2 Great Jazz Albums on Savoy Not Known
CBS Sony Japan in the early 70's reissued many Savoy titles with the series called
Original Savoy Recording Series
Among the titles they reissued, 2 albums I feel great but not known among the jazz collectors. These are
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers
Curtis Fuller Jazztet Featuring Benny Golson
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers was not originally released on Savoy though...it was released on a really minor label called Elektra. Savoy took it and reissued it in 1960 with a red jacket design which I like. It is far much better than the original!
Most of the jazz critics here in Japan say that around the late 50's, they were not performing well or that is the dark years of The Jazz Messengers.
Surely, when this album was released, great members like Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham left already. BUT! horn section, Jackie McLean on alto and Bill Hardman on trumpet played well and this combination was really good.
Talking about Curtis Fuller Jazztet, this album is really minor and not popular to compare to Bluesette on the same Savoy.
Bluesette is a great album but this album, to me, is better than Bluesette!
Look at the members, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Charlie Persip on drums and Benny Golson on saxophone.
They all play well and all tracks are great.
Anyway, CBS Sony Japan did a great job to let us know these great but not known albums.
