Everything Happens to Me [Short Version] - Ike Quebec, Adair, Thomas
Mardi Gras - Ike Quebec, Quebec, Ike
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes - Ike Quebec, Adams, S.
For All We Know - Ike Quebec, Coots, J. F.
Ill Wind - Ike Quebec, Arlen, H.
Track Listings (13) - Disc #2
If I Could Be with You - Ike Quebec, Creamer, H.
I've Got the World on a String - Ike Quebec, Arlen, Harold
Me 'N' Mabe - Ike Quebec, Quebec, Ike
Everything Happens to Me [Long Version] - Ike Quebec, Adair, Thomas
All of Me - Ike Quebec, Marks, G.
Intermezzo - Ike Quebec, Henning, R.
But Not for Me - Ike Quebec, Gershwin, G.
All the Way - Ike Quebec, Cahn, Sammy
How Long Has This Been Going On - Ike Quebec, Gershwin, G.
With a Song in My Heart - Ike Quebec, Hart, Lorenz
Imagination - Ike Quebec, Burke, J.
What Is There to Say - Ike Quebec, Duke, V.
There Is No Greater Love - Ike Quebec, Jones, Isham
Ike Quebec was one of the great tenor saxophonists to emerge from the swing era with a sound and drive that came straight from the early giants of the horn, Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. Like Webster, he had a multi-hue... more »d sound, with a thousand gradations from honk to gruff aside to breathy sweetness. A featured soloist with Cab Calloway before slipping into obscurity, Quebec renewed an association with Blue Note in 1959, recording extensively with the label until his death in 1963. His singles are elemental music, much like those of Gene Ammons, and they show Quebec in all his glory, bouncing and wailing on jump tunes like "Zonky," "Mardi Gras" and "Me 'n' Mabe." But his finest moments came on soulful ballads and slow blues, songs like "Blue Monday" and "Everything Happens to Me," when he could embrace a melody with all the dimensions of his sound. --Stuart Broomer« less
Ike Quebec was one of the great tenor saxophonists to emerge from the swing era with a sound and drive that came straight from the early giants of the horn, Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. Like Webster, he had a multi-hued sound, with a thousand gradations from honk to gruff aside to breathy sweetness. A featured soloist with Cab Calloway before slipping into obscurity, Quebec renewed an association with Blue Note in 1959, recording extensively with the label until his death in 1963. His singles are elemental music, much like those of Gene Ammons, and they show Quebec in all his glory, bouncing and wailing on jump tunes like "Zonky," "Mardi Gras" and "Me 'n' Mabe." But his finest moments came on soulful ballads and slow blues, songs like "Blue Monday" and "Everything Happens to Me," when he could embrace a melody with all the dimensions of his sound. --Stuart Broomer
"Ike Quebec was a surperb musician who has been almost totally ignored by many music historians. Trained as an orchestral musician as well as a featured soloist, he found himself less in demand as the big-band era began to fade. In 1959 Alfred Lion knew Quebec was something special and produced these fabulous Blue Note singles during what is considered his comeback years from 1959-1962. Quebec cut four 45 RPM dates over a two or so year period. Most of the consistantly great 26 selections here offer the big, vibrant tone, bluesy phrasing, and magnificent heart felt solos Quebec is known for by his fans. Great set."
Fantastic & Finally Affordable!!
JPN | Amherst, MA United States | 10/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These great recordings have only been previously available on a long out-of-print Mosaic Records set that commanded stratospheric prices. Now, Blue Note has reissued them in a nice package with fantastic sound. Accessible, soulful and thoroughly enjoyable. Grab it while you can!!"
Epitath for a giant?
Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 10/31/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In his excellent sleeve notes Bob Porter from WBGO says, "If you are coming to these sides for the first time, you are in for a treat". I was. They are! The disks have Quebec playing with an ever changing array of sidesmen, with prominent organ playing from Edwin Swanston (Tracks 1 to 8), Sir Charles Thompson (Disk 1 9-13 Disk 2 1-4) and Earl Van Dyke (the Motown EVD?)[Disk 2 5-13).The Sir Charles tracks are a basic quartet whereas on the other tracks there is the addition of a guitarist. Whatever the style or genre that the compositions embrace Quebec stamps an authority on them all, but always allows space for (particularly the organ players) to solo. Nor, as the strictures of the sessions might have suggested, are they in any way formulaic, they are played as the sleevenotes suggest 'with creativity and conviction'. Despite the price this would seem like a good place to start to listen to Quebec, still undiminished in his playing despite health problems that were obviously starting to beset him. I'm only amazed that the sessions are still current in the Blue Note catalogue and having been unavailable for so long ought to be snapped up before they disappear."
The Other Sides of Ike Quebec
Richard B. Luhrs | Jackson Heights, NY United States | 12/11/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Bringing together all of Ike Quebec's 1959-62 Blue Note singles, this double-disc compilation is a stimulating and worthy companion piece to the series of great albums the tenor saxophonist recorded for the label in his final months. While naturally not as coherent a program as any of those gems, the 45s (recorded on four different dates over a thirty-one-month period with four - well, three and a quarter - different ensembles) more than compensate with their scope and variety. A whopping twenty-six cuts comprise this set, with half a dozen of Ike's own tunes alongside bits of the great American songbook and more esoteric jazz staples. All are played with exemplary taste and skill, and heard this way they add up to a fairly strong - if at times inconsistent - album in their own right. I'd still recommend one of Quebec's latterday LPs for those as yet unfamiliar with him; fans, however, can and should take great pleasure in this sizable addition to Ike's small but spellbinding 1960s output."