Search - Brother Jack Mcduff :: Screamin'

Aptly Titled Album - - Duff *IS* Screamin ' ! ! !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 02/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great 'Duff quartet session circa '62 is anything but laid back. Opens with a great hot blowing session type blues in which the Captain launches out some of the slickest and most funky lines you'll ever hear on a B-3, backed by his trademark heavy swinging Basie'istic Basslines. - - Throughout the tune I'm impressed by the "coherence" and linearity of his lines... sharp as a knife, even as those slick changes blow by. Kenny Burrell is nice 'n bluesy... then Leo Wright, fresh from The Dizzy Gillespie Quintet comes at ya blowing with a virtuoistic Charlie Parker bebopistic calliber you don't necessarilly associated with the Blue Note sound of that era. Actually it takes a while to get used. Next comes SOULFUL DRUMS, a laid back Night Train-istic blues which gives Dukes and opportunity to show off and heat things up, followed by a sharp pianistic Shirley Scottish "take me down yonder, and bartender poor me another one while I go slow dance with my lady" type blues. SCREAM, the title track is hard to describe... a gospelly up tempo carribean boogaloo "Its Alright" type thing with some excellent work by Joe Dukes. After that, its time for a change of pace as Dukes gets out the brushes, Burell strums lighfully, and McDuff "Squabbles" A.K.A. the ol' time Leslie on fast 800008888 sound of Eroll and Jimmy Smith... Duff is tasty and soulful on this one, and hits some nice changes. - - and the final cut of the night is One O'Clock Jump, a fine 12 bar blues wrap up to a great screamin' session by the late Brother Jack's true idol, the original Captain... or should I say "Count", Mr. Basie himself. I love Brother Jack's comping and immaculate basslines behind Kenny Burell's slick soloing... and again, the Bird-istic Leo Wright has a purrrrrty good time on this one too featuring a really cute vamp section that really conjures up the Count ! ! !Overall, this is a GREAT, bluesy heavy swinging toe tapping McDuff session well worth digging - - If you like this, check out one of my all time favorite McDuff sessions, LIVE - - as well as Johnny Hammond Smith's Black Coffee... heavy stuff here... By the time the CD is over, you'll think it went all too quick !"

Brother Jack is always a "real gone guy."

DJ Rix | NJ USA | 12/28/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Durned fine funky 1962 session from Brother Jack McDuff. Joined here by brothers "Right" Leo Wright on alto, Joe "Put up Yer" Dukes on Soulful Drums & Kenny "nonpareil" Burrell on guitar. Brother Jack is always a "real gone guy." Maybe not quite up to the band with George Benson, but close enough.

Bob Rixon, WFMU"

Essential Jazz Organ Sounds

William Saffell | Fredericksburg, Virginia United States | 07/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Brother Jack Mcduff's first recording as a leader, after some stellar work as a sideman for artists like Willis Jackson. Mcduff is joined by alto saxophonist Leo Wright, guitarist Kenny Burrell, who contributed great work to a number of classic Jimmy Smith sides, and the great Joe Dukes, who would later join George Benson and tenor sax stalwart Red Holloway to form Mcduff's great touring band, on drums. The set kicks off with Nellie Lutcher's "He's a Real Gone Guy", and it's like Brother Jack just can't wait to get started, noodling some on the keys and then breaking out into a hard swinging uptempo groove. "Soulful Drums" features great slow and funky Joe Dukes drum work over a terrific down&dirty bass line on the organ. This is one example of a tune living up to its name! The material is a good blend of blues, bop and swing, capping it all with a knockout version of Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump". Note Kenny Burrell's playing toward the end of this tune, in which he emulates the horn section riffs on the original recording and helps the solid little combo sound almost like a Basie-style big band. Mcduff and his sidemen excel throughout, either soloing or in support. This is exemplary ensemble playing. Sadly, Brother Jack Mcduff passed away last year, but he left behind a wonderful legacy of some of the greatest jazz organ music ever recorded. This is an excellent place to start getting acquainted with it."