Don Patterson › Legends of Acid Jazz, Volume 2: Just Friends

/Booker Ervin/Houston Person.

DON PATTERSON/BOOKER ERVIN/HOUSTON PERSON contains Don Patterson's FOUR DIMENSIONS (1967), HIP CAKE WALK (1964), PATTERSON'S PEOPLE (1964) and TUNE UP (1969).

Personnel includes: Don Patterson (Hammond B-3 organ); Booker Ervin, Houston Person (saxophone); Pat Martino (guitar); Billy James (drums).

This is part of Prestige's Legends Of Acid Jazz series.

Personnel: Pat Martino (guitar); Houston Person, Booker Ervin (saxophone); Billy James (snare drum).

Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino.

Recording information: 07/25/1967.

Although this is a fine collection highlighting three unjustly overlooked players of the '60s, it doesn't really rate inclusion in Prestige's long-running Legends of Acid Jazz series. This isn't acid jazz, or even '60s-style soul-jazz, but straight-ahead hard bop. (The one exception is Don Patterson's Hammond organ-led take on a very faithful and brief rendition of the Drifters' pop hit "Under the Boardwalk," possibly an attempt at Ramsey Lewis-style crossover success.) The two tenors, the barrel-toned Houston Person and the much more aggressive, R&B-influenced honker Booker Ervin, are in control of this session, trading soloists with the intensity of an old-fashioned cutting contest. Patterson rarely takes the spotlight, but when he does, his warm, churchy tones are an inspired contrast to the hard bop blowing of the other two principals. A surprising highlight is an 11-minute take on that hoary old chestnut "Sentimental Journey," which features some simply outstanding solos by all three principals. ~ Stewart Mason

Genre:

• Jazz

Music Categories:

• Jazz Instrument: Soul Jazz

Product Series:

• Fantasy Warehouse Clearance Sale