Speedracer
Well-Known Member
The 18 minutes was based on the Google Maps route
Needles & Grooves AotM /// Vol. 35 - May 2022 /// Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
- Thread starter Speedracer
- Start date
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
So here's what I'm thinking:
-Blue Note album, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio (post-July 1959 BN album)
-The three animals are BN founders Alfred Lion, Francis Wolff, and... Donald Byrd? Doesn't mean it's a Byrd album, just that he performs on it
-Lion retired in 1967 so we're looking at an album recorded (although maybe not released!) in the 1959-67 time frame
-Liner notes are written by Leonard Feather (the quill and ink clue)
-The back of the dollar bill (green back) may point to an album with Grant Green's involvement?
-I forget what all the other clues are
So uhh... Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up is my guess for now. No Grant Green but whatever. Blue Note released a lot of music during that 8-year stretch, it still feels like a needle in a haystack with this thing.
-Blue Note album, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio (post-July 1959 BN album)
-The three animals are BN founders Alfred Lion, Francis Wolff, and... Donald Byrd? Doesn't mean it's a Byrd album, just that he performs on it
-Lion retired in 1967 so we're looking at an album recorded (although maybe not released!) in the 1959-67 time frame
-Liner notes are written by Leonard Feather (the quill and ink clue)
-The back of the dollar bill (green back) may point to an album with Grant Green's involvement?
-I forget what all the other clues are
So uhh... Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up is my guess for now. No Grant Green but whatever. Blue Note released a lot of music during that 8-year stretch, it still feels like a needle in a haystack with this thing.
why is the English flag right above that dollar bill
the St George flag
George and green back
George Braith had albums on blue note.. including and often worked with grant green.. the issue is finding one of those albums on vinyl
extensions is GOING to be a BN classics album.. but not until july so it doesn't count
well that was a wild goose chase that lead to nothing
the St George flag
George and green back
George Braith had albums on blue note.. including and often worked with grant green.. the issue is finding one of those albums on vinyl
extensions is GOING to be a BN classics album.. but not until july so it doesn't count
well that was a wild goose chase that lead to nothing
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
I got it, y'all.
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
-Blue Note
-Recorded in 1963 by Rudy Van Gelder (presumably at his Englewood Cliffs, NJ studio)
-liner notes by Leonard Feather (quill and inkwell pic)
-Drums performed by Bill English
-Three animals doing their part? They're animal-related songs: "Mule" and "Chitlins Con Carne" (but don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this album).
-Lion pic is Alfred Lion (although you could conceivably also put him in the above clue if you want to count Chitlins Con Carne as one animal even though it's actually two)
-And for what it's worth, it had a 2021 reissue and Discogs keeps throwing this album in my recommendations.
Edit: Also note that a video of Saturday Night Live was chosen to indicate it was recorded in NJ. There's a bonus clue pointing toward the album's closer, "Saturday Night Blues."
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
-Blue Note
-Recorded in 1963 by Rudy Van Gelder (presumably at his Englewood Cliffs, NJ studio)
-liner notes by Leonard Feather (quill and inkwell pic)
-Drums performed by Bill English
-Three animals doing their part? They're animal-related songs: "Mule" and "Chitlins Con Carne" (but don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this album).
-Lion pic is Alfred Lion (although you could conceivably also put him in the above clue if you want to count Chitlins Con Carne as one animal even though it's actually two)
-And for what it's worth, it had a 2021 reissue and Discogs keeps throwing this album in my recommendations.
Edit: Also note that a video of Saturday Night Live was chosen to indicate it was recorded in NJ. There's a bonus clue pointing toward the album's closer, "Saturday Night Blues."
Last edited:
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's it!I got it, y'all.
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
-Blue Note
-Recorded in 1963 by Rudy Van Gelder (presumably at his Englewood Cliffs, NJ studio)
-liner notes by Leonard Feather (quill and inkwell pic)
-Drums performed by Bill English
-Three animals doing their part? They're animal-related songs: "Mule" and "Chitlins Con Carne" (but don't worry, no animals were harmed in the making of this album).
