Out Front

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Total Tracks: 7   Total Length: 44:00

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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 »

10.10.06
One of the era's most brilliant sessions.
Label: Candid Productions / IODA

The Memphis-bred trumpeter Booker Little, killed by uremia at age 23 soon after cutting this, shared much stylistically with Eric Dolphy, who joins him here for one of the era's most brilliant sessions. It's a bright and sometimes bluesy romp overflowing with ideas that provide passage from bop into the avant-garde. The multi-hued, slightly dissonant "We Speak," for starters, hurtles through doors then being opened by Ornette Coleman. Little's compositions are seasoned beyond his years, exploiting structure and freedom alike, and it's a wonder more artists didn't pick up on them; true to its title, the "Moods in Free Time" wanders all over the place without losing focus, and "Hazy Blues" evokes both tears and squeals of delight.

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Outstanding

mailman

Great session produced by Nat Hentoff back in 1961. That both Little and Dolphy had their lives cut short at such young ages is a loss still felt today.

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This is the masterwork!

staywhereyouare

Booker Little at his most brilliant. By this point in his career, Little had absorbed and transcended his primary influence--Clifford Brown--and was experimenting with extended compositional techniques. Along with Eric Dolphy, underrated trombonist Julian Priester joins the front line, creating sophisticated, beautiful, and mournful harmonies. This album was recorded in two different sessions. Art Davis plays bass on tracks #1, 3, and 7. Ron Carter is the bassist on the remaining tunes. This is truly a cohesive work of art--not an album where you pick and choose tunes. Little also appears on many of Eric Dolphy's and Max Roach's recordings (most of which are available on emusic). All are worth a listen--especially everything in the Candid catalog. If it weren't for Little's early demise, he would have given Miles a run for his money. Little's influence can be heard in Lester Bowie's and Dave Douglas' work.

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You don't much hear about this record...

ToddusofKnox

But it's really interesting- definitely worth a spin.

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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 Little was the first trumpet soloist to emerge in jazz after the death of Clifford Brown to have his own sound. His tragically brief life (he died at age 23 later in 1961) cut short what would have certainly been a major career. Little, on this sextet date with multi-reedist Eric Dolphy, trombonist Julian Priester, and drummer Max Roach, shows that his playing was really beyond bebop. His seven now-obscure originals (several of which deserve to be revived) are challenging for the soloists and there are many strong moments during these consistently challenging and satisfying performances. – Scott Yanow