TRUE BLUE

Jazz and blues are defined, or at the very least gain their particular character, from what are called 'blue notes'. These microtonal variations are commonly created by lowering the third, fifth and seventh degrees of a scale. Record collectors and jazz aficionados also know that Blue Note is the name of one of the most famous and esteemed jazz labels of all time.

Anyone planning a sortie into the world of jazz would do well to explore Blue Note with its catalogue of classic albums by pivotal artists. Yet it is important to remember that jazz is not limited to a handful of iconic LPs—Kind Of Blue, Time Out, Portrait in Jazz, to name just three—but is in fact a massive theme park populated hundreds of strolling players; hot trumpeters, cool saxophonists, stylish pianists and more.

Discrepancy Records has recently added a number of desirable jazz titles to its catalogue and we’re keen to share them with you not just for the music, but because they are quality pressings with attractive price tags.

There is something for every taste and predilection. Do you like jazz organ? Jimmy Smith’s Home Cooking is acknowledged as a classic Hammond B3 jag. Digging deeper, Down To Earth is a fine title by a lesser known organist, Freddie Roach.

Pianists are often considered part of a jazz rhythm section, but do also lead their own combos! Horace Silver, for example, will charm you with his fluid style (check out The Tokyo Blues) while the Sonny Clark Trio LP is a timeless small group piano set. A lesser known ivory tickler is Jutta Hipp. Her album with cool school icon Zoot Sims used to be rare and prohibitively expensive; not any more.

JUTTA HIPP WITH ZOOT SIMS [1957]

A classy straight-ahead cool jazz set pairing the German pianist with tenor legend Zoot Sims, this is one of only three recordings Ms Hipp made for Blue Note in the second half of the 1950s. It’s also the last jazz recording she made before exiting the world of music to become a seamstress and painter. Art and fashion’s gain was jazz’s loss.

Not surprisingly, Sims dominates proceedings; it’s almost as if Jutta is sitting in with Zoot’s combo. That is not to denigrate the pianist’s skill and sensitivity. Her lines are thoughtful and expressive and the entire album is a quiet delight. A bonus is the cover design by Reid Miles; it is one of Blue Note’s finest.

If tenor saxophone lights your fire and Zoot is too cool for you, try Hank Mobley (Quintet and several other titles) or the intensity of altoist Jackie McLean. Or for a more mellow alto sax player, check out the much-loved Lou Donaldson.

LOU DONALDSON — GRAVY TRAIN [1962]

Alto sax player Lou Donaldson was heavily influenced by jazz titan Charlie Parker. Early in his career he played with Milt Jackson (Modern Jazz Quartet) and Thelonious Monk before leading his own groups from the mid-to-late 50s onwards. This LP highlights his smooth, bluesy playing very nicely, while also retaining bop elements too. Pianist Herman Foster provides robust support on a pleasing set that goes down like a chilled mint julep on a hot day.

Trumpeters? We got 'em in spades. Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham and more. Those who have met Miles Davis and are wanting to continue the trumpet journey could choose almost any album by these masters and be richly rewarded.

Of course jazz musicians pop up on each other’s albums constantly. Legendary drummer Art Blakey, for example, was renowned for his incendiary outfits featuring a number of the artists we’ve mentioned… Horace Silver, Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley. This process can make records by lesser known artists a surprising delight. The LP by Tina Brooks is an excellent example.

TINA BROOKS — TRUE BLUE [1960]

Tenor Sax player Tina Brooks recorded his third (and final) album for Blue Note in 1960. Featuring a young Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and veteran pianist Duke Jordan, the pieces feature tight ensemble playing and consistently creative solos. Drummer Art Taylor keeps things cooking nicely as Hubbard and Brooks trade lines with energy and commitment. A fine LP.

Of course there is more… a couple of excellent records from guitar great Grant Green, a memorable album led by bass player Paul Chambers, trombonist Bennie Green’s upbeat Walkin’ and Talkin’, the list goes on. Check the website for more titles and dive into some deliciously cool jazz for a hot summer.

© Bruce Jenkins－December 2023