Charlie Rouse - Cinnamon Flower: The Expanded Edition

[mjzee]

Release date July 18:

Cinnamon Flower: The Expanded Edition is a reissue of the legendary saxophonist Charlie Rouse's Brazilian-inspired 1977 album, originally released on Douglas Records. Nearly 50 years later, Resonance is proud to present this deluxe, definitive edition of Cinnamon Flower, which contains nearly 30 minutes of previously unissued versions of songs from the original release captured by Resonance founder and engineer, George Klabin. 2 LP set on 180g vinyl in gatefold sleeve with extensive liner notes and rare photos.

[jazzbo]

Thanks for the head's up.

[Dan Gould]

If anyone can shed light ... this release is a worthy one? Seems slightly surprising to me but if Klabin was the original producer/engineer that's a leg up in giving it the Resonance treatment.

[mikeweil]

I had the LP back then, but always thought that Rouse and Brazil was a mismatch, and didn't like the arrangements - none of the relaxed feel that most Brazilian music has. I know the title tune inside out, played it with a band back then, but compare Rouse's version with those of Milton Nacimento or Dom Um Romao ....

I had similar feelings about the Blue Note LP he made, apart from Congas and shekere in Cuban style being not perfect for a bossa nova themed album. I love Rouse with Monk and on his hard bop albums, but not in a Latin context. So I never got the hype around that album. Just my two cents, of course. 

Edited 19 hours ago by mikeweil

[Dan Gould]

thanks @mikeweil, I am going to have to hear some tracks before I go for this one.  I hope Rouse's family is well-compensated for the reissue, I know his son is on FB and a member of the Rare Jazz Photos group.

[Brad]

I just received the original record as a bonus in a YT auction I won but haven’t listened to it yet. 

[mjzee]

I remember when it came out, the rap was that it was too "commercial" and lacking in personality.  I had never heard it myself.  It was also surprising that it came out on Douglas, because nothing had come out on that label for years.  Turns out there was a distribution deal with Casablanca (see also the Wildflowers loft jazz series).

[JSngry]

I had the album back then and found it underwhelming . It does have its adherents though.

[felser]

The album was a throwaway for me when I first had it, but I came across a cheap CD of it in recent times, and I liked it a lot more than I remember.  But not to where I would recommend buying a pricey vinyl set.

[jazzbo]

It's being reissued on expanded cd as well as this lp version.

Edited 4 hours ago by jazzbo