Search - Curtis Counce :: Sonority

For diehards only.

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 05/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Diehard" is right. They're long-gone, nearly forgotten, and were obscure in the first place, but the Curtis Counce Group created music that some of us are unwilling to let go of--no less precious than the music recorded about the same time by Miles' quintet with Coltrane on Columbia. There were three albums made for Contemporary records (all five-star dates, to say the least, though "The Curtis Counce Group" is the best), and "Sonority" was a later Contemporary release consisting of out-takes. It should be placed no higher than 4th on anyone's priority list (5th, if a listener feels inclined to pick up "Exploring the Future," worthy music but often inferior, distorted sound on another label--and without the irreplaceable trumpet of Jack Sheldon).



I'd rate this disc five stars were it not for the presence of Gerald Wilson in Sheldon's place on half of the tracks. Notice the let-down upon Wilson's first entrance after a brilliant Land solo on "So Nice" (not to mention the same on "Night in Tunisia"). Besides more great work by the other four members, the disc offers a fuller picture of the most underrated among the overlooked--the leader's contributions on bass. He gets more solo time, including a walking bass solo, that reveals the distinctively bouyant, richly resonant quality of his sound (like no other that I've heard on the Contemporary label at this time) as well as the inspired note choices of his walking lines and the unique architechtonics of his solo conceptions--employing more of a Coleman Hawkins' harmonic approach than most bass players of the day, along with a nimble playfulness (closer to Pettiford than to Mingus, Brown, Chambers).



Although Amazon's listings are usually pretty accurate, my impression is that "Sonority" is still in print and is available from Concord Records at a more sensible, non-collector's price than the one currently showing on Amazon from private sellers. If not, I may just wait until my misplaced copy decides to rematerialize.



[Note: With the exception of "A Night in Tunisia" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?," you won't find this material on the new 2007 Spanish import that gathers together the major Contemporary sessions, limited to the master takes, along with a few assorted odds and ends such as the two aforementioned tracks.]"