Search - Bobby Hutcherson :: Now

File under 'difficult'

Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 10/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Firstly, there's no doubting the quality of the playing on tracks 1 to 5 recorded at two different sessions in October and November 1969. The first session yielded tracks 2&3 and the latter 1,4&5, but both have different personnel. The normal Hutcherson line-up was augmented by guitarist Wally Richardson and conga player Candido Camero.For me the difficulty is coping with the vocal style adopted here by Gene McDaniels and augmented by a luminary group of female backing vocalists.The sleevenote write Michael Cuscana admits in his 2002 penned sleeve notes that "there are no compromises here" and even after prolonged attempts to get inside what was recorded at these sessions I'm sorry to say I find these tracks make it a very hard album to listen to. Strange then that nine years later, Hutcherson returned to three of the tracks with a six piece group without a guitarist or a conga player, but with added arrangements by Dave Oehler and the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra. The transformation is amazing and illuminating and they are transformed by the new readings with both 'Slow change' and 'Hello to the wind' appearing in pared down versions. It's a curious contrast, and these 'vocaless' tracks are approachable and make good listening. I will go on listening to the album to see if it yields more enjoyment in tracks 1 to 5, but for the moment I have them filed under 'difficult'"

An Inspiring, Singular Masterpiece

M. Hill | Brooklyn, NY United States | 05/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I owned this album on vinyl when it was first released; it's release on CD was long overdue. It is an absolute masterpiece. The marriage of Hutcherson and his musician's jazz sensibilities with eloquent, haunting vocals yields a unique soundscape that evokes jazz, spirituals, and the hopeful, resiliant spirit of the struggle for civil/human rights to which this album spoke when it was released in 1969 and to which it still vividly speaks in 2006. The depth brought by the vocals can be seen by comparing the versions of the title track: while it is gorgeous in the instrumental rendition, the original version with vocals is made utterly transcendant by the emotional power of the human voice, with the women sounding like passionate, mournful angels. The musicianship is uniformly excellent throughout, with sparkling solo work by Hutcherson and Harold Land and rich, toneful vocal work by Gene McDaniel. Listened to with an open heart, this album will lift and inspire you."

Grab this

William R. Nicholas | Mahwah, NJ USA | 06/27/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These are two of my favorate artists in a great collaboration.



Bobby Hutcherson is, of course, the great vibes player, who worked on many famous Blue Note albums in the 1960s. Jackie McClan, Archie Shepp, and Andrew Hill are on his resume, and he also did a slew of dates under his own name.



McDaniels did the masterpiece, Headless Hereo's of the Apocolype, a slab of Early 70s race-riot torn America.



Here, the two meet to do a wonderful record of chamber jazz. The music is both atmospheric, and hard hitting, complicated but mElodic. Gene McDaniels has an alto voice that is not the strongest, but he holds it back, which actually makes it more powerful. He exploits, rather than being restrained by, his singing limitations. Hutcherson, of course, is an increadibly talented player, and his work is sterling here as always.



People who enjoy soul and jazz and even modern classical music will enjoy Now!.

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