George Benson
White Rabbit
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com

Ron Carter
All Blues
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com

Deodato
Prelude
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com

Paul Desmond
Pure Desmond
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com

Jim Hall
Concierto
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com

Milt Jackson
Sunflower
CTI Records
www.sonymusic.com
By George W. Harris

This is going to be almost impossible to believe, but here we go…

…long ago, in a land far, far away…jazz albums actually sold in the
tens and even hundreds of thousands! Yes, my child, there were jazz
tunes that were verifiable “hits.” Please, don’t lock me up for
insanity. It’s true!!! Back in the 70s CTI records somehow connected
with the pop culture and put out some discs that were un-adulturated
jazz, but were polished enough to click with teenagers and college
students. Here are some of the most popular ones, and they’ve aged
quite well. A lot better than disco has!

George Benson, before he became a household name and a perennial at the
Hollywood Bowl, actually put out some amazingly snazzy albums,
particularly on CTI. Here, he’s joined by Herbie Hancock/p, Billy
Cobham/dr, Ron Carter/dr, Hubie Laws, Airto Moreira/perc and Jay
Berliner-Earl Klugh/acoustic guitar along with some lush sounds
arranged by the justly famed Don Sebesky. What Benson did that was so
smart was that, instead of jazz standards, he filled this disc with
Spanish-flavored renditions of current pop/rock hits, such as “California Dreamin’” and “Summer of ‘42” as well as the Jefferson Airplane’s title track. It worked! The
music is dramatic, swinging, and has some marvelous displays of
Benson’s guitar chops as well as Klugh and Berliner showing some alluring flamenco sketches. Even haters of jazz went for this one, and the
purists had nothing to complain about once they heard Benson on “El
Mar.”

Bassist Ron Carter is better known as the perennially perfect side man,
most notably for his work with Miles Davis’ second “classic” quintet of
the mid 60s. He has, however, put out some impressive, if obscure,
discs under his own name. This just might be his best one, as it
includes Carter in an impressive company of Roland Hanna-Richard Tee/p,
Billy Cobham and Joe Henderson on a collection of originals and tunes
associated with his former boss. An indigo mood pervades the session,
with some gorgeous soloing by Carter on “Will You Still Be Mine” and “117 Special.”
Understated and lovely in essence.

If you were alive in the early 70s, it was impossible to escape hearing
Eumir Deodato’s funky take of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” which was made
famous from the “2001” movie. This thing was ubiquitous, making people
wonder where this guy came from. Well, he had put out a few clever
Brazilian discs in his youth, and did some wonderful arranging for
Jobim and Sinatra before literally striking gold here. Stanley Clarke
delivers a fantastic solo on the hit, while Ron Carter, Cobham, Airto,
Berliner, Laws and a team of strings and brass snap, glide and sizzle
through Brazilian-ized tunes like “September 13” and “Baubles, Bangles and Beads.” A funkified take of Debussy’s “Prelude To The Afternoon To A Faun” tries to capture a bit of the soul of the Strauss piece, and gets pretty close. A
real time capsule, when it was funky to be funky! And just where is my
Afro Sheen?!?

Alto saxist Paul Desmond made his name with Dave Brubeck, but his own
sessions are impressive in their own right. This 1974 recording finds
him in the sympathetic company of guitarist Ed Bickert (Desmond never
had a pianist outside of his work with Brubeck), drummer Connie Kay and
bassist Ron Carter on a series of velvety standards. The music floats
like the titles suggest: “Nuages” “Till The Clouds Roll By” and “Wave”
all undulate and weave like a spring breeze, while Ellington’s “Just
Squeeze Me” is as cute and dainty as a button. Desmond had a personal
sound that was the envy of every other horn player, including yours
truly. I switched to soprano once I realized I’d never sound this good.

Guitarist Jim Hall was Desmond’s teammate for a number of classic
sessions, but here, he’s fit into the CTI mold with some wondrous
charts provided by Sebesky. Desmond is still here, as is Chet Baker,
Carter, Hanna and Steve Gadd/dr for some of the most lithe sounds
you’ll ever want to experience. The title track gives Davis’ version a
run for its money, with Hall’s sophisticated harmonics a real treat.
Songs like “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” just melt like icicles in
March, with the cool tones of the horn players creating musical magic.
If you want to be heard above the crowd, whisper.

One of the first jazz records I ever purchased was Milt Jackson’s 1972
Sunflower. I didn’t know the difference between the MJQ and the DMV,
but I heard Freddie Hubbard’s title track on the radio (yes, jazz tunes
on regular radio! What a concept!) and just had to check it out. Loved
the cool cover of ostriches, and hey, you could actually buy a print of
it! Sebesky’s strings and horns are all over the place, but the crisp
but free groove supplied by the usual suspects of Hancock, Cobham,
Carter and Hubbard himself made this session just an eternal joy.
Jackson’s reading of the brooding “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your
Life” and the funky “People Make The World Go Round” mix pop, jazz and
the future of the world in an amazing way. Still crazy after all these
years!