Walter Bishop Jr. "Speak Low"

[Soul Stream]

I don't know if I'm alone on this or not. But a record I've really been into heavily for several years now is Walter Bishop Jr.'s "Speak Low". The original LP was on Jazztime. It's on CD now as "Milestones" on Black Lion.

This session is so killing. A huge part of the enjoyment for me is Jimmy Garrison. He's so heavy on this. In the pocket with a HUGE sound. I never knew who the drummer was until tonight. It's G.T. Hogan! I wonderful drummer who used to come to MY gigs when I was working in San Antonio a year or two ago!!!! He since has passed. But what a true pleasure it was to know him. A musical spirit full of encouragement. To think I had been so into something he was involved with and never knew it is mind blowing. He also played drums on my favorite Joey Defrancesco recording (Marchel Ivery's "3" on leaning house.")

Any, all that's beside the point. If you haven't heard this do yourself a favor and pick it up. Great trio recording of standards and blues. Records like this get lost in the shuffle sometimes but shouldn't. Wonderful music.

[mikeweil]

Yeah, this is a nice album. Bought the Black Lion CD many years ago, and always liked it. Nice rhythm section. Entertaining in the best sense of the word.

Those Fred Norsworthy production were always good - but Alan Bates' policy to reissue many of them under names of supposedly better known sidemen causes some confusion.

[Soul Stream]

Just looked at the All Music Guide review. Amazingly they're right on the money this time.

The first album as a leader would of course be an occasion of incredible pressure, especially for an artist such as this one. By the time this recording was originally released in 1961, pianist Walter Bishop, Jr. had spent so much time in other people's bands that it seemed the sideman stigmata would never heal. And it really never did, since despite more than a dozen efforts as leader between this one and his death in 1998 he never really achieved the acknowledgement as a leader that some of his contemporaries did, even ones who were somewhat lesser players. Of course anyone who peruses commentary on the bebop era that Bishop paid his dues in will come across opinions to the contrary. It is sometimes said that this pianist "lacked chops," hip lingo concerning technique and not meant to suggest he failed to stop off at the butcher on the way home as requested. True, this is not a flashy keyboardist and also one who did not choose his debut as a leader to unveil a stack of up til then hidden original masterpieces of composition. He plays standards here, choosing either the long or short form for six different titles, some of them quite familiar. Listeners may be advised that this is a side worth owning simply for the playing of the bassist, Jimmy Garrison, the value of the piano playing put aside temporarily. By the '60s this bassist was mostly associated with John Coltrane, and was a member of what is often considered Trane's classic quartet. While that group was quite adept at playing standards, the type of straight-ahead approach presented in the Bishop trio was more the way Coltrane played before Garrison came into his group. This album is full of this bassist's wonderful touch with mainstream jazz material, including some rumbling arco solos and terrific walking. "Blues in the Closet" holds steady to its quick tempo; after all, Garrison hardly flagged on the long, fast "Chasin' the Trane" that would follow only a few years later.

Interesting drummer Wilbert G.T. Hogan recorded with some other fine pianists besides this one, notably Randy Weston. He also wound up with the Ray Charles band at one point and lays down a somewhat harder beat on sides by tenor saxophonist and Charles alumni Hank Crawford. This is somewhat more information that was given about him on the original album and reissues, the total sum of which was the following: "G.T. Hogan is on drums. Notice his fine brush work. A diminishing art today." The final comment isn't really true if any contemporary percussionists are asked — they would all love to play brushes as well as Hogan and many are trying very hard. Whether the same comment could be made concerning the pianist is hard to say. Many keyboardists have missed out on the influence of pianists such as Bishop, who knows how to state themes simply and eloquently. His use of dissonance in 1961 is subtle, hinting at tritones in "Sometimes I'm Happy" and letting somewhat delirious overtones ring out on the superb performance of "Alone Together." Needless to say, the piano is a bit out of tune here and there, adding to the mystique. Despite that, there is the sense that this album must have been something special for Bishop. His final recordings came out under the title of Speak Low Again several years after his death, kind of like a set of bookends

Edited January 17, 2007 by Soul Stream

[Swinging Swede]

Is the Black Lion CD in mono or stereo? I have a Japanese CD which disappointingly is in mono. I've noticed that some of the Japanese Jazztime/Jazzline CD reissues are in stereo and some in mono. Don't know why.

That was a very shortlived label, btw.

[T.D.]

Agreed, nice disc. Funny coincidence: I just picked up the very same CD on eBay, received it late last week! Bishop's trio disc (Prestige? don't recall offhand), which I got in Concord's blow-out last summer, has also gotten a lot of playing time.

[Late]

On 1/16/2007 at 10:58 PM, Soul Stream said:

This session is so killing. A huge part of the enjoyment for me is Jimmy Garrison. He's so heavy on this. In the pocket with a HUGE sound.

Listening to "Blues In The Closet" as I type. Excellent debut record. The trio sound like a working band.

[Late]

6 minutes ago, T.D. said:

This contemporaneous record with the same personnel is also good.

Yes!  Same album.

[T.D.]

Whoa, sorry...didn't realize it's the same album! Senior moment.