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Larry Young: Unity
ByNow reissued by Music Matters on 45 RPM vinyl, the record reveals more about the recording than has likely been heard on previous issues. Remastered from the original session tapes, Music Matters strives to deliver the most musical information, and in the case of Unity, the result adds some heretofore-unheard subtlety.
The Hammond B3 is not an instrument for everyone. People who love it think it's divine, and the people who don't are just as passionate. Middle ground is hard to find. Part of this conflict of opinion may be due to the very nature of the instrument itself. In its early jazz applications in the 1960s, the B3 made a big electric noise in what had been essentially acoustic music. It can also deliver a massive wall-of-sound that, if not applied with care, can overwhelm a recording or live venue. Misapplied, it can be an aural sledgehammer.
It is, therefore, a little disconcerting to hear

Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982

Elvin Jones
drums1927 - 2004
Young also has the good sense to let his side men shine, using the organ to comp saxophonist

Joe Henderson
saxophone1937 - 2001

Woody Shaw
trumpet1944 - 1989
Of course, the playing is first-rate. Henderson rarely played a bad note in his life, and his work on Unity is no exception. His playing is hot and fiery aggressive but, as always, just right. Shaw is still a young man here, not yet fully matured musically, but he is well on his way and his contributions are excellent. Perhaps more important than his improvisation, Shaw also contributes three of the compositions on the date, including what would quickly become a jazz standard, "The Moontrane." Jones, of course, keeps time like a locomotive.
Unity may not dispel lingering passions about the Hammond B3, but the high quality Music Matters pressing adds enough new information that it might cause a partisan to reevaluate his/her position. This is great music in a compelling package. ">
Track Listing
Zoltan; Monk's Dream; If; The Moontrane; Softly As A Morning Sunrise; Beyond All Limits.
Personnel
Larry Young
organ, Hammond B3Larry Young; organ; Woody Shaw: trumpet; Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone; Elvin Jones: drums.
Album information
Title: Unity | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Blue Note Records
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