STRAIGHT-AHEAD JAZZ SERVED HERE!
The Plan
(1) Listen to cuts from this remarkable album-splendid straight-ahead jazz, formulated by master musicians. (No Kenny G drivel on this disc, folks. No incomprehensible "free jazz." Just-The Right Stuff.) (2) Mouse your way to the "Add to Cart" window. You won't regret it. TO EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS: Please purchase the CD directly from me, via email at hallts@hotmail.com or by snailmail at Hall Sprague, 8129 Caminito Mallorca, La Jolla CA 92037 USA. I'll pay the postage.
The Artists
Hall Sprague has been playing drums and various percussion instruments since he was a kid, and since he's a certified geezer now, that means 60+ years. He is the percussionist in the two Blurring The Edges CDs (type in "Peter Sprague," here in CDBaby, for info on those); he has jammed on occasion with numerous big-name players; but mostly he has enjoyed the company of lesser-known fellow Southern California jazzbos in funky venues along the coast.
Guitarist Peter Sprague, (www.petersprague.com) has played with Chick Corea, Hubert Laws, Art Pepper, Eddie Harris, Ivan Lins, and host of other jazz/Latin giants, and has headed several bands in San Diego, starting in the 60s with The Dance Of The Universe Orchestra, which formed on a street corner in Del Mar, and which included several players who have gone on to national fame and fortune.
Tripp Sprague, Number Two Son, plays reeds, flute, and harmonica with extraordinary maturity and strength. It has always been that way, starting with bands he and Peter and pals put together over the years. He has performedand/or recorded with Mose Allison, Todd Rundgren, Kim Carnes, Mark O'Connor, Smokey Robinson, Sean Watkins, The Four Tops, The Temptations, and myriad other stars.
Bassist Bob Magnusson has done it all-a memorable stint with the Buddy Rich Band, two years with Sarah Vaughan, two tours with the Nelson Riddle band and Linda Ronstadt, frequent gigs with Mel Torme, and recordings with Art Pepper, Benny Golson, Joe Farrell, Bud Shank, Laurindo Almeida, and many others. Whew. Bob initially studied French Horn and you can sort of tell-there is a quality to his bass playing-the tone, the sustained notes, etc.-that is horn-like, and unique in the world of jazz.
The Songs
Hall wrote three originals for this CD, his very first compositions. They are standouts: Marguerite, a sentimental ballad dedicated to his late mother; Recuerdos, a dreamy exploration in bossa nova; and the title song, Hurry Home with its eccentric twists and turns.
A Fine Romance is delivered up-beat, as is Just You, Just Me (catch Hall's whistling on this one). My Funny Valentine is simply beautiful. Tripp's solo reminds you of the greats from the past who had that mile-wide tone-Ben Webster, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Arnett Cobb. Doralice adds a soothing, gentle touch to the proceedings. Peter romances this luscious Almeida/Caymmi Latin beauty with his soft guitar. Etude Z, an original from Peter, is built on the chord structure of Billy Strayhorn's "Take The A Train." How could anyone do a jazz album without Here's That Rainy Day? Not this group. Here it is, with a Latin touch. Sonny Rollins' Solid gives the band a chance to whip out a driving, hard-edged, "listen up" offering. And there is an 11th Mystery Song on the disc. See if you can identify it.
The Message
In the liner notes Hall says, "I hope you enjoy the music as much as we enjoyed making it. Next to love, music is, after all, the most important thing in the world. And jazz is right up there at the top with all the other forms, many of them more celebrated, more popular, more "serious," but none more expressive of our passions and hopes."
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