Out Front
Candid, 2022
8/10
The trumpeter Booker Little lived a very short life, passing away at just 23, and this 3rd effort as leader was fleshed out just months before his death in 1961.
“We Speak” gets the listen off to a lively start, where Little’s flowing trumpet is complemented by Max Roach’s precise drumming and Art Davis’ skilled bass, and “Strength And Sanity” follows with Don Friedman’s graceful piano helping make for a stirring, reflective climate.
“Moods In Free Time” lands in the middle, and it showcases Ron Carter’s agile bass work amid Julian Priester’s bright trombone, while “Man Of Words” finds a very intimate place to reside, where an absorbing landscape unfolds with strong attention to mood. The final track, “A New Day”, is one of the best, as the warm brass, frisky drums and hypnotic bass make an indelible impression.
Remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original tapes, Nat Hentoff produced the effort and he provides the liner notes on the LP to this excellent reissue of an enormous talent gone far too soon.
Travels well with: Max Roach- We Insist!; Booker Ervin- That’s It!