Joe Alexander

BLUE JUBILEE

Personnel:

John Hunt (tp, flh), Joe Alexander (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Sam Jones (b), Albert “Tootie” Heath (d)

Reference: FSRCD 1657

Being virtually unknown is no reliable indication of a jazz musicians quality; the music has more than its share of highly competent musicians whose careers were passed in almost total obscurity. A case in point is Joe Alexander, a hard-driving young tenor from Birmingham, Alabama, who made his leader debut on this, his only album.

Sharing the front line with him was the almost equally unsung Joe Hunt, the trumpet and flugelhorn player of the accomplished Ray Charles band. Obscure though the hornmen were, they were good enough to call on a rhythm section of high profile players in pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Albert Heath. With such support, and with Timmons sharing solo honors, Alexander and Hunt establish their credentials as brisk, long-limbed swingers on Browns Town, Weird Beard (both arranged by Hunt), Terris Blues, and Tom McIntoshs earthy Blue Jubilee. Alexander in particular digs much emotion out of a ballad treatment of the standard Ill Close My Eyes, proving that good jazz is where you find it.

Tracklisting:

01. Blues Jubilee (Tom McIntosh) 6:03

02. Browns Town (Norris Austin) 7:22

03. Ill Close My Eyes (Kaye-Reid) 7:14

04. Terris Blues (Hunt-Alexander) 10:01

05. Weird Beard (Hank Crawford) 9:17

Originally issued in 1960 as Jazzland JLP 923S

Personnel on all tracks: John Hunt (trumpet & flugelhorn), Joe Alexander (tenor sax), Bobby Timmons (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Albert Tootie Heath (drums).

Recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, on June 20, 1960.

Original recordings produced by Orrin Keepnews

Recording engineer: Bill Stoddard

Original cover designed by Ken Deardoff

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol.

24-Bit Digitally Remastered