Long Night

[fasstrack]

Does anyone know this? It came out around '62 on, I believe, Jazzland. Besides Strozier in great form there's: Chris Anderson, Bill Lee, George Coleman, Pat Patrick, Walter Perkins.

Highlights IMO: the ballads Happiness is Just a Thng Called Joe, The Man That Got Away---also Chris Anderson's chord solo on Strozier's The Need for Love---used to give me chills.

One criticism: the terrific program could have been even better if Strozier had a better handle on arranging. His tunes are very nice, but a bit marred by inexperienced 3 saxophone writing (too high and shrill sounding on the title cut, a blues. The same effect would've been had in a lower key and eadier on the ears).

It's a great recording, though, with some of my favorite people. Strozier and cast play their collective ass off.

[brownie]

Great recording indeed! As the vast majority of Strozier's albums.

Still have the original vinyl of 'Long Night'. Now supplemented by the Milestone CD release

which also has Strozier's other album on Riverside 'March of the Siamese Twins'.

It is our loss that Strozier does not record anymore

[Dave James]

My understanding is that he put down the alto and switched to piano as his preferred instrument before dropping out altogether. Agree. Big loss. His two VeeJay recordings, Cloudy and Cool and, especially, The Fantastic Frank Strozier, are really well done. Sure wish someone had recorded his brief dalliance with Miles.

[Jim R]

Great recording indeed! As the vast majority of Strozier's albums.

Still have the original vinyl of 'Long Night'. Now supplemented by the Milestone CD release

which also has Strozier's other album on Riverside 'March of the Siamese Twins'.

... Siamese "Children" (a tune from "The King & I").

I love this CD, btw. Featured one track on my Organissimo Blindfold Test many moons ago.

[J.A.W.]

My understanding is that he put down the alto and switched to piano as his preferred instrument before dropping out altogether. Agree. Big loss. His two VeeJay recordings, Cloudy and Cool and, especially, The Fantastic Frank Strozier, are really well done. Sure wish someone had recorded his brief dalliance with Miles.

His two VeeJay albums were The Fantastic Frank Strozier and Cool, Calm and Collected.

[fasstrack]

The Fantastic Frank Strozier, ....

I think the original title was Fantastic! I remember Wynton Kelly and, if I'm not mistaken, Booker Little being on it. There was a title with 'robin' or some other bird in it---one of his tunes. Very nice stuff.

BTW, supposedly Cannonball Adderley either brought Strozier to Riverside or championed him in some other way. He knew what he was doing, b/c Frank Strozier was playing as much alto as anyone in jazz in the early '60s. There was another group, Chicago-based, I believe, that he was in. Some acronym+a number was the name. (It had J for jazz in it.) That was a hell of a group, too. I think Walter Perkins was in that, too---maybe.

I remember calling Strozier's home in Yonkers once to tell him how much I liked Long Night. I'm sure he was playing only piano by then and not gigging out except on that instrument. His wife or lady answered and seemed touched, saying he'd be glad to hear it, so she apparently told him---and I felt good that she did.

Edited January 26, 2012 by fasstrack

[J.A.W.]

BTW, supposedly Cannonball Adderley either brought Strozier to Riverside or championed him in some other way. He knew what he was doing, b/c Frank Strozier was playing as much alto as anyone in jazz in the early '60s. There was another group, Chicago-based, I believe, that he was in. Some acronym+a number was the name. (It had J for jazz in it.) That was a hell of a group, too. I think Walter Perkins was in that, too---maybe.

I think you mean MJT+3, led by Walter Perkins. It was indeed Chicago-based. Personnel of the original group: Paul Serrano (trumpet), Nicky Hill (tenor saxophone), Muhal Richard Abrams (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Walter Perkins (leader, drums). They recorded for Argo in 1957; the album was released on CD in Japan and recently reissued with Paul Serrano's album Blues Holiday on a "2LPs-on-1CD" by Fresh Sound. Later MJT+3 personnel: Willie Thomas (trumpet), Frank Strozier (alto saxophone), Harold Mabern (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Walter Perkins (leader, drums). They recorded for VeeJay in 1959-1960; those recordings were reissued on CD by Koch.

Edited January 26, 2012 by J.A.W.

[mikeweil]

Noal Cohen compiled Frank Strozier's discography - another excellent job! Click here ...

[Niko]

I think you mean MJT+3, led by Walter Perkins.

iirc it stands for "Modern Jazz Two +3" meaning that in addition to the two leaders, Perkins and Cranshaw, the "Modern Jazz Two", there were three additional musicians

[mikeweil]

That's correct - Noal tells it this way, too.

