Search - Earl Bostic :: Plays Jazz Standards

The forgotten trailblazer... ! ! !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 07/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In his time, Earl Bostic was maligned by the JAZZ POLICE as the ultimate traitor... a bebopper who went from Minton's to ROCK AND ROLL PAYDIRT almost overnight... beyond his accountant few were forgiving until recently.



Fact: Bostic could play. Documentation of him blowing at Minton's prove it... He gave Charlie Parker a good run for his money. Another session (featuring Groove Holmes) called JAZZ AS I FEEL IT (often reissued as JAZZ TIME) proves it: If Bostic walked in the room and you thought YOU had something to prove, you were in for a good *ss-whupping.



So what happened? Nothing... he simply came up with his own sound and stopped jamming. - - FLAMINGO was the tune that really did it for him. Featuring a nasty, filthy, dirty, sexy delightful buzz tone "take it off" sound (*and that's what many people did, it became a stipper's anthem)... his ensembles swing (like much of early rock and roll), and are even sweetened up by the trademark presence of vibes... but at the same time, there's always always a strong 50's rock and roll back beat to get the bobby socksers going... Though not as notey as bop, there's a sense of melody, control or tone and purposeful power in his playing that for years was missed by many... Whereas the boppers might play 100 notes, Bostic plays half, but not because he can't - - simply because that's what he has to say: The end result: Immaculate phrasing... and to boot, he's such a powerful leader, Bostic's sideman rarely have to take their solos too... he can blow straight through the track and you never lose interest (even though his sideman happened to include the likes of John Coltrane, Barney Kessell, Stanley Turrentine and others when they were just learning the ropes.)



All in all my opinion is that Bostic is the ideal horn player to listen to if you want to really get a feel for a standard... He plays the melody strongly and with conviction then rolls with the ideas... No horn player in the history of Jazz or rock and roll (despite the critical malignment he received) has ever had such a listener enthralling upfront sound... Yeah, very in your face (almost obnoxiously so if you want to compare it to the coolness of Stan Getz or Paul Desmond)... but at the same time beyond the buzztone there's melodic substantiveness... not just a bunch of screeching.



Bostic's been gone for almost 50 years... but today it seems to me that people are finally ready for him, even if his sound also is a throwback to a piece of lost Americana...



If you like Bostic, check out Red Prysock too ! ! !"

Huggy likes jazz

R. A. Huggan | Selkirk , Scotland. | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd was the best jazz saxophone I have heard since Sydney Bechet. Can't stop playing it, for the selection of tunes is such,that I never weary of hearing them again & again.

Sent my cousin a copy after buying mine, & she was just as pleased as I was. I have also recommended it to my Jazz loving Brother."