Search - Max Roach :: Max Roach Quartet

Too Early

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 05/25/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This recording was made one month before the legendary "Jazz at Massey Hall" date featuring Max with Diz, Bird, Bud and Mingus. Whereas the latter is truly an historic recording, this one is more of an "historic curiosity," the first extended solo outing by Hank Mobley.



Though recorded in a New York studio, the audio quality is no better than that on the Massey Hall perfomance, which was captured on the marginal equipment Mingus brought with him to Toronto. The tenor saxophone is foregrounded, whereas all of the other instruments, including drums, are undermiked. After an amateurish start on Roach's "Cou-Manchi-Cou," Mobley plays with confidence and authority (though he would sound better several years later on the Mercury release, "The Max Roach 4 Plays Charlie Parker"). Some of the tune choices are questionable ("Glow Worm") and the arrangements for four horns downright dubious. Besides limited fidelity and uneven balance, the recording has noticeable "wow" and surface noice (obviously the digital transfer was made from a disk).



No need to purchase this one unless you're a Mobley completist (besides several worthy solos, he contributes 4 of the 9 tunes) or a Roach-oholic (the last two tracks are unaccompanied drum solos--poorly recorded)."