Cannonball Adderley: Azule Serape

This crystal-clear live recording from the long-running West Coast Lighthouse club puts the listener up close to the musicians. The recently formed Quintet wrapped up a successful month in the Los Angeles area with the new addition of Englishman Victor Feldman. This up-tempo tune by Feldman shows off his virtuoso pianism, particularly with fast block chords in the intro. The vibe of soul and groove which made the group famous quickly becomes the hip thing of this tune, but only after teasing Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Cannonballs funky growl is thoroughly present, as are his generous and always suave comments to the audience.