When Alto Was King

Last updated
When Alto Was King
When Alto Was King.jpg
Studio album by C. I. Williams
Released August 19, 1997
Recorded May 9, 1995 & March 12, 1996
Genre Jazz
Length59:08
Label Mapleshade
04532
Producer Hamiet Bluiett
C. I. Williams chronology
Stickball
(1972) Stickball1972		When Alto Was King
(1997)

When Alto Was King is the final album recorded by American saxophonist C. I. Williams released in 1997 on the Mapleshade label a quarter century after his previous album. [1] [2]

Charles Isaac Williams is an alto saxophonist based in New York City.

Mapleshade Records is an American jazz record company and independent record label founded by Pierre Sprey in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, United States, in 1990.

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]

AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars stating "this superb-sounding album is a fitting showcase for Williams' alto talents". [3] In JazzTimes Willard Jenkins wrote "Mr. Williams has a buttery tone that is delivered with authority and the veteran's sense of relaxed swing. His tone bending, for example, is done very subtly and with a knowingness that never announces the arrival of the next bended note. He plays it with a liquidity and fluid sense of phrasing that makes every piece a study in elegance". [4]

AllMusic Online music database

AllMusic is an online music database. It catalogs more than 3 million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musical artists and bands. It launched in 1991, predating the World Wide Web.

JazzTimes is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Davidson Sabin (1928–2018) as a newsletter called Radio Free Jazz. Sabine founded Radio Free Jazz to complement his Washington, D.C. record store that he founded in 1962. As a newsletter, it informed consumers of the latest jazz releases and provided jazz broadcasters with news and backstories related to playlists.

Track listing

All compositions by C. I. Williams except as indicated

  1. "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" (Cole Porter) - 5:12
  2. "Punkin Juice" - 5:45
  3. "'Round Midnight" (Thelonious Monk) - 8:08
  4. "Catfish Sammich" - 4:57
  5. "Misty" (Erroll Garner) - 5:57
  6. "Lover Man" (Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman) - 6:32
  7. "Because of You" (Arthur Hammerstein, Dudley Wilkinson) - 3:29
  8. "Jeep's Blues" (Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges) - 6:55
  9. "I'll Close My Eyes" (Buddy Kaye, Billy Reid) - 5:03
  10. "Avalon" (Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson, Vincent Rose) - 2:37
  11. "Precious Lord" (Thomas A. Dorsey) - 2:07

Personnel

Alto saxophone type of saxophone

The alto saxophone, also referred to as the alto sax, is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s, and patented in 1846. It is pitched in E♭, and is smaller than the tenor, but larger than the soprano. The alto sax is the most common saxophone and is commonly used in concert bands, chamber music, solo repertoire, military bands, marching bands, and jazz. The fingerings of the different saxophones are all the same so a saxophone player can play any type of saxophone.

Lawrence Elliott "Larry" Willis is an American jazz pianist and composer. He has performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, rock, bebop and avant-garde.

Don Blackman was an American jazz-funk pianist, singer, and songwriter. He performed with Louis Hayes, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Nicolas Dietz.

Related Research Articles

<i>Sweet Lou</i> (album) album by Lou Donaldson

Sweet Lou is an album by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson, his final recorded for the Blue Note label, featuring Donaldson with a big band arranged and conducted by Horace Ott.

<i>I Hate to Sing</i> 1984 live album by Carla Bley

I Hate to Sing is a live album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley recorded at the Great American Music Hall in 1981 combined with three tracks recorded at Grog Kill Studios in 1983 and released on the Watt/ECM label in 1984.

<i>Divine Revelation</i> album by Andrew Hill

Divine Revelation is an album by American jazz pianist Andrew Hill recorded in 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label. The album features four of Hill's original compositions performed by a quartet and one jazz standard performed solo. The CD added one alternate take as a bonus track.

<i>Tennessee Firebird</i> album by Gary Burton

Tennessee Firebird is an album by vibraphonist Gary Burton recorded in 1966 and released on the RCA label.

<i>Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux</i> 1973 live album by Gene Ammons

Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux is a live album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973 and released on the Prestige label.

<i>Conversin with the Elders</i> 1996 studio album by James Carter

Conversin' with the Elders is the fourth album by saxophonist James Carter recorded in late 1995 and early 1996 and released on the Atlantic label. The album features guest appearances by Lester Bowie, Larry Smith, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Hamiet Bluiett and Buddy Tate.

<i>Jazz Lab</i> (Jubilee album) 1958 studio album by Gigi Gryce & Donald Byrd

Jazz Lab is an album by American jazz saxophonist Gigi Gryce and trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1957 and released on the Jubilee label.

<i>Roots</i> (Cedar Walton album) 1997 studio album by Cedar Walton

Roots is an album by pianist Cedar Walton which was recorded in 1997 and released on the Astor Place label.

<i>Basie Jazz</i> 1954 studio album by Count Basie

Basie Jazz is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded in 1952 and released on the Clef label in 1954. Selections from this album were also released on the 1956 Clef LPs The Swinging Count! and Basie Rides Again!.

<i>Les McCann Sings</i> 1961 studio album by Les McCann

Les McCann Sings is an album by pianist and vocalist Les McCann recorded in 1961 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.

<i>The Golden Sword</i> (album) 1966 studio album by Gerald Wilson Orchestra

The Golden Sword is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 1966 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.

<i>The Peacocks</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Jimmie Rowles and Stan Getz

The Peacocks is an album by pianist Jimmie Rowles featuring saxophonist/album producer Stan Getz which was recorded in 1975 and released on the Columbia label in 1977.

<i>Tanganyika</i> (album) 1956 studio album by Buddy Collette

Tanganyika is an album by multi-instrumentalist and composer Buddy Collette recorded at sessions in late 1956 and released on Johnny Otis' short-lived Dig label.

<i>Windows</i> (Lee Konitz and Hal Galper album) 1976 studio album by Lee Konitz and Hal Galper

Windows is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz and pianist Hal Galper recorded in late 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label.

<i>Yes, Yes, Nonet</i> 1979 studio album by Lee Konitz Nonet

Yes, Yes, Nonet is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz's Nonet recorded in 1979 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label.

<i>Copenhagen Concert</i> 1979 live album by Buck Clayton All Stars featuring Jimmy Rushing

Copenhagen Concert is a live album by American trumpeter Buck Clayton recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1959 and released on the SteepleChase label as a double LP in 1979. A similarly titled Copenhagen Concert was recorded by Dizzy Gillespie with Leo Wright in 1960.

<i>Blue Notes</i> (album) 1967 studio album by Johnny Hodges

Blue Notes is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and orchestra featuring performances recorded in 1966 and released on the Verve label.

<i>Masters from Different Worlds</i> 1994 studio album by Clifford Jordan and Ran Blake featuring Julian Priester

Masters from Different Worlds is an album by saxophonist Clifford Jordan and pianist Ran Blake with trombonist Julian Priester which was recorded in 1989 and released on the Mapleshade label in 1994.

<i>Bop!</i> 1997 studio album by Frank Morgan

Bop! is an album by saxophonist Frank Morgan recorded in 1996 and released on the Telarc label.

References

  1. ↑ Charles Williams discography accessed November 13, 2014
  2. ↑ Mapleshade Records Discography, accessed November 13, 2014
  3. 1 2 Roberts, J., Allmusic Review accessed November 13, 2014
  4. ↑ Jenkins, W., JazzTimes Review, January/February 1998
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.