Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans - Know What I Mean?

Alto saxist Cannonball Adderly and pianist Bill Evans, bandmates on Miles Davis's epochal Kind of Blue, were band leaders by the time they teamed up in 1961 for this moody, yet lyrical, date. Though remastered with state-of-the-art digital technology, Riverside has kept the original artwork and liner notes, maintaining the flavor of this classic jazz LP. Adderly's robust, bluesy tone and buoyant phrasing make for an interesting contrast to Evans's rainy-day introspection. Coupled with the light touch of drummer Connie Kay and the gentle probing of bassist Percy Heath, the music projects a sophisticated and relaxed mood. On the sensitive ballads, such as "Goodbye" and "Elsa," Adderly reveals his after-hours side, reveling in the fullness of his rich sound. --Wally Shoup Amazon.com

Very nice jazz album - it swings!

I've been listening to Jazz heavily for years now, but I just checked out "Know What I Mean?" by Cannonball recently. I don't know why I've waited so long to actually listen to this album, but it was worth the wait. The group just plays so well together and with Cannonball and Evans fresh from their working with Miles it's nice to hear how well they play together. The rest of the rhythm team - Percy Heath on bass and Connie Kay on drums - work very well together from their working with the Modern Jazz Quartet. It's just top notch jazz -- while I'd love to hear Bill Evans stretch a bit more his statements are very nice. His Village Vanguard recordings from the same year is a great example of the best jazz interplay, this group maintains a different type of interplay (not better or worse just different) with Bill (and Cannonball) responding to the rock solid rhythm. If you neglected to check this one out, like I did, now is the time to check it out!
February 6, 2008

Great Combo Playing Great Jazz

This is a fascinating collaboration. The result is far more rewarding than words can convey. Adderly is playing neither at his most blazing, or his most edgy; rather, he just lays back, relaxes and has fun singing out on some fairly straight-forward, cheerful standards. He occasionally lets his "Charlie Parker" show, but his performance is mostly "engaging". It's also technically wonderful, but the joy of the performance is what holds you.

Adderly shows his typical generosity with his guest musician. Bill Evans is just a few months removed from his legendary Village Vanguard performance. He might as well be hours away - his intriguing voicings and sparse accompaniments are very identifiable. However, he is not constantly trading off licks with the bass player like he did with his regular bassist Scott LaFaro; he has more room to work when it's his turn to solo, so his playing is busier than when he plays with his LaFaro trio. Evans fans may miss LaFaro, but it is a rare treat to hear Evans do all the heavy lifting when it's his turn to solo (at least in this stage of his career).

As a Bill Evans fan, I'm already covered up in "Waltz for Debby" renditions and thought this track would be a throw-away, especially since I have not been enamored with horn parts on the song. What a surprise - this version has quickly become my favorite version of the song and is one of my favorite cuts on the CD.

As a final note, the recording is "just right" here. There is a nice sense of space on this record that puts the listener right in the middle of things. The mix allows everyone to be heard clearly and stands out precisely because it is completely transparent.

These guys can play circles around just about anyone, but because they don't let their technique overtake the music here and let the fun show through, this is a very successful recording as a result.
January 5, 2008

One of the finest jazz recordings I've heard

I always hope I'll find another jazz album that might hold up to hundreds of listenings, like Kind of Blue and Oregon's Out of the Woods, and here's one for the ages.
Not incidentally, Evans and Adderley feature heavily on Miles' masterpiece, and Cannonball wisely took Evans into the studio at Bill's creative peak a year or so later.
I was in the midst of a major Evans craze last year, rejoicing in his dozens of high-quality albums, when I came across this relatively unheralded outing as a sideman, a rare event for the master of sublime voicings. Adderley knew exactly what he was doing, as Evans frames each tune so gorgeously that Cannonball's alto never soared higher or sounded better than it does here, enveloped in Evan's classical harmonies.
Every tune is a highlight; Waltz For Debby gets yet another classic take.
Where Kind of Blue is moody and weighty, Know What I Mean is relaxed and ebullient, always joyful, even during the ballads.
This would be a perfect first album to get for someone who wants to know what jazz is. It's melodic all the way, swings with that supple MJQ rhythm, and just plain makes you feel great every time it's played.
What more can one ask of music?
God bless you, Bill. You've made so many lives so much sweeter with your heavenly music. September 14, 2007

A Classic Combination!

No jazz collection is complete without this remarkable album featuring two of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. If you liked "Kind of Blue" with Bill Evans and Cannonball, you will also enjoy the soaring and sensual sounds on this cd. It begins with a gorgeous piano introduction by Bill Evans on one of his best original compositions, "Waltz for Debby". "Venice" is equally memorable, and the version of "Nancy" is tinged with a bit of sadness that will leave you breathless. Connie Kay was certainly one of the most creative drummers out there during the 50s and 60s, and his performance on "Toy" is really fun to listen to. A true must-have disc! September 7, 2006

Know What I Mean?

Cannonball's studio meeting with piano giant and fellow Miles Davis band mate, Bill Evans, remains to be one of the most popular albums in both of their vast recorded outputs. This is definitely for good reason since the two fit together perfectly on these sides. It's very interesting to contrast Cannonball's playing here with his many quintet albums of the same period. Since he is the only horn, you really get to hear him stretch out here in a very similar way to how he stretched out on "Cannonball Takes Charge" (see my review), another essential Adderley album. The selections of this album are perfect for these two men. The album is comprised of two Evans originals (the now standard "Waltz for Debby" and the modal title track), two exceptional ballads that weren't done too much at the time ("Goodbye" and the fantastic "Nancy (With the Laughing Face"), and a bunch of other tunes that the ensemble seem to be having a fun time with ("Who Cares?", "Venice", the very playful and aptly titled "Toy",and "Elsa"). Every single track shows off everyone present greatly, especially Julian and Bill who are definitely stimulated by the other man's prescence. All and all, this is an absolutely essential album if you're a fan of either Adderley or Evans, or if you just love great jazz sessions! April 4, 2005

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