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Benny Golson - Three Little Words Jazz House JHCD 609
"Benny Golson - Three Little Words" is one of two albums which, in their different ways, are among the most valuable additions to the Archive series. Firstly, the Stan Tracey trio on its own, whereas previously they have appeared in an accompanying role on a number of earlier Archive issues. This CD now shows why Stan was held in high esteem by most of the American guests and continued in the demanding position as resident pianist at the Old Place, Gerrard Street, for seven years. (See Laughin' & Scratchin'). Second is a storming session, all from one night on November 26, 1965 by the gifted and technically brilliant tenorist, composer, arranger Benny Golson, the last US musician to appear at Gerrard Street. Tracey is on Benny Golson's album engaging in what sounds to be at times another very demanding stint as the accompanying trio. Rick Laird and Ronnie Stephenson are again on hand but presumably American drummer Billy Hart dropped by to sit in for the last three numbers. Years ago I would have described Golson as a class tenor man with a rounded warm tone strongly reminiscent of Lucky Thompson, though more modern in concept; fine player, but to paraphrase a little, he almost played 'arrangers' tenor! Wonderful albums under his own name, with the Jazztet co-led by Art Farmer, and the Blakey Messengers followed over the years, but nonetheless, this season at the club must have opened many ears. The title track is at a racehorse tempo, and Just In Time nearly as fast (at over 10 minutes each), displaying Golson's quite incredible technique but, more important, the logicality of the improvisational lines at such tempos. All this reveals a sea-change from earlier years, yet strangely in the slow tempos that beautiful quasi-Thompson touch, if a little harder, is still apparent but when things are really moving the undoubted Coltrane influence in the sheer speed and phrase formation is uppermost. Happily though this is only in that regard, the basic warm Golson sound still prevails. There is a beautiful My Foolish Heart and an 18.51 minute Stella By Starlight; only his own Stablemates seems to be at an unsuitably fast clip. An astonishing 79.46 minutes of deeply committed live modern jazz of the highest order.
© BRIAN DAVIS |
