In March 1955, producer Ozzie Cadena was given the green light by Savoy Records owner Herman Lubinsky to record a session with drummer Kenny Clarke and arranger-saxophonist Ernie Wilkins. Cadena had a bit of an agenda. Three of the songs he wanted them to record were his own. When he met with Clarke and Wilkins, they went over the seven songs they planned to record. In addition to Cadena's three, Wilkins brought in three gems and the seventh was Now's the Time, a blues that gave Clarke an opportunity to take an extended solo. Wilkins would do the arranging.
Next, they needed musicians. Wilkins (above) called in a sterling group to fill out the ranks. The personnel featured Eddie Bert (tb), Ernie Wilkins (as,ts,arr), George Barrow (ts,bar), Cecil Payne (bar), Hank Jones (p), Wendell Marshall (b) and Kenny Clarke (d).
Interestingly, all three of Wilkins's compositions and arrangements would easily have been masterpieces for Count Basie. Wilkins had recently left Basie over the band leader's preference for and promotion of arranger Neal Hefti. Perhaps the best of Wilkins's pieces for Plenty for Kenny, the Cadena-produced album, was Cute Tomato. The soloists on the song, in order, are Eddie Bert on trombone, Cecil Payne on baritone saxophone, Ernie Wilkins on tenor saxophone, Hank Jones on piano and Wendell Marshall on bass.
Here's Cute Tomato, 11 minutes of bliss from Ernie Wilkins with a Give Me the Simple Life feel. The writing is delicious, Clarke (above) is sharp and terrific, and the solos are sublime. And we get to hear Wilkins's blowing on tenor, offering up a rich and smokey tone...
