Jazz Anniversary: August 25, 1959 @ Five Spot NY & Detroit

August 25, 1959 “Birk’s Works”
by Kenny Burrell, Tina Brooks, Bobby Timmons, Ben Tucker & Art Blakey at the Five Spot Cafe, New York, for Blue Note (On View at the Five Spot Cafe)

I will introduce the opening track of this album, a standard composed by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, one of the founders of bebop.

This is a luxurious leader album by guitarist Kenny Burrell, featuring a star-studded lineup with Art Blakey of the Jazz Messengers and his pianist Bobby Timmons appearing as sidemen during their prime. Burrell, a versatile player who combines a sophisticated guitar style based on the blues with advanced technique, has left behind brilliant performances on numerous works regardless of genre, performer, or label.

First of all, the comfortable, mellow tone of the guitar is deeply moving. The track kicks off with a unison melody between the guitar and tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, followed by a development where Timmons livens up Burrell's sticky, bluesy solo with call-and-response backing. In the guitar solo, Burrell's signature style is packed throughout, including a simple development using single tones with slightly laid-back, soulful phrases.

Brooks's unpretentious, melancholic solo is also a fine performance. The presence of Blakey's heavy-duty, pressurized drumming dominates the song from start to finish; one can feel the thickness of the rhythm from the entire drum kit, starting with the hi-hat, which transmits air pressure and is recorded from the right speaker throughout.

Timmons's piano is also recorded in the same right speaker, and if you listen closely to these two, especially during the piano solo that evokes gospel, you can re-experience the kaleidoscopic melodies and developments reminiscent of the masterpiece "Moanin'," in which both participated on October 30 of the previous year. Similar performances can also be heard on the following leader work by Timmons, recorded about five months after this album.

My personal preference is the forty-second stretch starting at 8:13, after each player's solo has finished and they take a breath, where Burrell repeats the unadorned main melody. It sounds casual, but I feel that the essence of Burrell's wabi-sabi-infused tone and the performance of this rhythm section that subtly supports it is condensed here.

Immediately after that, from the strike at 8:54, Blakey begins to apply even more pressure to the entire drum kit in anticipation of the finale, and you can also enjoy the finale reaching its conclusion after the master's signature move, described as "Niagara Falls," at 9:13.

By the way, Burrell is from Detroit in the American Midwest.

When it comes to music from Detroit, the Motown label comes to mind first. Motown is an abbreviation for "Motor Town," named after the city where the automotive industry thrives. Its representative figure is Stevie Wonder. Diana Ross and Madonna also have ties to the city.

As for jazz musicians, there are many, such as Milt Jackson, Donald Byrd, Abbey Lincoln, Paul Chambers, and Barry Harris. Listing the leader works by artists from the same city that I have introduced so far, the number is quite significant.

First, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, who plays elusive melodies.

Pianist Tommy Flanagan, who delivers brilliant performances regardless of the co-performers or songs, and the powerful and unique drummer Elvin Jones.

Bassist Ron Carter, with his uniquely fluctuating bass.

Alto saxophonist Sonny Stitt, with his crisp hard-bop style.

Earthy tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine.

Trombonist Curtis Fuller, who excels at mellow performances. This work is a live recording at the Five Spot, the jazz club that appears in the title of the song I introduced on May 21st by Fuller. And the accompaniment is provided by Flanagan, who is also from the same hometown.

Although it is difficult to categorize those from Detroit because their musical tastes are so diverse, it may be a characteristic that they tend to hire fellow natives as accompanists, perhaps due to strong local pride.

For those interested in funk jazz performances by guitarist Grant Green recorded in Detroit, please check this out as well. It is a work from the same Blue Note label as this album.

Finally, for those who want to taste the true essence of Kenny Burrell, please enjoy the following track introduced from one of Blue Note's greatest masterpieces. This also features accompaniment by bassist Major Holley, who is from the same hometown. And although he does not appear in the following track, the aforementioned Stanley Turrentine also participates in the album. Come to think of it, Burrell's debut work, "Introducing Kenny Burrell (Blue Note)," also features Flanagan and Chambers from the same hometown.