Cornet Warmth Against Strings and Swing
A lovely, intensely musical album, well worth seeking out.
Put the needle down and the first thing you hear is Nat Adderley's cornet sitting warm and forward over a bed of strings, the orchestra arranged and conducted by Bill Fischer giving the whole record a soft, sweeping cushion. The tempos stay mostly unhurried and the mood leans toward romance rather than fire, so this sounds less like a blowing session and more like a night when the band has time to breathe.
The small group is the real pleasure. Jerome Richardson moves easily between reed colors, Joe Zawinul's keyboard work adds a rhythmic pulse under the arrangements, and Ron Carter and Grady Tate keep the foundation steady and unfussy. You can hear the players listening to each other inside the orchestral frame, which keeps the strings from turning into wallpaper.
This is a late-1960s CTI record, and it sits a little apart from Adderley's more hard-bop-driven work. If you want the Adderley who plays with grit, start elsewhere. If you want to hear him at his most lyrical and polished, this is a strong entry. AllMusic reviewer Richard S. Ginell gave it 4½ stars, calling it a lovely, intensely musical album well worth seeking out, and that assessment holds up well.