-Lion pic is Alfred Lion (although you could conceivably also put him in the above clue if you want to count Chitlins Con Carne as one animal even though it's actually two)
-And for what it's worth, it had a 2021 reissue and Discogs keeps throwing this album in my recommendations.
Edit: Also note that a video of Saturday Night Live was chosen to indicate it was recorded in NJ. There's a bonus clue pointing toward the album's closer, "Saturday Night Blues."
Nice work!Although you did make up some of the meanings to my hints
I'll do a write up later and explain all the hints as well.
TrainFan73
Frothy
Well, that gives me an excuse to fill that hole in my collection!
plaidroom.com still has 6 in stock. I grabbed a copy of Tender Moments to get free shipping.
plaidroom.com still has 6 in stock. I grabbed a copy of Tender Moments to get free shipping.
TrainFan73
Frothy
blue note seems to have the classic pressing in stock too.
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
Yeah when I started the thread it seemed to be in stock at plenty of places.
TrainFan73
Frothy
Amazon doesn't have a countdown saying how many are left, so it is probably pretty plentiful.
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
Hints explained (duplicated from 2nd post of the thread)
Hint #1
Although no animals were harmed during the production of this album, 3 did play their part.
Answer: Produced by Alfred Lion & Francis Wolff. One of the song is Mule. Didn't count either Chitlins or Carne as an animal, but certainly could have.
Hint #2 Leonard (Lion) Feather (feather quill) wrote the liner notes.
Hint #3 I was drunk here, but still capable of counting to 4
Hint #4 Dollar Bill + English flag = Bill English, drummer on this album and his only appearance on a Blue Note album
Hint #5 People seemed to keep calling it a dollar note instead of a dollar Bill
Hint #6 A Band Member's name was Bill
Hint #7 No explanation needed I think. It's a Jazz album
Hint #8: Midnight Blue was record in Rudy Van Gelder's famous New Jersey Studio Englewood Cliffs. As NewsFedora noticed and I didn't, there was a bonus clue linking Saturday Night Live to the album's closer 'Saturday Night Blues'
Bonus hint in my first sentence of this thread nobody noticed:
It's April 1st and about midnight (Midnight Blue) in some parts of the world, but the sun has already softly risen in snowy (!) Amsterdam.
Hint #1
Although no animals were harmed during the production of this album, 3 did play their part.
Answer: Produced by Alfred Lion & Francis Wolff. One of the song is Mule. Didn't count either Chitlins or Carne as an animal, but certainly could have.
Hint #2 Leonard (Lion) Feather (feather quill) wrote the liner notes.
Hint #3 I was drunk here, but still capable of counting to 4
Hint #4 Dollar Bill + English flag = Bill English, drummer on this album and his only appearance on a Blue Note album
Hint #5 People seemed to keep calling it a dollar note instead of a dollar Bill
Hint #6 A Band Member's name was Bill
Hint #7 No explanation needed I think. It's a Jazz album
Hint #8: Midnight Blue was record in Rudy Van Gelder's famous New Jersey Studio Englewood Cliffs. As NewsFedora noticed and I didn't
, there was a bonus clue linking Saturday Night Live to the album's closer 'Saturday Night Blues'Bonus hint in my first sentence of this thread nobody noticed:
It's April 1st and about midnight (Midnight Blue) in some parts of the world, but the sun has already softly risen in snowy (!) Amsterdam.
TrainFan73
Frothy
This gives me a strange little trio of Burrell as leader records:
1. Midnight Blue
2. Guitar Forms (not in my cogs for some reason! ack!)
3. Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas
1. Midnight Blue
2. Guitar Forms (not in my cogs for some reason! ack!)
3. Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's it!
