Search - Cannonball Adderley :: Nippon Soul

Fun live recording

allismile0 | Washington, DC | 04/09/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is an exciting live performance by Cannonball Adderley (sax alto) with Yusef Lateef on flute/ oboe/ Sax(tenor), Joe Zawinul on keyboards, Sam Jones (bass), Louis Hayes (drums), and Nat Adderley on cornet. I don't understand why this album is more popular, the song list alone should grab some people attention- with songs like Brother John (Lateef) which has a great groove and Coltrane style blowing during Ole/ African Brass; Come Sunday of Black Brown and Beige (Ellington) with Zawinul playing the tender melody and sparse arrangments behind him but still sounding very full; and an excellent version of Work Song (N.Adderley) where the whole band works together as a tight unit. Although the playing through this album isn't super tight or dynamic- it is still very exciting with a lot of energy and great playing by all- Cannonball, Lateef, and Zawinul stick out though."

One of Cannonball's best

Purple Tentacle | Netherlands | 09/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album contains a fantastic live performance of the Cannonball Adderley Sextet in Japan in 1963. It features inspired solos from Cannonball, Nat Adderley and Yusef Lateef and a driving rhythm section. Supposedly it's the very first recording of an American jazz group performing in Japan.



Highlights include Lateef's mesmerising oboe playing on the Coltrane-inspired modal workout "Brother John" and a very nice sextet version of "Work Song". Highly recommended."

Cannonball's Finest Band and That's Saying Something!

Andrew Stevenson | Union Springs, New York | 12/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"According to the liner notes this recording "is probably the first recording of American jazz artists" in Japan. Recorded live at two 1963 concerts the band is Cannonball's finest with the exceptional reedman Yusef Lateef adding depth (not to mention exoticism) to the Adderlys' alto saxophone and cornet. There is so much to recommend here: pianist Joe Zawinul's moving solo on "Come Sunday"; Nat's fiery moments on "Brother John"; Cannonball's wailing solo on "Work Song" followed by some very weird wonderful sounds by Yusef on tenor saxophone; bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes's support throughout. I could go on and on but I'll let you discover more yourself."