Art Yard LP/CD014
Art Yard Records is proud to present the first ever official reissue of Sun Ra Arkestra member Pat Patrick’s unique baritone sax masterpiece ‘Sound Advice’.
‘Of all the saxophones, it is our opinion that the one with the most distinctive sound, warmth and range that can reach into that of other saxophones, is the baritone sax.’ As composer, bandleader, and full-time member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Pat Patrick was a visionary musician whose singular contribution to the jazz tradition has not yet been fully recognised. As well holding down the baritone spot in the Arkestra for 35 years, Patrick played flute and alto, composed in both jazz and popular idioms, and was a widely respected musician, playing with Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, with whom he appeared on Africa/Brass. But he is best known for his crucial contributions to key Sun Ra recordings including Angels and Demons at Play, Jazz in Silhouette and Nubians of Plutonia, among dozens of others. But as a bandleader, Patrick only released one LP – the almost mythical Sound Advice, recorded with his Baritone Saxophone Retinue, a unique gathering of baritone saxophone masters including Charles Davis and Rene Mclean. First issued in 1977 on Sun Ra’s legendary Saturn Records imprint, Sound Advice is a deephued exploration of this special instrument, a lost masterpiece of Arkestrally-minded Ellingtonia where higher adepts of the lower cosmic tones are heard in rare conference. Unissued since original release, Art Yard Records is proud to bring this unique jazz masterpiece back into the limelight.
Limited edition Heavy Weight LP with Screen-Printed Cover and inner liner notes sleeve and Gatefold CD featuring previously unpublished photographs of Pat Patrick.
Released in Collaboration with the Pat Patrick estate.
Remastered and restored sound.
Pat Patrick and The Baritone Saxophone Retinue SOUND ADVICE, Liner Notes.
He was a saxophonist, multi- wind player, arranger, composer, music director, theatre works producer, educator and visionary. Pat Patrick was a musician who performed with Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones’ orchestras, Thelonious Monk, Mongo SantaMaria, Nat King Cole, James Moody, Eric Dolphy, Marvin Gaye, Patti Labelle, Billy Taylor, and laid down the bottom on the baritone saxophone with the indefinable Sun Ra Archestra, for 35 plus years. Pat Patrick is an example par excellence of American musicianship and artistry. Any one of these identities might be enough to illuminate the meaning of musicianship. But as well this is a story about American society, and the meaning and costs of artistry. It’s about the definition, furtherance of cultural heritage sand it’s a story about the music. But artistry from within grand Black music culture and stretching outward to artistry in the larger scope of human expression, with him deserves more and deeper sharing.
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear this recording is great musicians playing together. And this for me harkens to my appreciation of this great musician, Pat Patrick, and secondly how his entire career was permanently shaped and cemented to groups of great musicians who played together. Pat Patrick was an original Sun Ra Orchestra member picked by the master conceptualist. And out of Chicago in the 195o’s were the best musicians from the era and the region, many whom( Nat King Cole, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Andrew Hill, Richard Evans..) went onto make incredible contributions in music. This is real great jazz. In that is supreme musicianship, the air of the live cymbals, the excitement of musical communication and the sense of art- integrity and passion and commitment to craft and voice that is a first priority in jazz, and the thing true jazz lovers expect from this music.
But the thing that rings of the highest mark here is the craft of the writing, playing, and the unique sound of the Retinue baritone sax ensemble. Clearly there is the air of Sun Ra, the feel of Bebop and the forwardness of Gil Evans, the classic Miles Davis quintets and Art Blakey ensemble cohesion. I commented that that during this period Pat in addition to forming this unique ensemble with Charles Davis, had been still involved heavily with the 1956- 1969 recordings, originally heard on Ra’s label Saturn. This music is immediately some of the most important music to be heard during this period. And important for many reasons.
The specific recordings/ performances (Angels and Demons (1956)/The Nubians of Plutonia ( 58/59), Fate In A Pleasant Mood /When The Sun Comes Out(60/6)1, When Angels Speak of Love(1963), The Magic City(1965), Atlantis( 1967,69) )are already the language of where jazz was to head as it was redefining itself as “more modern”, post bebop. Immediately it sounds distinctive in concept, approach, sonorities, Sun Ra’s piano approach, voicing, and his styling are evident. The other striking thing about the music from this period is the originality, and the diversity of traditions within this new period jazz tradition; ballads, blues, bebop swinging blues and “ free jazz” all in a mix comfortably here. Sound Advice bears all the markings of this kind of conceptual forwardness and great instrumental playing.
As well and of note, Pat Patrick was by the time of this recording one of the most “called upon” working musicians in New York.
Highly respected as a player already, this 1977 original recording bears the mark of a seasoned player who now brings all that professional flavour to the conception of this project as a player and arranger.
