Further Reading
28th June 2024
A triumphantly wacky return from Hiatus Kaiyote, a young British trumpeter explores his faith, one of Cannonball Adderley's last romps, a big band tribute honours Chick Corea, Randy Brecker stars on a long-lost recording from a New York veteran and a Korean jazz orchestrator reflects on her cultural heritage...
One of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet's final performances recorded in Montreal on May 3, 1975 three months before his untimely passing.
The great Julian "Cannonball" Adderley rose to prominence in the hard-bop era of the 1950's and 60's. After a successful stint with Miles Davis's sextet, including being featured on the seminal Davis records 'Milestones' and 'Kind of Blue', Adderley formed his own quintet with brother Nat on trumpet and cornet, and soon became the driving force behind the soul-jazz movement of the 1960's and 70's. No one would have guessed that the 46-year-old DownBeat Jazz Hall of Famer was in the last few months of his life when he stepped on stage at Montreal's In Concert Club on May 3, 1975. And nothing about the performance suggests that the hard bop sax legend was anything but at the top of his game. The 6-track set includes the Grammy Hall of Fame inductee hit tune "Mercy Mercy Mercy," with Adderley's brother Nat on trumpet.
The lineup for the quintet here is Cannonball Adderley (alto and soprano sax); Nat Adderley (trumpet); Michael Wolff (piano); Roy McCurdy (drums, percussion) and Walter Booker (bass). Originally released in 1977 on Dobre Records this LP has been unavailable on vinyl for over 40 years and makes its return pressed on 180-gram vinyl. Features liner notes by music historian Cary Ginell who wrote the book "Walk Tall: The Music and Life of Cannonball Adderley". Notes include interviews with quintet members Michael Wolff and Roy McCurdy.
