🎷 AotW: CTI Paul Desmond - SUMMERTIME (SP-3015)

[rickster]

LOOK AT THAT TROMBONE SECTION !!!!!!
Urbie Green, JJ Johnson, Bill Watrous, Kai Winding ---- Incredible !!!
Know why ??? Don Sebesky was a fine trombonist -------

 

[seashorepiano]

One of the commenters here said that Taylor's albums are predictable. I beg to differ. Yeah, I'll agree that some of them are sub-par, particularly the Wes Montgomery releases and the oddities that are the Barbary/Jones outings. However, I think that this album is not the only album that falls under the heading of "as good as it gets." The Tamba 4 albums, Nat Adderley's Calling Out Loud and perhaps a couple others also win that title, in my opinion.

As for this album itself, I'm with Rudy on the Beatles' cover. A throw-away, in my opinion, but it was 1969 after all. Otherwise, this album really kicks ass, especially the opener.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is an album I really like. My favorite track is the swinging "North By Northeast", and I really love "Emily". The only real problem I have with this album is the god-awful "Ob-La-Di", which just doesn't fit. Clearly one of the better CTi releases.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike]

I don’t think that Ob-La-Di is such a clunker, but it certainly seems out of place on an otherwise great album.

btw, they must really like this album here in Japan because it’s been issued once on CD in a jewel case (that’s the one I have) and then it was issued again on CD in a special edition mini LP paper sleeve.

I also picked up Paul Desmond’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” on CD at the same time as when I picked up “Summertime”.

Mike

 

[JOv2]

Nice to see the positive marks on this one. Over the years, I've been able to appreciate this effort with increasing interest. For the most part, I do not like Sebesky's strong-armed approach to arrangements; but here he's much more low-key: the arrangements don't trample on Paul. Herbie Hancock is given some solo room, which is a nice gesture given his highly melodic style (yet very different from Dave B) fits like a glove with Paul. Lady In Cement is a fave. Ob-La-Di is also done very well; don't know why other folks have such a problem with the song: cute arrangement -- I'm cool with it.

 

[Dave]

I have wondered why this is one of the few A&M/CTi's where the artist's picture isn't darkened (along with George Benson, Milton Nasimento and the Wes Montgomery's) like most of the rest of them are...

-- And to me, a great listen... Used to almost always hear this one play at the record store I still today often hang out at...



Dave