Quincy Jones - Walking in Space

Everybody knows that Quincy Jones is the world's greatest pop producer, but if you're under 30, you might not know about his jazz work with Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Frank Sinatra. This brilliant 1969 disc combines the precision music making you'd find on a movie soundtrack with the lively blowing of a soul-jazz jam session. Of course, when Q calls, people come to play, and this date is chock full of stars. On the title track, vocalist Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson) graces Ray Brown's deep-bottomed bass lines with an airy alto, topped by Hubert Laws's fluent flute work and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's multisax solo. Jones's spirited take on the gospel standard "Oh, Happy Day" retains the Sunday soul vibe of Ray Charles, and "Dead End" rolls with an urbanized juke-joint vibe. Jones's arrangement of Benny Golson's "Killer Joe" is a classic, with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's bravura solo lent nuance by Jones's magic touch. --Eugene Holley Jr. Amazon.com

Yep, A Jazz Essential

'Q' had been a big band jazz composer/conductor/arranger for years for many other bands when he recorded this now-classic album. This may not be a jazz classic to some jazz 'purists', and I understand that. I HATE so-called 'smooth jazz', and this IS NOT 'smooth jazz'. Ok, just to make that clear. Soul/Funk and Jazz fusion was big in the 60's and 70's, and here is a great example of some of the best jazz musicians of the time playing for Quincy Jones. I personally think that the version of Benny Golson's 'Killer Joe' on 'Walking In Space' is THE classic version of this now often recorded standard.

Don't dismiss this great album. Give it a go in your CD player or mp3 player. August 1, 2008

The best of Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones is a genius. This album has "Killer Joe" and "Oh Happy Day". It has become a classic, better than most of what is being recorded now. April 26, 2008

The best of big Q

My favorite album of the 60's, arguably the best big band jazz album of the 60's. Quincy Jones started out working with the jazz legends and in 1969 he assembled alot of them for this album...Ray Brown, Snooky Young,Toots Theilman, Marvin Stamm,etc.. There is not one mediocre composition on this album. I think it's unfortunate that Quincy with all his incredible talent got sidetracked in the 70's with inferior stuff...i think.

February 14, 2008

Walking In Space

This was my first exposure to jazz in the 70's. Sounds much better on CD. July 5, 2006

A reference album of modern big band in the 60s

Where to begin? Let me try with my dear track, Johnny Mandel's theme from 'That Cold Day in The Park', here under the title 'I Never Told You', here with such beautiful lines by Toots Thielemens.

There's also Benny Golson's 'Killer Joe', really a killer with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Hubert Laws on flute.

Such definitive arrangements, a treasure forever. February 18, 2006

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