| Beyond the Blue Bird | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Recorded | April 29–30, 1990 | |||
| Studio | Studio 44, Monster, Netherlands | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Timeless SJP 350 | |||
| Tommy Flanagan chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz | [2] |
Beyond the Blue Bird is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan, with guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Lewis Nash.
Flanagan's first musical residence, in 1949, was at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit. [3] As a teenager, he also played with guitarist Kenny Burrell. [3] [4] After two years of military service, Flanagan again became house pianist at the Blue Bird, [5] and again worked with Burrell. [6]
The album was recorded on April 29 and 30, 1990, at Studio 44, in Monster, the Netherlands. [7]
The AllMusic reviewer concluded that the album is "a perfect introduction to this tasteful, swinging and creative (within the bop mainstream) pianist." [1]
Kenneth Earl Burrell is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 Billboard Top Twenty hit Verve album Organ Grinder Swing. He has cited jazz guitarists Charlie Christian, Oscar Moore, and Django Reinhardt as influences, along with blues guitarists T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters.
Joseph Salvatore Lovano is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. He has earned a Grammy Award and several mentions on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls. His wife, with whom he records and performs, is singer Judi Silvano. Lovano was a longtime member of drummer Paul Motian‘s trio with guitarist Bill Frisell.
Thomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, initially influenced by such pianists as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, and then by bebop musicians. Within months of moving to New York in 1956, he had recorded with Miles Davis and on Sonny Rollins' album Saxophone Colossus. Recordings under various leaders, including Giant Steps of John Coltrane, continued well into 1962, when he became vocalist Ella Fitzgerald's full-time accompanist. He worked with Fitzgerald for three years until 1965, and then in 1968 returned to be her pianist and musical director, this time for a decade.
George Mraz was a Czech-born American jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephane Grappelli, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, John Scofield, and Richie Beirach, among others.
The Cats is a jazz album released in December 1959 on New Jazz, a subsidiary label of Prestige Records. It is credited to pianist Tommy Flanagan, saxophonist John Coltrane, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and trumpeter Idrees Sulieman. It was issued after Coltrane's Prestige contract had ended. The record was the first to feature Coltrane, Burrell, and Flanagan playing together in a small group. Eleven months later, the three recorded Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane, which was first released in April of 1963 on the New Jazz label.
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane is a studio album of music performed by jazz musicians Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane. It was released on the New Jazz label in April 1963. The recording was made on March 7, 1958. It was reissued in 1967 on New Jazz's parent label Prestige, with a different cover and retitled The Kenny Burrell Quintet With John Coltrane. The record was the second to feature Coltrane, Burrell, and Flanagan playing together in a small group. Eleven months earlier, the three recorded The Cats, which was first released in December of 1959 on the New Jazz label.
All Day Long is a jazz album by the Prestige All Stars, later credited to trumpeter Donald Byrd and guitarist Kenny Burrell, released in 1957 on the Prestige label. All tracks were composed by the members of the band.
Detroit–New York Junction is an album by American jazz trumpeter Thad Jones recorded on March 13, 1956 and released on Blue Note.
Desert Winds is an album by saxophonist Illinois Jacquet with guitarist Kenny Burrell recorded in 1964 and released on the Argo label.
The Blue Bird Inn, at 5021 Tireman, was a jazz night club in Detroit presenting music every night except Monday. An African American owned venue, by the end of the 1940s it was the most important live outlet for bop in the city.
Alvin "AJ" Jackson was a jazz bassist.
Eclypso is an album by pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Elvin Jones recorded in 1977 for the Enja label.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue is an album by pianist Tommy Flanagan. It was recorded in 1978 for the Galaxy label.
Ballads & Blues is an album by pianist Tommy Flanagan with bassist George Mraz recorded in 1978 for the Enja label.
Confirmation is an album by pianist Tommy Flanagan compiling unreleased tracks recorded in 1977 and 1978 at sessions that produced Eclypso and Ballads & Blues which was released on the Enja label in 1982.
Sunset and the Mockingbird is a live album by pianist Tommy Flanagan recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1997 on his 67th birthday and released on the Blue Note label.
Flanagan's Shenanigans is a live album by pianist Tommy Flanagan recorded at a concert celebrating his award of the 1993 Jazzpar Prize and released on the Danish Storyville label.
Tommy Flanagan Plays the Music of Harold Arlen is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan, with bassist George Mraz and drummer Connie Kay.
The Magnificent Tommy Flanagan is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan, with bassist George Mraz, and drummer Al Foster. Flanagan was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the album.
Jazz Poet is an album by jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan, with bassist George Mraz, and drummer Kenny Washington.
Bibliography
