MR50/S4

Ervin. He worked and recorded Sunbath, by West Coast pianist

with Max Roach, gigged with Gil Peggy Stern, is a tune Woody found
WOODY SHAW/ LOVE DANCE Evans's big band, and then formed
a long-term alliance with Art
and loved, arranged here by Steve
Turre. The playing and mood are
There is a iot of music on this Blakey, with whose Jazz Messengers very relaxed, yet lively. A vamp
SIDE A figure, introduced by bass
album—a lot of variety in moods, he still makes an occasional guest
LOVE DANCE/12:37 settings, and textures, a lot of fine appearance. He settled in California trombone, is prominent throughout,
OBSEQUIOUS/9:28 writing and playing. for a while, and it was there he and Woody's horn, growing out
SIDEB That should be no surprise to made his debut as a leader on of the ensemble into a bright-toned,
followers of Woody Shaw's career. records, with the memorable well-built solo, is the main feature.
SUNBATH/6:33
His name as leader on a date has double LP The Blackstone Legacy, Piano and bass also have solo
ZOLTAN/6:48 followed by Song of Songs, both for spots, and the talented percussion
come to stand for quality; for not
ULFULLY I LOVE YOU/8:13 just a blowing session, but for Les Koenig's Contemporary label. section is active underneath it all.
CK SPIRITUAL OF LOVE) well thought-out and lovingly Back in New York in late 1974, Zoltan is Woody's tribute to
crafted musical statements. he waxed his first album for Muse, the Hungarian composer Zoltan
Woody Shaw was already an The Moontrane (MR 5058), which Kodaly, a contemporary of Bartok
PERSONNEL: and like him fascinated by the
impressively fluent trumpeter when involved a number of people
Woody Shaw/trumpet also participating in this recording: folk music of his native land. It was
he made his recording debut with
Steve Turre/trombone, none other than Eric Dolphy in The rhythm section (excepting first recorded by Larry Young on
bass trombone 1963. Now barely into his 30s, the pianist); trombonist Steve Turre, the album Unity in the mid-sixties,
Rene McLean/soprano sax, he has become a strong and original a Blakey alumnus who has also and again by saxophonist Nathan
voice on his chosen instrument, worked with Chico Hamilton (on Davis (with Woody) for BASF. This
alto sax bass), and producer Michael is an exciting performance, way
a man with his own sound
Billy Harper/tenor tax and story. Cuscuna. up and spirited. The ensemble
Joe Bonner/piano Woody was born into music, so Also a Messenger graduate is voicings and colors are very
Cecil McBee/bass to speak. His father sang with tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, effective, with soprano and bass
the Diamond Jubilee Singers, and later featured with Gil Evans and trombone at top and bottom. The
Victor Lewis/drums sound is fuller than four horns
now a leader in his own right.
Guilherme Franco/percussion he heard a lot of music at home Pianist Joe Bonner, a longtime friend would be expected to yield. Woody
and on the streets of his native
Tony Waters/cungas Newark. When he got his first of Woody's, first came to attention and Billy are very strong here,
trumpet in 1956, at the age of 11, with a youthful New York group Rene's fluent soprano seems to
he eagerly taught himself to play. called the Jazz Samaritans. Joe grow seamlessly from the tenor
In just a week's time, he became Bonner has his own solo album on statement, and Joe digs in, fingers
the best player in his junior high Muse ("The Lifesaver", MR 5065), and ideas flying. I may be mistaken,
school. Later he learned to finger and "Angel Eyes" MR 5114. Rene but the texture of the closing
the horn correctly and also picked McLean, the youngest member ensemble passage seems to reflect
up on basic harmony and theory. of the band, is the son of the great Woody's experience with Gil Evans.
For a while, he wanted to become Jackie McLean, with whom The rhythm players are in fine
a classical trumpeter, but jazz Woody played and recorded in form, and the ending is a fitting
won out. the sixties, and has been making conclusion to a potent performance.
"What really turned me around," a name for himself on the New York Soulfully I Love You, Billy
he once stated, was hearing Dizzy jazz scene. Harper's "Black Spiritual of Love",
Gillespie's record of A Night in Obviously, there is a lot of is a complete contrast in mood, a
Tunesia. Before that, he'd been personal warmth and continuity warm, lovely melody. Billy and
