New Sounds was originally a 10" LP compiling previously released 78 rpm records on the Blue Note label. A CD reissue with the same name and cover appeared in 1991, but while using many of the same personnel, had only two tracks in common with the original LP. It instead compiled a distinct James Moody 10" LP (James Moody and his Modernists, BLP 5006) with the Art Blakey tracks and included several tracks previously unreleased on LP or any format. Conversely, the tracks omitted from the CD, which were on the Moody LP, have not been reissued on CD.[1][2][3]

New Sounds
10" LP
Compilation album by
ReleasedAugust 1952
RecordedDecember 22, 1947; April 30 and May 15, 1949
GenreJazz
Length24:30
LabelBlue Note
ProducerAlfred Lion
Art Blakey chronology
New Sounds
10" LP

(1952)
A Night at Birdland Vol. 1
(1954)
Max Roach chronology
New Sounds
(1952)
The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley
(1953)
New Sounds
Compact Disc
Compilation album by
Art Blakey's Messengers, James Moody and his Modernists
Released1991
RecordedDecember 22, 1947; October 19 and 25, 1948
GenreJazz
Length41:27
LabelBlue Note
ProducerAlfred Lion, Michael Cuscuna
James Moody and his Modernists
Original 10" LP
James Moody chronology
James Moody and his Modernists
(1952)
New Sounds
(1952)
Moody
(1954)

Background edit

In December 1947, Art Blakey formed a group for his first sessions as a leader. Dubbed Art Blakey's Messengers, this group was a precursor to The Jazz Messengers groups of the next decade and beyond. Blakey had recently gone on a pilgrimage to Africa and adopted Islam. Many of his fellow musicians had adopted the religion as well, and the "Messengers" name was a nod to the message of the religion.[4] Five tracks were recorded during this session, four of which came out on 78s. Two of the tracks were on the original 10" LP, all five are on the CD.[3]

Three of the other four tracks on the original 10" LP were recorded by a group billed as the Max Roach Quintet, recorded in Paris in May 1949. This group included James Moody and Kenny Dorham (who was also in Blakey's Messengers). The final track was recorded by a Moody-led group in Switzerland, in April 1949. These four tracks were originally released on three 78s.[1][2]

As noted above the previous four tracks were omitted from the CD and replaced by two different James Moody sessions which were previously released on the 10" LP James Moody and His Modernists (BLP 5006). This LP, too, was a compilation of records originally released as 78s. The New Sounds CD includes the entirety of these two sessions—recorded October 19 and 25, 1948—including a previously unreleased alternate take of "The Fuller Bop Man."[3][1][5]

Reception edit

In his review of the CD version of New Sounds, Scott Yanow of AllMusic described the recordings as "historically significant. Classic and formerly rare music."[5]

Track listing edit

Original LP edit

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Prince Albert" ([i])Kenny Dorham, Max Roach5:53
2."Maximum" ([ii])Kenny Dorham, Max Roach3:25
3."The Thin Man" ([iii])Kenny Dorham2:58
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tomorrow" ([iv])Kenny Dorham, Max Roach6:08
2."Just Moody" ([ii])James Moody2:58
3."Bop Alley" ([v])Talib Dawud3:08

Compact disc edit

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Fuller Bop Man [alternate take]" (previously unreleased)Gil Fuller2:54
2."The Fuller Bop Man" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][vi])Gil Fuller2:56
3."Workshop" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][vii])Gil Fuller3:15
4."Oh Henry" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][viii])Gil Fuller, Ernie Henry2:30
5."Moodamorphosis" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][ix])Gil Fuller, Dave Burns3:00
6."Moody's All Frantic" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][vii])James Moody, Gil Fuller2:32
7."Tropicana" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][vi])Gil Fuller3:00
8."Cu-Ba" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][ix])Cecil Payne2;34
9."Tin Tin Deo" (previously released on James Moody and his Modernists [BLP 5006][viii])Chano Pozo, Gil Fuller2:44
10."The Thin Man" ([iii])Kenny Dorham2:58
11."Bop Alley" ([v])Talib Dawud3:08
12."Bop Alley [alternate take]" (previously unreleased)Talib Dawud3:06
13."Groove Street" ([v])Musa Kaleem2:15
14."Musa's Vision" ([iii])Musa Kaleem3:05

Personnel edit

Art Blakey's Messengers edit

LP Tracks A3 and B3, CD tracks 10–14

Max Roach Quintet edit

LP tracks A1, A2, B1

James Moody Quartet edit

LP track B2

James Moody's Modernists edit

CD tracks 1–9

Notes edit

  1. ^ originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN 1569[2]
  2. ^ a b originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN 1570[2]
  3. ^ a b c originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN 545[2]
  4. ^ originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN 1571[2]
  5. ^ a b c originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN 546[2]
  6. ^ a b originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN553[2]
  7. ^ a b originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN556[2]
  8. ^ a b originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN555[2]
  9. ^ a b originally released on Blue Note 78rpm BN554[2]
  10. ^ Billed under his original name – "Howard Bowe" – on the LP and CD
  11. ^ Billed under his original name – "Orlando Wright" – on the LP

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Blue Note Records Catalog: 5000 series". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Blue Note Records Catalog: 78 rpm series". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Blue Note Records Discography: 1945–1950". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. ^ edited by Edward E. Curtis, IV (2010). Encyclopedia of Muslim-American history. New York: Facts on File. p. 85. ISBN 978-1438130408. Retrieved 16 December 2014. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. "New Sounds". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 17 December 2014.