Cashbox : 10/22/1960

Stanley Turrentine is heard with a crew that includes Horace Parlan, George Tucker and Al Harewood. It is basically a Turrentine and Parlan date, as the tenor saxist and pianist visit their modern sounds on originals Look Out, Return Engagement, Little Sheri and Minor Chant. It’s a full bodied, swinging, session, not without taste, finesse and a spark or enthusiasm. Newcomers with merit.

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Metronome
Stanley Dance : March, 1961

Stanley Turrentine has a bigger, warmer tone than most of the young tenor players. To judge by Return Engagement, the slight pressure of an up tempo suits him, and he takes off with something of Lockjaw’s abandon. He has good timing and attack, and his style here is generally more rhythmic than running. In the second chorus of Journey Into Melody, however, his lyrical, lightly swinging feeling is thoroughly appropriate to a pretty ballad. The most satisfying track on the second side is Minor Chant, a Turrentine original in an easy blues groove. “I like a straight-ahead rhythm section that plays for you,” Turrentine is quoted as saying in the notes; accordingly, the rhythm section adopts a role supplementary to the tenor’s instead of setting up as a counter-attraction.

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Down Beat : 12/22/1960
Don DeMichael : 3 stars

A three-star record is at a disadvantage. I suspect that readers seeing a “good” rating tend to dismiss the record as only of mild interest, not as extraordinary as a five starer, nor as controversial as some lower-rated albums have turned out to be. No, three-stars, I’m afraid, is too often taken to mean limbo. Nothing could be further from the truth. A “good” record is recommended, although it’s not of the caliber of higher-rated albums.

This release should not be looked on as insignificant, for it presents two talents which should be given close attention—Turrentine’s and Tucker’s.

The leader is of that growing group of tenor men (Oliver Nelson is another) who, while cognizant of the advances of John Coltrane, play more directly and with a fuller tone—warmer is another way to put it. Turrentine’s playing is passionate, too much so sometimes; I get the feeling I’m being preached at, even though at the same time I’m reveling in the man’s wonderful time conception. (In fact, one of the attributes of this album is it’s time—no, not time, beat, much of it thanks to Harewood.)

Tucker is one of the best new bass men whom I’ve heard come to the big leagues in some time. “New” is not a good term to use, since Tucker has been around some time. But he has been heard relatively little. He becomes almost completely involved in what the soloists play. He does not merely provide adequate cushioning for the others but wraps his bass lines around the soloists as a vine laces a trellis.

The drawback of this release is that there is a similarity to most of the tracks. The only ballad is Robert Farnon’s Journey into Melody. Some of this sameness stems from Turrentine’s preaching proclivities, but more of it is due to Parlan’s in-the-mode playing. His piano is good but rarely leaves the Gospel-Garland style that he employs throughout the album. His best work is an intense and strongly rhythmical solo on Sheri, the most satisfying track in the album.

Another horn might have added the contrast and variety that this LP lacks. Recommended nonetheless.

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Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

In recent years we have had contingents of young musicians from Detroit, Memphis and Indianapolis exert their influence on the national jazz scene. Now it is Pittsburgh’s turn. Thanks to Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner, Dodo Marmarosa, Ray Brown, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey and Joe Harris, the Smoky City has been more than well represented in jazz for a long time. But I’m referring to some of the recent arrivals: the Turrentine brothers and Horace Parlan to be specific.

The Turrentine brother under scrutiny here is Stanley, born in “Steelville” on April 5, 1934. His father, Thomas Turrentine, played saxophone with Al Cooper’s Savoy Sultans at one time but gave up a promising career in music so that he could be at home with his children. If jazz lost one Turrentine, it has gained two and possibly three as a result. Trumpeter Thomas Jr., six years older than Stanley, was with Billy Eckstine’s band briefly in the ’40s and has been heard more recently with his brother in Max Roach’s group. A younger brother, Marvin (16), is studying drums.

