1963 · Album
Live at Newport
Recorded 1963, Newport Jazz Festival · Atlantic · Produced by Unknown
Flute Fire on the Newport Stage
Herbie Mann leads a loose, spirited Latin-tinged quintet through a 1963 Newport set that moves with easy confidence.
Put yourself at the Newport Jazz Festival in the summer of 1963 and listen to the room before the first note lands. What you hear on Herbie Mann Live at Newport is a band settling into a groove that feels half hard bop and half Afro-Latin dance. Herbie Mann's flute sits on top of the rhythm section, bright and nimble, while the percussion underneath keeps things loose and bouncing. It is a looser, more relaxed sound than the intense live jazz of the period, and it rewards listening straight through rather than in pieces.
The band is a quintet with a conga and percussion presence that gives the record its character. Carlos "Patato" Valdés and Willie Bobo drive the Latin side of things, while Ben Tucker on bass and Bobby Thomas on drums hold a steady pocket. Dave Pike's vibraphone adds color and Don Friedman's piano and Attila Zoller's guitar fill the harmonic space. Nothing here is overly complicated. The pleasure comes from how cleanly the players lock together and how easily Mann moves from melody to improvisation.
As a document of Mann in this period, the record is a solid, enjoyable one rather than a revelation. AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow gave it four stars and called it a well-played program, which fits the experience well. If you are new to Mann, this is a fine entry point into his Latin-leaning jazz, though it works best for listeners who already enjoy live jazz with an easygoing, danceable feel.
Who's playing
Ben Tuckerdouble bass
Don Friedmanpiano
Attila Zollerguitar
Herbie Mannflute
Bobby Thomasdrums
Willie Bobopercussion
Carlos “Patato” Valdéscongas
Dave Pikevibraphone
Where next?
More by Herbie Mann
All 36 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
