DUKE PEARSON "Prairie Dog" LP Atlantic 1st MONO NM/EX

$

26

AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek  [-]

This 1966 date by Duke Pearson with an octet was originally issued by Atlantic. Reissued by Collectables, this is Pearson in full soul-jazz mode, driven deeply by the blues, with an all-star band (not all members play on all tunes): drummer Mickey Roker; Harold Vick on soprano; James Spaulding on flute and alto; bassist Bob Cranshaw; trumpeter Johnny Coles; tenor George Coleman; guitarist Gene Bertoncini; and Pearson on piano and celeste. Most of these tunes start out delicately, almost like chamber jazz (nearly MJQ style), moving around on small melodic figures. "The Fakir" begins with a tender, gentle flute solo by Spaulding, and uproots itself by turning into a massive Latin-style groover based on the rhythmic middle of "My Favorite Things." "Prairie Dog" opens with the horns playing a slow, drawling blues that Pearson fills with his piano. It's a re-visioning of "I'm An Old Cowhand" morphed into a blues. Joe Henderson's "Soulin'" is exactly that: a strutting blues, where Coleman digs deep into the nasty edge of his horn, and Pearson's changes are short, choppy, percussive. The reading of "Angel Eyes" that closes the set is so utterly sophisticated in its arrangement, it's like Pearson telling the band to lay nothing all the time, as the melody floats in after a gorgeous little rhythmic pattern played by the section, it finds its charm in an airy counterpoint and with beautiful soloing from Bertoncini, Coles' muted trumpet, and Coleman. This is as fine as any date Pearson released for Atlantic, and grooves all the way through, seamlessly.

Duke Pearson ?– Prairie Dog

Label:

Atlantic ?– 3005

Format:

Vinyl, Album, LP, Mono 

Country:

US

Released:

1966

Genre:

Jazz

Style:

Post Bop, Modal

Tracklist

A1 The Fakir

A2 Prairie Dog

A3 Hush-A-Bye

B1 Soulin'

B2 Little Waltz

B3 Angel Eyes

Credits

Double Bass – Bob Cranshaw

Drums – Mickey Roker

Flute, Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Spaulding*

Guitar – Gene Bertoncini

Piano, Celesta – Duke Pearson

Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman

Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Harold Vick

Trumpet – Johnny Coles

Notes

US Mono issue has red/purple labels.

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.