Booker Little and Friend

Booker Little and Friend

Booker Little and Friend

ASIN: B00004ZDYT

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
When Booker Little died in 1963, he was just 23 years old, but he was already far more than a "promising" talent, having made ground-breaking records with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy, including At the Five Spot. His dark-hued, expressive trumpet sound, twisting legato Lines, and fascination with half-valves and quarter-tones marked him as an original, and his influence has appeared in other trumpeters as diverse as Kenny Wheeler, Dave Douglas, and Russell Gunn. His compositions--marked by contrasting sections and the frequent use of close-voiced horns and dissonances to magnify the sound of a small band--have been as influential as his trumpet playing.

Little led four sessions in his brief career and this, his last, is among the most impressive. He leads a sextet here, as he had on the earlier Out Front, and it's a fine vehicle for his compositions, with trumpet leads often voiced against the backdrop of George Coleman's tenor and Julian Priester's trombone. "Victory and Sorrow" immediately demonstrates Little's interest in a mix of complex moods and advanced harmonies, using multiple keys to create a simultaneity of joy and mourning, and it's sometimes startling to hear what is essentially a hard-bop band wind through the coils of a tune like "Calling Softly." Like his compositions, Little's trumpet solos are models of thoughtful construction, filled with sudden rhythmic shifts, flaring runs, and surprising intervals. His rendition of the ballad "If I Should Lose You" is especially moving, filled with subtle shifts in tone and pitch, with stellar support from just the rhythm section of pianist Don Friedman, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Pete LaRoca. Little's innovative ideas and emotional urgency are fused on this session, inseparable parts of some very compelling music. --Stuart Broomer

Booker Little and Friend,Booker Little,Rhino / Wea,Avant-Garde,Hard Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Post-Bop
Booker Little and Friend
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Booker Little and Friend
    Booker Little
    Manufacturer: Bethlehem Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
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    1. Booker Little 4 and Max Roach
    2. Out Front
    3. Fuchsia Swing Song
    4. Booker Little
    5. Motion

    ASIN: B0000057HL
    Release Date: 1995-10-17

    Tracks:

    1. Victory and Sorrow
    2. Forward Flight
    3. Looking Ahead
    4. If I Should Lose You
    5. Calling Softly
    6. Booker's Blues
    7. Matilde
    8. Matilde [Alt. Take 4]
    9. Matilde [Alt. Take 7]
    Booker Little and Friend
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Eloquent
    • Triumph Over Tragedy
    • Lamentably, Little's Last
    		 Booker Little and Friend
    Booker Little
    Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Rhino RecordsRhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Out Front
    2. Booker Little 4 and Max Roach
    3. Booker Little
    4. Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia: Complete
    5. Lenox Avenue Breakdown

    ASIN: B00004ZDYT
    Release Date: 2000-11-07

    Tracks:

    1. Victory And Sorrow
    2. Forward Flight
    3. Looking Ahead
    4. If I Should Lose You
    5. Calling Softly
    6. Booker's Blues
    7. Matilde
    8. Matilde (Alt. Take 4)
    9. Matilde (Alt. Take 7)

    Amazon.com

    When Booker Little died in 1963, he was just 23 years old, but he was already far more than a "promising" talent, having made ground-breaking records with Max Roach and Eric Dolphy, including At the Five Spot. His dark-hued, expressive trumpet sound, twisting legato Lines, and fascination with half-valves and quarter-tones marked him as an original, and his influence has appeared in other trumpeters as diverse as Kenny Wheeler, Dave Douglas, and Russell Gunn. His compositions--marked by contrasting sections and the frequent use of close-voiced horns and dissonances to magnify the sound of a small band--have been as influential as his trumpet playing.

    Little led four sessions in his brief career and this, his last, is among the most impressive. He leads a sextet here, as he had on the earlier Out Front, and it's a fine vehicle for his compositions, with trumpet leads often voiced against the backdrop of George Coleman's tenor and Julian Priester's trombone. "Victory and Sorrow" immediately demonstrates Little's interest in a mix of complex moods and advanced harmonies, using multiple keys to create a simultaneity of joy and mourning, and it's sometimes startling to hear what is essentially a hard-bop band wind through the coils of a tune like "Calling Softly." Like his compositions, Little's trumpet solos are models of thoughtful construction, filled with sudden rhythmic shifts, flaring runs, and surprising intervals. His rendition of the ballad "If I Should Lose You" is especially moving, filled with subtle shifts in tone and pitch, with stellar support from just the rhythm section of pianist Don Friedman, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Pete LaRoca. Little's innovative ideas and emotional urgency are fused on this session, inseparable parts of some very compelling music. --Stuart Broomer

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Eloquent.......2001-12-29

    This is another testimonial of how talented this tragic young man was. Everyone in the group stars, especially the leader. Booker Little's playing is articulate and precise. But this set also points up something about him that is frequently overlooked. He was a very fine composer. With a longer run, this guy and Clifford would have left all pretenders far back in the field.

