George Adams

[Hot Ptah]

I really enjoyed George Adams' playing with McCoy Tyner in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He blew the roof off the place during his solo on "Fly With The Wind" in a fall 1978, appearance with Tyner at the Earle, a small Ann Arbor, Michigan, club. It is one of the most memorable live performances I have ever witnessed.

I like his "Sound Suggestions" and "Paradise Space Shuttle" albums.

[St.Noah]

his That Old Feeling album on Blue Note just works for me, period, mannerisms and all.

For me too - Jean-Paul Bourelly on guitar for a change instead of Ulmer (whom I love as well) - choice.

I have most of the Adams/Pullens I think

Jim

[JSngry]

Ah, just Old Feeling, no "That"...my bad!

It is a fine album, though, indeed it is.

[marcello]

1. Suite For Swingers

2. Blues By The River

3. Melodic Rapsody

GEORGE ADAMS tenor saxophone, vocals

DON PULLEN piano

DAVID FRIESEN bass

DANNIE RICHMOND drums

ALFONSO VIEIRA percussion

All compositions by George Adams

Recorded July 28, Roma, Italy

HORO Records HZ 03

[Tom in RI]

George Adams is,for me, one of those guys that if I see he is a sideman on a date, I will pick it up (although I drew the line at the David Sanborn lp which I am sure features no Adams's solos). I am glad I took the time to see him 5 or 6 times including twice at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA with Don Pullen. Dates under his own name tend to be a bit uneven. Highlights for me are God Bless the Child from More Funk on Palcoscenico, Send In The Clowns from Paradise Space Shuttle, and Soft Seas from Life Line. The two lps mentioned above by KH1958, Gentleman's Agreement and Hand to Hand, are both very strong. I'd say Life Line is my favorite Adams/Pullen lp. I like the Live at Montmartre mentioned in the 1st post but most people I have talked about it with feel that Scofield didn't really fit in well.

Adams/Pullen are very well documented on many radio broadcasts and audience captures. Adams work with Gil Evans is also reasonably available as are broadcast dates with Mingus. A sleeper to look for is While You Were Out by the Boston band Orange Then Blue which features George Adams extensively. I read somewhere that George Adams and Blood Ulmer both made their recorded debuts on a King lp by Hank Marr (Sounds From The Marr-ketplace). I haven't been able to confirm but I have the record and it sure does sound like Adams.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Tom in RI

[robertoart]

George Adams is,for me, one of those guys that if I see he is a sideman on a date, I will pick it up (although I drew the line at the David Sanborn lp which I am sure features no Adams's solos). I am glad I took the time to see him 5 or 6 times including twice at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA with Don Pullen. Dates under his own name tend to be a bit uneven. Highlights for me are God Bless the Child from More Funk on Palcoscenico, Send In The Clowns from Paradise Space Shuttle, and Soft Seas from Life Line. The two lps mentioned above by KH1958, Gentleman's Agreement and Hand to Hand, are both very strong. I'd say Life Line is my favorite Adams/Pullen lp. I like the Live at Montmartre mentioned in the 1st post but most people I have talked about it with feel that Scofield didn't really fit in well.

Adams/Pullen are very well documented on many radio broadcasts and audience captures. Adams work with Gil Evans is also reasonably available as are broadcast dates with Mingus. A sleeper to look for is While You Were Out by the Boston band Orange Then Blue which features George Adams extensively. I read somewhere that George Adams and Blood Ulmer both made their recorded debuts on a King lp by Hank Marr (Sounds From The Marr-ketplace). I haven't been able to confirm but I have the record and it sure does sound like Adams.

It's definitely Adam's on that. It's not definitively stated anywhere, but I am pretty sure, from reading lots of Blood Ulmer interviews, that it's undoubtedly him. Also, you can't really mistake him if you know his sound.

I put up a needle drop of this LP on youtube, a few months ago, but don't know who the drummer is?

One thing threads on musicians like Adams, Pullen and Ulmer remind me, is thank god for European and Japanese small/independent labels during the heyday of these guys careers, and for the greater Jazz legacy.

Edited August 15, 2012 by freelancer

[jeffcrom]

It's definitely Adam's on that. It's not definitively stated anywhere, but I am pretty sure, from reading lots of Blood Ulmer interviews, that it's undoubtedly him. Also, you can't really mistake him if you know his sound.

Not just sound, but plenty of Adams' signature licks abound.

[kh1958]

In the realm of George Adams obscurities, the Mingus Dynasty album, Live at the Village Vanguard, has a little more than 2 minute version of Good Bye Pork Pie Hat that is really beautiful.

For Adams and Ulmer, my favorite is Jazzbuhne Berlin, perhaps hard to find these days, a wonderful live concert.

[robertoart]

In the realm of George Adams obscurities, the Mingus Dynasty album, Live at the Village Vanguard, has a little more than 2 minute version of Good Bye Pork Pie Hat that is really beautiful.

For Adams and Ulmer, my favorite is Jazzbuhne Berlin, perhaps hard to find these days, a wonderful live concert.

Hey I've got that. That was a great band. There was an Ornette one from that series too. They'd be hard to find now alright.

[kh1958]

I have the Ornette/Prime Time CD in that series; also, there's a fine Adams/Pullen concert, post-Dannie Richmond's death.

[sidewinder]

Saw him a couple of times at Ronnie Scotts, along with Danny Richmond. One was with Mingus Dynasty, the second time was the Adams/Pullen group (around the time that 'Don't Lose Control' LP came out).

[six string]

I have that Sound Suggestions on ECM that someone mentioned. It's probably one of my favorite albums on that label. The only other albums I have is the Pullen Mosaic Select. I've meant to get more of his music but it seems there was always something else I wanted more when I saw one of his albums at a store. Now they are a lot harder to find.