May 21, 2012 booker ervin ts jaki byard p richard davis b alan dawson d recorded rudy van gelder studio, englewood cliffs, nj, december 3, 1963. Booker ervin the trance booker ervin ts reggie workman b alan dawson d jaki byard p rec. Booker ervin headed to blue note in 1968 for the in between, a record that found him continuing in the vein of his later prestige sessions. Booker telleferro ervin ii denison, texas, october 31, 1930 new york city, july 31, 1970 was an american tenor saxophone player. The first of four thematically linked albums, tenor saxophonist booker ervin s the freedom book is an overlooked classic. Booker ervin the freedom book 200g vinyl lp shop music. Booker ervin the freedom book hybrid sacd shop music. The grossly underappreciated tenor saxophonist displays all his strong points. The freedom book remastered by booker ervin on apple music. The song book, the blues book and the space book were all subsequently recorded in 1964 for prestige, but this seminal 1963 recording is. The freedom book by booker ervin, released in 2007 on prestige records.
Recorded on december 3, 1963, the freedom book is a. Booker ervin the freedom book hybrid sacd shop music direct. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and bluesgospel phrasing. Within a year of recording the freedom book, ervin would add three more book albums song, blues and space. You can buy album back from the gig vinyl 1976 booker ervin. The freedom book is an album by american jazz saxophonist booker ervin featuring performances recorded in 1963 for the prestige label. Among his own records, i love freedom book the best, and after that usually go to his sterling work with charles mingus and randy weston. Ervin, however, also had a great run of solo records on prestige from 1963 through 1966, the best of which are his book series which began with the release of the freedom book in 1964 and continued with the song book, the blues book and the space book. Stella by starlight was recorded on december 3, 1963, during the same session as the freedom book, which also includes this track. The song book, the blues book and the space book were all subsequently recorded in 1964 for prestige, but this seminal 1963 recording is a masterpiece of unconventional, advanced hard bop.
Booker ervinthe freedom bookhybrid stereo sacdacoustic sounds. Cut from the original analog master tapes by kevin gray. The song book, with tommy flanagan in byards place, features the intense tenor interpreting a set of veteran standards. Details about booker ervin freedom book remastered cd original recording remastered mint condition. But it was his series of song books for prestige records that broadcast the stentorian announcement that a jazz orator of gigantic stature had arrived. I was turned on to him by a friend several years ago and own most of this albums. The freedom book rudy van gelder remaster 1963 cookin feat. Ervin s reputation is long overdue for reappraisal. The freedom book is one of booker ervins finest recordings.
Booker ervin the freedom book 1964 apo remaster 2017. Tenor saxophonist booker ervin is still best remembered for his years with charles mingus, and his playing on such classic albums as blues and roots and mingus ah um. For years ive been meaning to catch up seriously on ervin s own. Booker ervin the freedom book 1964 prestige records recorded december 3, 1963 at van gelder studios.
Ervin s tenor saxophone sound was haunted by the loneliness and spaciousness of the texas plains where he was raised. One of the most farreaching, exploratory records cut by booker ervin during the 60s a set that really lives up to the freedom in its title. Booker ervin part of the ultimate audiophile prestige stereo reissues from analogue productions 25 of the most collectible, rarest, most audiophilesounding rudy van gelder recordings ever made. Here you can buy and download music mp3 booker ervin. The third of ten titles recorded for prestige between 1963 and 1966, booker ervin s the freedom book finds the texasborn tenor player supported by the insync rhythm section of jaki byard piano, richard davis bass, and alan dawson drums. The freedom book, recorded at the end of 1963, is one of ervin s masterpieces.
