Listening to "Nippon Soul" tonight I was struck by the way Cannonball Adderley combined toughness and mysticism.Usually sweetness and swing are the first words that come to mind when I think of Cannonball, one of my favorite musicians. Both of those qualities are present on "Nippon Soul," recorded live in Japan in 1963, especially on the bluesy "Work Song," written by his brother, Nat. (It's an extra added to the CD version of the album.)
But listen to Yusef Lateef's "Brother John," written for John Coltrane, and you'll hear Cannonball spewing sharp notes out of his alto saxophone like he was going to a knife fight. He counters those notes with ones that suggest a Middle Eastern mystique. Lateef is great, too, especially on his oboe.
Song for song, "Nippon Soul" is one of the best albums in the Cannonball Adderley catalog. The band is one of Cannonball's best lineups. It features Lateef on flute, oboe and tenor saxophone; Nat Adderley on cornet; Joe Zawinul on piano and organ; Sam Jones on bass; and Louis Hayes on drums.
Everyone gets a chance to stretch out on the title track, one of Cannonball's best. The rendition of "Come Sunday" is a showcase for pianist Joe Zawinul and bassist Sam Jones; the horns don't even enter the song until near the end. And "Tengo Tango," which Nat calls a jazz tango, features two and a half minute of a sensuous Latin bop.
Check out this video version of "Brother John." If you don't own "Nippon Soul," I'm betting the clip will persuade you to buy it.
