News featuring Cannonball Adderley

Wednesday 16th January

• “Eric Alexander/Vincent Herring – review”

  Ronnie Scott's, London

  American saxophonists Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring bill their bustling, soulfully accessible hard-bop partnership as being "in the spirit of Coltrane and Cannonball" (that's the late gospel-influenced alto saxist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley), but the message is in the word "spirit". The pair don't slavishly follow a legacy-band agenda, but mix classic material from this 1960s style with originals and more recent works. They're considerably assisted on their short UK trip by 76-year-old Memphis legend Harold Mabern, a man who approaches his work like a force of nature rather than a pianist.

  Read the complete article at www.guardian.co.uk

Saturday 15th September

• “Cannonball Adderley: 5 Songs From A Joyous Soul”

  With a sweetly ferocious style, the alto saxophonist bridged the post-bop of the 1950s and '60s to the jazz fusion of the '70s and beyond. For his birthday anniversary, hear some of the recordings which made him jazz royalty.

  Read the complete article at www.npr.org

Friday 27th January

• “John Levy, Bassist and Talent Manager, Dies at 99”

  Mr. Levy, widely credited as the first African-American personal manager in jazz, represented big names like Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Hancock.
  
  

  Read the complete article at feeds.nytimes.com

Tuesday 17th January

• “Buy the Guardian ebook, Jazz: From New Orleans to the new generation”

  Read a collection of the finest writing on jazz from Guardian and Observer critics, including Kingsley Amis and Benny Green

  From early appearances in London in 1917, to boogie woogie, bebop and beyond, the Guardian and Observer have been writing about jazz for nearly a century. The best of this coverage features in a new Guardian ebook, Jazz: From New Orleans to the new generation.

  Read the complete article at www.guardian.co.uk

Sunday 1st January

• “Junior Mance Group: Live In Concert”

  The pianist counted among his employers Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington and Cannonball Adderley — and that was just the '50s. The bluesy veteran brought a young group to Denver for the Boppin' at the Vineyards concert.

  Read the complete article at www.npr.org

Wednesday 19th October

• “Louis Hayes Cannonball Legacy Band – review”

  Ronnie Scott's, London

  "People do this kind of thing all the time," New York alto saxophonist Vincent Herring told Tuesday night's full house at Ronnie Scott's. He was talking about legacy jazz groups, celebrating long-gone stars. "But you can't do it right unless you have one legitimate legend in the band." Herring only had to point to Louis Hayes, the dapper 74-year-old behind the drumkit. Hayes has played with the world's best (including John Coltrane and Oscar Peterson), but his most famous boss was the popular 1960s soul-jazz and blues saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Hayes has run his Adderley tribute band for years, but it always buzzes with vivacity.

  Read the complete article at www.guardian.co.uk

Friday 26th August

• “Cannonball Adderley with Bill Evans: Know What I Mean?”

  A classic from 1961, reissued with alternate takes: sensitive piano, ripe alto sax and more.

  The opening strains of this classic Riverside album are pure-pure delicacy that could only come from the fingers of Bill Evans. His chiming piano, playing the original “Waltz for Debby”, is something that brings to mind a particular kind of jazz—intimate, sweet, contemplative. Then, 1:07 in, Percy Heath’s bass burbles downward and Connie Kay’s brushes start working against a snare—and the ripe sound of Cannonball Adderley’s alto sax just pops into the tune. Yummmmm. This…

  Read the complete article at www.popmatters.com

Monday 27th June

• “Buddy Guy with Junior Wells and Junior Mance: “Buddy & The Juniors’’”

  A digitally remastered gem first released in 1970, “Buddy & The Juniors’’ catches rising blues greats Buddy Guy and Junior Wells joined by blues-steeped jazz pianist Junior Mance. Guy and Wells had spent time backing Muddy Waters on guitar and harmonica by then, Wells had had his own hit record (“Hoodoo Blues’’), and Mance had toured with Cannonball Adderley and ...
  
  
  

  Read the complete article at feeds.boston.com

Sunday 17th April

• “Cannonball Adderley: Dis Here – review”

  (Proper)

  This has got to be the bargain of the month. Alto saxophonist Adderley, a master of hard bop and soul jazz, died in 1975. This box of four CDs contains 57 tracks from his early maturity in the late 50s. With his huge tone and phenomenal fluency, he was hailed by many as the successor to Charlie Parker, but his style was entirely his own. In the course of the classic albums included here Adderley is joined by Miles Davis (who rarely deigned to play in anyone else's band), Milt Jackson (at his inspired best) and his own terrific quintet. All this and a 20-page booklet for around the price of a single CD.

  Read the complete article at www.guardian.co.uk

Friday 25th February

• “50 great moments in jazz: Weather Report and the orchestration of fusion”

  Readers' input has been invaluable to the progression of 50 great moments. With only a handful left in the series, we turn to 1970s fusionists Weather Report

  Catching the editor of this newspaper discussing the changing nature of journalism on the BBC's Newsnight this week set me reflecting on this jazz series and how invaluable the stimulation from readers has been.

  Read the complete article at www.guardian.co.uk