Hampton Hawes: "Blues For Bud".

[Cliff Englewood]

Ron S mentioned/recommended this one in the Concord Sale thread and oddly enough I had recently purchased this but hadn't listened to it. I put it on yesterday and was totally blown away by both the playing and the compositions, so I thought it should have a thread of it's own. I don't what it was about the session but Hawes is just so on his game, it's also some of the best Art Taylor I've heard as well.

I never really get too excited about piano trios for some reason but this one is something else. Highlights for me would be "Sonora", "Black Forest", "Children's Play" and "Spanish Steps" but the entire album is really excellent, and the sound is brilliant too, my edition says "24bit remastered" and although I have no idea if that's true or not it really does sound amazing.

As I said, very rarely do I enjoy piano trios as much as this one. Sprint, don't run, to the cash register if you ever see this one.

Here's the track list from Ron's link:

1. Blues Enough

2. Sonora 4:56

3. They Say It's Wonderful 3:23 **

4. Black Forest (Take 3) 6:07

5. Children's Play 9:17 **

6. Blues For Bud 6:58 **

7. Spanish Steps (Take 2) 3:17

8. Dangerous 4:29

9. My Romance 9:02

10. Spanish Steps (Take 1) 2:39 *

11. Black Forrest (Take 1) 5:43 *

HAMPTON HAWES (Piano)

JIMMY WOODE (Bass)

ARTHUR TAYLOR (Drums)

[Eloe Omoe]

As I said, very rarely do I enjoy piano trios as much as this one. Sprint, don't run, to the cash register if you ever see this one.

It's a fantastic record, one of Hamp's best (maybe THE best).

luca

[brownie]

Discovered this superb session when MartyJazz included a track from the album in his BFT 28.

Thanks again Marty for this

Had not paid attention to it before!

[T.D.]

What they said. This album has huge nostalgia value for me, since Hamp's version of "My Romance", which I heard on a compilation disc some years ago, was instrumental in turning me into a jazz (and piano trio) enthusiast. "Spanish Steps" is now my favorite cut, though.

Sound-wise, I believe the remastering claim, as several cuts had previously appeared on 1201 Music "Hip Jazz-Bop" compilations, and I find the "remastered" sound a little better. There is a bit of distortion in places, however, so it's not perfect.

For a long time, cybermusicsurplus.com (discount branch of Allegro distributors) was liquidating titles on the "1201 Music" label, including "Blues for Bud". Might be worth checking if you're looking for the disc. I paid something like $4 (20% off promotion from a base of $5).

Edited December 3, 2006 by T.D.

[Ron S]

Here's the 1201 Music page again, which includes a link to track samples.

Here is the post to which Cliff referred, which includes other Hawes recommendations . Although in a different musical vein, the other lesser known Hamton Hawes trio disc I strongly recommend is "Bird Song". And if you haven't sampled Hawes' '50's and '60's Contemporary recordings, do yourself a favor and do so.

[Head Man]

I have most of Hampton's recordings and this is one of my favourites.

I bought it many years ago when it was released in the UK on the Black Lion label.

[jeffsjazz]

I concur totally-this is a great session.I just listened to it last week.

Has anybody heard Hamp's solo cd "The Challenge" on Storyville?

I have been looking for this,where can I find it?

Thanks, Dr. Jeff

[Eloe Omoe]

I concur totally-this is a great session.I just listened to it last week.

Has anybody heard Hamp's solo cd "The Challenge" on Storyville?

I have been looking for this,where can I find it?

Never knew of a CD version of this. I have the LP, which is very good, but I think that Storyville has no more rights on that session - they licensed it from Japanese Victor.

luca

[Late]

Blues For Bud = Spanish Steps. The latter title is the original album title. Spinning now. Really nice. Dig "Sonora."👌

I only own two (!) Hawes titles: Spanish Steps and Vol. 3. I'd like to find a copy of The Seance. 

[clifford_thornton]

Had this as Spanish Steps and let it go in a cull; certainly thought it was the best among the small amount of Hawes vinyl in the racks, none of which I kept. Maybe due for a reassessment.

[mikeweil]

Got a copy a few months ago, will listen again when I have my morning coffee. I have this version:

 

[T.D.]

That's my favorite Hawes album.  

I have a fair number of his recordings. Green Leaves of Summer comes to mind as next favorite. I don't have The Seance. Will re-listen to a few titles soon to see if my assessments have changed.

Edited 12 hours ago by T.D.

[Late]

 

[Big Beat Steve]

13 hours ago, Late said:

Blues For Bud = Spanish Steps. The latter title is the original album title. Spinning now. Really nice. Dig "Sonora."👌

I only own two (!) Hawes titles: Spanish Steps and Vol. 3. I'd like to find a copy of The Seance. 

This one is in the pile (crate, rather ) of my "yet-to-be-listened-to" recently purchased vinyls. I'd been hipped to Hampton Hawes in the 90s after I read Ted Gioia's "West Coast Jazz" book where Hampton Hawes is given glowing reviews. The Vols. 1 to 3 and the three All Night Sessions were my first purchases and I have by now accumulated about a dozen LPs covering his 50s output as well as "Here and Now" from the 60s - and the "Bird Song" CD of previously unreleased 1956/58 recordings for Contemporary. Hampton Hawes is one of those artists where I so far have always felt I can never go wrong with my purchases.

[mhatta]

"Blues For Bud" was the first Hampton Hawes album I fell in love with. I still particularly love the opening track, “Blues Enough,” and I think it influenced my own piano playing. "Hamp's Piano" on MPS is also good.  The duo with Charlie Haden is also moving.  Young Hawes was incredible, too.  The Contemporary trio recordings are sound, but you SHOULD listen to his early Vantage recordings!  It's really The Amazing Hampton Hawes.

Hampton Hawes was stationed in Japan after the WW2 (later he was arrested for drugs and deported). Almost all of Japan's pioneering modern jazz pianists, including  Toshiko Akiyoshi, were influenced by him (even Yosuke Yamashita could play almost exactly like Hawes). I'm not sure if it's his sense of rhythm or his phrasing, but I think his style was particularly accessible to Japanese listeners.

Given how much technique Hawes had, I was disappointed he had not recorded a solo piano album, but it turns out he did! Apparently, he recorded it when he was pardoned and returned to Japan. I hope it gets released on CD or streaming.

 

[Big Beat Steve]

12 minutes ago, mhatta said:

 Young Hawes was incredible, too.  The Contemporary trio recordings are sound, but you SHOULD listen to his early Vantage recordings!  It's really The Amazing Hampton Hawes.
 

I've owned Xanadu 104 ("The East-West Controversy" that features this Vantage session) for a long, long time and like it a lot.