Blue Wail – Kenny Drew, Sr.
An angular, nearly atonal piece that really swings. This is a take on the blues you won't want to miss.
- Recording: Kenny Drew - For Sure!
- Recorded on: October 16, 1978
- Label: Xanadu (LP 167)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Sam Noto
- Alto Sax - Charles McPherson
- Piano - Kenny Drew
- Bass - Leroy Vinnegar
- Drums - Frank Butler
Video
- Art Farmer Quintet feat. Clifford Jordan, live in 1989: Art Farmer, flugelhorn; Clifford Jordan, tenor; Mike Wofford, piano; Bob Magnuson, bass; Jeff Williams, drums
Kenny Drew's blues line is very interesting, both melodically and rhythmically. The original intent was melody with walking bass, as recorded on our first audio excerpt, the 1978 Kenny Drew recording, where the tempo is relaxed.
This composition was first recorded by Kenny Drew on his "For Sure!" album for Xanadu Records, where it is mistakenly titled Blues Wail.; Kenny next recorded it in early April, 1982, in a big band context, arranged by Ernie Wilkins. This was released in Japan on "Moonlit Desert" (Baystate Records). In late November, 1982, Kenny recorded it for Art Farmer's "Manhattan" release on Soul Note records. Art Farmer also recorded it in early April, 1989, with James Williams on piano, on his Ph. D.
album. Two great James Williams compositions/arrangements from this album are available from Second Floor Music: Ph.D. and Rise To The Occasion.
album. Two great James Williams compositions/arrangements from this album are available from Second Floor Music: Ph.D. and Rise To The Occasion.- Recording: Art Farmer - Manhattan
- Recorded on: November 29 & 30, 1981
- Label: Soul Note (SN 1026)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Flugelhorn - Art Farmer
- Baritone Sax - Sahib Shihab
- Piano - Kenny Drew
- Bass - Mads Vinding
- Drums - Ed Thigpen
Video
- Art Farmer Quintet feat. Clifford Jordan, live in 1989: Art Farmer, flugelhorn; Clifford Jordan, tenor; Mike Wofford, piano; Bob Magnuson, bass; Jeff Williams, drums
Trumpeter Art Farmer's 1981 Soul Note release, also with Kenny Drew on piano, is quite a bit faster than the original 1978 recording. Art Farmer loved playing Kenny's head and performed it many times. He also recorded a longer version in 1989 where the tempo is even faster (ca. 272).
Art Farmer and Kenny Drew recorded on only two albums together. The first was "Farmer's Market" in 1956, before Kenny left for Europe. It was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in his Hackensack, NJ, studio. The "Manhattan" album featured here was recorded in Milan, Italy.
Kenny Drew, Sr.
August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993
Kenny Drew was born in New York City. He studied classical piano but soon turned to jazz. His recording career started in 1950 at age 22, first with Howard McGhee for Blue Note, then Sonny Stitt for Prestige. These two 1950 recordings plus a surviving radio broadcast with Charlie Parker (December 8, 1950) put him in the company of jazz greats J.J Johnson, Max Roach and Art Blakey. Read more...