Bassist Eldee Young and drummer Issac Red Holt were founding members of the hugely successful Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1956, and made their first sessions as leaders with the two fine albums included here.
Recorded in Chicago in December 1961, they feature two warmly delivered sets of originals and standards. As he shows in Just for Kicks, Young was a competent bassist, direct and forceful, with a pleasing flair for lighthearted drama. This dates prime musical asset is, perhaps, altoist and flutist Leo Wright, who plays well throughout, and stunningly (on alto) on Cry Me a River. Young also plays soul cello on several numbers, providing moments of real beauty as flute and cello blend. Under the blunderbuss performances of Young and Wright, pianist Mal Waldron keeps much of his work simple and basic, always to the point.
On Holts Look Out!! Look Out!! the Ramsey Lewis trio is intact, augmented by the almost barrel-house trombonist Floyd Marvin on Riders, and by altoist Wallace Burton and guitarist Roland Faulkner on the rest of the album, excluding both drum-and-bass Look Out tunes. Burton shows flawless intonation and instinctively good phrasing, while Faulkner is strongly blues-rooted on a session swung hard by the rhythm section, with Ramsey Lewis adding his solo strength consistently to the mix.
Tracklisting:
01. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Patrick Gilmore) 3:19
02. Goodbye (Gordon Jenkins) 2:45
03. Crazy She Calls Me (Russell-Sigman) 4:05
04. Big Brother (Eldee Young) 2:23
05. Cry Me a River (Arthur Hamilton) 4:12
06. Truly (Eldee Young) 2:58
07. Mr. Kicks (Oscar Brown, Jr) 2:40
08. Motherless Child (Trad. Arr. Eldee Young) 3:59
09. Just for Kicks (Eldee Young) 3:18
10. John Henry (Trad. Arr. Eldee Young) 2:04
11. Look Out No.3 (Red Holt) 1:44
12. Little Liza Jane (Trad. arr.: Redd Holt) 2:44
13. My Favorite Things (Rodgers-Hammerstein II) 3:00
14. Red Sails in the Sunset (Kennedy-Williams) 4:40
15. Drum Drunk (Red Holt) 2:35
16. Soul Mist (Holt-Lewis-Young) 3:26
17. Ghost Riders (Edward J. Kay) 2:40
18. Stella by Starlight (Young-Washington) 3:00
19. Sanctified Indian (Red Holt) 2:47
20. I Cover the Waterfront (Green-Heyman) 4:07
21. Tonight (Leonard Bernstein) 3:13
22. Look Out No.1 (Red Holt) 1:34
Sources:
Tracks #1-10, from the Argo album "Eldee Young Just for Kicks" (Argo LPS 699)
Tracks #11-22, from the Argo album "Red Holt Look Out!! Look Out!!" (Argo LPS 696)
Personnel on 'Just for Kicks':
Eldee Young & Co.: Leo Wright, alto sax, flute; Mal Waldron, piano; Eldee Young, bass, cello & vocals (on #7); Richard Evans, bass; Issac 'Red' Holt, drums.
Recorded at Ter-Mar Recording Studio, Chicago, December 28, 1961
Personnel on 'Look Out!! Look Out!!':
Floyd Marvin, trombone; Wallace Burton, alto sax; Ramsey Lewis, piano; Roland Faulkner, guitar; Eldee Young, bass; Issac 'Red' Holt, drums.
Recorded at Ter-Mar Recording Studio, Chicago, December, 1961
Supervision: Ralph Bass; engineer: Ron Malo (#1-10). Supervision & engineering: Ron Malo (#11-22)
Original cover photos by Don Bronstein
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
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