Blue Lights

Description

All of the existing material from the session originally issued on two LP volumes as Blue Lights (Blue Note BST-81596/97), both of which boasted stellar covers designed by Andy Warhol. The date featured guitarist Kenny Burrell leading a septet (on some tracks reduced to a smaller format) showcasing brilliant soloists, among them tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks. The splendid tenor was one of many ill-fated jazzmen. Between 1958 and 1961 he would record a number of superb LPs, either as a leader or participating on other musicians dates. However, due to personal problems, Brooks would stop recording in early 1961 and wouldn t be heard from again prior to his death in 1974, at the age of 42. Another classic Kenny Burrell album, On View at the Five Spot Café (Blue Note BLP-4021), this time featuring Tina Brooks as the only horn soloist, has been added in its entirety as a bonus. Review: A great hard-blowing post bop session. - No wonder this recording was so highly praised when it was first released way back in 1958. The first album, Blue Lights, from 1958 contains nine tracks ranging in length from 5.45 to 12.37. The line up is stella featuring the leader, Kenny Burrell, together with two tenor saxophones: Tina Brooks (male; the name is a corruption of the childhood nickname, Teeny) and Junior Cook, Louis Smith (tpt), Sam Jones (bs) and Art Blakey (dms). The pianist is either Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons who share the tracks.There is a good array of tempos, but by and large this is a hard-blowing post bop session, typical of the vintage. Everyone is on top form resulting in a first rate album. Kenny Burrell has always been my favourite guitarist (although Grant Green is a close runner up). This is one of Tina Brooks rare recordings. He recorded fairly prolifically for a couple of years both as sideman and leader then nothing after 1961 (he died in the mid-1970s), so this is reason enough for having the album. Sam Jones and Art Blakey are the powerhouse behind the band, with excellent solos all round. Then the "bonus album" "On View At The Five Spot Cafe" (1959) with a similar line up recorded a year later. Some changes of personnel : Burrell, Brooks, Timmons, Blakey remain but the others are replaced by Ben Tucker (bs) and Sir Roland Hanna (pno). The quality of this album is just as good as the first. Overall seventeen excellent tracks and over 151 minutes of music by top musicians of the period. Review: Inventive & swinging blowing sessions from Kenny Burrell in 1958/59. - This excellent 2-CD set combines guitarist Kenny Burrell's BLUE NOTE LPs 'Blue Lights Vols. 1 & 2' from 1958 with a live BLUE NOTE album from 1959. CD 1 & CD 2, track 1('Blue Lights Vols. 1 & 2') were recorded at Manhattan Towers on May 14, 1958 with Burrell(guitar); Tina Brooks & Junior Cook(tenor sax); Louis Smith(trumpet); Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons(piano); Sam Jones(bass) & Art Blakey(drums). CD 2, tracks 2-9('On View at the Five Spot') were recorded live at the Five Spot, New York on August 25, 1959 with Burrell(guitar); Tina Brooks(tenor sax); Sir Roland Hanna or Bobby Timmons(piano); Ben Tucker(bass) & Art Blakey(drums). The 17 tracks are a mix of standards and originals with fine solos from Burrell, Brooks, Cook & Smith. 'Blue Lights' contains two enjoyable blowing sessions with around 150 minutes of swinging and inventive modern jazz.