Product Description:
/David "Fathead" Newman.
2 LPs on 1 CD: Jack McDuff: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME (1966)/Jack McDuff/David "Fathead" Newman: DOUBLE BARRELLED SOUL (1968).
Includes liner notes by Bob Rolontz and Leo Chears.
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME:
Personnel: Jack McDuff (organ); Danny Turner (alto saxophone); George Coleman, Arthur Clarke (tenor saxophone); Buddy Lucas (baritone saxophone); John Grimes, Harold Johnson (trumpet); Richard Harris (trombone); Cornell Dupree (guitar, congas); James Oliver (guitar); Jimmy Tyrrell (bass); Bernard Purdie, Joe Dukes (drums); Warren Smith (percussion).
Originally released on Atlantic (1463).
DOUBLE BARRELLED SOUL:
Personnel: Jack McDuff (organ); David Newman, Danny Turner (alto & tenor saxophones, flute); Leo Johnson (tenor saxophone, flute); Melvin Sparks (guitar); Abe Blasingame (drums).
Producers: Lew Futterman, Joel Dorn.
Originally released on Atlantic (1498).
Personnel: Jack McDuff (organ); Cornell Dupree (guitar, congas); Melvin Sparks, James Oliver (guitar); David "Fathead" Newman (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Leo Johnson (flute, tenor saxophone); Danny Turner (alto saxophone); George Coleman, Arthur Clarke (tenor saxophone); Buddy Lucas (baritone saxophone); Johnny Grimes , Money Johnson (trumpet); Dicky Harris (trombone); Abe Blasingame, Joe Dukes, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums); Warren Smith (percussion).
Recording information: ??/??/1966-08/09/1967.
It takes a bit of searching, but there are several soul-jazz gems on this 15-track compilation of organist Brother Jack McDuff's first and fourth releases on Atlantic. For much of 1966's A Change Is Gonna Come, the compact R&B instrumentals shuffle by, rarely building up enough steam to get the set cooking. The exceptions are the sextet performances with hard bopper George Coleman on tenor sax. Here the focus is on the blues, and the tracks get to stretch beyond the four-minute mark, giving them room to breathe. The slow burn of Red Holloway's "No Tears" and McDuff's "Can't Find the Keyhole Blues" feature the best playing on the date. 1968's Double Barrelled Soul co-stars reedman David Newman in a set that eventually serves up some serious soul-jazz, once it gets past a funky warm-up on "But It's Alright" and an uneventful cover of the ubiquitous "Sunny." Newman's "Duffin' Around" and "More Head," and his collaboration with McDuff, "Untitled Blues," are state of the art organ jazz that spotlight McDuff's clean, powerful technique and improvisational skills. Newman splits his time between sax and flute. In a number of spots, Newman, Leo Johnson and Danny Turner are heard together on flute for some effective ensemble work -- not something one expects on a date like this, but here it works. The classy rhythm guitar of the excellent Melvin Sparks effectively underpins the playing of the co-leaders. ~ Jim Todd
