Larry Young Trio - Testifying / Young Blues / Groove Street / Forrest Fire (2015)

Larry Young (1940-1979) started off in the early 60s as a soul-jazz organist, and the three albums included on this 2-CD set Testifying, Young Blues, and Street Groove , are his first as a leader. Recorded in 1960 and 1962 for the New Jazz/Prestige label, they document a period when the 20 year-old organist was starting to establish a name for himself in the jazz scene. On a set of warmly swinging, thoroughly grooving performances, Young is in an astounding, persuasively blues-tinged mood, while guitarist Thornel Schwartz and drummer Jimmie Smith are the personification of steady and sympathetic support, consistently augmented with the addition of bassist Wendell Marshall in Young Blues . Tenor saxophonist Joe Holiday can be heard on two of the tunes of Testifying , while Bill Leslie sets the right mood for Groove Street. As a bonus, this set includes five tracks from Forrest Fire , another 1960 record date with Young and his trio act as backing for the solid blowing of the full-bodied tenor of Jimmy Forrest. These sessions, relaxed and unpretentious, are the epitome of swing-rooted, soulful jazz.

Tracklist:

CD 1:

Testifying:
01. Testifying (9:52)
02. When I Grow Too Old To Dream (5:14)
03. Exercise For Chihuahuas (7:33)
04. Falling In Love With Love (5:03)
05. Some Thorny Blues (6:18)
06. Wee Dot (7:03)
07. Flamingo (5:22)

Young Blues:
08. Young Blues (6:24)
09. A Midnight Angel (2:20)
10. Little White Lies (4:11)
11. Minor Dream (5:01)
12. Something New, Something Blue (7:22)
13. Nica's Dream (6:37)

CD 2:

Young Blues:
01. African Blues ( 4:51)

Groove Street:
02. Groove Street ( 4:52)
03. I Found A New Baby ( 5:23)
04. Sweet Lorraine ( 9:25)
05. Gettin' Into It (14:22)
06. Talkin' 'bout J.C ( 5:54)

Forrest Fire:
07. Remember ( 5:27)
08. Dexter's Deck ( 6:35)
09. Jim's Jams ( 8:55)
10. Bags' Groove ( 8:25)
11. Help! ( 4:49)