Jazz for aficionados

****Perhaps the right question wolud be why they did not make any more music in this line up?****

Very interesting question, Alex.  Speaking of "mysterious", it's always interesting to try and solve mysteries like this.  Very nice record "Red's Good Groove", and it does beg the question "why only one session"?  

The easy answer might be as easy as "scheduling conflicts".  These were busy players and it would not be terribly unusual for the scheduling stars to not have aligned.  Maybe.  A more interesting reason might have been related to the thought I had the first time I heard this record: "Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams". The baritone saxophone/trumpet front line is an extremely distinctive sounding front line in hard bop.  How many can you think of?  By the 60's the Adams/Byrd Qt. had become very popular and in demand, it's possible that Garner's band's sound was thought by producers to be too reminiscent of the Byrd/Adams sound.  It's important to remember that Garner's recording group was not a working band.  As usual, the most likely reason had to do contractual issues.

Garner's record was recorded in '62; a year after Byrd/Adams disbanded and this probably invalidates possible reason #2.  That very year Adams signed an exclusive recording contract with Motown (!?) records; actually, their jazz subsidiary "Workshop" Records.  As an interesting aside, because of the nature of most of Motown's music, it frequently uses the baritone saxophone.  It would not be surprising to me if Pepper Adams played baritone in the horn sections in many Motown soul sessions.  Adams recorded one solo record with that label "Pepper Adams Plays Charlie Mingus".

The  Byrd/Adams Quintet, besides being a fantastic group, was notable for introducing Herbie Hancock to the record listening public with the 1961 release "Royal Flush":

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9411D061AEE3FDD9

Frogman, that's a fantastic contribution;

Donald Byrd - trumpet
Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano
Butch Warren - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Now I can listen without wandering what's Mustang Sally up to, or, is Susie Q. back in town. This music sounds ever so good; Pepper Adams, and Donald Byrd go together like bacon and eggs, you can't have one without the other.

Herbie Hancock sounds real good, but has not yet established himself as "The Herby Hancock".

The music overall is good, that's a tribute to Donald Byrd, he always comes through. The records of his that I sold, I had to buy them back. They were sold because I hadn't adjusted to his "new" music; this record is before his "new" music, and is straight ahead jazz.


Enjoy the music.

Frogman, When I listened to this recording I thought it might just be up your alley.

"Havana Moon" by the TransAtlanticEnsemble. A fusion of Latin Jazz and Classical music. In a couple of cuts I’m reminded of Stravinsky’s Shadow Dances. It is predominantly a piano and clarinet duo. It is on a Steinway & Sons CD.

O-10, somehow I don’t think you would find this music particularly interesting. I could be wrong, just a guess.

Newbee, I considered the music pleasant, like the music that used to be over the PA in large office buildings; it was music to sleep by. I recall buying something like that when CD's first came out because they didn't have any jazz on CD.

You were spot on in regard to whether or not I would like it.


Enjoy the music.

Thanks for the rec, Newbee; I will check it out.  I am aware of the record but have not heard it.  Have always been a fan of Paquito.