Clifford Jordan: Spellbound / Starting Time / Bearcat auf 2 CDs

Product Information

Tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan’s first recorded appearance in 1957, showed his heavy indebtedness to Sonny Rollins. After that, though his style integrated elements of Coltrane’s approach, in these early ‘60s recordings, Rollins continued to be his dominant influence, except when its everpresent shadow shifts into the background and Jordan goes for himself.

These quartet and quintet sessions revealed him as a passionate player with a hardedged tone and a no-nonsense approach, and as an able writer. On “Spellbound,” the rhythm section, spurred by Albert Heath’s crisp drumming, fuses into a tight Miles Davis type of unit, providing Jordan with just the driving support that his style demands. “Starting Time” is another stirring set, a quintet with Kenny Dorham and Cedar Walton, both equally fluent and expressive, and with Heath adding to it his implacable timekeeping, control and intelligence.

Similarly, on “Bearcat,” Jordan plays with authority and conviction, while Walton, Smith and Moses perform flawlessly in a swinging session, pulsating with the urgency of upbeat and exciting exchanges.

Featuring: Kenny Dorham (tp), Clifford Jordan (ts), Cedar Walton (p), Spansky DeBrest, Wilbur Ware, Teddy Smith (b), Albert Heath, J. C. Moses (d)

(freshsoundrecords. com)