About the ensemble Pat writes,
“ Years ago the so called jazz bands very frequently used two baritones and a bass saxophone or two along with the many woodwind instruments that were played by the member of their reed sections. Of all the saxophones used in these bands, it is our opinion that the one with the most distinctive sound, warmth and range that can reach into that of the other saxophones, is the baritone sax. Yet it has less exposure and popularity than the others.
However, it is the sax that ties the others together in the making of a really fine reed section of a band, as witnessed in the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
We cite the Duke’s orchestra, because it has been through the innovation of his writing for the reeds, that an institution of reed section playing, has developed and is widely used in bands of today”.
Original Liner Notes
“ Sound Advice”
Produced by, Pat Patrick, Alton Abraham, 1977, El Saturn records, Chicago, Ill.
the Baritone Saxophone Retinue
Personnel:
Pat Patrick
Charles Davis
Mario Rivera
Kenny Rogers
James Ware
Rene McLean
George Barrow
Reynold Scott
Rhythm section;
Hilton Ruiz, piano
Steve Solder, drums
Jon Hart, bass
Babafemi Humphreys, conga
Selections: Stabelmates, Funny Times, Uprightedness ( Patrick), Eastern Vibrations( Davis), Sambia, East of Uz ( Sun Ra), The Waltz(Davis), Stablemates….
“ Sound Advice” for new horizons comes through a less popular member of the saxophone family, the Baritone. To illustrate that an instrument with such a range of possibilities can do more than just function at the bottom of reed sections, is what this first release by the Baritone Saxophone Retinue is about. The use of more than one baritone in reed sections is not however a new concept, as can be seen when viewing photos of some of the early bands during the pre-swing ear. There would be at times so many wooded instruments lined up in front of the reed section( along with other instruments they would double on) that it would almost obscure the musicians.
Although Charles Davis and I spent time together in the Sun Ra Arkestra in its early Chicago years, one was more likely to play among groups of similar instruments in a marching or concert band type setting.
The idea for an all baritone sax group was eventually put together in 1972 and represents what we feel is a first of its kind.
I will always cherish Harry Carney’s reacting to hearing tapes of the group, as well of that of my former woodwind teacher during high school days, Willie Randall.
We therefore dedicate these sounds to the great pioneers( in the idiom) of the Baritone Saxophone: Harry Carney, Jack Washington, Eddie Barefield, Leslie Jonakins, Leo Parker, Charlie Fawlkes, to name just a few. It is a little known fact that some of these artists actually aided the various manufactures in developing certain aspects in the mechanics of the instrument. Also a special note of appreciation to Mr. Danny Williams in Chicago, baritonist formally with the Cootie Williams Orch., with whom I gained invaluable experience while apprenticing several years at band inst. repairing and from who I learned the art of circular breathing. Another good friend who greatly helped to make this album possible was percussionist Sonny Morgan, out of Philadelphia, Pa, who was recording engineer for this sessions. Therefore, to all “ Who Hath An Ear”, have a pleasant trip thru previously uncharted realms.
Pat Patrick 1980
And as Pat Patrick stated as “ sound advice”, we hope for all that hath an ear for the re-emergence of this recording into the contemporary marketplace, you will appreciate that this is the way the music sounded as they conceptualized and performed together. This is a lost sound for us today in far too may commercial sanitized productions. One in this instance comes to appreciate this artist- musician’s vision and a musician who shall now not be forgotten again.
Bill Banfield, composer, teacher and author of Pat Patrick, American Musician
VINYL SIDE A
1 – {INTRO} Stablemates – 0.47 {B. Golson} ASCAP.
2 – FUNNY TIME – 7.00 Solos: Pat Patrick, Davis, Ruiz. {J. Heatn} BMI.
3 – UPTIGHTEDNESS – 4.38 Solos: Patrick, Ruiz. {P. Patrick} Art Yard Music Publishing PRS MCPS.
4 – EASTERN VIBRATIONS – 9.14 Solos: Davis, Rivera, Ruiz. {C. Davis} Art Yard Music Publishing PRS MCPS.
1,2 & 3 Arranged by Pat Patrick,4 Arranged by Charles Davis.
VINYL SIDE B
1 – SABIA – 7.04 Soloist: Davis. {A. C. Jobim} BMI
2 – EAST OF UZ – 8.49 Solos: Ruiz, Patrick. {Sun Ra} BMI
3 – THE WALTS – 8.31 Solos: Patrick, Charles Davis, Rivera {C. Davis} Art Yard Music Publishing PRS MCPS.
4 – STABLEMATES – 1.04 {B. Golson} ASCAP.
1 & 3 Arranged by Davis. 2 & 4 Arranged by Pat Patrick.
Pat Patrick interview October 1986. interview by Art Sato of Koncepts Cultral Gallery,
Thanks to Chris Trent for the audio.
DISTRIBUTION By
Vinyl Distribution Netherlands : Rush Hour NL,
United States: Forced Exposure,
‘SOUND ADVICE’ PAT PATRICK AND THE BARITONE SAXOPHONE RETINUE. Art Yard CD/014