aware of Louis Armstrong, and involved in this music, and it shows. Woody used to play this piece
later he heard Clifford Brown, Love Dance, by Joe Bonner, is with Art Blakey, and Billy recorded
"whose sound just beguiled" him. a piece that first caught Woody's it on his own Strata-East LP
He listened to all the trumpet ear when he heard it performed by Capra Black. Here it is a showcase
players he could get to hear, the composer with the Jazz for Woody's horn at its most
regardless of style, but the biggest Samaritans in 1970, and again mellow. He employs his
influence during his teens came when saxophonist Ramon Morris characteristic "shake" well and
from Brown and Lee Morgan. (a sideman on one of Woody's makes the melody sing. Turre's
When he began to record, Contemporary albums) recorded bass trombone sounds startlingly
however, he was compared to a quintet version of it, which tuba-like as he begins his solo,
Freddie Hubbarb, but while he inspired Woody to try it for a and Bonner again displays his
admires the Naptown Flash, he once larger ensemble. (This attractive lyrical gift before Woody
explained that "Freddie plays more piece is also on Bonner's second recapitulates the melody.
diatonic than I do. I use wider Muse LP.) The trumpet is the main Here is contemporary jazz at its
intervals than Freddie uses ... he solo voice, in a lyrical vein. mature best. This music needs no
is certainly one of the greatest Harper's statement is darker, more labels or explications but goes
trumpet players to come along aggitated, while Turre solos with straight to the heart of the matter.
since the untimely death of Clifford a pleasant, burry sound, in a style
Brown . . . but I don't think I very idiomatic to the instrument. Dan Morgenstern
play like him at all." His primary Obsequious sounds anything but. (Jazz People, a book by Dan Morgen¬
later influences, he added, had been It is an uptempo, driving line by stern in collaboration with photog¬
John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. Larry Young, a boyhood friend rapher Ole Brask, published October,
It was Dolphy who took the of Woody's whom he invited to 1976 by Harry N. Abrams.)
17-year-old trumpeter under his come to Paris with him in 1964.
wing and gave him confidence. Larry wrote the piece in 1966
(Even before that, he'd been especially for his friend, who
regularly getting advice from performed it with the Messengers.
musicians much older than himself.) This version opens with drums,
Dolphy invited Woody to join him and the drums continue in a •
in Europe, but sudden death prominent role throughout, down
intervened. The owner of the club to exchanges with the horns and PRODUCED BY:
in Paris where Dolphy and Shaw the concluding ensemble and MICHAEL CUSCUNA
were to have played asked the cadenzas. In between, a lot Engineer: Eddie Korvin/
young trumpeter to come happens: McLean, on alto, has his Recorded at Blue Rock Studio,
nevertheless. Woody spent a say with a nice edge to his sound
fruitful year in Europe, mostly in New York City
and intonation that remind of
Paris, where he got to know and his father's work, though only in Recorded: November, 1975
play with Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, these aspects; Bonner plays
Donald Byrd and others. imaginatively, with ensemble
He came home to take Carmell punctuations; Woody takes a fleet
Jones's place in Horace Silver's solo; Cecil McBee, impressive
group and remained for almost Art Direction/Design/
throughout this session, has a
three years, then got the road out beautifully articulated spot, and Photography by Hal Wilson
of his system by way of a long Harper surfaces during the
stay in New York. During this time, All photographs appear by permission
exchanges with Victor Lewis, a
he met McCoy Tyner, whom he fine drummer. of photographer/Hal Wilson © 1976
credits with having helped him find
his own style. He became a regular
on Blue Note Records's session
roster, doing dates with, among For free catalog send to Muse Records, A Division of Blanchris, Inc.
others, Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Hank 160 West 71 st Street, New York, N.Y. 10023
Mobley, Jackie McLean and Be jker © ® 1976, Muse Records, A Division of Blanchris, InQ
 LOVE DANCE
WOODY SHAW

MR 5074
STEREO

1. LOVE DANCE (J. Bonner) (Jo«n«r

Music/Barney Music) BMI 12:37
2. OBSEQUIOUS (L. Young) (Unort
Music) BMI 9:28
PRODUCED BY MICHAEL CUSCUNA
® 1976 Muse Records

l^/S/ON OF Rl AHCV^Sii
LOVE DANCE
WOODY SHAW