Charlie ROUSE – Yeah! & We Paid Our Dues (1960-1961) 2008

Charlie ROUSE – Yeah! & We Paid Our Dues (1960-1961) 2008

Jazz

If you do a poll of greatest saxophone players of all time Charlie Rouse is likely not to pop up on the list.It may be that during his start in late 50’s there so many giants that sucked up the space and attention.But more likely was the fact that he was Thelonius Monk’s last and longest serving sideman (and given who Monk played with from Sony Rollins or John Coltrane he played with the best).Yet when I ran a a jazz CD section at a Hifi shop for six years and a new customer came in I would have a few CD’s to lay on them so they knew I had my stuff toigether (the other was a trio recoding by Eddie Higgins the piano player who came out with phenomenal trio CD called “Haunted Heart” but thjat’s another review).Almost 100% came back raving about this CD and then were putty in my hands from there on.
Charlie Rouse didn’t have too many LP’s as a leader but before Monk and after (up to the band named after Monk called “Sphere) yet these two were his best.In a way he reminds me of of Stan Getz no because they played in similar fashion but because Getz’s nickname was “The Tone”.But Getz was much more a Lester Young follower whereas Charlie Rouse had that balance of Prez and Coleman Hawkins.But like Getz his tone was so pure and beautiful.And his phrasing was precise when it was a blues he was blues and when it called for more of a hard bop phrasing he did it all.This CDF combines a full LP put out on Epic called “Yeah!” (an original LP will set you back $300+ in good condition) and half and LP he shared with Seldon Powell (another under recognized great).The CD stars with the shared LP session from 1961 with the excellent Gildo Mahones on keys,Regie Workman on bass,and Art Taylor on drums playing “When Sunny Get’s Blue”.Second cut “Billy’s Blues”is from the 1960 “Yeah!” session and has Billy Gardner on piano,Peck Morrison on Bass and Dave Bailey on drums.From the same session it’s followed by “Stella By Starlight”,”Lil Rousin”,”There Is No Greater Love”.Next is “Quarter Moon”,”I Should Care” from the 1961 “Dues” session.Last we return to the 1960 session with “Rouse’s Point” and “You Don’t Know What Love Is”.The music is the defintion of well crafter hard bop yet on the standards (mostly slower tempo number) played with a bluesy feeling that just can’t help but stir your emotions.Rouse’s catalog IMHO only had one glitch surprisingly a failed concept Lp for Blue Note called Bossa Nova Bacchanal” but this and everything he touched (he did a great late Lp called “Epistrophy” and his last session was “Soul Mates” with the great Baritonist Sihab Shihab (also his last session in 1988 I believe on Uptown- well they went out with a roar) just about everything done by Rouse including 4 “Sphere” LP’s were just wonderful.But this CD is one if you look through my 100+ reviews is one I hope you just hit upon and buy on faith.If a lover of straight ahead jazz and just plain beauty it’s go it all.
By C. Katz.
**
This excellent CD you combine two Epic albums from 1960-61. The first six tracks comprise Rouse’s “Yeah!” The first six tracks Comprise Rouse’s “Yeah!” album with Billy Gardneer, Peck Morrison and Dave Bailey. album with Billy Gardner, Peck Morrison and Dave Bailey. “We Paid Our Dues” occupies the last six tracks. “We Paid Our Dues” occupied the last six tracks. Rouse is heard on tracks 8, 10 & 12 with Gildo Mahones, Reggie Workman and Art Taylor. Rouse is heard on tracks 8, 10 & 12 with Gildo Mahones, Reggie Workman and Art Taylor. Another great and underrated tenor player Seldon Powel is featured on tracks 7, 9 & 11 with Lloyd Mayers, Peck Morrison and Denzil Best. Another great and underrated tenor player Seldon Powell is featured on tracks 7, 9 & 11 with Lloyd Mayers, Peck Morrison and Denzil Best.
**
Charlie Rouse- (Tenor Sax 1-6, 8, 10, 12),
Seldon Powell- (Tenor Sax 7, 9, 11)
Billy Gardner- (Piano 1-6), Lloyd Mayers (piano 7, 9, 11),
Gildo Mahones- (Piano 8, 10, 12)
Peck Morrison- (Bass 1-7, 9, 11),
Reggie Workman- (Bass 8, 10, 12)
Dave Bailey- (Drums 1-6),
Denzil Best- (Drums 7, 9, 11),
Arthur Taylor- (Drums 8, 10, 12)
**
Tracks 1, 4, 5 (Yeah) recorded in New York City, 21. 12. 1960.
Tracks 2, 3, 6 (Yeah) recorded in New York City, 20. 12. 1960.
Tracks 7, 9, 11 (We Paid Our Dues) recorded in New York City, 14. 7. 1961.
Tracks 8, 10, 12 (We Paid Our Dues) recorded in New York City, 13. 7. 1961.
**
01. You Don’t Know What Love Is (D. Raye – G. DePaul) (630)
02. Lil’ Rousin’ (C. Rouse) (504)
03. Stella by Starlight (V. Young – N. Washington) (619)
04. Billy’s Blues (C. Rouse) (845)
05. Rouse’s Point (C. Rouse) (445)
06. (There Is) No Greater Love (M. Symes – I. Jones) (624)
07. Two for One (L. Mayers) (753)
08. When Sunny Gets Blue (J. Segal – M. Fisher) (553)
09. For Lester (S. Powell) (719)
10. Quarter Moon (G. Mahones) (549)
11. Bowl of Soul (S. Powell) (610)
12. I Should Care (A. Stordahl – P. Weston – S. Cahn) (709)
**

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