Horace Parlan Up & Down (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) 180g LP

The bluesy and soulful pianist Horace Parlan is perhaps best known for his work with Charles Mingus on the bassist's seminal 1959 albums Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots. That same year Parlan made his first Blue Note appearance on Lou Donaldson's album The Time Is Right, and in early 1960 he began leading his own sessions for the label with a run of six quintessential hard-bop dates recorded over a prolific 16-month period. Following the trio albums Movin' & Groovin' and Us Three, Parlan expanded to a quintet for his classic Speakin' My Piece, and in 1961 capped off his hot streak with the quintet album Up & Down. The six-song set was anchored by Parlan's trusty trio with bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood and featured the two new band members in guitarist and Blue Note stalwart Grant Green and brawny tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin. Opening with Ervin's catchy, hard-swinging number "The Book's Beat" the set's other highlights include Parlan's up-tempo title tune, Tucker's soulful blues-waltz "Fugee," Green's swaggering blues "The Other Part of Town," and the plaintive ballad "Lonely One," which was written by Babs Gonzales for Billie Holiday.

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was' admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the "Tone Poet," on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology, Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Green's clean, graceful style meshes well with Parlan's relaxed technique, while Ervin's robust tone and virile attack provides a good contrast to the laid-back groove the rhythm section lays down....[Up & Down] finds Parlan at a peak...