J.R. Mitchell
Live
Doria Records (US) 1980
JRM 101 (LP)
sleeve : VG+(RW, SPSE/TOC: 8cm crack and tape on top, wear on edge and corner.)
media : EX-/EX-(some slightly noises. some slightly wear that does not affect to sounds.)
This album, released in 1980 by American drummer J.R. Mitchell, showcases a gem of a live performance recorded during a concert at Northeastern University in Boston in 1978, featuring Sonelius Smith on piano and Gary Hammond on tenor and soprano saxophones. Mitchell, who has played with numerous jazz musicians such as Sonny Stitt, Jaki Byard, and Nina Simone, and who left behind memorable session works with his close friend Byard Lancaster, dedicated himself to nurturing musicians in universities and other institutions. The album, released on his private label, captures the essence of jazz as it evolves from hard bop to post-bop, free jazz, and contemporary jazz. Tracks like the delightful A1, with its Brazilian rhythms and pentatonic phrasing, and the emotionally expansive A3, demonstrate the trio's skill in weaving melodies. This album is truly a hidden gem of US spiritual jazz, beautifully expressing the diverse aspects of jazz in a live performance setting.
A1: On a windy Afternoon in Reminiscence of New York
A3: The Need to Smile
B4: John’s Hymn