Trumpet-led Quartet

[Jazz_Fellow]

Hello all. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for albums with a trumpet-led quartet (trumpet & rhythm trio)? I have recently purchased Lee Morgan's Candy and Miles Davis' Musings of Miles, with Blue Mitchell's Blue Moods on the way. Many thanks.

Also, in the liner notes for Candy, it says that trumpet-led quartets were controversial (I cannot quote verbatim as I do not have the liner notes to hand), and yet saxophone-led quartets are fine? Why is this?

[walkin]

Wynton Marsalis-J Mood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21LsfUKcSI

Charles Tolliver-The Ringer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQwrtXcbt5g

Chet Baker-Broken Wing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifxRuzo5cuA

[walkin]

Art Farmer-Portrait Of Art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phzCxs-KtqQ

Jim Hall/Tom Harrell-These Rooms(guitar/trumpet/bass/drums)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT77qQqdSNc

Kenny Wheeler-Gnu High

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXE6o1-Lyf4

[tpt1]

Originally Posted by walkin

Charles Tolliver-The Ringer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQwrtXcbt5g

Chet Baker-Broken Wing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifxRuzo5cuA

Excellent recommendations, walkin. Those two are at the very top of my list.

I would add Woody Shaw, Setting Standards.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by tpt1

Excellent recommendations, walkin. Those two are at the very top of my list.

I would add Woody Shaw, Setting Standards.

I'd also suggest Howard McGhee's Maggie's Back in Town and Freddie Hubbard's Outpost.

EDIT: Just thought of another good one, Brian Lynch Meets Bill Charlap.

EDIT #2: Drummer Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts is a sort-of trumpet quartet. Rather than employing a piano, Wilson's band has an organist. Trumpeter Terrell Stafford is a monster. I'd recommend starting with The Scenic Route. But all of this band's records are top-shelf.




Jazz Fellow, I wouldn't say that trumpet-led quartets are necessarily controversial. I just think they're more unusual than sax-led quartets because -- from what I understand; I'm not a trumpeter -- the trumpet is more of a "sprinter's instrument." On the other hand, it's much easier to play a sax for longer periods of time. I think this is what accounts for trumpet-quartets being less common and why trumpeters are more often in quintets (or larger) bands.

Or at least that's my assumption. tpt1, do you agree?

[tpt1]

Originally Posted by HutchFan

I'd also suggest Howard McGhee's Maggie's Back in Town and Freddie Hubbard's Outpost.

EDIT: Just thought of another good one, Brian Lynch Meets Bill Charlap.

EDIT #2: Drummer Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts is a sort-of trumpet quartet. Rather than employing a piano, Wilson's band has an organist. Trumpeter Terrell Stafford is a monster. I'd recommend starting with The Scenic Route. But all of this band's records are top-shelf.




Jazz Fellow, I wouldn't say that trumpet-led quartets are necessarily controversial. I just think they're more unusual than sax-led quartets because -- from what I understand; I'm not a trumpeter -- the trumpet is more of a "sprinter's instrument." On the other hand, it's much easier to play a sax for longer periods of time. I think this is what accounts for trumpet-quartets being less common and why trumpeters are more often in quintets (or larger) bands.

Or at least that's my assumption. tpt1, do you agree?

Yes, I agree with what you said... trumpet-led quartets are less common than sax-led quartets because of the endurance factor.

And thanks for reminding me about Freddie's Outpost album... I forgot about that one.

Oh, and speaking of Freddie and quartet trumpet albums, it doesn't get any better than Herbie's Empyrean Isles...

[walkin]

Joe Wilder-Wilder n Wilder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfxTdcQv3AY

[walkin]

Clark Terry/Thelonious Monk-In Orbit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c56oYgw__zo

[Jazz_Fellow]

Never did say thank you for all your recommendations and responding to my query about why trumpet-led quartets are less common. Certainly a lot of material for me to get through.

Must also admit, I'm slightly embarrassed that Empyrean Isles never came to my mind initially. Many thanks!

[PeterCS]

I'd add to the above good points about trumpet- or sax-led quartets (agreeing that it's not really a matter of controversial) the observation that, while a sax may well 'blend in' with the piano and bass more readily, because of the facility of runs, legato playing, varied palette and so on, a trumpet as the solo horn tends to have a punchier, more staccato attack.

As noted by others above, this raises a key question of stamina over sets and sessions. But also a higher profile for the trumpeter, which can become demanding for the listener too, and may over a session of any great length be 'softened', so to speak, by alternation with a reed/woodwind instrument (or trombone, french horn, guitar, etc.)

This is not inevitably the case. And where a mute and/or flugelhorn is used, clearly you have a gentler-sounding option, and more/or varied range of sounds. But each of these can demand a lot of force of breath, which brings us back to stamina!

Of course, it may be that the "5th/6th" instruments lay out for a trumpet feature, or even half or more of a session, but that's not the same thing.


And there are no hard and fast rules that a genius cannot break (paraphrasing Diderot) .....


Good trumpet quartets (though this is always subjective!!!), in no particular order .... some of these already suggested, but adding my vote to the mix! ....:


Howard McGhee - Maggie's Back in Town (with an astonishing Phineas Newborn, piano)

Enrico Rava - (various, e.g.) Ah!!!!, or Opening Night .... or in the supergroup 'Quatre'

Aldo Romano - To Be Ornette (To Be) w Paolo Fresu (and three or four other albums of this Italian Quartet)

Chet Baker - various 50s collaborations with Russ Freeman (piano)

Clark Terry - various, with Thelomius Monk, with Oscar Peterson, ...


Also try Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio (with only guitar and drums)

Enrico Rava duet with Enrico Pieranunzi - Nausicaa (ballads, mainly)

Jon Eardley duet with Mick Pyne - Two of a Kind


That's just a few.