Clark Terry - Portraits (1Step)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry [click here to see more vinyl featuring Clark Terry]
Bass – Victor Gaskin
Drums – Lewis Nash
Piano – Don Friedman
Written by Arthur Johnston (A1), Johnny Burke (A1), Clarence Williams (A2), Clark Terry (A3), Roy Eldridge (A4), Count Basie (B1), Harry "Sweets" Edison (B1), Pestalozza (B2), Ira Gershwin (B3), V. Duke (B3), Spina (B4), J. Elliott (B4)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Limited edition
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified
Label : Chesky Records - Chesky Original Masters Series
Original label : Chesky Records
Recorded at RCA Studio A, New York City on December 16, 1988
Recorded by Bob Katz
Produced by David Chesky
Executive-Producer – Norman Chesky
Mastered by Nick Prout
Originally released in 1989
Reissued in August 2025
Tracks :
Side A:
1. Pennies from Heaven
2. Sugar Blues
3. Finger Filibuster
4. Little Jazz
Side B:
1. Jive at Five
2. Ciribiribin
3. I Can't Get Started
4. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed
Reviews:
“Flugelhornist Clark Terry recorded quite frequently in the 1980s, and his consistency was very impressive. Terry's good humor, joyful and immediately distinctive sound, and creative, bop-oriented ideas combined to form a very accessible style. This Chesky LP finds C.T. joined by pianist Don Friedman, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Lewis Nash for a variety of superior standards and Terry's lone original "Finger Filibuster." The songs all pay tribute to various trumpeters, and some, such as "Pennies from Heaven," "Little Jazz" and "I Don't Wanna Be Kissed," were not performed by the flugelhornist all that often; the resulting music is fresher than usual and often quite inspired. Recommended.” AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
Released in 1989 by the noted audiophile label Chesky Records, Portraits is a testament to the prodigious talent of the legendary trumpeter, flugelhornist, and jazz educator Clark Terry. The first of four albums for the Chesky label, Portraits was recorded when the St. Louis-born hornblower, then 68 years old, was a much-venerated jazz elder.
By then, he had 35 albums under his belt and boasted a resume that included stellar collaborations with Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones, and Dizzy Gillespie. For Portraits, produced by David Chesky, Terry assembled a quartet comprising pianist Don Friedman, bassist Victor Gaskin, and drummer Lewis Nash. With Terry alternating between flugelhorn and muted trumpet while also showing off his chops as an occasional vocalist, the quartet breezes through a blend of familiar jazz standards, such as "Pennies From Heaven," and Terry's hard-driving original tune, "Finger Filibuster," where he shows off his athletic scat singing. Other highlights include the Louis Armstrong favorite "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and "Sugar Blues," a nostalgic nod to New Orleans jazz.
One Step. Instead of utilizing the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, one-step plating uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss. One-step plating skip the regular father-mother process, going right to a single convert and then pressing. Though this dramatically increases mastering and production costs, it also assures each run is more consistent from disc to disc, with less noise, clearer details and deeper bass. Reducing production complexity to just a single "convert" disc between the lacquer and the press greatly improves groove integrity, diminishes non-fill anomalies and increases signal integrity from the master tape to your system.
Ratings:
AllMusic : 4 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.37 / 5