Jazz on the Beach 242: Cannonball Adderley, Okazaki Brothers, Charles Owens, Randy Ingram, Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson, Al Williams Quintet +1, Ted Curson, Lonnie Smith
The summer wind came blowin' in from across the sea...'
One of the best things about broadcasting a live radio show is the instant feedback from listeners on what they’re enjoying and what they’re not. On this Wednesday’s show, the track that prompted the biggest positive response was alto saxophonist Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley’s tremendous version of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz’s Dancing in the Dark from Somethin’ Else (Blue Note, 1958), with pianist Hank Jones, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Art Blakey.
More than one person thought it was Charlie Parker playing, and I can see that. A listener texted to say that they only ever play side one of that album, and had completely forgotten it was the final track on side two. I probably listen to side two more than side one these days, for as wonderful as the opening track Autumn Leaves is, I’ve heard it so much that a little goes a long way.
The second most popular track came late in the show from Hammond organist Lonnie Smith, with his deeply funky version of Hugh Masekela’s Son of Ice Bag from Think! (Blue Note, 1968). The track was arranged by guitarist Melvin Sparks and is powered along by the relentless drumming of Marion Booker Jr, with fine solos from trumpeter Lee Morgan and tenor saxophonist David ‘Fathead’ Newman.
I mentioned last week that tenor saxophonist Charles Owens had something new coming imminently, and what duly arrived was a cracking version of Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life from his new trio album The Work (La Reserve). Owens plays both tenor and Nord keyboard with bassist Andrew Carper and drummer Kofi Shepsu. No idea what else the new album holds, but all will surely be revealed in the fullness of time. Meanwhile, here’s a nice studio video.
Also on the playlist is a terrific track featuring the other Charles Owens, born in 1939 and also a tenor player, performing with the California based Al Williams Quintet Plus One on Leon Russell’s This Masquerade from Sandance (Renaissance, 1976), recorded live at Belmont Shore on the West Coast. If you only know their terrific eleven minute version of Coltrane’s Impressions from the same album, you’ll enjoy this. A nice footnote is that trumpeter Nolan Smith later became a world record holding masters athlete under the name Nolan Shaheed.
I’m absolutely loving the latest from Japan’s Okazaki Brothers, especially the straight ahead and cool swinging opener Gotta Decent Shoes? from Blood But Blues (Mo-Zone, March), released by producer/pianist Makoto Ozone on his new label. Trumpeter Yoshiro and tenor saxophonist Masanori Okazaki lead a quintet featuring pianist Yuki Hirate, double bassist Shimpei Ogawa and drummer Shinnosuke Takahashi, and like many things Japanese, their take on American jazz is both respectful of tradition yet inventive and satisfying.
Another new release comes from the London based Grupo Elegua, led by Benin born alto saxophonist and drummer Kevin Haynes, with Su Beding Wedding Ya from Inner Outer Alignment (Grupo Elegua Records, coming in September). Haynes is joined by some of the London scene’s finest including drummer Moses Boyd, double bassist Daniel Casimir and keyboard player Deschanel Gordon, who add a contemporary edge to the Yoruba Bata drummers.
Following on from the Great Jazz Trio’s Naima last week, there’s another wonderful live trio performance from pianist Michel Petrucciani, drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Anthony Jackson with So What from Trio in Tokyo (Dreyfus Jazz, 1999). I played Cantabile from the album last September which is probably its finest moment, but there’s an inventiveness and spring in the step of this version of the Kind of Blue classic that’s really satisfying.
And there’s a second track from pianist Randy Ingram’s marvellous Sound Within: A Celebration of Bill Evans (Chill Tone Records, 10th July), with Letter to Evan featuring double bassist Rufus Reid and former Evans drummer Joe La Barbera. It’s a particularly gorgeous sounding album engineered by Chris Leon, recorded in New York at the Samurai Hotel and mixed at the intriguingly named Vesper Sky Room in Arinsal, Andorra.
As you have probably realised by now I have a major soft spot for CTI Records and its little brother offshoot Kudu Records. I was at Sony Jazz in 2000 when Sony Legacy in New York started reissuing the catalogue as properly remastered CDs (for the time) with extra tracks. One title they never got around to reissuing (although Sony Japan did) was tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine with vibraphonist Milt Jackson’s Cherry (CTI, 1972), featuring electric pianist and arranger Bob James, guitarist Cornell Dupree, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Cobham. Here’s Jackson’s The Revs, ‘Rev’ being another of Bags’ nicknames.
Even though the heat wave has returned (had it ever really left?), we’re still hard boppin’, this time with pianist Horace Silver’s title track from Blowin’ the Blues Away (Blue Note, 1959), with fine solos from trumpeter Blue Mitchell and tenor saxophonist Junior Cook. And there’s trumpeter Ted Curson’s Fire Down Below from Plays Fire Down Below (Prestige, 1963), with pianist Gildo Mahones, double bassist George Tucker, drummer Roy Haynes and Jamaican born Roger Sanders, better known as Montego Joe, playing congas. So why not Montego Roger then?
And finally, I took Tomorrow’s Warriors co-founder and double bassist Gary Crosby and tenor saxophonist Denys Baptiste for a walk on Deal Pier before their Quintet show at The Astor on Tuesday. Here’s an excellent review. You can just about see Calais across the English Channel. Look to the horizon on the left.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach, click below:
Or listen back on Mixcloud:
Jazz on the Beach #242 8th July 2026
Horace Silver - Blowin’ the Blues Away
The Charles Owens Trio - Bright Size Life
Sounds of April & Randall - I’m Never Satisfied
New Jazz Underground - atonement (iv)
Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua - Su Beding Wedding Ya
Michel Petrucciani, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson - So What
Ted Curson - Fire Down Below
Giacomo Smith Quartet - The Round Tower
Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson - The Revs
Okazaki Brothers - Gotta Decent Shoes?
James Brandon Lewis Quartet - Spirit of the Living God
The Al Williams Quintet Plus One - This Masquerade
Cannonball Adderley - Dancing in the Dark
Azar Lawrence - Highway
Randy Ingram - Letter to Evan
Lonnie Smith - Son of Ice Bag
The Blackbyrds - The Baby
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Jazz on the Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
Blues Beach broadcasts every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).