Monday 19 October 2009

Hank Crawford "Midnight Ramble"

Hank Crawford

"Midnight Ramble"
( LP Milestone Records, 1983 )
Catalog # M-9112


Tracklisting :
01 Midnight Ramble 6:06
02 Forever Mine 5:32
03 Theme for Basie 5:52
04 Mister C 5:53
05 Street of Dreams 5:05
06 Next Time You See Me 4:47
07 Deep River 5:55

Notes:
Recorded at JAC Studio, NYC, November 4, 5, and 10, 1982

Personnel :
Hank Crawford - Alto Sax, Electric Piano
Dr. John - Organ, Piano
Calvin Newborn - Guitar
Charles "Flip" Greene - Bass
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums
Charlie Miller - Trumpet
Waymon Reed - Trumpet
Dick Griffin - Trombone
David "Fathead" Newman - Tenor Sax
Howard Johnson - Baritone Sax

Review :
Midnight Ramble, released in 1983 on Milestone, was saxophonist Hank Crawford's return to recording after a four-year break following his departure from Kudu. It was the beginning of a decades-long relationship with the prestigious jazz label. Crawford, a veteran of Ray Charles, had long been associated with soul-jazz groove-oriented music. On this date, he delivers a solid, straight-ahead session with some notable surprises. The first is that he plays not only his trademark alto saxophone, but also electric piano. Next is his rhythm section: Dr. John on piano and organ, Charles "Flip" Greene on bass, guitarist Calvin Newborn (brother of Phineas), and stone-cold soul-jazz drummer Bernard Purdie. But that isn't all. Crawford also includes five other horns: two trumpets, trombone, bass saxophone, and David "Fathead" Newman on tenor. Needless to say, Crawford's idea of "straight-ahead" still contains plenty, plenty soul. The program is solid, top to bottom; it's amiable, relaxed, and deeply rooted in the blues. Phineas Newborn's "Theme for Basie" and the saxophonist's own composition of the title track are highlights, as is the gospel-oriented blues of "Deep River," with Dr. John's piano leading the band. Among his better offerings, Midnight Ramble stands as one of the more inspired records Crawford cut after leaving Atlantic in 1969, and reveals that the extended downtime had helped him to regain his focus and his power (both imaginatively and compositionally) as one of the great soul and blues-oriented jazzmen in history.
By Thom Jurek [AMG]

By Rob

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

myfavouritesound

Funkback said...

When You want some groove at the bottom -call the Dr! This is delicious! Thanx 4 schooling me, I had no idea this gem languished unknown. I love mr. Crawfords horn and this is just too baad (in the good sense!)
/Funkback

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