CANNONBALL ADDERLEY

BURNIN’ IN BORDEAUX: LIVE IN FRANCE 1969

Elemental Records

Julian Cannonball Adderley, alto saxophone; Nat Adderley, cornet; Joe Zawinul, piano/electric piano; Victor Gaskin, bass; Roy McCurdy, drums.

Ever since I first heard the soothing and sexy horn of Cannonball Adderley on Nancy Wilson’s debut album project with Cannonball’s group, I’ve been a fan!  I was quite excited to receive this previously unreleased recording from Elemental Records featuring Cannonball’s brother Nat Adderley, the iconic Joe Zawinul on grand piano & electric piano, the amazing Victor Gaskin on bass, and the great Roy McCurdy on drums.  This awesome album was recorded in two places. One was ‘live’ at the Bordeaux Jazz Festival and the other concert was at the Paris Jazz Festival.  It’s a two-CD set of extraordinary music transferred from the original, 1969 tape reels.  What a treasure!

Clearly, Julian Cannonball Adderley was a virtuoso alto saxophone player.  At this time in his life, the late 1960s and the early 1970s, jazz was changing. Charlie Parker had died, leaving the door wide open for saxophone players to stream through.  Cannonball had a recognizable, big, round sound solidified by a soulful, bluesy essence to his playing. He was a respected bandleader who worked with the crème de la crème of jazz musicians, as witnessed here. You will hear him talk to the audience about the music they play and love. He graciously sings the praises of his bandmembers.

In the early sixties he worked closely with Yusef Lateef and Charles Lloyd.  He seemed to enjoy reforming his Cannonball Adderley Quintet, but always with musicians who were at the top of their game.  You will hear that on both of these CDs.  On the tune, “Experience in E” he gives each group member a time to shine.  Joe Zawinul is amazing on the piano.  I heard him tap into the Ahmad Jamal style briefly during this exciting, up-tempo presentation. However, for the most part Zawinul is his own star. Cannonball’s only brass partner has always been his brother Nat. Their dad was a trumpet player. Nat Adderley followed in his father’s footsteps and the two brothers were bandmates from childhood onward.  Nat switched from trumpet to cornet and became a prolific composer. You hear Nat Adderley’s command of the vast abilities of the cornet on the “Experience in E” arrangement. Cannonball started on trumpet too, but quickly found his love of alto saxophone and never looked back. The brothers knew how to blend gospel church music, blues, and swing in a compelling bundle of groove music.  Who can ever forget Nat Adderley’s hit record for the Quintet, “Work Song.”  Once their friend Oscar Brown Jr. put his ‘chain gang’ lyrics to the catchy melody, the rest became history, establishing the commercial viability of jazz.

On CD #2 of this “Burnin’ in Bordeaux “concert you will meet all the talented members of Cannonball’s Quintet, as each one steps forward to shine in the spotlight of their own sparkling musical mastery.  Every song, before and after on this double set, is a treasure for your ears.

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