Jazz Anniversary: February 23, 1961, New Jersey, 'The Blues and the Abstract Truth'

“Stolen Moment” recorded on Feb. 23, 1961
By Oliver Nelson, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers & Roy Haynes At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood, NJ for Impulse! (The Blues & The Abstract Truth)

This is a masterpiece that I find myself wanting to listen to in the silence of a night soaked in the chill of February. I am introducing the opening track, which has become a standard, from one of the finest albums in modern jazz, composed entirely by Oliver Nelson, a tenor saxophonist and renowned arranger.

The combination of Bill Evans and Paul Chambers is the same as on “So What” from “Kind of Blue,” considered the greatest masterpiece by the master Miles Davis, recorded about two years before this work. However, by incorporating next-generation, new-sensibility players, a chemical reaction is born, resulting in an even fresher sound.

Starting with a powerful snare hit by drummer Roy Haynes around 1 minute and 20 seconds into the track, which acts as a signal for the charge, the song is filled with the momentum of a military bugle. It features Freddie Hubbard’s sharp, piercing trumpet, Eric Dolphy’s freely dancing flute, Nelson’s tenor focused on melodies without tricks that seem to restore calm, and Evans’s contemplative harmonies and melodies—a track where the chemical reaction between the members is exquisite.

In this performance, jazz musicians are fused at a tremendously high level. The foundation holding it all together is the leadership and compositional skill of Nelson, who would later become a highly successful band arranger.

And in terms of the performance, Haynes, a leading figure among Black drummers of the clean-tone school, connects the unique individual performers with a consistent rhythm, pulling together a performance that is on the verge of falling apart. He doesn't just keep a simple rhythm; at the moments when soloists switch, he inserts fill-ins that act like signals to encourage the players, skillfully controlling the performance. Together with Chambers, who lays down the bass line, he is the source of this great performance.

What is particularly amazing is his sense and ability to unleash a cluster of irregular rhythms from 5:43 to 5:53 and then coolly wrap it up with a cymbal hit. I am struck by his innate sensibility—to take something broken down to this level, pull it together stylishly, and then, instead of hitting it hard at the end, to hold back and finish with just the right amount of force.

I constantly work on my sound sources, acoustics, and environment, wishing to hear the cymbals and hi-hats of this performance ring out beautifully, but they rarely sound as clean and crisp as I imagine. Reproducing the drums on this album is an eternal theme in my audio journey.

Next is the bassist, Chambers. As a prolific musician, he appears on various albums, and it is interesting to see how his tone seems to change depending on the label. Here, he provides a deep, resonant bass sound. In addition to his compatible partnership with Haynes, the highlight is his contemplative, walking-style line, which seems as synchronized with Evans as it was on “Kind of Blue.”

This is one of those great masterpieces that, once you start listening to it quietly in the middle of the night, you cannot stop and find yourself completely absorbed until the very end. The label is Impulse!, and it was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder. No side story is needed for this album. Please, just immerse yourself in the music.