AVID Jazz presents four classic Ted Curson albums, including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“Plenty of Horn”; “Fire Down Below”; “The Tenor Stylings of Bill Barron” and “Live at La Tete De L’Art”.
Featuring an amazing line up for a first album “Plenty of Horn” testifies to the drawing power of a new kid on the block, namely trumpeter, arranger and composer, Ted Curson. Joining Ted, who arranged the set and composed all the original songs on the album are Bill Barron on tenor sax, Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Eric Dolphy on flute and no less than three drummers giving Curson access to three different musical styles, Roy Haynes, Danny Richmond and Pete La Roca. To quote from the last paragraph of the original liner notes, “This is a significant first set by a major player who has developed a strikingly individual style quite early in his career. Ted Curson is certain to be a vital contributor to the inevitably unpredictable future of jazz”. For “Ted Curson plays Fire Down Below” we read from the original liner notes again… “This record means more to me than any of the others I’ve made. It’s probably one of my best efforts. I dig all the other players”. Ted is particularly happy with this date because he feels the way he plays on it will be more accessible than his other recorded work. Ted is basically referring to his playing up to this point as being in more of the avant-garde style with the likes of Cecil Taylor, “Now I want to show that avant-garde players can play with regard to melody - I just like to blow” he says! We chose this Bill Barron album, “The Tenor Stylings of Bill Barron” because it featured our primary artist Ted Curson who has long been associated with the tenor saxophonist, the two appearing on many albums together including “Plenty of Horn” from this 2CD set. Or it might also have to do with how the album is described in the opening paragraph from the original liner notes! “This album is important not only because it embodies evidence of new growth, new ferment in modern jazz, but also…..it offers the listener an escape from the vapid, tail chasing pattern of the great majority of jazz quintet efforts”. “In fact this recording may represent one of the most subtle musical advances in the history of the jazz idom”. Phew!! Here’s the line up! Bill Barron on tenor sax, Ted Curson on trumpet, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Kenny Barron on piano and Frankie Dunlop on drums. And finally to the rare second album “Live at La Tete De L’Art” from 1962. Featuring the following musicians, Ted Curson on trumpet, Al Doctor on alto sax, Maury Kaye on piano, Charles Biddles on bass and Charles Duncan on drums. And featuring all compositions by Ted Curson himself “definitely one of the leading trumpeter-composers of the next decade”.
All four albums have been digitally re-mastered.
CD1
1-9: ‘Plenty Of Horn’
1. Caravan
2. Nosruc Waltz
3. The Things We Did Last Summer
4. Dem’s Blues
5. Ahma (See Ya)
6. Flatted Fifth
7. Bali-H’ai
8. Antibes
9. Mr.Teddy
10-15: ‘Fire Down Below’
10. Fire Down Below
11. The Very Young
12. Baby Has Gone Bye Bye
13. Show Me
14. Falling In Love With Love
15. Only Forever
16: ‘The Tenor Stylings Of Bill Barron’
16. Blast Off
CD2
1-5: ‘The Tenor Stylings Of Bill Barron’
1. Ode To An Earth Girl
2. Fox Hunt
3. Oriental Impression
4. Back Lash
5. Nebulae
6-10: ‘Live at La Tete de L’Art’
6. Cracklin’ Bread
7. Ted’s Tempo
8. Playhouse March
9. Straight Ice
10. Quicksand
