Tonight's Blue Note: Larry Young - Unity

Woody Shaw (trumpet); Joe Henderson (tenor sax); Larry Young (organ); Elvin Jones (drums).

Larry Young comes across as a fairly straight ahead player whereas Shaw and Henderson who, in the past had also been relatively conventional players, appear to have been listening to Ornette and Trane resulting in some dissonant moments making for an interesting contrast.

This is mean't as a criticism, all four are at the top their game, Young is particularly outstanding on Monk's Dream where the two horns take time out. His dexterity on the B3 pedal board is something else! 

Shaw is outstanding with a technique comparable with most of his contemporaries. I recalling seeing him at the North Sea Festival  nearly 20 years after this 1965 session and he was tremendous. It was a only a few years later that he died age 44. A great loss.

Shaw, incidentally, composed 3 of the 6 tunes.

That Henderson was to become one of the more influential tenor players is evident from his solo on Softly As In a Morning Sunrise - and it is little wonder that the Sigmund Romberg tune has since become a staple part of many tenor players' repertoire.

Needless to say, Elvin Jones is a powerhouse!
Lance

Beyond All Limits.