Search - Howard Mcghee :: Dusty Blue

"Rusty" Blue

William Faust | Columbus, Ohio | 09/24/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Don't get me wrong, I like Howard McGhee. I especially like his release entitled "Maggie's Back in Town" and his obbligato work on Johnny Hartman's reissue of ballads on Bethlehem. Those are great recordings. This is not. The selections of charts here leaves me cold. Nothing really swings, nor do any of the ballads reach out and grab you. Groovin High is probably the best cut and it's sub-standard when compared to so many other recordings of this classic. At times McGhee is actually playing out of tune, especially in the upper register. This was just a big disappointment and not highly recommended unless you're a Howard McGhee completist."

One of my most played CD's

Daniel J. Filice | Burbank, CA United States | 05/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am not a musician and not technically literate when it comes to music, but I do know what kind of jazz I like and I like this CD a great deal. I sampled other McGhee CD's here on Amazon and oddly enough, I preferred "Dusty Blue." This was my first introduction to Howard McGhee. I had heard the title cut recently on a local jazz sation and liked it so much I pulled over until the song ended and I could make a note of who the musician was. This is one of my most played jazz CD's in my collection. The music is not obtrusive. It's is very listenable straight ahead jazz with may familiar standards played. I made a copy for the car and my office. Of course, everyone's musical taste is different. If your taste is total abstract Miles Davis, then this may not be your cup of tea."

Read two other reviews then listen to clips

C. Katz | Peoples Republic Of Massachussettes | 03/19/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not sure why Mr.Rust is so hard on this session which I love.It's one of those great Bethlehem bop sessions like Dexter Gordon's Daddy Play's The Horn".It get's a 4 star review at allmusic guide.Pepper Addams,the incomparably swinging Trombonist Bennie Green plus a rhythm session of Tommy Flanagan,a young Ron Carter and solid Walter Bolden it would be hard for this to be less than good session (if not up to his other work of period "Maggie Back In Town").A really nice "I Concentrate On You" as well as "Groovin' High" and A Cottage For Sale" are bracketed by some good originals.I would say four star but have to give it five to balance out the 1 and 5 stars given.If you want to hear more than the Miles,Dorham,Brownie,Dizzy, and others I recommend this as well as works by Benny Bailey and Johnny Coles as under recognized or now forgotten trumpeters.Add the short lived Joe Gordon to that list though he a bit more fire.Richard Williams "New Horn In Town" is another one I used to turn folks onto at jazz shop I worked at that few knew of.Fine balanced hard bop that is solid if not a cornerstone.Nothing advanced not post bop but in the pocket.But McGhee's output is consistently worth digging into and enjoying.

Dig

Chazz"