RED RODNEY
The Red Rodney Quintets (Fantasy)
Reviewed by Ron Saranich

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Red Rodney began playing trumpet professionally in the early 1940s at the tender age of 15. He was one of the first white trumpet players to demonstrate an understanding of bop and wound up playing in the Charlie Parker Quintet from 1949-1951. He recorded intermittently in the 1950s due to heroin addiction.

The Red Rodney Quintets is a newly issued twofer from Fantasy featuring two Rodney sessions. Twelve songs were recorded in 1957 and released as "Modern Music from Chicago". Featuring Ira Sullivan on tenor saxophone and trumpet, Norman Simmons on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Roy Hayes on drum, this session was a hot, straight ahead bop date. Six of the songs were originals and 6 classics, with the entire band cooking on all numbers. The interplay between Rodney and Sullivan was noteworthy, but Haynes on drums was the driving force throughout. Favorite tunes include "Taking A Chance On Love", "The Song Is You", and "You And The Night And The Music." This group knew how to interpret standards.

The final seven songs are from a session Rodney recorded in 1951, with Jimmy Ford on alto, Phil Raphael on piano, Phil Leshin on bass, and Phil Brown on drums (lots of Phils in this band). Four of the seven tunes were written by Rodney and are, in fact, the strongest numbers. In addition, I love Rodney's muted interpretation of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes."

This cd contains almost seventy minutes of pure bop played passionately and sincerely by dedicated professionals. The Red Rodney Quintets is a wonderful release by Fantasy and a great place to check out the Rodney's style and playing during his twenties. Recommended.

© 2000 - Ron Saranich