Stanley Turrentine: Rough 'N Tumble-1966 Blue Note New York USA Promo Stereo LP

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1966 Blue Note "New York USA" on Label Promo Stereo Release of Bandleader/Composer/Tenor Saxophone Master Stanley Turrentine Entitled Rough 'N Tumble, Produced by Alfred Lion, Recording by Rudy Van Gelder, Art Direction by Reid Miles, Liner Notes by Ira Gitler - "A legend of the tenor saxophone, Stanley Turrentine was renowned for his distinctively thick, rippling tone, an earthy grounding in the blues, and his ability to work a groove with soul and imagination. Turrentine recorded in a wide variety of settings, but was best-known for his Blue Note soul-jazz jams of the '60s, and also underwent a popular fusion makeover in the early '70s. Born in Pittsburgh on April 5, 1934, Turrentine began his career playing with various blues and R&B bands, with a strong influence from Illinois Jacquet. He played in Lowell Fulson's band with Ray Charles from 1950-1951, and in 1953, he replaced John Coltrane in Earl Bostic's early R&B/jazz band. After a mid-'50s stint in the military, Turrentine joined Max Roach's band and subsequently met organist Shirley Scott, whom he married in 1960 and would record with frequently. Upon moving to Philadelphia, Turrentine struck up a chemistry with another organist, Jimmy Smith, appearing on Smith's 1960 classics Back at the Chicken Shack and Midnight Special, among others. Also in 1960, Turrentine began recording as a leader for Blue Note, concentrating chiefly on small-group soul-jazz on classics like That's Where It's At, but also working with the Three Sounds (on 1961's Blue Hour) and experimenting with larger ensemble settings in the mid-'60s. As the '70s dawned, Turrentine and Scott divorced and Turrentine became a popular linchpin of Creed Taylor's new, fusion-oriented CTI label; he recorded five albums, highlighted by Sugar, Salt Song, and Don't Mess With Mister T. While those commercially accessible efforts were artistically rewarding as well, critical opinion wasn't as kind to his late-'70s work for Fantasy; still, Turrentine continued to record prolifically, and returned to his trademark soul-jazz in the '80s and '90s. Turrentine passed away on September 12, 2000, following a massive stroke." - "In the mid- to late '60s, Blue Note was beginning to take on the affectations of funk and a new kind of "cool." For the most part, Turrentine steers clear of that style, and Rough 'n' Tumble is a pretty straight-ahead set, especially for 1966. "And Satisfy" and "Feelin' Good" typify the comfortable sessions, and both show off Turrentine's trademark tasteful playing. To its credit, Rough 'n' Tumble isn't rife with covers of songs that were doomed to be ephemeral, and Turrentine tackled two of the more lasting songs. His cover of Sam Cooke's "Shake" adheres closely to the original. Bacharach and David no doubt figured into jazz albums of the time, and "Walk On By" gets a suitably downcast reading here. The album's final track, the intricate "Baptismal," seems to get most of Turrentine's attention, and the song is perfect for his emotional yet poised playing technique. Rough 'n' Tumble features a great lineup of players, including Pepper Adams, Blue Mitchell, and McCoy Tyner. Rough 'n' Tumble isn't exactly a scintillating effort, but it is fun for the listener to hear Tyner and guitarist Grant Green nudging the genre toward the future, especially on "What Could I Do Without You." Of course, the star of the show is Turrentine, and his warmth and playing make this a necessity, especially for fans '60s pre-funk Blue Note jazz." - Sensational Personnel for the Octet Features Legendary Composer Stanley Turrentine on Tenor Saxophone, Blue Mitchell on Trumpet, James Spaulding on Alto Saxophone, the Brilliant Pepper Adams on Baritone Saxophone, the Great Grant Green on Guitar, the Amazing McCoy Tyner on Piano, the Talented Bob Cranshaw on Bass and Mickey Roker on Drums! - Selections on Side 1 Are the Ronell Bright Song And Satisfy, the Ray Charles Classic What Could I Do without You & the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley Standard Feeling Good at 7 Minutes 15 Seconds - Tracks for Side 2 Consist of the Sam Cooke Classic Shake, the Hal David/Burt Bacharach Standard Walk on By and the John Hines Song Baptismal at 6 Minutes 30 Seconds - Used Copy, Cover Very Good+ with a Tiny Tear on Front from a Price Tag, Record Very Good++ - Blue Note Promotional Album with Stamp on Front, Stereo Recording, Product Code BST 84240 - California Residents Add 9.75% Sales Tax - International S & H Extra -