[David Ayers]

Another for this record.

[medjuck]

Frank Strozier was playing as much alto as anyone in jazz in the early '60s.

I saw him during that period and thought it was one of the best sets I'd ever heard. Made me realize that a lot of great jazz men were not well known but could still knock you out.

[fasstrack]

BTW, supposedly Cannonball Adderley either brought Strozier to Riverside or championed him in some other way. He knew what he was doing, b/c Frank Strozier was playing as much alto as anyone in jazz in the early '60s. There was another group, Chicago-based, I believe, that he was in. Some acronym+a number was the name. (It had J for jazz in it.) That was a hell of a group, too. I think Walter Perkins was in that, too---maybe.

I think you mean MJT+3, led by Walter Perkins. It was indeed Chicago-based. Personnel of the original group: Paul Serrano (trumpet), Nicky Hill (tenor saxophone), Muhal Richard Abrams (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Walter Perkins (leader, drums). They recorded for Argo in 1957; the album was released on CD in Japan and recently reissued with Paul Serrano's album Blues Holiday on a "2LPs-on-1CD" by Fresh Sound. Later MJT+3 personnel: Willie Thomas (trumpet), Frank Strozier (alto saxophone), Harold Mabern (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Walter Perkins (leader, drums). They recorded for VeeJay in 1959-1960; those recordings were reissued on CD by Koch.

That's it! Thanks. Pianist Burt Eckoff played it for me and it knocked me out. In fact, he first played Long Night for me, also Chris Anderson's Inverted Image. He was tight with Chris. (Later Chris and I became friends too---through Barry Harris's Jazz Cultural Theater---and I played with him a few times, including--I'm proud to say---at his request. I remain a huge admirer, especially of his rubato ballad playing. On Long Night, and generally back then he played with more groups).

On reflection I would put Long Night, the players on it, and especially the material into a category of jazz Romanticism: a very lyrical approach to playing that still swung.

Frank Strozier was playing as much alto as anyone in jazz in the early '60s.

I saw him during that period and thought it was one of the best sets I'd ever heard. Made me realize that a lot of great jazz men were not well known but could still knock you out.

Clarence C. Sharpe was another one---and personally beloved by all us NY musicians. He was special, a passionate player. Edited January 26, 2012 by fasstrack

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWNXOfXUlmE

[mikeweil]

Put on Long Night again this evening - very nice album, but what enchants me the most are the tracks with Coleman and Pat Patrick - great writing for three saxes.

My only complaint: the two flutes on track 6 are not in tune, like they stood on each other's toes ... hard to endure.

[fasstrack]

Put on Long Night again this evening - very nice album, but what enchants me the most are the tracks with Coleman and Pat Patrick - great writing for three saxes.

My only complaint: the two flutes on track 6 are not in tune, like they stood on each other's toes ... hard to endure.

Pat desewrves his own thread. Great player, great guy. I used to jam with him and Eddie Diehl. He was a hell of a tenor player (not well known) and doubled on Fender bass.

[CJ Shearn]

Isn't C. Sharpe's only recorded appearance on Mogie's "Indeed!"? Lee had the otherwise unknown Kenny Rodgers on sax.

[paul secor]

Isn't C. Sharpe's only recorded appearance on Mogie's "Indeed!"? Lee had the otherwise unknown Kenny Rodgers on sax.

He's on Archie Shepp's For Losers album. I used to have that one but don't anymore. Can't remember if C. Sharpe solos on it. I'm sure someone else can provide that information.

[AllenLowe]

he plays very nicely on the Shepp -

[JSngry]

He appears in tandem with his wife, who sings "I Got It Bad".

[Chuck Nessa]

He's also on the Uptown Freddie Redd record.

[JSngry]

And a Clifford Jordan Big Band record...forget which one/which label right now.

[paul secor]

He's also on the Uptown Freddie Redd record.

I have that record and forgot he was on it. Thanks for the reminder.

[CJ Shearn]

Thanks for the info

[fasstrack]

He appears in tandem with his wife, who sings "I Got It Bad".

But Schepp ruins it. He won't shut up, yammering throughout C's. one friggin' solo on the whole record (alright, maybe he got two.

My next article is gonna be about C. Sharpe. I knew him very well, much better than I knew Chris. A beautiful cat with talent that reached everyone who heard it and mental energy that could tire you out.