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Milt Jackson and J.J. Johnson are among the relatively small cluster of musicians who are literally distinctive in their style and personal in their sound. Both are bright illustrations of that rare breed of jazz musician who is predictably inventive and confidently at ease in practically all settings. This session was organized by Parisian pianist Henri Renaud in New York City during his three-month stay in 1954. They are joined by Al Cohn on tenor, Charlie Smith on drums, and Percy Heath on bass for an album that is as fresh and exciting as it gets!
"Jackson's lead on "There's No You" will honest to god, move you to raves of joy. Then J.J. takes over, followed by Renaud... and you're swaying your way to ecstasy. Such superlatives can be supplied sans embarrassment to each and every tune here and the wonderful interpretations. Sure, one could be clear-eyed in one's response, analytical, even philosophical. What you come up with, however, is something like "This is just beautiful music, pure and simple." Tres, tres bien!"
-Bob Gish, JazzInside NY
This entry from Inner City's Jazz Legacy series has the spotlight on two of the greats who emerged during the classic bebop era, teamed together on Mar. 7, 1954. Vibraphonist Milt Jackson and trombonist J.J. Johnson are still considered the definitive bop-oriented pacesetters on their instruments, and major influences on today's players.
Milt Jackson was the third major vibraphonist in jazz history, being preceded by Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. Born in 1921, he actually started on guitar and piano and sang in a touring gospel quartet. He took up the vibes as a teenager and worked around Detroit until discovered by Dizzy Gillespie. Jackson worked with Gillespie's sextet and big band in 1946 and, with Terry Gibbs as his only competitor, was soon in demand by everyone in the modern jazz world. During 1948-49 alone he worked with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Woody Herman's Second Herd and Howard McGhee. He was in Gillespie's sextet during 1950-52 before beginning his long association with John Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet. While a member of the MJQ during 1952-74 and 1981 until it ended in the mid-1990s, Jackson was always eager to participate in worthy side projects, such as the music heard on A Date In New York.
It could be argued that J.J. Johnson largely saved the trombone from the fate of the clarinet, which became a minor instrument during the bop era. Johnson managed to come up with a way of playing the trombone on rapid bop jams, sounding smooth instead of awkward. Born in 1924, Johnson started out working with territory bands in the early 1940s before he spent part of 1942-45 playing with the Benny Carter Orchestra. By 1946 he was easily the leading trombonist in bop and many still consider him the greatest trombonist of all time. He worked with Count Basie (1945-46), recorded with Charlie Parker in 1947, and had stints with Illinois Jacquet, the Dizzy Gillespie big band and the Miles Davis nonet. Despite his fame in the jazz world, he found it difficult to find work in the early 1950s and actually spent 1952-54 working as a blueprint inspector. But after forming a popular two-trombone quintet with Kai Winding in Aug. 1954, Johnson was permanently back in music, also becoming a notable arranger-composer.
A Date In New York has some of the finest J.J. Johnson on record. He is the star of a group that also includes Jackson, tenor-saxophonist Al Cohn (on four of the nine numbers), pianist Henri Renaud, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Charlie Smith. His playing is outstanding on “Jerry Old Man” (listen to his thoughtful and fascinating solo), “There's No You” and “Indiana.” Milt Jackson is his usual superb self on vibes, and subs for Renaud on piano on three songs, playing good supportive piano. More unusual is that Jackson has “Lullaby Of The Leaves” as an effective trio feature and he takes the vocal on “The More I See You.”
Review
"Vibraphonist Milt Jackson and trombonist J.J. Johnson both had long and very influential careers that started in the 1940s and lasted for decades. This mid-1950s set features the pair in superlative form. Johnson plays with the fluency of a trumpeter while Jackson, who set the standard for vibraphonists, is surprisingly effective as a supportive pianist on three of the nine selections (taking “Lullaby Of The Leaves” as a trio feature) and even has a vocal on “The More I See You.”
It may have just been “A Date In New York,” but the music on this CD is something special, showing just how great J.J. Johnson and Milt Jackson were on a daily basis for decades." -Scott Yanow
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