Booker ervin tenor saxophone, jaki byard piano, alan dawson drums, richard davis bass guitar. Ervin is best known for his association with bassist charles mingus. Release group the freedom book by booker ervin musicbrainz. Jan 07, 2019 ervin, however, also had a great run of solo records on prestige from 1963 through 1966, the best of which are his book series which began with the release of the freedom book in 1964 and continued with the song book, the blues book and the space book. Booker ervin, the book cooks downhome and majestic, the tenor saxophonists sound was like a cane stalk shooting up out of rich earth. The freedom book has ervin interacting with the unbeatable rhythm section of pianist jaki byard, bassist richard davis, and drummer alan dawson. A lunar tune cry me not grants stand a day to mourn als in. He is abetted by the power and drive of jaki byard, richard davis, and alan dawson. The album really takes off from some of ervin s other work of the time and stands along next to the equallygreat space book as a. A lunar tune immediately kicks the lp into a racetrack groove, with ervin blowing hard as his fellows breathlessly tear into this furiously. The southwest moan was an integral part of his playing. Booker ervin the freedom book 1964 2017 sacd artist.
Booker ervin the freedom book prestige 1964 flophouse. The freedom book, recorded at the end of 1963, is one of ervin s said masterpieces and it finds the jazz great working in almost perfect unison with the likes of jaki byard piano, richard davis bass and alan dawson drums. Considered the pinnacle of ervins book series blues, space and freedom. The first of four thematically linked albums, tenor saxophonist booker ervins the freedom book is an overlooked classic. The freedom book, recorded at the end of 1963, was one of ervin s masterpieces. Booker ervin and jaki byard both veterans of mingus, have paid their dues, and play edgy modern bop superb. Booker ervin the freedom book prestige prst 7295 lp. Booker ervin the freedom book prestige pr 7295 booker ervin, tenor sax. The prestige lps are nearly all essential, especially the quartet sessions space book, freedom book, song book.
Booker ervinthe freedom book200 gram vinyl recordacoustic. Booker ervin the freedom book prestige prst 7295 lp1964. Freedom book bonus track by booker ervin cd barnes. Booker ervin the freedom book hybrid stereo sacd analogue. Supported by trumpeter richard williams, pianist bobby few, bassist cevera jeffries and drummer lennie mcbrowne, ervin created an album that pushed the boundaries of hard bop.
Recorded on december 3, 1963, the freedom book is a near perfect set of modern hard bop, ranging just far enough out there to feel fresh but retaining a strong lifeline to bop tradition. Booker ervin tenor saxophone, jaki byard piano, richard davis bass, alan dawson drums, don schlitten producer, design, photography, rudy van gelder. He is best known for his association with bassist charles mingus. Booker ervin the freedom book 19632014 hi res artist.
In some ways tenor saxophonist booker ervin was the archetypal jazz player for the postbop 1960s, combining the tradition of texas sax with just the hint of edgy modernism, a sort of the deltameetsmorocco sound so accessible that it is easy to miss the chances ervin took with his music. A lunar tune immediately kicks the lp into a racetrack groove, with ervin blowing hard as his. Van gelder studio, englewood cliffs, nj, december 3, 1963. Booker ervin biography, albums, streaming links allmusic.
Booker ervin the freedom book hybrid stereo sacd analogue productions new. Groovin high was recorded on june 30, 1964, during the same session as the blues book, which does not include this track. In the liner notes, ervin gives some insight into the title. Booker ervin ts jaki byard p richard davis b alan dawson d recorded rudy van gelder studio, englewood cliffs, nj, december 3, 1963. Recording with charles mingus and randy weston may have granted him his initial exposure on the jazz scene, but it was booker ervin s series of song books for prestige in the 60s that truly established his. Booker telleferro ervin ii october 31, 1930 august 31, 1970 was an american tenor saxophone player. Booker ervin freedom book 1963 prestige londonjazzcollector. He died pretty youngabout the same age as coltrane. Booker ervinthe freedom bookhybrid stereo sacdacoustic. Booker ervin usa, 1963 the freedom book full youtube. Oct 22, 2014 the freedom book is one of booker ervin s finest recordings. His own albums tend to be overlooked by comparison.
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