Blue Mitchell: Blue's Moods [CONCORD JAZZ INC.]

Why you'll love it

This Craft Recordings reissue is remastered on 180g vinyl in stereo. AllMusic and DownBeat both gave it four stars, and Mitchell's ballad reading of "I'll Close My Eyes" is a hard bop staple.

This edition

• Remastered
• 180g vinyl
• Stereo mix

About the album

Most trumpeters of 1960 had a loud, fiery record in them; Blue Mitchell made a warm one. He'd been playing in Horace Silver's quintet, and on Blue's Moods he steps out front with just a rhythm section, recorded over two days at Plaza Sound Studios in New York on August 24 and 25, 1960, with Orrin Keepnews producing for Riverside.

The band is a dream: Wynton Kelly on piano (on loan from Vee-Jay), Sam Jones on bass and Roy Brooks on drums. "I'll Close My Eyes" opens with Mitchell's tone at its most lyrical, Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple" gets a brisk run, "Kinda Vague" is a Kelly and Mitchell co-write, and "When I Fall in Love" is pure late-night balladry. Mitchell's own "Sir John" swings easy.

DownBeat praised his self-assurance and restraint, the hallmarks of a mature artist. It's a record with absolutely no interest in shouting, which is a fine quality in a trumpeter and an even better one in a neighbour.

Also at Kops: more Blue Mitchell on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Riverside / Craft Recordings (cat# CR00726), a reissue of the 1960 album.