Personnel:
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Johnny Griffin (ts), Junior Mance
(p), Larry Gales (b), Ben Riley (d)
The exciting music presented in this set was recorded live
at the historic Mintons Playhouse in New York, on the night of January 6, 1961,
by the fiery quintet co-lead by Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin. It
epitomises the kind of hearty, full-blowing jazz associated with this
partnership of contrasting tenor styles.
Davis was always clear about their partnership. It was never
that jazz cliché, a tenor battle, he insisted. "No, its not really a
battle at all. What we are doing is presenting, side by side, two different
styles of playing tenora contrast, not a contest. The idea is to stimulate
creation, not hinder it.
Like other in-person dates, this one brings to the listener
all the joie de vivre of these visceral swingers, Lock and Griff, as they
compellingly surf a well integrated rhythm section, enhanced by the lucid,
soulful piano of Junior Mance. Over its strong, relentless pulse the two tenors
perform with the take-no-prisoners urgency that characterized the team in its
finest hours.
Now, these great performancesoriginally issued on four
Riverside albumsare gathered together on CD for the first time.
TRACKLIST:
CD 1
01. Light and Lovely
02. Straight No Chaser
03. Woodyn You
04. Bingo Domingo
05. Ill Remember April
06. Billies Bounce
07. Epistrophy
08. Well You Neednt
CD 2
01. In Walked Bud
02. Land of Dreams
03. Bean-O
04. Robbins Nest
05. Our Delight
06. Dee Dees Dance
07. Epistrophy [Alternate Version]
08. Billies Bounce [Alternate Version]
09. The Theme
Original sources:
CD 1, tracks #1-5, from the album "The Tenor
Scene" (Prestige PR7191)
CD 1, tracks #6-8, from the album "The First Set"
(Prestige PR7309)
CD 2, tracks #1-5 & 9, from the album "The Midnight
Show - Live!" (PR7330)
CD 2, tracks #6-8, from the album "The Late Show"
(Prestige PR7357)
Personnel:
EDDIE 'LOCKJAW' DAVIS & JOHNNY GRIFFIN QUINTET
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Johnny Griffin (ts), Jr. Mance (p),
Larry Gales (b), Ben Riley (d).
Recorded live at "Mintons Playhouse," New York
City, on January 6, 1961
Original recordings produced by Esmond Edwards
Recording engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Cover photo: Esmond Edwards
This compilation produced by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered