Booker Ervin - Groovin' High (1964)

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Booker Ervin - Groovin' High (1964)

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Booker Ervin - Groovin' High (1964)
Jazz/Bebop | MP3 | VBR 200kbps | 30:54 | 44 MB

This CD reissue has four selections from the same sessions (but not released on the original sets) that resulted in The Freedom Book, The Blues Book and The Space Book. "Groovin' High" features the intense tenor of Booker Ervin playing comparatively lighthearted bebop in a quintet with trumpeter Carmell Jones, pianist Gildo Mahones, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Alan Dawson. The other numbers ("The Second #2," "Bass-IX" and a brief "Stella By Starlight") match Ervin with the unbeatable trio of pianist Jaki Byard, Davis and Dawson. Although these performances are not quite classic, Booker Ervin fans will want this CD to round out their collection, for Ervin was at the peak of his powers during this era.

Booker Ervin's definitely grooving high here – hitting some of the same soulful notes as on his classic Blues Book album, but also bringing in some more modernist moments too! The set features one track that's clearly a Blues Book number – a take on "Groovin High" with Carmell Jones on trumpet and Gildo Mahones on piano – but the rest of the album features a quartet that really lets Ervin dominate the proceedings on tenor – blowing hard with that mix of deep roots and sharper edges he brought to his amazing work with Charles Mingus! Jaki Byard's on piano on these other tracks – giving a nice sense of urgency to the set, as well as a similar range of jazz traditions in his sound – and other players include Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – both nicely loose one minute, then tight as a drum the next. Titles include "Stella By Starlight", "The Second #2", "Bass- Ix", and "Groovin' High".

Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone);
Carmell Jones (trumpet);
Jaki Byard, Gildo Mahones (piano);
Richard Davis (bass);
Alan Dawson (drums)

1 The Second #2 (Ervin) 6:33
2 Groovin' High (Gillespie) 9:50
3 Bass-LX (Ervin) 11:41
4 Stella by Starlight (Washington, Young) 2:50