Album of the Day

Atlantic Records was famous for both jazz and R&B, and as you'd guess from the title of his debut for the label, Hank Crawford stood at the intersection of those styles. MORE SOUL was recorded 60 years ago today and finds the Memphis-born performer leading a septet that also included fellow saxophonists David "Fathead" Newman and Leroy "Hog" Cooper. Both of those musicians - along with bassist Edgar Willis, drummer Milton Turner and Crawford himself - were part of Ray Charles' band, and Brother Ray's influence can be heard in the gospel-tinged swing of these 7 instrumentals. Whether on such standards as “Misty” and “Angel Eyes” or the original “Four Five Six,” the playing is tight and Crawford's tone is sweet and substantive. If you prefer your jazz with MORE SOUL, this superb 1961 set is just what you need.