Jazz for the Open Road [32 Jazz]

Read About This Recording

Jazz can fit all moods, from happiness to wistful sadness, from pure excitement to serving as romantic background music. This fact was noted in the late 1950s when Prestige formed its Moodsville subsidiary, which exclusively recorded collections of ballads.

In the late 1990s, the 32 Jazz label, under the direction of producer Joel Dorn, started a similar and very popular series. Since 32 owned music originally recorded for the Muse and Landmark labels in the 1970s, '80s and '90s, they issued various artist collections that fit a certain mood. The concept caught on and their releases sold very well.

Jazz for the Open Road has 10 performances that feature different straight-ahead jazz players. While these selections would sound great coming out of one's CD player in a car, they can also be easily enjoyed at home too. With the emphasis on blues and melodic material, the collection has a number apiece from tenor-saxophonists Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and David "Fathead" Newman, altoist Sonny Criss ("All the Things You Are"), trumpeters Donald Byrd and Woody Shaw, guitarist Grant Green ("Iron City" which is the earliest selection, being from the late 1960s), pianist Hank Jones (Charlie Parker's "Bloomdido"), organist Richard "Groove" Holmes, singer Ernie Andrews and Roomful of Blues. The sidemen include altoist Kenny Garrett, tenor-saxophonist Joe Henderson, organist Big John Patton and pianist Dolo Coker.

—Scott Yanow

Contents

Grant Green: Iron City; Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis: Comin' Home Baby; Donald Byrd: Theme for Malcolm; Richard "Groove" Holmes: Groove's Groove; David "Fathead" Newman: Shana; Sonny Criss: All the Things You Are; Ernie Andrews: When They Ask About You; Woody Shaw: Tetragon; Hank Jones: Bloomdido; Roomful of Blues: Red, Hot and Blue.