Search - Clifford Jordan :: Royal Ballads

One of three must have Clifford Jordan LP's

C. Katz | Peoples Republic Of Massachussettes | 05/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Criss Cross label must have had something in the coffee a their studio in Holland (or maybe it was the brownies-it's Amsterdam after all) but they had a knack of getting either the best or close to best Lp's out of artists (I think of Warne Marsh's Criss Cross LP "Star High's" the best thing I think he ever did).Now here we have and artists that never made a bad LP as a leader the GREAT Clifford Jordan who with the exception of one weird LP (His Leadbelly tribute LP in early 60's with Banjo-didn't work for me) always was good and normally excellent in crafting LP and mostly do to his playing which was as good as any post Coltrane tenor player.My only exception to this might be the Magic Triangle Live Lp's he did on Steeplechase which were just OK.But here we have him at Cris Cross.Jordan along with pianist Kevin O'Connell, bassist Ed Howard and Ahmad Jamal's former drummer Vernell Fournier.They play:

1)Lush Life

2)Pannonica

3)Royal Blues (C.Jordan)

4)Little Girl Blue

5)Armando (V.Fournier)

6)Don't Get Around Much Anymore

7)Everything Happens to Me

8)'Round About Midnight

The opener as previous reviewer said is perfection.Also a highlight is Ellington's "Little Girl Blue".I recommend this CD no matter what you have to pay for it.The other two I love (I must have 15 Jordan CD's and recommend his Blue "Clift Craft","Four Play" on DIW,and so many more) is another Criss Cross CD called "Two Tenor Winner" with fellow tenor player Junior Cook.It is the antithesis of a "Tenor Battle".The two of them weave complimentary lines that makes you wish more great sax pairings thought about and charted two tenor quintets like this.From the opener the great tune "The Cup Bearer's" byt Tom McIntosh you know you've got a great hour of music ahead of you.The other CD I recommended is the incredible well recorded Mappleshade CD (like all of their CD straight to two track tape no mixing board) "Live At Ethel's".I can think of no D that transports you to a great mall group jazz show as well.You can hear everything the breath's being drawn,fingers rubbing the strings before being plucked on the bass,the room everything.It has a fantastic Jordan delivered vocal and sax delivered "Lush Life" that is hard to beat.But these this "Royal Ballads" is just fantastic from a consistently great player who was flexible from playing with the out Ran Blake on piano to running a fine small big band and was just one opf the best.I wish he had stayed on the planet longer but what he left is a legacy to be cherished.

Cheers

Chazzz"

Best Version of "Lush Life"

George | Tokyo, Japan | 05/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know this CD is fairly expensive, but it is definitely worth it. Clifford Jordan's tone is unique and infectious. Just listen to the beauty of his playing on Lush Life. I think this version of Lush Life is on-par with the John Coltrane-Johnny Hartman version if not better. Please, it's a wonderful album from a very underrated player, if you are thinking about getting it, don't hesitate."