"... a marvelous recording that will appeal to both mainstream and progressive jazz listeners, a 'better late than never' coming out party for one of the great American drummers of the 20th century, and still going strong". - Michael G. Nastos, All About Music Donald Bailey
Donald Bailey Blueprints of Jazz Vol 3
 This CD represents a triumph musically and also a personal triumph. For over a decade he's been suffering from extreme back pain, for which he's undergone several operations, periodic asthma attacks, and he's suffered a series of seizures that caused both long- and short-term memory loss. It is reported that he left a hospital bed to make this recording. His memory is returning and this album marks a turnng point.
For this project, Bailey chose to work with fellow Philadelphians Odean Pope on tenor saxophone, Tyrone Brown on bass, and George Burton on piano. Trumpeter Charles Tolliver also appears on two tracks. The music resembles the Coltrane classic quartet with Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner more than Bailey's Jimmy Smith hard-bop and soul-jazz days. In the liner notes, Bailey says that he's always been drawn to dissonance and wanted to portray that in this album. To accomplish this vision Odean Pope provides aggressive but soulful post-bop melodies while the young George Burton aptly provides harmony alternating between dense chord clusters and sparse flourishes. Bailey is ever swinging and never shy as he provides the rhythmic spice around the heartbeat of Tyron Brown's bass, always pushing a strong forward momentum. What we end up with is modern and progressive but swinging and accessable jazz that will inspire and surprise jazz fans of all generations.
Donald Bailey's CD is the third in the Blueprints of Jazz series, a series of recordings from Talking House Records that shines the spotlight on some of the lesser known innovators and style-setters in jazz. The first two volumes of the series feature drummer Mike Clark and saxophonist Billy Harper. While their names may not be as well known as some, their musical ideas have helped define the sound of jazz as it has developed over the past 50 years - they are indeed musical architects that have helped lay down the Blueprints of Jazz.
Originally from Philadelphia, Donald "Duck" Bailey, Sr. attributes his style and concept of the musical drum to the influence of the late legendary jazz pianist Haasan Ibn Alli and Donald's brother Morris. Also influenced by peers Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Art Blakey, Bailey also played with Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan, Boby Timmons, Jimmy Heath, and John Coltrane. In 1954 he joined the Jimmy Smith group and played nine years with him. During that time Bailey was recorded on some of Jimmy Smith's most popular and influential recordings, including his Bluenote debut A New Sound A New Star Jimmy Smith at the Organ Vol 1 and also The Champ, The Sermon, Confirmation, House Party, The Midnight Special, and Back at the Chicken Shack.
 Charles McPherson © Andrea Canter
Donald Bailey moved to Los Angeles in 1965 and began playing with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars. While in Los Angeles, he performed and recorded with: Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Kenny Burrell, Hampton Hawes, Ester Phillips, Monk Montgomery, and Jimmy Rowles. Donald Bailey moved to Japan and there spent six years playing and recording some 30-40 albums with Japanese jazz and pop artists. Donald is also well known for playing the chromatic harmonica and in 1977 he recorded an album called "So In Love" emphasizing his harmonica playing. In the 1980's Bailey moved to Oakland California.
Charles McPherson was born in Joplin, Missouri and moved to Detroit at age nine. After growing up in Detroit, he studied with the renowned pianist Barry Harris and started playing jazz professionally at age 19. He moved from Detroit to New York in 1959 and toured with Charles Mingus from 1960 to 1972. While performing with Mingus, he collaborated frequently with Harris, Lonnie Hillyer (trumpet), and George Coleman (tenor sax). McPherson has recorded as guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. He has recorded as leader on Prestige, Fantasy, Mainstream, Discovery, Xanadu, and most recently Arabesque. His most recent recording is the highly acclaimed "Manhattan Nocturne". Charles was also the featured alto saxophonist in the Clint Eastwood film "Bird," a biography about Charlie Parker. Click here to read a Jazz Police interview with Charles McPherson. Yoshi’s is located at Jack London Square in Oakland. Visit www.yoshis.com for ticket information. |
SF Bay Area 
Tuesday, 09 February 2010
Home | New and Notable | Photo Galleries | CD/DVD/Book Reviews | Interviews | SF Bay Area | Chicago | Los Angeles | New York | Twin Cities, MN | More Cities | Festivals | News | Contact | Follow Jazz Police on Twitter | 
