Description
TAS Recommended! Rated a ‘Best Audiophile Label Recording’ in the November 2009 issue of The Absolute Sound!
TAS Rated 4.5/5 Music, 4/5 Sonics in the January 2009 Issue of The Absolute Sound!
Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
The Definitive issue of this classic Blue Note title!
Harold “Tina” Brooks could have been a tenor sax contender for legendary status and certainly had the ability, the sound and the creative imagination. A colorful player (and exceptional composer) whose hard bop solos were soulful, inventive and stimulating, Brooks had the misfortune of having three of his four Blue Note albums as a leader lay unissued until he had passed away. As difficult as it is to believe after listening, Back To The Tracks was one of these unreleased sets. In truth, there was no logical reason why this very rare 1960 session was bypassed for it features Brooks coming up with one brilliant solo after another throughout a consistently superb set. More than holding his own with a stellar cast including trumpeter Blue Mitchell, altoist Jackie McLean and a superb rhythm section on a mixture of originals and standards, “Tina” constantly takes solo honors. Brooks plays his heart out during these rare recordings that really define where jazz was in 1960. Back To The Tracks is a timeless hard bop gem rescued from the vaults that should not to be missed!
Back to the Tracks was one of jazz’s best-kept secrets for decades. Recorded in September of 1960, this hard bop set was listed in Blue Note’s catalog, yet it never saw the light of day. It was not until sometime after Tina Brooks’s passing that Back to the Tracks was finally issued to widespread acclaim. Five tunes, three of which are Brooks originals, are brought fantastically to life by a killer lineup. Don’t miss your chance to hear Brooks’s graceful tenor sax mastery on this gem from the early ’60s.
“Drew’s deft touch, Chambers’ solid but light bass grooves, and Taylor’s artful kit work elevate all the tunes herin-Brooks’ sultry blues “Street Singer,” the straight bopper “The Blues And I,” the meltingly lyrical “For Heaven’s Sake,” and the exotically perfumed “The Ruby And The Pearl.” – Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, September 2009, Issue 196
Features:
• Remastered from the Original Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note Master Tapes!
• Remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at Acoustech
• Cut at 45rpm for Better Sound!
• Pressed on two 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs by RTI
• Limited Edition
• Ultra-Durable, Extra Thick Album Jackets
• Gatefold Album with Session Photos in stunning High Resolution
2. Street Singer
4. For Heaven’s Sake
5. The Ruby And The Pearl
“The sound is lifelike, the horns are in the room with you. Our non-invasive mastering insures the true breath of life on these original Van Gelder session tapes is transferred to the virgin vinyl with absolute authenticity. It is like hearing these BLUE NOTE masterpieces for the first time and that is NO exaggeration. When we heard the first lacquer acetate playback from our first mastering session I thought Joe Harley was going to pee in his pants he was so excited. Actually we all were; after 50 years of many lackluster and some downright bad sounding versions of these albums, hearing the real deal is a humbling experience, even for us hardened music veterans. You will be able to listen to the music exactly like we did…” – Steve Hoffman