    5 out of 5 stars Triumph Over Tragedy.......2001-05-26

    It is a shame that Bethlehem did not abide by the censure expressed in the liner notes (those added for the reissue, NOT the embarrasing original) about the confusing album title "Booker Little and Friend" and opt for the original album title and cover , "Victory and Sorrow." That title quite aptly describes this magnificent last testament to a unique and vital force, a sensitive spirit whose soaring trumpet blasts and aching tenderness is more expressive than perhaps any other practioner of the instrument. The dominant mood expressed in this record (recorded months, if not weeks, before Booker's inexpressibly sad death from kidney failure) is of brave defiance against a cruel fate that would soon rob him at such a tender age of a life blessed by such gifts. The record plays well as a triumphant coda to the aching melancholy expressed in Booker's previous album, the better known "Out Front." For any serious lover of jazz, or for any other sensitive soul who is appreciative of fine music, this record (as well as its predecessor), quite literally the last musical statement of a doomed and profoundly gifted youth, is essential.

    5 out of 5 stars Lamentably, Little's Last.......2001-01-14

    This disc, "Booker Little and Friend," was the great trumpeter's last session. Cut for the Bethlehem label, it is just as brilliant as "Out Front" -- see my review. (By the way, if you are curious about who the "friend" is, it's not Eric Dolphy or some other luminary, it is instead his trumpet.) Just like the classic "Out Front," "Friend" derives its distinctive sound from Little's bright, chromatic three-horn arrangements, and Don Freedman's insightful piano flourishes and chords. In addition to Freedman, the remaining personnel joining Little on this recording are Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor sax, Reggie Workman on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums. "Booker Little and Friend" is full of forward-looking Little compositions, particularly "Victory and Sorrow" and "Calling Softly," and a lovely, refreshingly slow version of the ballad "If I Should Lose You." The CD also features two alternate takes of "Looking Ahead," mistakenly identified on the CD cover and booklet as alternate takes of "Matilde." While I personally still find "Out Front" more polished overall, this is a great last look at a jazz great taken from us all too soon.
    Booker Little & Friend
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Booker Little & Friend
      Booker Little
      Manufacturer: Japanese Import
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
      Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
      Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
      JazzJazz | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B00005QCFG
      Release Date: 2002-01-15

      Tracks:

      1. Victory and Sorrow
      2. Forward Flight
      3. Looking Ahead
      4. If I Should Lose You
      5. Calling Softly
      6. Booker's Blues
      7. Matilde
      8. Matilde [Take 4]
      9. Matilde [Take 7]

      Album Description

      Japanese exclusive 24 bit remastered reissue of 1961 album. Packaged in a limited edition miniature LP sleeve. Unavailable in the U.S.

      Album Details

      24bit Digitally Remastered Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.
      Booker Little and Friend
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Booker Little and Friend
        Booker Little
        Manufacturer: Bethlehem
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
        Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
        Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        JazzJazz | Imports | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B000P0I95I
        Release Date: 2007-07-02

        Tracks:

        1. Victory and Sorrow
        2. Forward Flight
        3. Looking Ahead
        4. If I Should Lose You
        5. Calling Softly
        6. Booker's Blues
        7. Matilde
        8. Matilde [Alt. Take 4]
        9. Matilde [Alt. Take 7]

        Album Description

        Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.

        Album Details

        K2hd Digitally Remastered Japanese Limited Edition Special Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.
        Booker Little & Friend
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		Booker Little & Friend
          Booker Little
          Manufacturer: EMI
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
          Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B00005GKGU
          Release Date: 2000-04-26

          Tracks:

          1. Victory and Sorrow
          2. Forward Flight
          3. Looking Ahead
          4. If I Should Lose You
          5. Calling Softly
          6. Booker's Blues
          7. Matilde
          8. Matilde [Take 4]
          9. Matilde [Take 7]
          Booker Little & Friend
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		Booker Little & Friend
            Booker Little
            Manufacturer: EMI
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
            Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
            JazzJazz | Imports | Stores | Music
            ASIN: B000CBO0LW
            Release Date: 2006-01-25

            Tracks:

            1. Victory and Sorrow
            2. Forward Flight
            3. Looking Ahead
            4. If I Should Lose You
            5. Calling Softly
            6. Booker's Blues
            7. Matilde
            8. Matilde [Take 4]
            9. Matilde [Take 7]
            Booker Little and Friend
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              		Booker Little and Friend
              Booker Little
              Manufacturer: Charly UK
              ProductGroup: Music
              Binding: Audio CD

              Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
              Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
              Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
              Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
              JazzJazz | Imports | Stores | Music
              Similar Items:
              1. Booker Little 4 and Max Roach
              2. Out Front
              3. Fuchsia Swing Song
              4. Booker Little
              5. Motion

              ASIN: B000024B1M
              Release Date: 1999-07-01

              Tracks:

              1. Victory and Sorrow
              2. Forward Flight
              3. Looking Ahead
              4. If I Should Lose You
              5. Calling Softly
              6. Booker's Blues
              7. Matilde
              8. Matilde [Alt. Take 4]
              9. Matilde [Alt. Take 7]

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