Cannonball Adderley's Finest Hour - Or "The Album That Made Me Appreciate Bebop"

2/17/11 – Cannonball Adderly’s Finest Hour

There's no future without the past and anybody who doesn't really understand where jazz has come from has no right to try to direct where it's going.

- Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley

          I know this is becoming a theme, but another problem with compilation albums like this is that it’s so much harder to track down sidemen – as much as I’d love to know who’s the great trumpet soloist on “I’ll Remember April,” I have not the time to track down information on each track…  Ah well.  Also becoming a running theme – my distaste for bebop.  While Cannonball’s work falls into this category, I can get into this.  Maybe my palate is growing; maybe it’s just him, I don’t know, but he’s got a cool, composed sense of line and phrasing I don’t normally get from the hard boppers and I can really enjoy.

“I’ll Remember April” opens the CD with a nice uptempo swing tune.  The trumpet solo is as memorable, if not moreso, than any of the sax work.  I think what makes this work for me is that the bass and piano keep a more full harmonic background, and most of the solo lines play closer to the changes, as opposed to getting too high into extensions (like 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths).  Likewise, Adderley’s tone seems consistently “cleaner” than most alto players; there’s more edge to his notes than breathiness, and it works well.  I think a number of the tunes on this album mostly play “safer” – the solos lie closer to the chords, and the harmonies aren’t as complex as is usual for jazz composition.  It’s simply more approachable than Coltrane, for example.  Even the burning uptempos like “Spectacular” and “Hoppin’ John” don’t overcomplicate – the virtuosity of the performer isn’t muddled by reaching too far in scope.

The short arrangement of “A Foggy Day” features a lusher than normal Cannonball with a nice and warm string section behind him.  While the tune doesn’t develop as much as I usually prefer, the tune itself here seems to be sufficient enough to carry the track.  “T’s Tune” has a great laid back, bluesy swing to it, and Adderley’s pairing with the remainder of his horn section (again, specifically his lead trumpet) is phenomenal.  “I Don’t Care” feels somewhat latin, despite being a medium swing.  I think part of it is because I so often associate jazz flute with latin. 

“Lover Man” hits the mark for my ballad-searching soul.  A beautiful tune simply presented and with a beautiful solo and cadenza by this sweet saxophone player.  “Jubilation” is a relatively simple bouncy tune – most of the melody is presented in unison with just a bass line underneath.  The result makes the whole chart easier to follow.  I think that’s the underlying lesson to be learned from this album… music, and jazz in particular, doesn’t always have to be so complex to be good.

“Nothin’” follows this formula, presenting an introduction outlining the harmonic and rhythmic groove the tune is based upon before adding layers of melody and counterlines.  Like I said, either my tastes for bebop are changing, or this really is easier to get into.  Either way, Adderley’s Finest Hour truly is some great music.  It’s just that simple.

Tomorrow – Conditions (The Temper Trap)

Next week – Trident (McCoy Tyner)