Jazz Today: May 21, 1959 @ New Jersey RVG

May 21, 1959 “Five Spot After Dark”
by Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Garrison & Al Harewood
at Rudy Van Gelder Studio Hackensack for Savoy (Blues-ette)

This is a highly acclaimed recording among audiophiles, where the lip vibrations of trombonist Curtis Fuller are reproduced with such vividness that they seem to crawl along the ground. The original composition by tenor saxophonist Benny Golson has become a jazz standard. Because it is such a superb recording, it is well-regarded as a reference source for testing audio characteristics and performance, but the playing itself is also exceptional.

The song title refers to the late hours at the prestigious New York jazz club, the Five Spot. In addition to the composition and performance, the sense of quiet, calm atmosphere captured in the background of the recording blends perfectly to create a mellow, late-night mood.

Recorded at the Rudy Van Gelder Studio for the long-established Savoy label, I suspect that the recording was made late at night when electrical noise is relatively low, as a way to add to the atmosphere of the song title. From an audio appreciation perspective, sound quality also tends to be better during hours when fewer home appliances are in use.

Here, while the solos of the former two are a given, I want to draw attention to the seasoned, understated drumming of Harewood and the thick bass of Jimmy Garrison, who would later become a member of Coltrane's classic quartet. Despite the subtle performance, the hi-hat, which marks time regularly from the right speaker like waves, combined with the snare drum, which adds irregular inflections in the gaps, creates the song's momentum. Jimmy Garrison's powerful bass acts as an anchor, contributing significantly to the brilliant performances of each musician. In particular, I want you to feel the bass vibrations that jump out from the left speaker just after the 20-second mark.

Pianist Tommy Flanagan also delivers a tasteful performance with accents throughout. Good work is truly subtle. He understands his role in supporting the other musicians, elevating them without drawing attention to himself. He maintains the same stance during his piano solo, keeping his self-expression restrained, prioritizing the melody, and smoothly carrying on the flow. This work was recorded just 16 days after the breakthrough Coltrane piece I covered on May 6th. This fact alone is enough to show how fulfilled Flanagan was during this period and how much he was favored by other musicians.

The Five Spot was a prestigious jazz club in Manhattan. It was located about a 15-minute walk from the current Blue Note Jazz Club in Lower Manhattan and about 20 minutes from the Village Vanguard, operating from 1956 to 1967. It served as the stage for famous live recordings by Monk, Dolphy, and Coltrane.

There are many great performances, and since such a wonderful song could be created there, it must have been a very comfortable club. I would like to introduce live recordings from this jazz club in the future.

For more of Tommy Flanagan's excellent performance, where he plays subtly but amazingly on Coltrane's breakthrough work, please check this out as well.

Finally, for those interested in the seasoned drummer Harewood, please check this out as well.