On this album, the extremely prolific Jazz guitarist Kenny
Burrell teams up with the excellent organist (Brother) Jack McDuff, and his
Quartet of 60’s Jazz somebodies, including Harold Vick on tenor sax, Count
Basie’s own Eric Dixon on flute, Ray Barretto on conga, and of course, the
funky drummer Joe Dukes. Together, they made an excellent Jazz album during an
era when excellent Jazz albums were a dime-a-dozen. However, don’t expect the
moody, provocative styles of Miles Davis or John Coltrane here, nor the spacey,
spiritual futurism of Sun Ra or Pharaoh Sanders.
Crash! is a “Bop” album – much more cheerful, up-tempo, and even
funky compared to much of what is remembered most from this era – which just
goes to show what a broad genre Jazz is. Although we may tend to remember the
rule-breakers of the 60’s the most, some of the more traditional artists were still
creating masterful works like this one.
The musicianship here is truly excellent, as one would
expect from these names. Brother Jack’s organ maintains a bright, “take me out
to the ballgame” feel on all his solos. Kenny Burrell’s guitar work sounds
breezy and care-free. The drum breaks are always funky. Everything is done with
a sense of joy and innocence – even during the album’s more nostalgic moments –
although the sophistication of the music is never in question.
Crash! may not
have been the nail that stuck out most, but it is still doing an excellent job
of holding the house that Jazz built together. I find this album perfect for a
joyful evening with friends and summer cocktails – even dancing. It would also
pair nicely with a Woody Allen montage.
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