Search - Red Holloway :: Red Holloway & Company

Underestimated as a bop or straight jazz player.............

Robert J. Ament | Ballwin, MO United States | 03/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"at least that's my perception. I've always thought of Red Holloway mostly in R&B settings or Soul Jazz. Actually he's also a strong Bop musician......and could probably do anything that he wanted to play. That's called talent....of which he has an abundance!



I dug out this cd after reviewing "Some Cats Know" by Jeanie Bryson on which Red provided some excellent backing. This cd finds him in a quartet setting where the group plays two originals and six other more or less familiar tunes.



Highlights?.............well, I like the first cut, "But Not For Me", which starts off with a mellow first chorus before Red displays his individualistic improvisation while still retaining the melody. The group really wrings out all the possibilities of "Caravan". "Passion Flower" sounds good as a tenor sax spotlight almost as well as the unforgettable alto treatment by Johnny Hodges. Holloway shows some break-neck chops on a burning "Well, You Needn't". "Summertime" has a real unusual treatment with the lead off beat and first few notes which had me thinking of "St. Louis Blues". On "What's New" Red switched to alto sax and from what I heard, he's one of those few players that is equally adept at playing both tenor and alto.



The rhythm section on this set is tremendous, led by pianist Cedar Walton. The best accolade for Cedar is a comment made by Sonny Stitt, "If you play with Cedar, be sure to solo first. He sure is a tough man to follow". Bassist Richard Reid and drummer Jimmie Smith are the other two members of this superb section.







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