Search - Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Shirley Scott :: Smokin

Jaws & Shirley blow the roof off

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 10/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Lockjaw Davis and Shirley Scott made quite a few albums together when they were both with Prestige Records in the late 1950s-early 1960s. This one was cut in 1958. Jerome Richardson appears on three sides playing baritone, flute and tenor sax. He's probably best on the way up-tempo blues HIGH FRY. Over half the tunes are taken at ferocious tempos, which is a bit overkill. At the other end of the tempo spectrum is IT'S A BLUE WORLD, a big-boned ballad (the only ballad on the date) with good Lockjaw. The date has the feel of a blowing session with everyone getting their licks in and not too much emphasis on finesse. An okay CD, but not the greatest for any of the artists here."

Falls short... still great !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 11/26/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On the surface, this album has it all...



Though I prefer it when organists walk their own bass (and Shirley certainly could... both LH and with feet!),

to me George Duvivier and Arthur Edgehill were always a made in heaven rhythm section dream team.. What goes wrong on this particular session they decide to play "jam session" style... rather than being laid back and tasty, virtually all the tunes are uptempo and Edgehill lays on the bebop "titty booms" pretty heavy... - - Within this style (and I hate to say it, because I *am* an organist!), I think a piano would have been better...

In turn, Lockjaw, in turn seems to be trying a bit too hard to bow his butt off on EVERY tune - - resulting in a somewhat nervous sound. All this said, Shirley, despite being the odd "man" out really grooves nonetheless... and saves the session.



Jerome Richardson also plays flute, tenor and bari...and on one tune actually MAJORLY cuts Eddie... sadly, he's only on three tracks... He, Seldon Powell, Ray Barretto and Lem Winchester (the latter three not on the album) in my opinion were always the "understated secret weapons" of that genre... so even though "sidemen" their absence create a bit of a lonely sound.



High point of the album is IT'S A BLUE WORLD... once Eddie calms down from whatever he was one he really gets sweet and Shirley and the rhythm section are really up on it.



All in all... not Eddie's greatest greatest album... but heck... even on a bad day I'll take it to most the poop that's come out masquerading as "Jazz" in the 50 years since... hence... a purchase worth considering."