Blue: good soloist. But Brownie and Lee Morgan were better.
Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 08/04/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If it would be a Wynton Kelly album without Blue Mitchell I would consider this a very strong release because the rhythm section works effortlessy. Wynton Kelly plays magnificiently as he always did by the way. His combo here is an impeccable swing machine. But this is a Blue Mitchell album so considerations about Blue Mitchell should have the priority. Blue was a "sound trumpeter" a "melodical trumpeter" not a technical trumpeter or the deepest one. He was quite conservative and not very innovative. He was the typical fifties trumpeter of Clifford Brown school, good sound, lyrical, his lines were nice, very melodical with singing qualities, lines that were always really near the center of the tonality almost without outside notes. But he didn't have the Brownie's genius neither his superb technique. He was not deep as Miles, or "forward" like Lee Morgan, or bluesy and earthshaking like Nat Adderley. He was in the middle of everything, he wasn't the best in anything. Anyway listen to him is still a pleasure because he played well and he is quite melodical. Listen to Blue is easy, he would be a great choice for a person who approaches Jazz for the first time probably. He shines in the ballads, "When I fall in love" is a splendid for example, but he plays well the medium tempo too like he did in the last track here "I wish I knew" or on the very beautiful opener "I'll close my eyes". He had a beautiful sound and played the melodies (slow or medium) with tenderness and proper time (it is not an easy thing to do because the ballad time is really slow here). I don't find particularly spectacular his playing on Scrapple just considering that he was not technical enough or complex enough to be shoking on that kind of tunes. I prefer him when he plays in his territories, the medium or the slow tempos. The opener, I have to repeat myself is really an uplifting tune and Blue's playing is quite good on that track. Uh, Just another consideration, I prefer his "Blue soul" album to this one. It is more various (you have two horns) and definitly better. In the end sure this is a good album, it has its pluses, Blue plays well, the Wynton's combo is exceptional, tune selection is nice and balanced. And infact I gave this album four full stars. But not five stars because otherwise I wouldn't have stars enough for Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan albums which are a lot better."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1
