Prestige Records: Shirley Scott/Blue Seven

A lot of people revere the Blue Note label, and rightfully so, but I’m a Prestige guy. Aside from being located in New Jersey, my natal state, Bob Weinstock’s record company put out a slew of great music in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Early recordings by Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins; music by older jazz artists on Prestige  Swingsville and older blues artists on Prestige Bluesville; more cutting-edge material by people like Eric Dolphy and  Steve Lacy on New Jazz; and a seemingly endless array of soul jazz—all came from the little giant in Bergenfield, NJ. Weinstock has had his share of detractors, but he wasn’t the only music business figure that sometimes indulged in sharp financial practices. As for the “junkie label” libel, the same could have been said of any independent jazz record label of the day (and the major labels, too). The fact remains that Prestige put out a ton of great jazz and blues that still speaks to us today. For this reason, I’m starting a series of posts about Prestige albums drawn from my ever-expanding stash of CDs and LPs (yup, I’m a Stone Ager for sure).

Today’s pick is Shirley Scott’s Blue Seven. Scott recorded quite a bit with Prestige, often featuring her then-husband Stanley Turrentine.  For this date, she used a quintet featuring Joe Newman on trumpet and Oliver Nelson on tenor. I love Nelson’s playing—it’s too bad he moved more into composing and arranging, but that’s where the money was. To me, his expressive tenor work always conveys a slight, pleasing tinge of melancholy, which fits in with the bluesy tone of this recording. Newman, who was one of the stars of the second Basie band, plays with a seamless blend of bop and swing that made him fit into any setting. The record includes the title track, by Sonny Rollins, an extended workout on Wagon Wheels, no doubt copped from Sonny’s Way Out West album), a nice version of Nancy (with the Laughing Face), and an up-tempo Give me the Simple Life. Scott plays inventively throughout—I need to listen to more of her. George Tucker (bass) and Roy Brooks (drums) provide strong support but don’t get any solo space. 

The verdict: a relaxed date, great for some laid-back listening. I just wish they had done more up-tempo tunes, though—Give me the Simple Life was my favorite track. Enjoy!