David "Fathead" Newman – Captain Buckles (Cotillion/Label M, 1971)

David "Fathead" Newman (ts, as, fl); Blue Mitchell (tr); Eric Gale (g); Steve Novosel (b); Bernard “Pretty” Purdie (d)

November 3 - 5, 1970

Originally released on Atlantic’s Cotillion imprint, Captain Buckles was reissued on Joel Dorn’s Label M in 2000.  This was no coincidence, because Dorn produced the album in 1970.  Dorn’s insightful and funny liner notes explain how the record came to be.  After Dorn produced three consecutive “with strings and horns”-type records with Newman [Bigger and Better (1968), The Many Facets of David Newman (1969), and The Weapon (1973)], Newman was frustrated with Dorn and eager to make an album without all the bells and whistles.  Per Dorn:

“The Weapon was the cause of the only tension between David and me in a thirty-five year friendship.  It was one of the worst examples of a producer over-stepping his bounds in the history of record making. … Captain Buckles was my way of making things right with David.  I stayed out of his way, and he did what he does best, which is be himself.  He picked the material and the personnel, I ordered lunch and made sure the tape machine was plugged into the wall.  The result is one of his most straightforward, enjoyable albums. ... Now, let’s talk about Blue Mitchell.  Captain Buckles was the only time I ever got a chance to record Blue.  He was a sweet, funny, soulful cat. … It was one of Blue’s lines that became the title tune of this album.  It rained the day of the first session.  David, the last of the musicians to get to the studio, arrived sporting a brand new raincoat.  That coat had more belts, vents, pockets, and, especially, buckles than any raincoat in the history of raincoats.  When he walked into the studio, Blue gave him the once over and greeted him with a salute and a hearty ‘Captain Buckles, I presume.’ Everybody fell out.  That line set the tone for the whole session.”

Great story.  Especially Blue Mitchell’s hilarious response to Fathead’s sartorial splendor. … One minor point worth noting is that Dorn somehow got confused about his dates.  Newman recorded The Weapon in 1972, and Atlantic released it in 1973.  All of it happened after Captain Buckles.  So Dorn couldn’t have been giving Newman free reign in the studio to make up for The Weapon—because The Weapon hadn’t happened yet. … It’s no big deal, really.  Fathead could have just as easily been frustrated with Dorn about The Many Facets of David Newman.  The fact that he got his wires crossed timeline-wise doesn’t detract from the music, which is every bit as soulful and enjoyable as he describes.

The early-70s were a great time for soul-jazz.  And I think Fathead’s Captain Buckles is one of the very best in that style.

More David Newman

When it came time to choose a Fathead album, I kept going back and forth between Captain Buckles and Lonely Avenue (Atlantic, 1972).  Both are outstanding.  The latter album features some excellent vibes work by Roy Ayers.  In 2000, Collectables reissued Lonely Avenue in a two-disc set paired with Newmanism (Atlantic, 1974).  It’s a great set, inexpensive and easy to recommend.