Vibin'

Wow, has there really been no jazz up in this space so far?! Let's get to remedying that. This one comes from that special mid-'60s transitional period that was all too short-lived. As much as I love the freeprov that began happening around this time, Hutcherson was really good at speaking the language of bop while artfully seeking ways to push it into new territory. And that tension is really the thing. Many musicians honestly don't have the vision and discipline to handle total freedom. Some critics say that when everything's possible, nothing means anything. I don't quite believe that, but forms and limitations certainly do a lot to spur creativity. Can't have solutions without problems.

Meanwhile, I really like the mental picture of New York circa 1965 that this track evokes. Mainstream jazz was art; guys like Bobby Hutcherson got regular paying gigs, and even the rascals wore suits.

Bobby Hutcherson - Components