JAZZY REVIEWS: On the Trail - Jimmy Heath

 

If you don’t know Jimmy Heath, this brief introduction will convince you that you must go out and gather up all you can by him. Small in stature, but one who had a huge presence on the tenor sax, Heath was known early in his life as “Little Bird” since his style was similar to Charlie “Bird” Parker.

As the title suggests, the opening track, “On the Trail” is the best-known movement of Ferde Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite. This is a classical masterpiece and most unlikely candidate for a jazz album. Heath, along with Wynton Kelly, piano, Kenny Burrell, guitar, Paul Chambers, bass and brother Albert Heath on drums lay down a relaxed western mood not straying too far off the trail. Track 2, titled “Cloak and Dagger” is a Heath original played in an attractive minor mood. “Vanity”, was a semi-big hit for Sarah Vaughan a few years before Jimmy recorded it.  Here he is nearly solo on the first two choruses with some soft guitar chords by Burrell, then the brushed drums and bass gently come in on the final bars. Side one concludes with the Kern-Hammerstein standard, “All the Things You Are”. Both Heath and Burrell lay this track down straight ahead, never losing sight of the melody. Side two opens with another Heath original “Gingerbread Boy”, a solidly swinging blues number which I find has nuances of Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane, but in a good way. Next, the highlight of the LP, in my opinion, “I Should Care”. This Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weistein (Weston) composition is truly one of the most beautiful standards of the 1940s and Heath treats it as such. His tenor is warm and singing and he aptly splits the first chorus with Burrell. We wrap up side two with the final Heath original known here as “Project S”. This one is a fine closer giving everyone a chance to shine and convince you further that you need this album in your jazz collection.

The trio of Heath brothers, Jimmy, Albert and Percy (not on this recording) have brought numerous hours of pleasurable jazz to the world throughout the years and this recording is no exception. As previously mentioned, the quartet that accompanies “Little Bird” here is of the utmost importance to the quality of the record. They really need no further words except to mention that Wynton Kelly will always be one of the most underrated pianists I know, but to this scribe’s ear, a true master of the keys! Even though he spent a long tenure with Miles, it seems his legacy has been rather forgotten.

The record was originally released in 1963 on the Riverside label and has enjoyed at least 2 reissues including both CD and vinyl versions. If you can get a copy of this, latch on to it, treasure it, and by all means, play it!

Performance 9/10-Smooth tenor sax moments with expert accompaniment. Well rounded mix of standards and original compositions keeps the listener interested to the end of side two.

Recording 8/10-Overall a fine sounding record, only thought I had is a bit less reverb on Jimmy would have brought the intimacy of his tenor a lot closer to the listener.

Overall 9/10-Clean straight ahead jazz by a quintet of players truly in tune with each other and what the message was to be. No one overshadows another, but solos are inventive and fresh, never losing sight of the intended melody or ambiance.