The Quintet’s Personnel
Donald Byrd, trumpet; Pepper Adams, bari sax; Mal Waldron, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Elvin Jones, drums
Dave recalls...
This is Blue Note and Prestige jazz at its very best. Donald Byrd, an over-recorded trumpeter whose chops were not always in optimum shape, performed extremely well, reaching and executing upper register passages with clarity and confidence. Pepper Adams demonstrated his incomparable bari conception with anticipated technical virtuosity that still astounds younger saxophonists who hear him today on CDs.
Mal Waldron, because of his spare, subtle repetitive phrasing that gradually embraces rhythmic and harmonic variations, is a structurally probing pianist who takes some getting used to. He swung hard, but incorporated fewer note possibilities than most other pianists of his generation, and he obviously relished showcasing that approach with Doug Watkins and Elvin Jones.
Watkins, unfortunately, didn’t solo much and should have left his bow in its pouch. His pizzicato conception is unheralded, and a great deal of discography research would be necessary to hear him at length. Elvin Jones became passionately volcanic as the evening progressed and was much more enjoyable than when he played with John Coltrane.
Point of interest: On this occasion, trumpeter Booker Little and drummer Roy Haynes sat in for the better part of a set, and the quintet took on a different character, largely because of Little’s presence. His exploratory intensity became a focal point for the group and listeners alike. I had to wonder if Byrd seriously desired to come back on the stand and finish out the night after such a technical display by his fellow trumpeter.