Stanley began his instruction on the tenor sax at the age of 13 with his father as the teacher. After high school, in 1951, he got his first professional job with the blues band of Lowell Fulson. Ray Charles was the featured pianist and vocalist. “Some things he did would bring me to tears right on the bandstand, they were so moving”, remembers Stan. On leaving Fulson, Stan returned to Pittsburgh and studied for two years with Carl Arter, presently the president of A. F. M. local 471. In 1953 he moved to Cleveland with brother Tommy and both worked with Tadd Dameron. The following year, Stan replaced John Coltrane in Earl Bostic’s band. Tommy joined six weeks later. Also with the band at different times during this period were Blue Mitchell, George Tucker and G.T. Hogan. 1956 found him back in Pittsburgh for a short time, up to Bangor, Maine for a summer resort gig and by December, a member of the 158th Army Band.

After being discharged, two years later, Stan again returned to Pittsburgh. In March, 1959, he joined Max Roach and remained with the drummer’s combo until after an engagement at New York’s Jazz Gallery in May of 1960. Now he is living and playing in Philadelphia, where he plans to pursue further studies in harmony and theory with an eye toward expanding his writing activities.

Stan’s original influences were Don Byas and Ben Webster; among the younger giants he prefers Sonny Rollins. While his playing is modern in line, its very sound is an older one. The result is an effective fusion of several elements resulting in a full, graceful tenor style that is masculine but not harsh; with a warmth that does not consume itself but diffuses evenly throughout all his work.

The rhythm section is one that has been a permanent part of Lou Donaldson’s group in 1960. This explains the reason for the acute rapport that exists among the individual players.

Stan has known Horace Parlan since high school although they attended different ones in Pittsburgh. In the mid-Fifties, they did some playing together before Horace left for New York and subsequent recognition as a member of the Charlie Mingus Jazz Workshop. The story of how Horace took up piano as a therapeutic device, after a childhood bout with polio had left his right hand paralyzed, has been told before. Amazing as his accomplishments are in the light of this, the final judgment of musical achievement is in how it sounds. Horace needs no “ifs” or “althoughs” to prop up his playing. His blues-rooted style is also, as Leonard Feather pointed out in the notes to his trio album (Movin’ & Groovin’—Blue Note 4028), “… economical… with a touch and sense of time that ensures continuous swinging.”

George Tucker is one of the rapidly rising young bassists in jazz. Strength with sensitivity is a combination that makes any rhythm player a standout. George has both qualities. Although born in Florida, he has been a New Yorker since 1948.

Al Harewood is a Brooklyn boy who has been heard with Jay and Kai and Gigi Gryce among others. You always are aware of his presence but he never intrudes. Like Tucker, he concentrates on swinging and accomplishes his purpose.

Look Out! is a blues by Turrentine that gets into a good groove from the beginning and never looks to either side. “I like a straight-ahead rhythm section that plays for you”, says Stan. This one does just that. Stan and Horace are the beneficiaries in their solo stints.

Journey Into Melody, by British composer Robert Farnon, is an extremely pretty ballad which I’m sure will be as new to most of you as it was to me. Stan became familiar with it through its use as the theme song for a radio show called Tonight At 8 on station WWSW in Pittsburgh.

Return Engagement by Parlan is up-tempo but its attractive chord changes are given their full due by Stan. The swing is light but with a firm underpinning.

Little Sheri is Stan’s dedication to his daughter. Its minor mood finds him funky with an underlying tenderness. Parlan explores the tender side with his chordal technique.

Clifford Brown is remembered in Tiny Capers. This is the first recording of it since the late trumpet great first did it. It has a joyous quality that Stan captures well.

Minor Chant, another minor-key original by Turrentine, rounds out the set. Stan also recorded this tune as a sideman with Jimmy Smith for Blue Note. The “straight-ahead” rhythm section is swinging as much as at the beginning of the set and bassist Tucker has a plucked solo for good measure.

This is another in the long series of Blue Note firsts—the presentation of new musicians who go to make a mark in jazz. They have been right so often in the past, it is difficult to question their judgment. Stanley Turrentine’s album is not a place one could start.

Look Out!, in jazz parlance, is a warning but it is in the affirmative.