Search - Benny Bailey :: Big Brass

One of Bailey's best and a standout in Candid catalog

C. Katz | Peoples Republic Of Massachussettes | 06/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The superb hard bop Trumpet maser Benny Bailey got this session together with Alto ace Phil Woods,French Horn master Julius Watkins,and Les Aspin who plays flute (and I am trying to remember if he does some guitar work here as well).The horn front line is backed by Tommy Flanagan,Buddy Catlett on Bass,and Art Taylor on Drums.The emphasis here is on big band writer/composer.Cuts are:

1.Hard Sock Dance (Quincy Jones)

2.Alison (Hale Smith)

3.Tipsy (Oliver Nelson)

4.Please Say Yes (Tom McIntosh)

This is followed my one minor standard

5.A Kiss to Build a Dream On (Hammerstein, Kalmar, Ruby)

and then one origninal by Bailey himself:

6.Maud's Mood (Bailey)

Overall the music is excellent well rehearsed advanced small big band work with enough space for great solos and album has a relaxed warm feel to it.All music gives it 4.5 stars and it was one of the Candid LP's pressed in large numbers (you see it around on LP it's not rare),If you like Coltrane's Africa Brass (though this isn't on scale or as monumental a work) or say Freddy Hubbards "Body And Soul" this should appeal to you.They re-did this under a different tile as Hard Sock Dance on a cheapo label but unless you have LP or Japan press sound is abnout same.I just was upset that I bought "Hard Sock" thinking it was an original album.

Cheers

Chazz"