Search - Willis Jackson :: Soul Night Live With Pat Martino

My New Favorite Album of All-Time!!!!!

Daniel Marsalone | Phoenix, AZ USA | 11/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay here is the deal I recently stumbled into the world of Willis "Gator" Jackson. I had heard of his name but never saw any records of his at Tower or Virgin so never heard the guy since they don't play him on the local jazz station or satellite jazz channels. I heard a little bit on the net and decided to get a few albums.



This album has jumped into the rarified air of being one of my all time favorites. It is right up there with Gene Ammons Live in Chicago which is a simply incredible album as well.



Willis Jackson is from the same school as Gene Ammons, similar tone, similar vibe but with a little more R&B running through his veins. I don't know why this guy is so underrated and seems to get no mention anywhere but he needs to get his love. If you love Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, Gator Jackson will sound like an old friend.



As to this record, what is amazing is how tight the arrangments are. I mean on most other live albums there pretty much is no arrangements, just Stitt or Ammons telling someone to lay out or start trading fours... This group has some nice real tight riffs and counterlines, intros, the whole nine yards. Also live is always best with jazz and it makes this record so much better. The group has Willis Jackson on tenor, Carl Wilson on organ, Pat Martino on guitar (who made a lot of great Don Patterson albums), Frank Robinson on trumpet, and Joe Hadrick on drums.



I think what makes the arrangements really fly is the fact that you have a trumpeter in the group. Most organ based groups only have guitar and sax but the trumpet adds something special to the mix.



As far as solos, well Willis Jackson and Pat Martino bring down the house number after number and there is a good mix of ballads, up tempo tunes and blues. This CD is actually two LPs put together so there are a lot of tunes here. It is from 1964 when Willis was kicking butt and taking names so I can't recommend this album enough.



Also if you dig Willis "Gator" Jackson, be sure to check out his earlier work. He recorded a lot great stuff with Brother Jack McDuff in the late 50's and early 60's so if you love organ jazz give this cat a listen. I really feel like I've been missing out all these years."