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Stanley Turrentine & The Three Sounds


paul secor

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IMHO, this is one of the greatest things on BN, esp'ly the deluxe dbl time ed with its extra (earlier) session. However, in previous discussions on this and that other board, there was a substantial dissenting opinion which found it to be kinda snoozy. It's more a blue ballads thing than a blues album per see and I would expect that opinion would divide along the same lines as the recent AOW discussion of Street of Dreams. Maybe we could do a poll on these two and, say, A I Blue? Hopefully if you weigh the various members opinions according to what you know 'bout there tastes relative to your own you will get a good indicator of whether you will like it (not that it's ever totally that simple, nor should it be).

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This is good music, but I've never been as excited about this one as much as I would have expected, being a solid Turrentine and Gene Harris fan.

For my money, the later collaboration of Turrentine and Harris on Concord (Gene Harris Trio Plus One) is considerably more satisfying. But I am probably in a minority.

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It's bluesy, greazey, slooooow and mellow. I'm in the same camp as danasgoodstuff--I like it. But I do remember the dissenting opinions from the previous discussion.

I threw it on right now as I haven't played it in a bit. "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?" is reminding me why I should play it more often.

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I liked the 2nd (bonus) disc better than the first disc. I don't think The Three Sounds are particularly bad (and they're probably quite good for what they are), but they don't really excite me very much either.

That said, I traded off my Conn of this to Connie500, and haven't missed it.

Some people here probably love it, but it didn't really do all that much for me. The playing was certainly not substandard, but I did find it (especially the first disc, but at least half of the 2nd disc too) kinda 'snoozy' - as someone else here already said.

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I heard "Alone Together" on the radio recently - and while I was immediately sure it was Gene Harris on piano (although actually I don't know more of his than this 2CD set and two Three Sounds discs), but somehow I had very very long to find out the tenorist was Turrentine. My main problem was that I thought this was one of those Harris Concord albums (I know none of them), the style of music they dub "modern mainstream" here.

However the interpretation of that nice standard struck me as beautifully crafted, open-minded swining music.

I usually tend to under-estimate the whole album, though every time I spin it again (three or four times a year, maybe), it strucks me as a very fine one!

ubu

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I'm a fan of Stanley Turrentine's early recordings. I'm not much of a Three Sounds fan (peace, Dan).

Peace back atcha! ;)

If I may interject, Stanley sounds very fine on these two dates, very soulful on the original session while, as noted, the remaining cuts have less of the so-called "snooze" factor that some feel.

Honestly, if you dig Stanley and don't hate the Sounds, you ought to enjoy this one.

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I think you guys (except the former GHF, of course) are somewhat off base on this. This is a very good date. I'm glad to have gotten the 2 cd version. It's very mellow and bluesy but it is "the Blue Hour". I've played this over and over and have enjoyed the heck out of it. Even if you don't like the Sounds, Gene Harris is great here. I love GH Plus One but for my money this is a wee bit better. I had the old one cd version but go the 2 cd version as soon as it came out.

Willow Weep for Me is to kill for :tup .

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Agree, Brad, "Willow" is a ballad performance for the ages. The whole collection is a classic in my view, with the originally issued album far superior for me. You have to be in the mood to let it unfold at its own pace and just let it wash over you. When you are, the magic of Gene Harris and Mr. T in their prime should take hold.

As I've said before, my only problem with this one is that the Conn reissue sounds excessively harsh and sibilant, which was not present on prior CD reissues (although the clarity/presence has been improved).

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Thanks for your responses. I believe I'll pick it up - sounds like a good bluesy, late night/rainy afternoon recording.

This is the key to this stuff - it's not spring or summer music. it's very definitely winter music. Just depends on your mindset.

It's my rainy day in January album. That's how it was the first time I ever heard it and I fell in love with the music.

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I'm very partial to both Stan and the Three Sounds, and I like this set. To be honest, I don't reach for it often. This is partly because far too much other stuff has arrived since I got the "Blue Hour" set!

It might be an idea to have a thread about albums that we really like, but seldom actually play. But I'm too lazy to start one ...

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This set works great to invite your wife or significant other to set in on one of your listening sessions. Normally, on a lot of the hard bop I play, my wife either shuts my door to seperate us or won't enter the room unless I turn everything down. Try it and you might be surprised; a little wine, candle light, you catch my drift? :wub:

Edited by dova
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It might be an idea to have a thread about albums that we really like, but seldom actually play. But I'm too lazy to start one ...

Yes, a good idea for a thread.

Hey, wasn't there another thread where everybody was too lazy to do whatever???

I'd do a search myself, and post a link to it here, but... ...well, you know. ;)

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  • 18 years later...

Seems like the right place to post this:

I came across Bill Dowdy's son on Facebook and he just informed me that his dad used to tell him about the time that the boys from Blue Hour appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

I am not convinced that this was the case, or perhaps they appeared when Jack Paar still hosted?  The album was recorded in 1960 and Billboard published a review in March 1961. Carson didn't take over until 1962.  I guess it could have still been a hit that much later? Or he said it was Carson when it was Paar.

I don't think that Dowdy would lie about being on the Tonight Show and that's good enough for me.  :tup:tup:tup

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I like this album, but it’s not my fave Turrentine nor is it my fave “late night low key” BN album.  I’d give it a B-

No offense intended toward the folks on this board who I respect a lot but really love this album.

Edited by Guy Berger
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