Clark Terry - Portraits (Hybrid SACD)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry [click here to see more vinyl/SACD featuring Clark Terry]
Bass – Victor Gaskin
Drums – Lewis Nash
Piano – Don Friedman
Written by Johnston (1), Johnny Burke (1), Clarence Williams (2), Johnny Mercer (3), Joseph Kosma (3), Clark Terry (4), Roy Eldridge (5), Clarence Muse (6), Leon Rene (6), Otis Rene (6), Count Basie (7), Harry "Sweets" Edison (7), Pestalozza (8), Dizzy Gillespie (9), Ira Gershwin (10), V. Duke (10), Spina (11), J. Elliott (11)
1 Hybrid SACD
Original analog Master tape : YES
Stereo
Studio
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 :
- Pennies From Heaven
- Sugar Blues
- Autumn Leaves
- Finger Filibuster
- Little Jazz
- When It's Sleepy Time Down South
- Jive At Five
- Ciribiribin
- Ow
- I Can't Get Started
- 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.
Ratings:
AllMusic : 4 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.37 / 5