Although you did make up some of the meanings to my hints
I thought the "no animals were harmed" was the implication that they got turned into food.
scotthilk
Well-Known Member
This is a GREAT PICK and the first ROTM I actually already own! Nice one - going to spin it today! 
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
I mean turning animals into food seems like harming them, but I guess that also would kinda make my hint untrueI thought the "no animals were harmed" was the implication that they got turned into food.
I'll probably buy it
Mostly because i never have tried old blue note jazz because I wasn't into kind of blue or a live Supreme or out to lunch (I know that's a difficult with but it was more atonal than radical sounding)
I do plan to listen to moanin by art Blakey in the future and the mood music could be really nice.. I may not understand jazz but I should try such a recommended classic
Mostly because i never have tried old blue note jazz because I wasn't into kind of blue or a live Supreme or out to lunch (I know that's a difficult with but it was more atonal than radical sounding)
I do plan to listen to moanin by art Blakey in the future and the mood music could be really nice.. I may not understand jazz but I should try such a recommended classic
MadLucas
Well-Known Member
Woah, an AoTM I already own!
And highly endorse, great pick!
And highly endorse, great pick!
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
Happy to hear people like the pick! 
Been a bit busy, but will try to get a write up out today somewhere.
Been a bit busy, but will try to get a write up out today somewhere.
avecigrec
Well-Known Member
Damn. Had I ever listened to this before this morning it would have definitely been in my collection already. Delightful album. Great pick @Speedracer!
Speedracer
Well-Known Member
I stole some nice words from the web and added a few of my own for a nice write up, which can also be found in the first post of this thread.
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue*
Something about guitar jazz has always fascinated me personally. Whether it be Grant Green, who is perhaps my all time favourite Blue Note artist, or Kenny Burrell, guitar almost always seems to be featured om my most spun jazz albums. And especially so if that jazz guitar had a hint of soul or blues in its sound.
BB King once said, āJazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guyās playing blues, heās in high school. When he starts playing jazz itās like going on to college.ā It wouldn't be stretch to imagine that he might have had Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue in mind.
Kenny Burrell made his major debut with Dizzy Gillespie in 1951 and has gone on to make eighty albums across eight high profile record labels as a leader and very many more within the bands of many jazz giants including Oscar Peterson, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Smith with whom he recorded the highly popular "Organ Grinder Swing " album in 1965. It is sad to note that recently Kenny, who was living in Westwood California with his wife Katherine Goodrich, who is 37 years younger than him, is enduring hard times both medically and socially and finds himself totally isolated and having to crowd fund for both his accommodation and physical needs. Not so long ago he was working as The Director of Jazz Studies in The Herb Albert School of Music at The University of Southern California.
How different were things on January 8, 1963, when he stepped into Rudy Van Gelderās studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. From the very first track, itās clear why this album was so popular when it was released and has remained so ever since. It oozes early 1960s sophistication, like the soundtrack to a movie about love gone sour in Manhattanās Upper West Side. Reid Milesā album cover is perfection, summing up the mood of this album with just perfect typography.
Itās been called āas elegant a record as the label ever released,ā and itās impossible to disagree. On tenor saxophone was Stanley Turrentine from Pittsburgh, a powerful player full of blues and soul filled overtones gained from his early R & B days with Earl Bostic. Bass man Major Holley, a prolific studio musician who also spent time with Duke Ellington, Zoot Sims and the like was an ideal foil for the guitarist with his large rounded tone and impeccable sense of time, alongside the percussion team of ex blues drummer Bill English and the Latin styled conga player originally from Puerto Rica, Ray Barretto.
All the tracks, except one are composed by the guitarist and things kick off with the almost exotic Chitlins Con Carne where Barretto's congas set the scene for the first of many understated but highly imaginative outings by the leader throughout the album. Stanley Turrentine provides a blues drenched tenor solo on this one, although he is not offered too many opportunities to shine during the session overall. Mule a tune co-written with Major Holley follows, it has a great feeling of reflective calm about it with intricate guitar lines well responded to by the co-writer's double bass contribution. Just as the title suggests Soul Lament is just that with its deep mood and melancholy theme leaving a lasting impact on the listener despite its brief duration.
