That's It

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EDITOR'S PICK

Total Tracks: 6   Total Length: 43:16

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John Morthland

eMusic Contributor

John Morthland has been writing about music since the days of electronically rechanneled stereo and duophonic sound. His name has darkened the mastheads of Roll...more »

02.27.07
A respected Mingus alumnus finally breaks out on his own.
Label: Candid Productions / IODA

Like Jaki Byard, Booker Ervin's a respected Mingus alumnus who was slow to break out under his own name. He had one of the biggest, broadest tenor sounds around, partly because he was originally a trombonist and partly because he was from the Texas tenor school. But you need only hear Ervin caressing the languorous, daydreaming ballad "Uranus," or blowing hot and hard on the fierce "Speak Low" to know that he was very much his own man. "Booker's Blues" conjures up the wide-open spaces of the Southwest like little else in post-bop jazz. As an added bonus, pianist Horace Parlan enjoys perhaps his finest moments on record throughout this quartet date.

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One of My All Time Favorites

moosewater

I've been looking for a digital version of this for a long time and now it's here. This is one of my desert island picks. I could and have been listening to it for decades. There is nothing contrived about this album, just straight ahead wonderful jazz. The songs chosen fit perfectly together and make this album a wonderful overall listen.

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You Got It

frll23

This is a fine fine side partnering two unjustly overlooked talents. Both of whom did time playing with Mingus. Listen!

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At least

Almunecar

Thank you emusic! My wishes in my review of "Setting the pace" became true. Itīs easy to point out five stars, but it is in equal degree depending on Horace Parlan and his playing on the piano in his own and very special way. Typical stereo of that time (1961) separating Booker and Horace in different loudspeakers.

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Candid Classics

By John Morthland, eMusic Contributor

Candid Records was founded in 1960 as the jazz (and a smattering of blues) subsidiary of Cadence. Jazz critic Nat Hentoff ran the label, and proved to be the kind of A&R man every artist dreams of. He simply contracted the best, and most interesting, musicians he could find and turned them loose to do what they wanted. As a result, though Candid lasted but 18 months, it released 33 albums which documented the New… more »

They Say All Music Guide

Booker Ervin, who always had a very unique sound on the tenor, is heard in prime form on his quartet set with pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. In virtually all cases, the jazz and blues musicians who recorded for Candid in 1960-61 (during its original brief existence) were inspired and played more creatively than they did for other labels. That fact is true for Ervin, even if he never made an indifferent record. In addition to “Poinciana” and “Speak Low,” Ervin’s quartet (which was a regular if short-lived group) performs four of the leader’s originals; best known is “Booker’s Blues.” – Scott Yanow