JazzWax

Horace Parlan: Movin' + Groovin'

By now, it's no secret that Bill Evans is my favorite jazz pianist. In the No. 2 slot would have to be Horace Parlan. Born in Pittsburgh, Parlan at a young age contracted polio, which left his right hand partly disabled and disfigured. Two of the fingers in his right hand were out of commission. As a result, his left hand did double duty, delivering heavy harmony and bass treatment while the three operating fingers of his right hand handled melody improvisation. Parlan relocated to Denmark in 1972. [Photo above of Horace Parlan by Francis Wolff (c) Mosaic Images]

Despite the diminished use of one hand's digits, Parlan became a superb and much-in-demand hard-bop keyboard accompanist and a magnificent trio leader and solo player. For those little familiar with Parlan, the best place to start is his first leadership album—Movin' and Groovin'. Recorded in February 1960 for Blue Note, Parlan's trio consisted of Parlan on piano, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Al Harewood.

As much as I love Red Garland, I give Parlan the edge when it comes to taste and volume of superb material over the course of his career. He had a lovely sense of swing, every one of his songs expressed a joy to be able to play, and his chord voicings were sensational. All he seemed to care about was knocking out listeners. There was no idling or padding. Parlan was a sculptor who kneaded and crafted every song he played into a singular epression.

The songs on this album are C Jam Blues, On Green Dolphin Street, Up in Cynthia's Room, Lady Bird, Bags', Groove, Stella by Starlight, There Is No Greater Love and It Could Happen to You. All are sensationally executed. Even songs you may feel you've heard enough of, like C Jam Blues and Bags' Groove, are re-invented by Parlan's groovy bluesy attack. [Photo above of Al Harewood by Francis Wolff (c) Mosaic Images]

Parlan began his recording career in 1957 with Charles Mingus and then moved on to Lou Donaldson in 1959 before recording Movin' and Groovin'. I came to Parlan in college after picking up Dexter Gordon's Doin' Allright (Blue Note) and hearing Society Red.

Parlan so knocked me out on there that I began collecting. Everything I purchased by Parlan had his ambitious playing style. Best of all are his stylistic fingerprints that pop up often. These include building tension with chords in his left hand while swinging notes with his right, releasing with cascading block chords. Or his ascending scales with three-finger modal riffs and his soul-jazz chords clustered together. [Photo above of Sam Jones]

I could spend the next 30 days writing about Parlan's excellent albums as a sideman and as a leader, but I wouldn't dare. There are too many others to write about. But do yourself a favor. Explore the pianist yourself. Movin' and Groovin' is a perfect gateway. And dig Jones and Harewood here. Jones thumps it out and Harewood is all over the snare. Perfect jazz is such a splendid thing. [Photo above of Horace Parlan]

Horace Parlan died in 2017.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find Horace Parlan's Movin' and Groovin' here and here.

JazzWax clips: The following two tracks are absolute knockouts. See if you can sit still when Parlan is on a roll. I find it impossible:

Here's Lady Bird (crank this up; five minutes of a sterling trio in action)...

And here's Bags' Groove...

Art Farmer: Perception

Art Farmer had a way of playing the trumpet and flugelhorn that sounded as if he was singing while dancing. Farmer was less about blasts and taut nuance and more about a light, pretty touch. His horn had a classical elegance and a jazz tone that delighted the ear without being commercial. On ballads, you can hear the blues in almost everything he plays. On uptempo numbers, he's light and juicy, tapping along with ringing empathy, sailing the melody rather than commanding it. [Photo above of Art Farmer, courtesy of Concord Records]

A leadership album rich with Farmer's sensitivity is Perception. Recorded in October 1961 for Argo, the album featured Farmer on flugelhorn backed by Harold Mabern (p), Tommy Williams (b) and Roy McCurdy (d). The songs are Farmer's Punsu, The Day After, Lullaby of the Leaves, Farmer's Kayin', Tonk, The Blue Room, Change Partners and Nobody's Heart.

The album has two things going for it. For one, Farmer's flugelhorn is warm and relaxed throughout. For another, Mabern's piano is lush and intricate, providing Farmer's singular tone with plenty of rhythm and fascinating chords. And on songs like Change Partners, we get to hear a marvelously sensitive solo by Roy McCurdy, who would play with Gap and Chuck Mangione's Jazz Brothers in the early '60s and was the anchor in the Cannonball Adderley Quintet mid-decade.

Fledgling flugelhornists might want to put on Nobody's Heart and transcribe Farmer's solo. It's an enveloping exhibition of regal playing and gentle jazz.

Art Farmer died in 1999; Harold Mabern died in 2019.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find Art Farmer's Perception here.

JazzWax note: Special thanks to Peter Levin, who passed along a link to an article on bassist Tommy Williams (go here).

JazzWax clips: Here's Punsu...

And here's Nobody's Heart...

Bobby Jaspar: Club St. Germain

For me, the only tenor saxophonist who rivals Stan Getz in tone, improvisational skill and phrasing is Bobby Jaspar. The Belgian saxophonist and flutist had a singularly cool approach and, like Getz, loved the high register of his instrument. On December 27 and 29 in 1955, Jaspar and his All Stars were recorded by Barclay Records at Club St. Germain, a basement venue at 13 rue Saint-Benoît on Paris's Left Bank.

Jaspar, on tenor sax and flute, was backed by Rene Urtreger (p) Sacha Distel (g) Benoit Quersin (b) and Jean-Louis Viale (d). The songs were Memory of Dick (in tribute to pianist Dick Twardzik, who had died two months earlier), Milestones, Minor Drops, Bags' Groove, I'll Remember April, You Stepped Out of a Dream, I Can't Get Started and A Night in Tunisia.

These were perfect recordings in every way. Each song is stunningly beautiful and smoothly executed. Jaspar is exceptional on his instruments, but it's his taste that stands out. Like Getz, he could swing effortlessly and re-invent melodies on the fly. They shared a breezy quality that was hypnotic and sensual. It's also a joy to hear Distel on jazz guitar here. In the 1960s, he'd go on to become one of France's most famous and charming singers and TV variety-show hosts. Rene Urtreger also is terrific.

Interestingly, Jaspar and Getz never managed to record together. Bobby Jaspar died in 1963; Stan Getz died in 1991.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find Modern Jazz Au Club St. Germain: Bobby Jaspar All Stars here. 

JazzWax clips: Here's Memory of Dick...

Here's You Stepped Out of a Dream...

And here's I'll Remember April, one of the most beautiful instrumental versions of this song—and on flute...