Daily Archives: April 3, 2008

Kenny Burrell – Soulero

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Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell
Kenny Burrell – Soulero from the Cadet Records 45

I’m still on a high after meeting Mick Jones Wednesday night. It’s not often you get to rub elbows with musical greatness, but I’m glad I got to do it, and by the way, his new project rocks. This weekend is a busy one as well, with the Red Bulls home opener against Columbus, plus another Asbury Lanes Record show and Garage sale on Sunday. All this week there has been an unintentional theme, so I figured I’d throw another funky Jazz guitar side out to finish off the week. Here’s Kenny Burrell with “Soulero” on Cadet Records.

Born in 1931 in the Motor City, Detroit, MI, Kenny Burrell was the product of a musical family. His grasp and mastery of the instrument was evident at age 12. He would continue his secondary education at Wayne State University, where he would play with The Dizzy Gillespie Sextet for a short period in 1951. (Burrell was Diz’s favorite guitar player he said.) Burrell would move on to tour with The Oscar Peterson Trio ( where he briefly replaced Herb Ellis) before moving to New York City in 1956. Here he would start his music career as an in demand sideman, as well as a band leader. His career started off with Blue Note and Swingin’ in 1956, and has kept steady until the present day. He’s recorded for Savoy, Verve, Prestige, Argo, Columbia, Chess, CTI, Cadet, Fantasy and others. As mentioned earlier, his sideman work includes stints with Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Quincy Jones, Yusef Lateef, Milt Jackson, Herbie Mann, Lalo Schifrin, Herbert Laws, Jimmy Smith, and the list goes on. His reputation is evident from the recordings he’s been on. He has played a bop style, and has adapted to different genres throughout his career, and is considered to be a bit more simple and more of a conservative player to his peers. Equally comfortable as a soloist, big band member or his most popular group style of a trio, the man has recorded close to 100 records in his career. He continues to play music, and teach at UCLA at the present day.

Soulero starts out with almost a Flamenco/ South Pacific feel. Building up to a nice little pace, Burrell starts to wail, and the composing of Richard Evans starts to shine. The arranging of Evans is interesting as well. This piece easily could have been on a soundtrack to a movie or a detective television show. He has a knack for being great with an orchestra, especially strings. Please see my review of Evans in a previous post here at FMF for more info on the unsung bass player and musical genius . All in all, this side is more of a Jazz side than the Funk you may be used to, but it is funky in it’s own way. Burrell is amazing, and there is a reason why he is one of the greats. Soulero would be covered by greats like Eddie Higgins, Sonny Cox, Paul Jacobs, and Bob James. See you over the weekend. Keep Diggin’!

Please take a minute to reflect on the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorainne Motel in Memphis 40 years ago today.

In 2008, remember, there is still hope.

Whiteman In Hammersmith Palais

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Mick Jones and the DJ with big smiles. Clampdown!

When I heard that Mick Jones from the Clash’s new project, Carbon/Silicon, was playing a short notice gig at the Lanes, there was no way I couldn’t go. This is one of the Godfathers of punk rock (the Clash), an innovator in mixing genres (B.A.D.), and guy who’s pretty high up on the music scale for me personally. To see a legend like this in a small venue such as the Lanes (350 max), would be a treat. I didn’t know much about this band, but really, it’s Mick Jones, Tony James (from Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik) on guitar, Leo “E-Z Kill” Williams (B.A.D.)on bass, and Dominic Greensmith on drums. How could a lineup like that really go wrong? They played for an hour or more, and they they were having a damn good time. Mick had some great banter in between songs, and looked like he aged gracefully in his merc suit, sipping Heniekens and dancing the night away. He’d talk about listening to Blind Willie McTell records as a young lad, or how he just loved America. The man is a true ambassador of music, and these guys are a prime example of what music is all about. Doing what you want to do, spreading a positive message, and having fun while you do it. The mixed crowd (older, younger, black and white) were probably hoping for a few Clash songs, although Jones would only give a few lines of the Eddy Grant written “Police on my Back” (of course redone by the Clash) during the encore, as well as Leo and him trading licks to BMW’s “Stir It Up”. All in all, a great night of music by a true gentleman and legend. I know this post is a bit out of character for FMF, but you have to broaden your horizons and listen to it all, and I do. I’ll see you tomorrow with the last themed post of the week, which would be Jazz guitarists getting funky. Keep Diggin’!

PS: Here’s a photo from the Clash’s 3 Night Stand in Asbury Park in 1982!