Recorded on August 25 - 26, 1978
Buddy Tate is another Texas Tenor who made his mark in the big band era. He joined Count Basie's band in 1939 as Herschel Evans' replacement. Like Evans, Tate has a large and appealing sound -- but his playing also has a subtle aspect. One wonders if something of Lester Young's oblique approach rubbed off on the younger Tate, who remained with the Basie organization for nearly a decade.
After recording infrequently during most of the 1960s, Tate had more opportunities in the 1970s, making albums for independent jazz labels like Chiaroscuro, Master Jazz, Storyville, Riff, Sonet, and Black & Blue.
Produced by Bob Porter, the albums that I've selected for the survey were made at Sandy's Jazz Revival, a long-standing Boston nightclub. Arnett Cobb and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson join Tate for a couple cuts, but mostly it's just Tate out front. That's one of the reasons I chose these LPs. Tate is featured prominently, and he's supported by an outstanding rhythm section. You could hardly do better than the trio of Ray Bryant, George Duvivier, and Alan Dawson.
I'm sad to note that, aside from a few tracks on a 32 Jazz compilation, these LPs have never been issued in any digital format. But, if you spin vinyl, they're well worth seeking out!
More Buddy Tate
- Unbroken (MPS, 1970) - with the Buddy Tate Celebrity Club Orchestra
- Buddy Tate and Wild Bill Davis; also released as Broadway (Black & Blue, 1973)
- Buddy Tate and His Buddies (Chiaroscuro, 1973) - with Illinois Jacquet and others
- The Texas Twister (Master Jazz/New World, 1975)
- Crazy Legs & Friday Strut (Sackville, 1977) - with Jay McShann
- Sherman Shuffle (Sackville, 1978) - with Bob Wilber
- Nice All Stars (Black & Blue, 1978) - with Cozy Cole, Wallace Davenport, and others
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