Bob Blumenthal, in his typically comprehensive and thought-provoking style, begins his liner notes to the Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 by writing that “every boxed set tells a story ...” In fact, this marvelous collection of Hutcherson albums tells more than one story. There’s the coming-of-age tale that Blumenthal identifies, but there at least two other stories lurking in this set. One is the ongoing evolution of the storied Blue Note label, as the music slowly changed over the course of the Sixties into more commercial directions. A third and more personal story is the close relationship between Hutcherson and Michael Cuscuna, late co-founder of Mosaic Records who passed away in April 2024. He ends a brief remembrance of Hutcherson in the booklet by writing that “It was an honor to spend chunks of my life with Bobby and [his widow] Rosemary.” It is altogether fitting that Cuscuna’s final project for Mosaic should be this Hutcherson collection. For dedicated jazz fans who have enjoyed Mosaic’s endeavors since their first release in 1983, it’s been an honor and a distinct pleasure to spend so much time with all the music that they’ve unearthed over the decades.
After arriving in New York in early 1963 with a band led by trombonist Al Grey, Hutcherson’s vibraphone playing came to the attention of another trombonist, Grachan Moncur III. Moncur, a much more exploratory musician than Al Grey, was in the process of forming an ensemble with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. He thought Hutcherson would fit in well, which led to the vibraphonist’s first Blue Note appearance, on McLean’s One Step Beyond, recorded on April 30, 1963. Further sideman appearances on Blue Note and other labels came along throughout the year, and at the end of December, 1963, his first session as leader. The Kicker went unreleased at the time, finally seeing light of day in 1999. By the time the label shut its doors in 1979, only Hutcherson and Horace Silver still remained from the Fifties and Sixties. This package collects eleven albums, fitting them on seven CDs. Six of these (Dialogue, Components, Happenings, Stick-Up!, Total Eclipse, and San Francisco) were issued contemporaneously, while five more sessions (The Kicker, Spiral, Patterns, Medina, and Oblique) came out much later, in various vault issue programs headed by none other than Michael Cuscuna. These CDs have been sequenced in chronological order, so The Kicker comes first. Along the way, we get to hear such notables as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, reedmen Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, James Spaulding, and the perpetually underrated Harold Land, and pianists Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock (1965-67), and Stanley Cowell (1968-69). On bass, the players include such luminaries as Richard Davis, Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter, Reggie Workman, and Reggie Johnson. Joe Chambers is on drums for all but three of the dates. In typical Mosaic fashion, there are seven previously unissued alternates, and one previously unissued Stanley Cowell composition, Photon in a Paper World, recorded for the 1968 Medina album. There are three dozen atmospheric black and white photos taken by Blue Note co-founder Francis Wolff. Sound, as always, is impeccable, with the latest mastering techniques brought to bear via high-resolution transfers of the original analog tapes.
Bobby Hutcherson was a wonderfully inventive and hard-swinging performer, particularly on marimba, a fine composer, and a genuine catalyst for group interaction. A previous Mosaic Select 3-CD set collected Hutcherson’s final five Blue Note albums from 1974-77. Classic Blue Note Sessions completes the picture of one of the most significant and influential vibraphonists of his era. Totally recommended.
Mosaic MD7-278 (limited edition of 5,000 sets, available here; Disc 1 (74:48): The Kicker, Dialogue. Disc 2 (71:52): Dialogue concluded, Components. Disc 3 (69:51): Happenings. Disc 4 (71:06): Stick-Up!. Oblique. Disc 5 (75:32): Oblique concluded, Patterns. Disc 6 (78:56): Total Eclipse, Spiral, Medina. Disc 7 (78:00): Medina concluded, San Francisco. Complete discographical details available here
