Cool Struttin’ cover

Cool Struttin’

Released

This 1958 album is an undeniable classic of the hard bop era. Pianist Sonny Clark is joined by trumpeter Art Farmer, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The title track is a seductive blues groove, “Blue Minor” a jumpy soul jazz workout with a slight Latin tinge to its main melody. The album’s second side features a furious version of Miles Davis’s early bebop piece, “Sippin’ At Bells,” on which Chambers takes one of his trademark bowed solos, and ends with the old standard “Deep Night.” There are no ballads here, but Jones keeps the beat laid-back even at the jumpiest moments, and the horns fly below the radar, favoring melody over pyrotechnics.

Phil Freeman

Recommended by

Suggestions
Time Is of the Essence; The Essence Is Beyond Time cover

Time Is of the Essence; The Essence Is Beyond Time

Other Dimensions In Music, Matthew Shipp
The Elektric Band cover

The Elektric Band

The Chick Corea Elektric Band
Victory! cover

Victory!

JD Allen
King of the Tenors cover

King of the Tenors

Ben Webster
Dance Kobina cover

Dance Kobina

Joe Chambers
Venture cover

Venture

Amund Kleppan
Rabo de Nube cover

Rabo de Nube

Jason Moran, Eric Harland, Reuben Rogers, Charles Lloyd Quartet
The Hill cover

The Hill

David Murray Trio
Sankofa cover

Sankofa

Amaro Freitas
The  Rite of Spring cover

The Rite of Spring

The Bad Plus
Ptah, The El Daoud cover

Ptah, The El Daoud

Joe Henderson, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane
Free Flying cover

Free Flying

Julian Lage, Fred Hersch