Critics' Choice (album)

Last updated
Critics' Choice
Critics' Choice (album).jpg
Studio album by
Released1958
RecordedAugust 23, 1957
StudioLos Angeles, CA
Genre Jazz
Length45:44
Label World Pacific
PJM-407
Producer Richard Bock
Pepper Adams chronology
Pepper Adams Quintet
(1957)
Critics' Choice
(1958)
The Cool Sound of Pepper Adams
(1957)

Critics' Choice is an album led by baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams which was recorded in 1957 and originally released on the World Pacific label. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Disc Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states "During a time when Gerry Mulligan's cool-toned baritone was very influential, Adams rose to prominence with a harder and bigger sound, much more hard bop than cool. This relatively obscure release, originally an LP for the World Pacific label, finds the baritonist in Los Angeles matching his hard-driving style with several players identified with West Coast cool jazz. ... Adams was one of the most consistent of all jazzmen; he never seemed to make an unworthy record, so he is in typically fine form throughout this freewheeling hard bop set". [4] The Penguin Guide to Jazz stated that the album was named for Adams' DownBeat poll win, and described it as "quite light in tone and approach". [6]

Track listing

All compositions by Pepper Adams except where noted.

  1. "Minor Mishap" (Tommy Flanagan) – 6:28
  2. "Blackout Blues" – 4:58
  3. "High Step" (Barry Harris) – 8:44
  4. "Zec" (Thad Jones) – 6:35
  5. "Alone Together" (Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz) – 5:51
  6. "50-21" (Jones) – 8:12
  7. "Four Funky Folk" 4:59 – Bonus track on CD reissue

Personnel

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References

  1. World Pacific Album Discography accessed February 22, 2017
  2. Pepper Adams catalog accessed February 22, 2017
  3. Encilopedia del Jazz: Pepper Adams accessed May 10, 2017
  4. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. Critic's Choice – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  5. Hall, Tony (15 November 1958). "Reviews". Disc . No. 41. p. 6.
  6. 1 2 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 9. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.