Soul Stream Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Just picked this up last night. I'd held off because of the expensive price tag, and to be honest...I've always liked this session, but never listened to it that much. However, the extra tracks REALLY make this for me. "Blues In The Closet" alone is one of the best versions I've heard of that title. Anyway, for those on the fence about it, I would just say the bonus material is worth the price. Also the sound is very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Frankly, I liked the bonus material better than much of the original session. Traded it to Conn500 a month ago. What say you Conn500 - any reactions?? - since you're on a Three Sounds kick these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted August 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Frankly, I liked the bonus material better than much of the original session I agree with you Rooster. This may be the only time when I question Alfred Lion's judgement as far as track selection! Seriously, why you would leave off "Blues In The Closet" in favor of the lesser blues "Blue Riff" is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Johnson Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I, too, enjoy the added material--not necessarily more than the original, but in a different way, and equally well. There's something super smoove about it, not sure what--and it's hard to imagine it came from the same session; but the vibe is there, and heavy. I love it! As another person who's on a Sounds jag, I'm currently thoroughly enjoying my recent acquisition--both volumes of "Live at the It Club". At the same time inspired and cautioned by comments from another thread, I picked it up and really enjoy it. Great liner notes as well--it was interesting that the "it Club" sessions represented somewhat of a return to the roots for Harris, particularly having just wrapped three "orchestral" records for Blue Note--Coldwater Flat and two others I can't recall at the moment (Soul ___???). I've never heard those records--Dan Gould, can you shed any light? but the reconstituted Sounds were in the pocket at the It Club--yet another reason I feel I was born too early!!! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I have this one and like it, but I haven't played it in a month or so. I'll have to break it out tonight and pay attention to which tracks were on the original release and which are the bonus material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I think "Blues in the Closet" is too uptempo to fit into the vibe of the original issue. Also, if you notice, there were two separate sessions for these performances-they didn't come from a single session. As for the other dates recorded around this time, they are: Coldwater Flat in which the trio is backed by the Oliver Nelson Orchestra. Contrary to what AMG has said (and only recently corrected at my urging) this is not a strings date but a Trio + Big Band. The arrangements leave plenty of space for Harris but don't really allow for that interplay amongst the trio that was such a hallmark. I dig it, but its not a desert island record (though it is for me, since the copy I have has Gene Harris' autograph!) Elegant Soul This is the first record with strings and its pretty weak. I had the vinyl and actually sold it, and so it is one the Gene Harris recording I don't "have" though that's not much of a loss. Soul Symphony is a collaboration with Monk Higgins, in fact, I want to say that the extended title composition was Higgins' Music School project. Again with strings, this is a far more successful album than Elegant Soul as Gene Harris has lots and lots of room and gets very deep into the funky/soulful/blues bag he excelled at. Honestly, I did not have great hopes for this album but I was extremely pleasantly surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I have this one and like it, but I haven't played it in a month or so. I'll have to break it out tonight and pay attention to which tracks were on the original release and which are the bonus material. If I'm not wrong, the original album is what is on Disc #1, and all the bonus tracks make up Disc #2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I have this one and like it, but I haven't played it in a month or so. I'll have to break it out tonight and pay attention to which tracks were on the original release and which are the bonus material. If I'm not wrong, the original album is what is on Disc #1, and all the bonus tracks make up Disc #2. Ah, I hadn't noticed. I dig the smoky, mellow feel to this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 If I remember correctly, CD 2 was issued on its own in Japan as Blue Hour, Volume 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 I ordered this last week from the Blue Note website when I saw that the 2CD set prices had dropped. Just sitting here...waiting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 B) B) Ahhhh! Got it. Love it. I'm glad the bonus material was included. I think it works well enough with the original. Blues in the closet, although more uptempo, is beautiful. I'll be digging this one in the evenings for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 Frankly, I liked the bonus material better than much of the original session. Traded it to Conn500 a month ago. What say you Conn500 - any reactions?? - since you're on a Three Sounds kick these days. Will have to postpone my report on this Rooster, as I gave it only one spin then got onto other things. That Swainson w/ Woody Shaw you gave me via trade is spinning all the time. "Luscious" is the word that comes to mind whenever I listen to it. Will get to that "Blue Hour" soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJ Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 (edited) I really like this set musically. Overall, one of Turrentine's greatest performances in my view - particularly his more romantic, ballad playing, obviously. "Willow Weep For Me" is a true masterpiece. I don't too much care for the remastering job on this one, though - it's certainly not unlistenable, but it suffers from that harsh high end that Ron McMaster used to always get on his BN CDs but has mostly been able to avoid recently. For some reason, it creeps through again here. A minor quibble, though. Edited August 22, 2003 by DrJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 (edited) "Willow Weep For Me" is a true masterpiece. Ditto to that! This has long been my favorite instrumental rendition of this song. Stanley and Gene absolutely kill on this cut. "Since I Fell For You" ain't too shabby either. Edited August 22, 2003 by Sundog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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