swing into any tempo. The slinky title track, written with Clark’s wife in mind and captured visually in Francis Wolff’s leggy cover shot, became a standard of the genre. It sashays from the first notes as Farmer and McLean state the theme and Clark opens the soloing with bluesy runs up and down the keyboard, followed by some tasteful, economical Farmer blowing and a McLean solo that begins calmly but winds up in a flurry of high-register notes. Chambers adds a bowed segment to close things out, and then Jones kicks the tempo into swing overdrive at the start of another Clark classic, “Blue Minor.” McLean doesn’t waste time here before unleashing cascades of bluesy notes, Clark’s block chords providing rich fills. And though Farmer was more comfortable in contemplative tempos, he acquits himself admirably here with melodic runs. Jones and Chambers are also huge, spurring everybody at key junctures throughout. The quintet finds yet another gear on Davis’ high-spirited “Sippin’ at Bells,” Chambers’ pulsing beat and Jones’ hi-hat ride driving the solos at a breakneck pace. Clark shows his lyrical side on the overlooked standard “Deep Night,” and while the pace has slowed back to a canter, there’s no less swing. The original LP ended here, but two more tracks – Clark’s mid-tempo “Royal Flush” and a racing version of the Rodgers/Hart standard “Lover”—were added to the reissue, both meant for another Clark LP that was never released because the pianist slipped into drug addiction. He returned to cut several more Blue Note dates after a 31-month absence, but unquestionably lost the momentum this fine date might have otherwise afforded him.



Track Listing



Disc 1 Titles
Artist
Length
1.
Cool Struttin'
Sonny Clark 09:19
2.
Blue Minor
Sonny Clark 10:15
3.
Sippin' at Bells
Sonny Clark 08:13
4.
Deep Night
Sonny Clark 09:28
5.
Royal Flush [Bonus Track]
Sonny Clark 08:58
6.
Lover [Bonus Track]
Sonny Clark 07:01

CD
Currently Unavailable
$10.98
SHIPS FREE in U.S.
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