Rosewood

by Woody Shaw

Product Description:

Personnel includes: Woody Shaw (trumpet, flugelhorn); Carter Jefferson (soprano & tenor saxophones); Gary Bartz (alto saxophone); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Steve Turre, Curtis Fuller (trombone, bass trombone); James Spaulding (flute); Larry Willis, Onaje Allen Gumbs (piano); Clint Houston, Stafford James (bass); Victor Lewis (drums); Sammy Figueroa (congas); Nana Vasconcelos (percussion).

Recorded in New York, New York in December 1977 and December 1979. Includes liner notes by Michael Cuscuna.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This Columbia/Legacy recording was the first major label effort from the trumpeter Woody Shaw. Recorded in 1977 at Columbia's famous Studio B on 52nd Street and originally released in 1978, this stands as one of the stronger statements of Shaw's genius as a player, composer, and bandleader. He fronts both his quintet and his larger concert ensemble here and the results are exceptional. Also included are three bonus tracks from a later Columbia recording, FOR SURE. Shaw died young in 1989 but his fire and innovative improvisation survive on ROSEWOOD.

The title track is Shaw's own and features the complex layering of the larger ensemble as arranged by pianist Onaje Alan Gumbs. Shaw's playing on this upbeat, happy tune written to honor his parents is joyful and soaring. The leaping intervals characteristic of Shaw's playing and his ability to just pull out the stops and swing are evidenced in full force on "Rahsaan's Run" (also by Shaw) and on "Sunshowers" by Clint Houston.