Search - Jack Wilson :: Easterly Winds

"Easterly Winds" a Welcome Breeze

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 10/28/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There aren't many titles in the Blue Note catalog that I haven't heard, but this Jack Wilson title was one of them. I welcomed the CD release of "Easterly Winds" like one would a warm spring breeze. I had heard good things about this record for years, largely because of the personnel associated with it, and I couldn't wait to finally get a listen. And after ordering it from Amazon and giving it several spins, I can safely say it is a solid, if not stellar album. The lineup is indeed impressive -- Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, Bob Cranshaw, Billy Higgins, and trombonist Garnett Brown join the lesser-known pianist/leader on this September 22, 1967 session. The material ranges from the then popular boogaloo type groove of "Do It," to more straight ahead numbers like "On Children" and the title track. The disc also offers a change of pace with the ballad "A Time for Love," which omits the frontline horns, and showcases Wilson's lyrical beauty. However, it is the reflective "Nirvanna" and the more adventurous "Frank's Tune," penned by underrated alto-saxophonist Frank Strozier, that steal the show. The fact that these tracks end the set left a sweet taste in my mouth, but the slow start makes it a four-star affair in my opinion. That being said fans of post-Sidewinder Lee Morgan will enjoy feeling these "Easterly Winds.""

Copy controlled Jeeeez ...

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 11/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This record unfortunatly is re-released in the worst Blue Note period the label has ever seen. The copy controlled era. Jeeee ... what a trash is this copy controlled thing!!! It causes a lot of problems with a lot of cd readers (even of very high quality). The first time I put the cd inside one of my cd readers immediatly it began to skip like crazy! I ended up that I could not listen to the record I have Just bought with REAL MONEY! This copy controlled system make the cd almost unusable! It's unbelievable! I want to suggest to Blue Note to quit this system because it is INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING and it causes damage to true music lovers, the jazz enthusiasts which by the way, generally want to own the real thing not copies. Anyway.... I pray that people at Blue Note make up their minds and quit this AWFUL system which is simply a stupid and hateful thing. By the way it don't controll anything because I know a lot of people that are able to unlock the system through a computer software. So the ones that really want to copy the cd can do it, so in the end the system cause damage only to the innocent pure jazz lover! God!!!!! I know of a lot of people which are so disappointed by this system that in the past they took back the cds to their record shop! I think it will begin to happen a lot more! I will not do this because I love this album and I want to treasure it in my collection, but I hate Blue Note for this copy controlled thing. Obviously not because I want to make copies of it (even if for personal use it could be desiderable), but because with some cd readers I CAN'T EVEN LISTEN TO THE ALBUM PROPERLY! Can you imagine how frustrating is that? And people at Blue Note know this thing because they say on the cd cover that the system can cause problems. I mean, it's unbelievable, they put on sale a product which can cause problems and can be unusable! They should be crazy! No doubt. Probably they want people to stop buying cds .. I don't know.



The album in sè is very good, I agree with the previous reviewer even if I have to say that "Something Personal" from Jack Wilson, the album that came out the year prior to this one (66) was a way better, more consistent effort. Now it's avaoilable only as a Japanese expensive edition. SP was really perfect I have to say, the line up was different, rhythmn section plus vibes (Roy Ayers), here we have the common rhythmn section plus two horns, the splendid Lee Morgan and Jackie McLean. It's not the formula which is lesser noble. It is simply that that album was more inspired probably. I really love Lee and Jackie, I mean but boogaloos are boring after a while. Anyway this is a very good album anyway. Simpli Something personal is way better. If you have to choose, prefer that one."