1. Tell It Like It Is
2. My Love Waits
3. Six and Four
4. Oh I See
5. Train Shuffle
6. Bittersweet
7. Venus de Mildrew
8. Pisces
9. Teenie's Blue
Alex Garnett - Alto sax
Brandon Allen - Tenor sax
Terry Smith - Guitar
Pete Whittaker - Organ
Don Burrell - Drums
For the average jazz fan asked to provide the name of the most recognizable drummer in the UK, Don Burrell is not someone likely to come up. So this lack of recognition is not surprising, even though Burrell does have a lengthy pedigree, as he was the last individual to play drums for the well-known and highly regarded backup band The Echoes in the 1969/70 time frame just before the group disbanded.
Now as co-founder of Actone Records, Burrell has offered himself as the leader of a quintet that is anchored by a Hammond B3 organ offering seventies-style cover versions of mostly minor tunes by well known US jazz players/composers. There is not an original composition in the lot. If there was any rationale for the chosen numbers or the players in the group, no explanation has been provided in the liner notes, so we are left to interpret what we hear as we wish. That being said, Burrell has done himself a favour as all the other members of the group have solid jazz reputations on their respective instruments.
There are nine offerings on the disc and generally all follow the same format of the saxophones in unison stating the opening theme, followed by tenor and alto sax solos, restatement of the theme, interplay among the instrumentalists and then close out. Given the structural limitations of the arrangements, there are, however, some appealing moments on the disc. The two Wayne Shorter compositions Tell It Like It Is and Venus de Mildrew while not in the Speak No Evil and Night Dreamer category are well presented, with the former swinging along at a brisk pace with ardent solos from Alex Garnett on alto and Brandon Allen on tenor. Duke Pearson's My Love Waits is a lovely tune along the lines of Jeannine and New Girl. It showcases the impeccable style of guitarist Terry Smith and is one of the best cuts on the disc. As for some of the other tracks, Tom Harrell's Train Shuffle chugs along with some contemplative tenor work by Brandon Allen; there is a Latin-tinged version of Al Foster's Bittersweet; a harmonically interesting rendition of Lee Morgan's Pisces; and finally Oliver Nelson's Teenie's Blues, which has some moments that feature the proud tone of altoist Alex Garnett. Throughout all the tracks we are treated to the breezy comfort of the Hammond B3 organ of Pete Whittaker, and Don Burrell plays a supportive but unobtrusive role on drums.
For those nostalgia buffs that are looking for a disc which harks back to those Shirley Scott-lead groups of the 60's and 70's, this will fit the bill.
Pierre Giroux
CD Reviews
Actone ARCD 1003