Midnight Blue the title track has perhaps the most memorable thematic lines of the whole recording. It is more up- beat than most with the leader stretching out for most of the track, fully demonstrating why he has always commanded such a high profile in the jazz guitar world. Double bass and congas set the scene for the strangely titled Wavy Gravy, a mid-tempo swinger again finding the leader in his most creative form with Stanley Turrentine given enough space for a startling passage in the higher register of his instrument on a tune which is full of joy and humour. It's a guitar masterclass on the only original tune of the set, a standard of the jazz repertoire Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You written by Don Redman and Andy Razaf way back in 1929. There is little else but guitar on this over minimal bass and drums, with a truly masterful performance of the theme and improvisation full of enormous imagination and logic. The LP ends with a deep journey down to the Saturday Night Blues with the tenor saxophonist at last fully in his element with bold and commanding statements, answered in full and supported by bass and guitar before the final fade out.
As I alluded to in my intro to this thread, Midnight Blue was one of the first 5 albums that I owned. Out of the 5 it has far and away had the most spins and a long the way I have also upgraded my copy from a mediocre Blue Note 75 pressing to a Music Matters SRX(which I'm enjoying while typing this). Sadly any Music Matters or OG pressing is probably out of reach financially for most. Luckily, Blue Note has the excellent Classics series going, which this album is a part of. You can find your copy here (although your local record store probably has it too and you should support them!):
US
store.bluenote.com
Amazon product ASIN B096TTLLR2
www.plaidroomrecords.com
Europe (I'm gonna plug some dutch stores here)
www.platomania.nl
www.dodax.nl
www.jpc.de
Amazon product ASIN B096TTLLR2
UK
*Write up has been adapted from several sources on the internet. Don't sue me.
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue*
Something about guitar jazz has always fascinated me personally. Whether it be Grant Green, who is perhaps my all time favourite Blue Note artist, or Kenny Burrell, guitar almost always seems to be featured om my most spun jazz albums. And especially so if that jazz guitar had a hint of soul or blues in its sound.
BB King once said, āJazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guyās playing blues, heās in high school. When he starts playing jazz itās like going on to college.ā It wouldn't be stretch to imagine that he might have had Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue in mind.
Kenny Burrell made his major debut with Dizzy Gillespie in 1951 and has gone on to make eighty albums across eight high profile record labels as a leader and very many more within the bands of many jazz giants including Oscar Peterson, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Smith with whom he recorded the highly popular "Organ Grinder Swing " album in 1965. It is sad to note that recently Kenny, who was living in Westwood California with his wife Katherine Goodrich, who is 37 years younger than him, is enduring hard times both medically and socially and finds himself totally isolated and having to crowd fund for both his accommodation and physical needs. Not so long ago he was working as The Director of Jazz Studies in The Herb Albert School of Music at The University of Southern California.
How different were things on January 8, 1963, when he stepped into Rudy Van Gelderās studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. From the very first track, itās clear why this album was so popular when it was released and has remained so ever since. It oozes early 1960s sophistication, like the soundtrack to a movie about love gone sour in Manhattanās Upper West Side. Reid Milesā album cover is perfection, summing up the mood of this album with just perfect typography.
Itās been called āas elegant a record as the label ever released,ā and itās impossible to disagree. On tenor saxophone was Stanley Turrentine from Pittsburgh, a powerful player full of blues and soul filled overtones gained from his early R & B days with Earl Bostic. Bass man Major Holley, a prolific studio musician who also spent time with Duke Ellington, Zoot Sims and the like was an ideal foil for the guitarist with his large rounded tone and impeccable sense of time, alongside the percussion team of ex blues drummer Bill English and the Latin styled conga player originally from Puerto Rica, Ray Barretto.
