The sound of Stanley Turrentine’s tenor saxophone is unmistakable. Initially, it’s giant and heat. Secondly, it’s powerful but athletic. And in any case – and maximum spectacular of all, in all probability – it’s imbued with a husky, earthy tone that is helping to present it a sanctified soulfulness. As soon as heard, it’s by no means forgotten. So how, then, some bemused enthusiasts may ask, did Blue Word Information – Turrentine’s recording house from 1960 to 1969 – omit concerning the recording he made for them on January 20, 1961? In any case, it have been given a name – Comin’ Your Way – but it surely didn’t see the sunshine of day till 17 years later.

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Why used to be it shelved?

In reality, Blue Word didn’t omit. For some explanation why, on the other hand, what used to be meant to be the Pittsburgh-born saxophonist’s 3rd album for the label used to be shelved, despite the fact that it have been assigned a list quantity and paintings. Paradoxically, in spite of its name, the consultation wasn’t launched till 1978, when the Blue Word vaults have been raided for a double-LP compilation referred to as Jubilee Shouts, assembled through manufacturer and jazz historian Michael Cuscuna (through this time, the label used to be owned through United Artists). Even so, it wasn’t till 1987, within the CD age, when Blue Word – then beneath the aegis of EMI – in any case gave Comin’ Your Way an reputable separate liberate.

Comin’ Your Way will have to had been launched after Blue Hour, Turrentine’s collaboration with The 3 Sounds, but it surely used to be dropped from the agenda on the closing minute in choose of Up At “Minton’s”, a reside album recorded at Minton’s Playhouse, a well-known Harlem venue, only one month after the Comin’ Your Way consultation. The album should have proved fashionable as Blue Word issued a 2d quantity of recordings from Turrentine’s Minton’s gig because the follow-up LP, later in 1961.

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When it used to be time for Turrentine’s subsequent studio album, apparently that Blue Word’s manufacturer, Alfred Lion, opted for a brand new recording from his celebrity saxophonist moderately than serve up the canned Comin’ Your Way. In consequence, Turrentine recorded Dearly Liked, some other consultation that includes his spouse, Shirley Scott, on organ, and so Comin’ Your Way, now not a very important, up-to-date file of Stanley Turrentine’s artwork, used to be left to assemble mud.

A thrilling discovery

When Blue Word in any case liberated the left out January 1961 consultation 17 years after the reality, it proved an exhilarating discovery. Turrentine used to be accompanied through his elder brother, Tommy, a trumpeter six years Stanley’s senior, plus pianist Horace Parlan, with George Tucker on bass and Al Harewood on drums (all 5 musicians had in the past collaborated in combination on Parlan’s Speakin’ My Piece LP for Blue Word the former 12 months).

The opener, “My Woman Is Simply Sufficient Girl For Me,” is Turrentine’s model of a track recorded in 1959 through the velvet-voiced crooner Jesse Belvin. It used to be written through famous songwriters Dorothy Fields and Al Hague, and is remodeled through the saxophonist and his quintet right into a supple swinger. Tucker and Harewood create a bouncy groove over which Turrentine performs the primary melody in a clean, lyrical vein, ahead of he ups the ante with a sinewy solo. His brother Tommy then follows with a rangy trumpet solo ahead of Horace Parlan – who’s been taking part in tasteful background chords up thus far – displays his ability as an improviser.

Prior to now recorded through singers Ella Fitzgerald and Nat “King” Cole within the 50s, “Then I’ll Be Drained Of You” is some other lesser-known same old and used to be penned through EY “Yip” Harburg (author of the lyrics to “Over The Rainbow”) and Arthur Schwartz. It’s a shimmering nocturnal ballad showcasing Tommy Turrentine’s gilded trumpet on the opening, ahead of Stanley enters and displays how adept he’s at taking part in in a young, extra expressive approach on slower songs. Tommy then returns for some other spell within the highlight, his solo aching with a languorous depression. On Stanley’s subsequent front, the pace and temper pick out up and brighten a tad ahead of the unique tone is resumed and the 2 Turrentine siblings’ horns intertwine elegantly on the finish.

By contrast, “Nice L’il Lass” is a somewhat subdued soulful swinger led through a mellow, harmonized horn motif ahead of the more youthful Turrentine brother takes the primary solo in a usually powerful however soulful style. The song could also be notable for George Tucker’s simplest bass solo of the album.

A vibrant snapshot of the soul jazz taste

Tommy Turrentine wrote the cooking groove “Thomasville,” a swinging slice of onerous bop pushed through Al Harewood’s locomotive drums, even though it’s Stanley who contributes the primary solo. Tommy follows, then Horace Parlan, who in reality brings a cool piano vibe to the court cases. Al Harewood additionally has a short lived unaccompanied second.

Stanley displays his prowess as a balladeer on a delicate rendition of the Gershwin brothers’ immortal “Any person To Watch Over Me,” a much-covered jazz same old that has lived a charmed existence because it used to be written in 1926 for the musical Oh, Kay! Tommy Turrentine drops out for this efficiency, permitting his more youthful brother’s plaintive tenor saxophone to dominate whilst the rhythm phase gives understated accompaniment all over.

Tommy rejoins the band at the remaining quantity, the uptempo “Stolen Chocolates,” a track penned through the R&B organ maestro Wild Invoice Davis. After a fanfare-like intro, the Turrentine brothers’ dual horns state a theme composed of a series of emerging melodies ahead of Stanley displays his virtuosity with a bop-influenced sax solo that grows in emotional depth. Curiously, Turrentine recorded the track once more in 1963, for his spouse Shirley Scott’s Status album The Soul Is Keen.

Although it took nearly twenty years for Comin’ Your Way to get launched, the album didn’t disappoint when it in any case hit the report retail outlets. A forged assortment flecked with moments of each particular person and collective brilliance, it gives a vibrant snapshot of the soul jazz taste on the top of its reputation. In all probability, extra importantly, it affirmed the genius of Stanley Turrentine.

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Collection version of Comin’ Your Way is out now.

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