Goodbye

by Milt Jackson

Overview

Recorded in 1973 as a foray away from the Modern Jazz Quartet, Milt Jackson's second entry on the CTI label is also one of its highlights. This is one of Creed Taylor's finest productions both in terms of material and sidemen. Drummer Steve Gadd, flutist Hubert Laws, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Cedar Walton accompany Jackson on the majority of the album. Indeed, Jackson's ability to swing funky is evidenced to delightful extremes on "Old Devil Moon," with a rolling cymbal shakeout from Gadd, whose rim shots and tempo-pushing musculature are a sharp contrast to those of the MJQ's Connie Kay. Likewise, Laws, whose playing is usually over the top, stays inside melodic nuances here and provides Jackson with an essential harmonic foil. And Ron Carter is playing throughout with a popping edge he never had before or since. On Jackson's own SKJ, recorded in December of 1972, Don Sebesky conducted a jazz orchestra for Taylor that included Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Billy Cobham, Carter, a string section, a reed and woodwind and brass section, and a harp. Sounds sticky, eh? Hardly, Jackson is pure Bags here, playing it blue-black and rolling out around the ends of the turnarounds into deep, funky, post-bop terrain. The orchestra is mixed way down and is added for texture so the sextet is what one hears most -- along with a burning Freddie Hubbard solo. The other number of real note here is a ripping rendition of Horace Silver's "Opus de Funk," which sprawls the slim harmonic edge, rolls it out on a carpet, and turns it inside on itself, before rolling through the blues to move the intervals into a sequence Silver might not have considered when he wrote it, but which Jackson reveals was in there all the time. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	12/15/2017
Label:	Imports
UPC:	4988003514259
Rank:	2353

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Milt Jackson   Primary Artist,Vibraphone
Hubert Laws   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Flute
Steve Gadd   Guest Artist,Drums
Ralph MacDonald   Guest Artist,Percussion
Ron Carter   Guest Artist,Bass
Billy Cobham   Guest Artist,Drums
Cedar Walton   Guest Artist,Piano
Herbie Hancock   Guest Artist,Piano
Phil Bodner   Clarinet,Flute (Alto),Horn (English),Clarinet (Bass),Oboe,Flute,Piccolo
Max Ellen   Violin
Paul Gershman   Violin
George Ricci   Cello
Freddie Hubbard   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Don Sebesky   Conductor
Romeo Penque   Oboe,Flute,Piccolo,Clarinet,Flute (Alto),Horn (English),Clarinet (Bass)
Jay Berliner   Guitar
Elliot Rosoff   Violin
Irving Spice   Violin
George Marge   Oboe,Flute,Piccolo,Clarinet,Flute (Alto),Horn (English),Clarinet (Bass)
Alan Shulman   Cello
Charles McCracken   Cello
Gene Orloff   Violin
Margaret Ross   Harp
Emanuel Green   Violin

Technical Credits

Milt Jackson   Composer
Herb Ellis   Composer
Darren Salmieri   A&R
Don Sebesky   Arranger
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg   Composer
Lou Carter   Composer
Johnny Frigo   Composer
Gordon Jenkins   Composer
Seth Rothstein   Project Director
Patti Matheny   A&R
Howard Fritzson   Reissue Art Director
Stacey Boyle   Tape Research
John Freigo   Composer
Kristin Kozusko   A&R
Burton Lane   Composer
Steven Berkowitz   A&R
Creed Taylor   Producer
Darcy Proper   Digital Remastering
Didier C. Deutsch   Liner Notes,Reissue Producer
Horace Silver   Composer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer