Cannonball Adderley Albums (42)
What The Critics Say
Featured is a concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles ~ All Music Guide, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Still immersed in the burgeoning electronic jazz-rock explosion of the times, Cannonball Adderley goes further toward a rapprochement with the rock and soul audiences than ever before on this fascinating, overlooked double album. For starters, he recorded it live at West Hollywood's Troubadour club, then known as a showcase for folk and rock acts. He also imported additional players into his quintet, expanding into exotic percussion effects with Airto Moreira (whom Miles Davis had previously featured), hard rock guitar with sessionman Mike Deasy, fiery tenor sax from the young Ernie Watts, and occasional seasoning from conguero Buck Clarke and clarinetist Alvin Batiste. "Now I don't give a damn whether you can count or not, we still are the Cannonball Adderley Quintet!," quoth the leader, who is in loose, loquacious form throughout the set (the jazz world badly misses his witty verbal intros). With Joe Zawinul now flying off to Weather Report, his replacement is an even more electronically minded pianist, George Duke, who levitates into the outer limits with his Echoplex and ring modulator and proves to be a solid comper. But Zawinul is not forgotten, for the band pursues a long, probing, atmospheric excursion on his tune, "Dr. Honouris Causa." Adderley generously gives Deasy two contrasting feature numbers -- "Little Benny Hen," a raucous, amateurishly sung blues/rock piece, and "Zanek," a great countrified tune with an avant-garde freakout at the climax -- and all of the other guests save Clarke get single solo features. Brother Nat Adderley gamely visits the outside on cornet, not always convincingly, while Cannonball doubles with increasing adventurousness on soprano and alto and bassist Walter Booker and drummer Roy McCurdy deftly handle all of the changes of style. Cannonball adeptly keeps pace with Miles Davis, his former boss -- the driving "The Chocolate Nuisance" could easily be a first cousin of "Pharoah's Dance" on Bitches Brew -- while not abandoning his funky soul-jazz base nor the special audience-friendly ambience of his concerts. Unlike Adderley's other two-for-one-priced double albums of the '70s, this one was inexplicably sold at full price, which probably limited its sales and might partly explain why it remains surprisingly hard to find in used LP bins. But interest in the early jazz-rock period ought to provoke a CD reissue. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Cannonball Adderley is in excellent form on this live date recorded on August 5, 1962, at the International Jazz Festival in Comblain-La-Tour, Belgium. The alto saxophonist fronts an amazing band comprised of brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Yusef Lateef on tenor sax and flute, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and drummer Louis Hayes. The five selections include Lateef's composition "P. Bouk," with tremendous limber interplay between reeds and brass, followed by two favorites from the Adderley book of the era, "Gemini" and "Work Song." Lateef picks up the oboe on the traditional blues "Trouble in Mind" and the set is rounded out with "Dizzy's Business," once again showcasing fiery improvisation between the horns. Cannonball's good-natured stage manner is also on display, with a few off-the-cuff humorous asides. As a weird side note, Beach Party movie heartthrob Frankie Avalon was also on the bill -- he opened the show! Cannonball in Europe was originally released on Riverside in 1962, and later reissued by Landmark, but this is the first time the session has appeared on CD. ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide
'Cannonball Plays Zawinul'
Release Date 4/19/2004
Tracks 10
Label Blue Note
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What The Critics Say
Cannonball Plays Zawinul represents the exquisite fruits of the musical relationship between saxophonist Cannonball Adderley and pianist/composer Joe Zawinul. Recorded between 1961 and 1971, all cuts were either written or co-written by Zawinul, and, except for one piece ("Dr. Honorus Causa"), he also serves as part of the various combos. All of the work here remains loose but nonetheless retains a sparkling intensity. The longer cuts, in particular, show a group of musicians searching out the free parameters of post-bop without ever drifting off into space. Both "74 Miles Away" and "Money in the Pocket," 14 and ten minutes respectively, maintain strong central themes, filled with rhythm and melody, while allowing Adderley, Zawinul, drummer Roy McCurdy, bassist Victor Gaskin, and cornetist Nat Adderley lots of elasticity to develop their ideas. While most of these pieces were recorded in the mid-'60s and provide the album with a certain unity, a wide aesthetic gap exists between 1961's straightforward "One Man's Dream" and 1971's adventurous "Dr. Honorus Causa." So in one way, Cannonball Plays Zawinul provides a portrait of two artists who kept reaching beyond the obvious to find their muse. The album is an adventurous and thrilling document, sure to please fans of both players and anyone who enjoys challenging post-bop. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide
'Bohemia After Dark'
Release Date 2/11/2003
Tracks 8
Label Savoy Jazz
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What The Critics Say
Savoy Jazz reissues are always unpredictable and this CD by Cannonball Adderley is no exception. This music has appeared on earlier CDs, including Discoveries and The Summer of '55, though the ever-changing total times for each track and mysteriously switching take-numbers make one wonder whether or not to keep earlier editions. In any case, valuable music by Cannonball and brother Nat Adderley (on cornet) is present, including a strong cover of Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark," a barely disguised reworking of "Sweet Georgia Brown" ("With Apologies to Oscar") and the leader's catchy "Caribbean Cutie." The Adderley brothers, who were making their major league jazz debut in the studio, hit one out of the park with their potent performances. The supporting cast is a good one, with Donald Byrd, Kenny Clarke, Jerome Richardson, Paul Chambers and either Horace Silver or Hank Jones on piano. If one does not already own the double-disc set The Summer of '55, this CD can be considered essential for any bop fan. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
'At the Lighthouse'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 7
Label Capitol Jazz
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What The Critics Say
The cool jazz that Miles Davis was forging around the same time gets more critical ink, but when a layman thinks about Jazz with a capital "J," the music that comes to mind probably sounds a lot like this 1960 club date from the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Throughout the set (which now includes a previously unreleased bonus track, the aptly titled "Our Delight"), the group shows off its chief assets: meaty rhythms and lively soloing with roots in both bebop and gospel. For the first time, it could also boast the presence of pianist-composer Victor Feldman. In addition to his tuneful-yet-conversational solos, Feldman contributes two of his own songs, the breezy "Azule Serape" (in his introduction, Adderley claims not to understand the title) and the antic "Exodus." The band handles both delicate numbers ("We think this one is kind of cute," Adderley says of "Blue Daniel") and more propulsive material (the boss' own classic, "Sack O' Woe") with equal parts vivacity and poise. Somethin' Else aside, the true brilliance of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet was best captured live in front of a small, appreciative audience. At the Lighthouse is an excellent document of soul-jazz at both its jazziest and most soulful. ~ Daniel Browne, All Music Guide
'Jazz Workshop Revisited'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 11
Label Capitol Jazz
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What The Critics Say
In 1963 Cannonball Adderley signed with the Capitol label, retaining the rights to some master tapes recorded earlier while he was with Riverside. This CD (a straight reissue of an earlier LP) therefore contains music much closer to the altoist's freewheeling Riverside period than to his R&Bish Capitol dates. Adderley's greatest band -- his sextet with cornetist Nat Adderley, Yusef Lateef (on tenor, flute and oboe), pianist Joe Zawinul, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes -- is featured on such exciting numbers as "Jessica's Day," Jones' "Unit 7," and "The Jive Samba." A special treat of this live date is hearing the leader's introductory words to several of the songs. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
