Sonny Red - Out Of The Blue (1989 Japanese Blue Note Stereo LP Limited Edition)

Vinyl: NM
Sleeve: EX
Obi: None

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Sonny Red - Out Of The Blue Vinyl LP - 1989 Japanese Blue Note LP Last Reissue Limited Edition Stereo

Alto saxophonist Sonny Red's 1959 Blue Note session showcases the Detroit musician leading a quartet featuring pianist Wynton Kelly with rotating rhythm sections: bassist Sam Jones and drummer Roy Brooks on six tracks, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb on two. Recorded on 5 December 1959 at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio and produced by Alfred Lion, the eight tracks (originally released as BLP 4032) demonstrate Red's powerful, blues-inflected alto sound and his ability to lead a session with authority despite being less celebrated than contemporaries like Cannonball Adderley or Jackie McLean. Released in Japan on 8 November 1989 as part of Blue Note's LP Last Reissue programme and manufactured by Toshiba EMI, this limited edition stereo pressing documents an under-appreciated hard bop voice.

Red's alto saxophone playing combines bebop fluency with Detroit's blues-drenched tradition, his tone robust and his phrasing direct. The presence of Wynton Kelly on piano throughout provides both harmonic sophistication and bluesy groove, Kelly's distinctive comping style supporting Red's explorations while his solo statements demonstrate the melodic invention that made him Miles Davis' pianist of choice during this period. The rhythm section changes reflect scheduling realities: Jones and Brooks handle most tracks with muscular swing, while Chambers and Cobb (Davis' rhythm section at the time) bring slightly different energy to the closing two tracks.

The material balances standards like "Stay As Sweet As You Are" and "I've Never Been In Love Before" with Red originals including "Bluesville", "Blues In The Pocket", and the uptempo "The Lope". Each composition showcases Red's gifts as both melodic interpreter and blues-based improviser. Van Gelder's recording captures Red's powerful alto sound with clarity and presence.