Search - Julian Priester & Walter Benton :: Out of This World

It's Always Something...--"Iris" deleted!

Mike DiMartino | Rochester, NY | 01/25/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hi, you might call this a preliminary review that I might be editing later. You see, I was so enthused, I began the review while I was still listening to the first tune of the second of this CD's two LPs (the one I initially bought this CD for) OUT OF THIS WORLD, of which I've had an old mono original LP for years. All I could think was to make haste to Amazon to say you really gotta hear the horns on this, in its true stereo form, unadulterated by any pseudo enhancements--I mean, Freddie is recorded so big, bold, fat but warm but brassy...



But then I happened to notice, in tiny lettering, that "Iris" (a different Iris than Wayne Shorter's) was left off the CD because it would not fit. Can you believe that!? "Iris" is the first of the original LP's two ballads, the second being "Lover Man." Yes, of course, these Milestone lames included "Lover Man" in this CD--like we need another done-to-death "Lover Man"--instead of something different, fresh and original--"Iris."



Of course, the Japanese, with their strict and meticulous attention to original detail, would never have presented such lamity. AND they would have replicated the original cover art of both LPs (instead of this cropped together composite with its cluttersome added graphics). (Interesting to note, there's a big, blank waste of a page in the booklet; it's not as though both covers "wouldn't have fitted," one on the front, one inside.) So, once again, buying domestic proved to be a gamble. You can't win, it seems--there's always some F-up to disappoint us (the most common of which is lousy, rush-job domestic mastering and its tweaked highs, fake stereo, added reverb and other assorted so called digital enhancements).



I don't know--wouldn't you rather have had a shorter CD but with the complete session? Aren't you wondering what the omitted "Iris" sounds like? Too bad...because this Iris, like Wayne Shorter's Iris on Miles' ESP CD, is gorgeous. But you'll never know, unless you pay collector bucks for the original LP on eBay. But, hey, after you've invested so much cash into this session, you can then go to the bother of making your own CD with a tacked-on but nice, warm-sounding vinyl Iris! And designate it as a bonus track yet! Of course, to make it all complete, you'll need the original Priester LP, too, so you'll have both covers to copy and reduce to jewel case size, lest we forget.



Oh, well, now I'll go and listen to the Julian Priester session, and we'll see if Milestone messed that one up too...



February 17, '06: Wow, I really love SPIRITSVILLE, the Julian Priester session. Not taking anything away from trombonist Priester, SPRITSVILLE'S leader, you gotta check out the work of unsung baritone sax great Charles Davis--what a sound, what lines--he very imaginatively eats up these chord changes--and he swings. In fact, a few other sessions come to mind that feature Davis: Kenny Dorham's JAZZ CONTEMPORARY and the session that was reissued on Xanadu LP; also Steve Lacy's THE STRAIGHT HORN OF...



Though this is among the best playing I've heard from Priester--the trombonist--Walter Benton, on tenor, is a stand out soloist here and actually seems to play better on this session than on his own OUT OF THIS WORLD (maybe that's because when you're a sideman, not leader, the pressure's somewhat off). Benton's "Donna's Waltz" is my pick--real fresh, catchy tune.



McCoy fans will take interest in a very young Tyner's playing.



Soundwise, thankfully Milestone didn't mess with the original audio, another gorgeous recording engineered by the great Ray Fowler."

Trombone ace and sax showcase

J. Levinson | Media, PA USA | 01/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD combines 2 vintage releases, featuring trombone ace Julian Priester and saxophonist Walter Benton. Pianist McCoy Tyner and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard are also on-hand, and though it was early in their careers, you can hear some of their future potential. A tasty double serving of mainstream bop from the golden era."

Swinging

Steven D. wheeler | LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK United States | 06/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These cats really swing. The late sam jones,paul chambers jimmy cobb,wyton,julian priester and benton make this enjoyable.Remaster could have been better,but still its enjoyable to listen to great musicians"