Buddy Tate has been completely unknown to me until I came across this album a couple of months ago. At least from what I can remember. Maybe I’ve seen his name, I don’t know, but I’ve never heard him play. This is the beautiful thing about the approach I have know, to explore new labels and artists, in search for more affordable titles.
This album boasts a great lineup, with tenorist Tate joined by Clark Terry on trumpet and fluegelhorn, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Larry Gales on double bass and Art Taylor on drums.
Basie alumni Tate was born in Texas in 1913 and began his career as early as the late 1920’s. He started on the alto but switched to the tenor a bit later. He joined the Count Basie band in 1939 and stayed with him until 1948. After Basie he found success on his own starting in 1953, when his group worked at the Celebrity Club in Harlem from 1953 to 1974.
Tate plays in a bluesy style and his tone is round and pleasing. This album is very accessible and contains numbers very much infused with the blues. I’ve always loved when the blues is very prominent in jazz. It feels very genuine and connected with the past in so many ways.
The band is very well-rounded and no surprise there, considering the personnel. I would highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys jazz with plenty of blues aspects and to those who enjoy a good dose of classic tenor playing which is round, warm, lyrical and deeply connected with the blues and the Kansas City style which was Tate’s tradition.
Favorite pick on this album for me is the classic jazz standard ”Take the ”A” Train”, composed by Billy Strayhorn and was the signature tune of the Ellington orchestra.
Happy Friday!