Friday, July 24, 2009

Burrell, Trane, & Claremont California


Back when I was a graduate student, and looking for a diversion from Machiavelli and Plato, I tried to learn to play jazz guitar. I failed. But my early jazz collecting focused on guitar players. My personal favorite was Herb Ellis, whom I managed to shake hands with at a local concert. But a close second was Kenny Burrell. Burrell has a muscular, thumpin' Blues that is hard to forget.

I haven't forgotten what it was like to listen to a double album featuring Burrell and John Coltrane. It combined Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane, with Cats, originally issued with pianist Tommy Flanagan as leader. I wore the groves down on that one. Flanagan was my second piano hero, after Bill Evans.

Burrell, Coltrane, and Flanagan, were an awesome combination. When I listened to the album, I always got the feeling of being in a different room. Only some spaces can hold such music as this.

Here is a sample. Enjoy it and get the album. Posts are like turtles being picked off by predator birds.
Kenny Burrell/Freight Trane/Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane
This is rocking good jazz.





2 comments:

  1. You did good by pointing out Burrell, Trane, Flanagan's awesomeness, but I can't let you off the hook for not also giving a nod to Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. Those two are about as rock steady a rhythm section as you can put together. Good rockin' jazz indeed.

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  2. Guilty as charged. My fingers got tired.

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