Four! (Remastered) Hampton Hawes

• 1 Yardbird Suite 06:40
• 2 There Will Never Be Another You 06:59
• 3 Bow Jest 06:30
• 4 Sweet Sue 05:36
• 5 Up Blues 05:10
• 6 Like Someone In Love 03:21
• 7 Love Is Just Around The Corner 05:43
• Total Runtime 39:59

Info for Four! (Remastered)

Obwohl Hampton Hawes später in seiner Karriere mit elektronischen Keyboards und Fusion-Musik experimentierte, war er im Grunde ein Bebopper, wie diese Session überdeutlich zeigt. Mit Material wie Charlie Parkers "Yardbird Suite", seinem eigenen "Up Blues" und Red Mitchells "Bow Jest" (auf dem Mitchell sein erstes aufgenommenes Streichersolo spielt) ist Hawes hier auf einem kreativen Höhepunkt. Barney Kessel, der bei diesem Konzert mitwirkte, würdigte Hawes' "unerschöpfliche Ideen zum Blues". . niemand sonst im modernen Jazz spielt den Blues besser". Und niemand konnte eine Rhythmusgruppe besser zusammenhalten als Shelly Manne, die vierte im Bunde dieser energiegeladenen "Four!"

Hampton Hawes, Klavier
Barney Kessel, Gitarre
Red Mitchell, Kontrabass
Shelly Manne, Schlagzeug

Produced by Lester Koenig

Digitally remastered by Bernie Grundman

Hampton Hawes
One of the best of the hard bop piano players in the West Coast jazz scene, Hampton Hawes made a splash with a series of impressive trio records cut during the latter half of the '50s. Hawes sprung from Bud Powell's bebop innovations and soon showed equal panache with both brisk swingers and romantic ballads. After coming up though Los Angeles bands led by Shorty Rogers and Howard McGhee and playing with other West Coast bebop stars like Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray, Hawes hooked up with bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Chuck Thompson for several fresh and accomplished titles on the Contemporary label. This early release from 1955 finds the trio coming up with their usual mix of originals and standards. Highlights include fine readings of "Stella by Starlight" and "You and the Night and the Music," as well a breakneck cover of Charlie Parker's "Steeplechase." Hawes shows off some writing muscle on his "Blues for Jacque," while Mitchell and Thompson come up with the album closer "Section Blues." Topped off with entertaining and informative liner notes by Ralph Gleason, this Hampton Hawes date would certainly make good company for any other top jazz piano trio records in your collection.

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