After overcoming the creative crisis brought about by the death of his trumpeter and co-leader Clifford Brown in 1956, and having disbanded his new quintet with Booker Little and George Coleman, Max Roach (1924-2007) kept his faith in the strength of hard bop, and reformed his piano-less group Max Roach Plus Four in 1959.
This time he put his trust in a band of young jazzmen that included the Turrentine brothers Stanley and Tommy, on tenor sax and trumpet respectively trombonist Julian Priester, bassist Bob Boswell and, occasionally, pianists Ray Bryant or Cedar Walton.
This 2-CD set gathers the complete studio recordings this group made (except one issued under Tommy Turrentine's name) between July 1959 and January 1960, thus giving new life to one of the least known periods in Max Roach's intense jazz career. In addition, the songs featuring Abbey Lincoln catch this exceptional singer in fine form.
Tracklist
Total time: 123:06 min.
CD 1
01. The More I See You (Gordon-Warren) 4:01
02. Lotus Blossom (Dorham) 5:31
03. Quiet as Its Kept (Lee) 6:09
04. As Long as Youre Living (Turrentine-Priester) 5:55
05. To Lady (Mitchell) 6:06
06. Juliano (Priester) 5:41
07. Speak Low (Nash-Weill) 2:49
08. Never Let Me Go (Livingstone-Evans) 3:03
09. Come Rain or Come Shine (Mercer-Arlen) 3:17
10. Namely You (Depaul-Mercer) 2:54
11. Moon Faced, Starry Eyed (Hughes-Weill) 2:54
12. Wild Is the Wind (Washington-Tiomkin) 3:15
13. Youre Mine You (Green-Heyman) 2:42
14. Youre My Thrill (Gordon-Clare) 3:39
Total time CD-1: 58:00 min. aprox.
CD 2
01. I Concentrate on You (Porter) 4:50
02. Never Leave Me (Jenkins) 6:45
03. Afro Blue (Brown-Santamaria) 3:16
04. Let Up (Lincoln) 5:26
05. Laugh, Clown, Laugh (Fiorito-Lewis-Young) 5:20
06. Long As Youre Living (Turrentine-Priester) 2:32
07. Nica (Clark) 4:45
08. Liberté (Roach) 6:23
09. Petit Dejeuner (Priester) 4:03
10. Un nouveau complet (Tommy Turrentine) 3:21
11. Parisian Sketches (Roach): 17:09
-The Tower
-The Champs
-The Caves
-The Left Bank
-The Arch
Album details
Original sources:
CD 1, tracks #1-6 from the Mercury album "Max Roach Plus 4: Quiet As It's Kept" (SR60170)
CD 1, tracks #7-14 and CD 2, tracks 1-2 from the Max Roach Sextet Mercury-EmArcy album
"Moon Faced And Starry Eyes" (SR60215)
CD 2, tracks #3-6 from the Abbey Lincoln Riverside album "Abbey Is blue" (SR 1153)
CD 2, tracks #7-11 from the Mercury album "Max Roach Quintet: Parisian Sketches" (SR60760)
Personnel on MAX ROACH PLUS FOUR
(CD 1, #1-6): Tommy Turrentine (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Stanley Turrentine (ts), Bob Boswell (b), Max Roach (d).
Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York City, on July 21, 1959
Personnel on MAX ROACH SEXTET
(CD 1, #7-14 and CD 2, #1-2): Tommy Turrentine (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Stanley Turrentine (ts), Ray Bryant (p), Bob Boswell (b), Max Roach (d),
Recorded at Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, October 9 & 10, 1959
Personnel on ABBEY LINCOLN with MAX ROACH Quintet
(CD 2, #3-6): Tommy Turrentine (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Stanley Turrentine (ts), Cedar Walton (p), Bobby Boswell (b), Max Roach (d), Abbey Lincoln (vcl).
Recorded in New York City, 1959
Personnel on MAX ROACH QUINTET
(CD 2, #7-11): Tommy Turrentine (tp), Julian Tommy Turrentine (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Stanley Turrentine (ts), Bob Boswell (b), Max Roach (d).
Recorded in Paris, on March 1, 1960
Original sessions produced by Jack Tracy and Orrin Keepnews (CD-2 #3-6).
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol and J. Calvados
Stereo 24-Bit Digitally RemasteredPress reviews
"Drummer Max Roach, whose career ranged from the Charlie Parker Quintet to recorded duets with Anthony Braxton, co-led a famous quintet with trumpeter Clifford Brown during 1954-56. After Browns death, he continued heading combos including one with Sonny Rollins. Some of his more overlooked recordings with his Max Roach + Four group are on Complete 1959-60 Studio Recordings (FSR 666).
Most intriguing is hearing tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine during his first jazz recordings; he was already quite recognizable. Also heard on these advanced but swinging quintet and sextet recordings are such notables as trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, trombonist Julian Priester, pianists Ray Bryant and Cedar Walton, and singer Abbey Lincoln (including Afro Blue and Long As Youre Living)."
Scott Yanow -Los Angeles Jazz Scene (April, 2012)
