Sonny Criss UP, UP & AWAY

[ghost of miles]

Don't be scared by the title cover of the Fifth Dimension... it's actually a real burner. There's also a Horace Tapscott tune, "This is for Benny," some strong, bluesy interprations of "Willow Weep for Me" and "Paris Blues," and the crack lineup of Cedar Walton on piano, Tal Farlow on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. It's become one of my favorite Criss sessions:

[BFrank]

Big "thumbs up" from me, too, on this one. I especially love his take on the title tune.

[vibes]

I really like this one too. I was only familiar with Sonny Criss from the Imperial Sessions previous to buying this album. I think one of my favorite things about this album over the Imperial Sessions is that Sonny's tone seemed to have mellowed a bit over time - it wasn't so biting by this time, but his playing lost none of its intensity. I love Tal Farlow too, and he's a welcome addition to the date.

[BruceH]

I totally agree. Great album, one of Criss's best. The album cover is not terrific, true, but you can't argue with the music.

Edited April 27, 2003 by BruceH

[JSngry]

Don't be scared by the title cover of the Fifth Dimension...

I've mentioned this several times before in several different places, but it bears repeating - "Up, Up & Away" is a VERY good song. The changes move in a most non-diatonic fashion and the song has a "long form" similar to some of Cole Porter's more winding pieces. It's a song that should have been covered much more than it has, I think. I called it at a session one time and nobody wanted to play it but the drummer, so I told him to "give me some Elvin", and off we went. By the third chorus, the other guys heard what was REALLY up with the song and joined in, and a blast was had by all.

It ain't an "easy" song - the movement of the changes and the long form make it a bit tought than most of your typical "sacred" standards (many of which, truth be told, are formulaic in the extreme from a harmonic standpoint); and, as is so often the case, people, including musicians, have a hard time differentiating between the record and the song itself. But I'm telling you, it's a DAMN good song and makes an excellent vehicle for improvisation.

Edited April 27, 2003 by JSngry

[John L]

[

. But I'm telling you, it's a DAMN good song and makes an excellent vehicle for improvisation.

I would say that Sonny Criss pretty much gets that message across on this album!

Edited April 28, 2003 by John L

[Jazzmoose]

I've never heard it, but I'll have to give it a shot. I picked up the Complete Imperial Sessions over a year ago, then CrissCraft, and more recently Out of Nowhere; Criss hasn't disappointed yet. Maybe I should see the obvious and pick one up more often than every six months!!

[BruceH]

Maybe I should see the obvious and pick one up more often than every six months!!

Yes! Try "This Is Criss!" a 1966 Prestige. You won't be sorry.

[Noj]

I'm just discovering Criss--fantastic stuff! This morning I've been listening to Up, Up, & Away as well as this:

"Angel Eyes!":rsmile: :rsmile:

[jazzbo]

A question for the more musically trained: is there a chordal or other musical connection between "Up Up and Away" and say. . . "All the Things you Could Be if Sigmund Freud were your Mama". . . I mean "Anatomy". . . I mean "All the Things you Are"? I kindof hear an affinity of some sort. It may just be ME.

Yes, that Saturday Morning is one BEAUTIFUL album!

[connoisseur series500]

I've been listening to PORTRAIT OF SONNY CRISS a lot recently. It's a wonderful cd. I'm going to have to get CLIFFCRAFT. There are a couple of copies available locally. I love Sonny Criss.

[JSngry]

A question for the more musically trained:  is there a chordal or other musical connection between "Up Up and Away" and say. . . "All the Things you Could Be if Sigmund Freud were your Mama". . . I mean "Anatomy". . . I mean "All the Things you Are"?  I kindof hear an affinity of some sort.  It may just be ME.

None that I could speak of, but the first few bars of "Up..." have changes that could pass for those of "Forest Flower", a not unthikable comparison considering how big a crossover success (by jazz standards anyway) Charles Lloyd in general and that album in particular were in those days. Jimmy Webb was certainly not one to avoid the "conventional", that's for sure!

Edited May 22, 2003 by JSngry

[jazzbo]

Yeah, I can hear that affinity. Thanks Jim. Check your mailbox at home. . .

[AfricaBrass]

With all the Ravi Shankar talk plus this Up, Up and Away thread, I'm reminded of my favorite version of the song.

It's on the ReSearch: Incredibly Strange Music cd compilation from about 10 years ago. Rajput & The Sepoy's version of of Up, Up and Away.

Just imagine the world's worst sitar player tackling this song. I guess in the sixties, they figured that anything with sitar would sell.

It truly is horrible.

[Tom in RI]

Houston Person covered Up, Up, and Away in a session that included Alan Dawson in a rare appearance on vibes. I haven't heard that in 25 years or so.

Sonny Criss also did a great cover of the Sonny & Cher staple, The Beat Goes On.

[Brad]

That's great to hear about this album. I had always kind of shied away from it because of Up, Up and Away and hadn't bothered to explore the rest of the record. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.