""Sugar" is a bluesy soul-jazz classic, represented here, on this remastered edition, in both studio and live versions. Butch Cornell's "Sunshine Alley" is solid, and John Coltrane's "Impressions" is given an impressive soul-jazz treatment. ("Gibraltar" was cut from the original track list, but it can be found on another CTI release, "Salt Song".)
There's a lot of great jamming here, featuring Stanley, Freddie Hubbard, and George Benson as primary soloists. Rudy Van Gelder ably imparted the trademark CTI studio sheen on this recording without compromising the essential grit of the performances.Stanley Turrentine - Sax (Tenor)
George Benson - Guitar
Ron Carter - Bass
Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano (Electric)
Butch Cornell - Organ, Organ (Hammond)
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Tympani [Timpani]
Billy Kaye - Drums
Richard Landrum - Conga
Rudy Van Gelder - Engineer"
Sugar Stanley Turrentine
Luis Esquivel | Roxbury(Boston), MA United States | 04/03/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"It's a shame that the fourth track (Gibraltar) on the original LP
wasn't included it was replaced for a live version of Sugar wich
is great but it's disappointing not to have that track from the original recording.Also the remaster it's not good at all it makes the horns and the guitar sound really dull compared to the original recording."
SWEET JAZZ
Beverly Praiswater | 09/06/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Stanley Turrentine was one of the most prolific jazz artists of our time but received very little attention to his works. If he were still with us, he would be playing the finest halls across America. On this cd he teams up with his peers in none other than Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Lonnie Liston Smith Jr., Ron Carter, and other masterful musicians. Thanks to the wonderful production from Creed Taylor who had the foresight to bring all of these talents together, we have what is an example of brilliant jazz.
There are only four songs on this cd. The first is the title song which is over 10 minutes long. The second song "Sunshine Alley" is also over 10 minutes long. The third song "Impressions" was the last song on the original LP and is over 14 minutes. The "piece de resistance" on this cd is the bonus cut: a live version of "Sugar" that cooks and adds Hubert Laws on the flute. It is also over 14 minutes.
I'm not certain how ANYONE could compare this music to smooth jazz. These musicians know jazz through and through and prove it on this album! While recorded under Stanley Turrentine's name, there are many solo spots from the other artists throughout each number. It is akin to sitting in a jazz club and indulging in the most delicious treat. This is a jazz buffet for the ears!"
WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME
COMPUTERJAZZMAN | Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States | 12/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT ALL OF THESE GREAT OLD CTI RECORDS WERE RE-RELEASED ON CD. I HAD SO MANY OF THESE GREAT WAX RECORDINGS WHEN THEY CAME OUT IN THE 70'S. THIS IS A CLASSIC ONE BY STANLEY TURRENTINE. BUT THAT IS MISLEADING. THE GREAT THING ABOUT ALL OF THESE OLD CTI RECORDS WERE THAT THEY FEATURED A LOT OF THE GREAT MUSICIANS IN THEIR STABLE. IF A RECORD WAS CREDITED TO, SAY, STANLEY TURRENTINE, YOU COULD BE ASSURED THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF GREAT SOLOS ON THE DISC BY RON CARTER, GEORGE BENSON, FREDDIE HUBBARD (who are all fetured here on this CD), AND OTHERS (including Deodato, Hubert Laws, Steve Gadd, Randy Weston, Joe Beck, Hank Crawford, Eric Gale, etc.). THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR ALBUMS RELEASED BY THOSE ARTISTS. WHO THE ALBUM WAS CREDITED TO WAS A MISNOMER. I READ ONE OF THE OTHER REVIEWERS STATE THAT THIS MUSIC WAS A PRECURSER TO WHAT IS NOW CALLED SMOOTH JAZZ, BUT THAT IS WRONG, SINCE THIS STUFF IS SOOOOO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT CRAPPPPPPPPPP."