A Record a Week: Herbie Mann - The Evolution of Mann

SIDE 1.
NEW ORLEANS
MOTHERLESS CHILD
GEORGIA ON MY MIND
NOT NOW - LATER ON

SIDE 2.
GYMNOPEDIE
YESTERDAY'S KISSES
NIRVANA
FEELING GOOD

SIDE 3.
PATATO
WHY DON'T YOU DO RIGHT
SCRATCH
DROWN IN MY OWN TEARS

SIDE 4.
CONSOLATION
TURKISH COFFEE
INCENSE
PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE

This isn't the first Jazz Flute album I've reviewed, which I wouldn't have wagered when I began this project. Nor would I have guessed how boppin' it can be. Some of the songs fit into the 'smooth jazz' category, but some have a real funky beat happening underneath and it is delightful.

He's a very talented flautist and was able to keep active for 50 years, despite a pocket of time where Jazz was not as popular as disco and rock music. He saw this and worked with some artists in that genre to be able to keep it up until the interest in Jazz began to regain some steam. Another record by a name I recognized, but knew nothing about and another surprise. If I ever held an upbeat party with a retro theme, this would definitely be a record to throw on.

A Record a Week: Hubert Laws - Then There Was Light

SIDE 1.
IN THE BEGINNING
RESTORATION

SIDE 2.
GYMNOPEDIE #1
COME YE DISCONSOLATE
AIREGIN

What are the chances I come upon to flute specialist records in the span of a couple weeks? I can't imagine there are even more than three in my whole collection, but I guess this proves that I don't know much about that.

This record had fairly run-of-the-mill Jazz sounds at first, but then the flute solo kicked in. Flute in jazz is so much different than the flute I remember from high school music class. I always thought of it as a pretty boring instrument until its inclusion in jazz. I should know better, because years ago I saw an oboist who used a looping pedal and played some pretty neat stuff, including Smells Like Teen Spirit and that blew my conventional knowledge of instruments right out of the water.

Besides the flute solos, there are two very surprising drum solos that occur. One on each side of the album. The first one was on Restoration and the second (I think) on Come Ye Disconsolate. The one is reminiscent of speed metal drumming and really caught me off guard, as it seemed like a real departure in terms of genre. Definitely found this one a very interesting listen a a few different ways.