2 Underrated Albums of Curtis Fuller on Savoy
The most popular album of Curtis Fuller might be this,
Curtis Fuller Blues-Ette on Savoy
Right?
It is really popular here in Japan too. Five Spot After Dark was featured and used many times on TV commercials in Japan.
But, what about this album?
The Curtis Fuller Jazztett with Benny Golson
Look at the members,
Lee Morgan on trumpet
Wynton Kelly on piano
Benny Golson on tenor
Paul Chambers on bass
Charlie Persip on drums
Legendary musicians! What about this album?
The Curtis Fuller Sextet Imagination
The members here are...
Thad Jones on trumpet
McCoy Tyner on piano
Jimmy Garrison on bass
Benny Golson on tenor
Dave Bailey on drums
I think, these members speak by themselves! No doubt that the sessions are great. And they are GREAT!
But somehow, these 2 albums are not that known and popular..I don't know why...
These on the pictures above are CBS Sony reissues in the 70's. As you may have known, CBS Sony Japan at that time also reissued Columbia jazz like Miles Davis albums on Columbia. The pressing as well as sound quality of CBS Sony reissue are really superb.
Another interesting thing, is that these Curtis Fuller reissues are in STEREO not MONO.
The sessions present in these 2 albums were recorded in between 1958 and 59 by Rudy Van Gelder. You know that that is the time RVG started recording the sessions (Blue Note as well) both MONO and STEREO. Obvisously CBS Sony at that time, used the STEREO Master (not the original for sure).
King Record also did reissue the same titles in the early 90's but they used the MONO master. Interesting right?
So, these CBS Sony reissues are the only available STEREO reissues of these 2 titles in Japan.
One dawnside of these CBS Sony Savoy reissues...that is the label design...they used plain white and orange boring CBS Sony label...
Anyway, in case you don't know or have these titles, it is better to dig them!
