Herbie Mann At The Village Gate

About

By the early '60s, Herbie Mann had already spent several years establishing himself among the jazz cognoscenti as a virtuosic flautist and a wildly prolific recording artist, but it was 1962's <i>At the Village Gate</i> that catapulted him to stardom. Not only did the live album rack up shockingly high sales for a jazz record, its opening track, "Comin' Home, Baby," became a crossover pop hit when the tune's sinuous, bluesy lines and cool jazz feel caught the public's ear. The other two cuts are extended explorations of classic Gershwin compositions from <i>Porgy and Bess</i>: "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So." The former bears a sultry feel and a Brazilian lilt to the rhythm, making good use of the four-man percussion section: drummers Chief Bey and Rudy Collins, conga man Ray Mantilla, and vibraphonist Hagood Hardy. The latter is transformed from a serpentine midtempo tune to a churning, polyrhythmic burner in 6/8 time. And at 20 minutes, it gives Mann a chance to really stretch out, displaying both his lyrical side and his improvisational chops.

via Apple Music

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