Cedar Walton Quartet - Naima (1976)

Line-up:
Cedar Walton - piano
George Coleman - tenor sax
Sam Jones - bass
Billy Higgins - drums.

Cedar Walton - Eastern Rebellion (1975)

This CD reissue brings back a classic set featuring four giants of the modern mainstream: pianist/leader Cedar Walton, tenor-saxophonist George Coleman, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins. All five performances are noteworthy, particularly a definitive version of Walton's most famous composition "Bolivia," Coleman's tricky "5/4 Thing" and Jones's boppish "Bittersweet." The veteran musicians all sound quite inspired on this advanced straightahead set. A gem.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Bolivia (10:10)
02 - Naima (08:38)
03 - 5/4 Thing (07:55)
04 - Bittersweet (06:54)
05 - Mode For Joe (07:41)

Line-up:
Cedar Walton - piano
George Coleman - tenor sax
Sam Jones - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Cannonball Adderley - Nippon Soul (1964)

Recorded live in Tokyo on July 14th and 15th, 1963, Nippon Soul is not the Asian-jazz fusion suggested by the title (check out Cal Tjader's Several Shades of Jade and Breeze From the East for that), but a solid live set that showcases one of Cannonball Adderley's finest groups, featuring himself, brother Nat Adderley on cornet, bassist Sam Jones, drummer Louis Hayes, and most notably pianist Joe Zawinul and reedsman Yusef Lateef. Both near the beginnings of their careers, Zawinul and Lateef nonetheless dominate this set; two of the original tracks are by Lateef, including the centerpiece "Brother John," for John Coltrane and featuring an astonishing extended Lateef solo on oboe, an instrument not normally associated with jazz, but which takes on an almost Middle Eastern fluidity and grace in its approximation of Coltrane's "sheets of sound" technique. Zawinul arranged the standards for the group, reinterpreting Cole Porter's warm "Easy to Love" as a fleet bebop vehicle for a wicked Adderley solo and working the "Come Sunday" section of Duke Ellington's "Black, Brown and Beige" into a full gospel-style call and response between himself and Jones. Often overlooked, this is one of Adderley's finest albums.

by Stewart Mason in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Nippon Soul (Nihon No Soul) (9:34)
02 - Easy to Love (3:49)
03 - The Weaver (10:50)
04 - Tengo Tango (2:40)
05 - Come Sunday (7:03)
06 - Brother John (13:03)

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
Nat Adderley - cornet
Yusef Lateef - tenor saxophone, flute, oboe
Joe Zawinul - piano
Sam Jones - bass
Louis Hayes - drums

Cannonball Adderley - Brother John (1963)

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
Nat Adderley - cornet
Yusef Lateef - tenor saxpphone / oboe / flute
Joe Zawinul - piano
Sam Jones - bass
Louis Hayes - drums

Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (1958)

It isn't too difficult to understand why MFSL considered this album to be a worthy candidate for an Ultradisc reissue -- aside from Cannonball Adderley, you have a lineup that includes Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Sam Jones, and Art Blakey. This is a group that could take on a Barry Manilow number and turn it into a jazz masterpiece. MFSL have done the purchaser a favor, too, by including an additional track that was left off the original album. This sixth track, ""Alison's Uncle,"" closes out Somethin' Else on a high note, changing the flow of energy in an interesting way (purists can still finish up on a quieter note, as with the original, by programming ""Dancing in the Dark"" as the final track). In many ways it's a surprise that this track was left off originally -- it's an excellent piece, with Adderley and Davis trading licks and solos while Jones and Blakey keep pace. Blakey also takes some terrific solos. The remastering job is the usual superb MFSL effort, producing clear sound with almost no background noise. Due to the original recording (made in 1958), Davis' trumpet sometimes seems a little shrill and metallic, but it's not an overwhelming problem -- certainly not when you consider Davis' style. Altogether, an excellent addition to any jazz collection.

by Steven McDonald at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 Autumn Leaves
02 Love for Sale
03 Somethin' Else
04 One for Daddy-O
05 Dancing in the Dark
06 Alison's Uncle

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
Miles Davis - trumpet
Art Blakey - drums
Hank Jones - piano
Sam Jones - bass