ROY ELDRIDGE
Decidedly (Pablo)
Reviewed by Ron Saranich

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Decidedly is a previously unreleased 1975 concert by Roy Eldridge and an all star band. Eldridge, on trumpet, was joined by Johnny Griffin on tenor saxophone, Ray Bryant on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Louis Bellson on drums. For an ad hoc concert, the band sounded wonderfully integrated. Each musician played well-crafted, thoughtful solos containing few, if any, cliches. The interplay between band members was tight.

There are only four songs - "Bee's Bloos," "Lover Man (Oh, Where can You Be?)," "Undecided," and "Hackensack" - but the total playing time for this disk is almost 54 minutes. That means lots of fiery, imaginative, and soaring solos. Griffin was his usual adventurous self, playing beautiful and rapid solos, yet always in total command of his tenor. Bryant on piano and Pass on guitar demonstrated a plethora of great ideas that were well executed. But Eldridge, who was 64 at the time of this concert in Antibes, France, played more like a young lion seeking to establish his name among jazz trumpeters, rather than the venerated performer who had been playing professionally for almost 50 years. Eldridge, the leader of the group, generously shared solo responsibility with the other band members. When he did play, his improvisations were tight, absorbing, and passionate, displaying an abundance of technique to burn.

In the history of jazz, Eldridge ranks as one of the five most important trumpet players of all time. He was an exciting and competitive player who brought out the best in his fellow musicians. Decidedly is a wonderful addition to the Eldridge canon. Should you purchase this disk? The answer is a resounding decidedly!

© 2002 - Ron Saranich