Curtis Fuller – Volume 3 (Tone Poet Vinyl Series)

After moving from Detroit to New York in 1957, Curtis Fuller quickly became omnipresent on Blue Note Records. The trombonist cut his first two leader dates that summer (The Opener and Bone & Bari) and appeared as a sideman with John Coltrane (Blue Train), Lee Morgan (City Lights), Jimmy Smith (House Party), Bud Powell (Bud!), and others. In December, he headed out to Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey to record Volume 3 (BLP 1583) with trumpeter Art Farmer, pianist Sonny Clark, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Louis Hayes. Highlights of this excellent set include the Fuller originals “Little Messenger,” inspired by the forceful sound of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the Afro-Cuban gem “Quantrale,” and the cinematic epic “Carvon,” before the album closes with a tender version of the Lane-Lerner “It’s Too Late Now.”

Blue Note Tone Poet Series

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket.

Tracklist:

A1 Little Messenger
A2 Quantrale
A3 Jeanie
B1 Carvon
B2 Two Quarters Of A Mile
B3 It's Too Late Now