All the tracks, except one are composed by the guitarist and things kick off with the almost exotic Chitlins Con Carne where Barretto's congas set the scene for the first of many understated but highly imaginative outings by the leader throughout the album. Stanley Turrentine provides a blues drenched tenor solo on this one, although he is not offered too many opportunities to shine during the session overall. Mule a tune co-written with Major Holley follows, it has a great feeling of reflective calm about it with intricate guitar lines well responded to by the co-writer's double bass contribution. Just as the title suggests Soul Lament is just that with its deep mood and melancholy theme leaving a lasting impact on the listener despite its brief duration.
Midnight Blue the title track has perhaps the most memorable thematic lines of the whole recording. It is more up- beat than most with the leader stretching out for most of the track, fully demonstrating why he has always commanded such a high profile in the jazz guitar world. Double bass and congas set the scene for the strangely titled Wavy Gravy, a mid-tempo swinger again finding the leader in his most creative form with Stanley Turrentine given enough space for a startling passage in the higher register of his instrument on a tune which is full of joy and humour. It's a guitar masterclass on the only original tune of the set, a standard of the jazz repertoire Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You written by Don Redman and Andy Razaf way back in 1929. There is little else but guitar on this over minimal bass and drums, with a truly masterful performance of the theme and improvisation full of enormous imagination and logic. The LP ends with a deep journey down to the Saturday Night Blues with the tenor saxophonist at last fully in his element with bold and commanding statements, answered in full and supported by bass and guitar before the final fade out.
As I alluded to in my intro to this thread, Midnight Blue was one of the first 5 albums that I owned. Out of the 5 it has far and away had the most spins and a long the way I have also upgraded my copy from a mediocre Blue Note 75 pressing to a Music Matters SRX(which I'm enjoying while typing this). Sadly any Music Matters or OG pressing is probably out of reach financially for most. Luckily, Blue Note has the excellent Classics series going, which this album is a part of. You can find your copy here (although your local record store probably has it too and you should support them!):
US
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue LP (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
Guitarist Kenny Burrell debuted on Blue Note Records in 1956 and over the following 7 years made a series of excellent albums for the label that culminated with his masterwork Midnight Blue. Recorded in 1963, the album waded deep into the blues, conjuring an alluring late-night vibe with a...
store.bluenote.com
Kenny Burrell-Midnight Blue-180 Gram Vinyl Record|Acoustic Sounds
Acoustic Sounds Audiophile Vinyl Records
store.acousticsounds.com
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue [Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series]
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Guitarist Kenny Burrell debuted on Blue Note Records in 1956 and over the following 7 years made a series of excellent albums for the label that culminated with his masterwork Midnight Blue. Recorded in 1963, the album waded deep into the blues, conjuring an...
www.plaidroomrecords.com
Europe (I'm gonna plug some dutch stores here)
Burrell, Kenny - Midnight Blue kopen? | platomania.nl
Bestel Midnight Blue - Burrell, Kenny koop je bij Platomania ā Voor 16:00 besteld morgen in huis ā of haal af bij de winkels van Plato en Concerto ā de leukste muziekwinkels van Nederland
Midnight Blue (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) | Dodax.nl
Midnight Blue (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) voor ā¬ 27,69. Koop nu!
www.dodax.nl
Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue (180g) (LP) ā jpc
Die LP Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue jetzt probehƶren und portofrei fĆ¼r 27,99 Euro kaufen. Mehr von Kenny Burrell gibt es im Shop.
UK
Kenny BURRELL - Midnight Blue (reissue) Vinyl at Juno Records.
Buy Midnight Blue (reissue) at Juno Records. In stock now for same-day shipping.
www.juno.co.uk
*Write up has been adapted from several sources on the internet. Don't sue me.
