Bobby Hutcherson and Woody Shaw aren’t obscure artists, but Bobby Hutcherson Live at Montreux is
another story. Recorded in 1973 during Blue Note’s UA period, it
was released on LP in 1974, but only in Europe. A CD version, with one additional
track, was issued in 1994 and almost immediately relegated to the cutout bins,
at least according to the
comments over at Organissimo. A new Japanese CD reissue has finally made
this excellent recording available.
My advice: pick this one up ASAP. Hutcherson is extraordinary,
throughout, as is Woody. Cecil Bernard (later known as Hotep Idris Galeta) on piano
gets some solo space, especially on Hutcherson’s Song of Songs, but he, Ray Drummond on bass, and Larry Hancock on
drums mainly provide support to the main protagonists. High points include Woody’s
The Moontrane and Hutcherson’s Song of Songs, but their work on all
four tracks is smoking hot. It’s the best CD I’ve listened to in quite a while,
so grab it while you have the chance.
Here’s The Moontrane.
