Listening to Prestige 539; Larry Young

LISTEN TO ONE: Groove Street

This was Larry Young's third and last album for Prestige, and his last album in the Jimmy Smith soul jazz genre. There would be a couple of years' hiatus, and then when he resumed recording in late 1964 for Blue Note, he had moved in a different direction for himself, and for jazz organ--a much more Coltrane-influenced sound. 

As such, it's a somewhat overlooked album, and undeservedly. Young may be better known today for his later work. Only 22 when he recorded it, Young had the chops, and he had the soul, and he had the love of making music that comes through loud and clear. He worked on this session with two familiar musicians, guitarist Thornel Schwartz and drummer Jimmie Smith, his cousin, who usually spelled his name with an "ie" to differentiate himself

from the organist. Schwartz, 13 years Young's senior, had begun his recording career with the organist Jimmy Smith on the latter's debut album in 1956, and had made a name for himself as the go-to guitarist for the organ-guitar sound.

New to the Young orbit, and to Prestige, is tenor saxophonist Bill Leslie, who brings an old school rhythm and blues sound to 1960s soul. Yoked with Young and Schwartz, he adds a third distinctive solo sound, making it the kind of record that elicits an "Oh yeah!" with the start of each new solo. 

This session is a stop on the road for Young, similar in style to his earlier Prestige albums. He was about to leave all of that behind--Prestige and soul jazz--so I'll take a little time here to look at Leslie, who doesn't get much attention elsewhere.

Leslie did very little recording. There's this album, and two for Argo (produced by Esmond Edwards). On one he shares co-leader billing with Schwartz, who was his contemporary (Leslie was born in 1925) from Philadelphia--it's likely that Schwartz recommended him for the session with Young. That one is generally billed as a Thornel Schwartz album, and was in fact Schwartz's only album as leader.

The other is Bill Leslie's only album as leader, and his last credited appearance on wax. He was abetted by Schwartz, Tommy Flanagan, Ben Tucker and Art Taylor. The album was called Diggin' the Chicks, and it featured tunes about women, including the Lead Belly classic "Goodnight Irene," and -- surprising and ambitions for a swing-rhythm and blues-soul jazz guy, Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman."

He did a creditable job tackling a challenging tune, but it was not to be a harbinger of things to come.

Unlike Larry Young, Leslie does not seem to have followed the trail blazed by Coleman / Colttane / Dolphy. Reports have him staying home and continuing to play soul jazz in the Newark / Philadelphia axis. He died in 2003.

"Groove Street" was the title tune from Young's album, and also a two-sided 45 RPM single. Another original, "Talkin' About J. C.," showed his growing interest in Coltrane. He would record it again for Blue Note with Grant Green, and Green would also put it on an album. Esmond Edwards produced the session.