MP3 Jeff Hackworth - How Little We Know

Sophisticated, swinging and soulful tenor saxophone played in the classic jazz quartet and quintet setting. Produced by sax great Houston Person.

11 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo, JAZZ: Swing/Big Band



Details:
featuring;
Jeff Hackworth tenor saxophone
Norman Simmons piano
Peter Washington bass
Chip White drums
Peter Hand guitar

Produced by Houston Person
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios , Englewood Cliffs NJ

liner notes by Bob Porter WBGO...

This delightful album of straight-ahead jazz is played by a tenor saxophonist whose name may be new to you but whose methods are part of a long, tried-and-true tradition. Jeff Hackworth plays in the spirit of master tenor players such as Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine and Houston Person.

Jeff was born in 1957 in Ohio but raised in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo was responsible for bringing us talent such as Don Menza, Lonnie Smith and Spider Martin among many others. Jeff has worked around Buffalo with an organ trio and spent time on the road in such diverse settings as the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (Buddy Morrow edition) and the band of Matt âGuitarâ Murphy, who served Memphis Slim so well for so long.

While in Buffalo, Jeff came in contact with musicians and fans that frequented the Pine Grill. The Pine Grill was remembered as a place to hear the major black talent of the day (50s & 60s) but it had disappeared by the time Jeff came on the scene. While the clubs he worked were a step or two removed from the heyday, Jeff was able to absorb the tradition of how to play for that demanding audience. The education he gleaned from that experience has remained with him to this day.

Houston Person put together the rhythm section of New York-based pros, all of whom are well known in their own right and need no introduction here. Person and Jeff collaborated on the material and while much of it is familiar, none of it is overdone. Teddy Edwards wrote âSunset Eyesâ, Duke Ellington wrote the bluesy, âIâm Just A Lucky So And Soâ and Buddy Johnson wrote âThey All Say Iâm The Biggest Foolâ, which is given an exemplary reading here. The remainder is from the vast repository of the Great American Songbook.

While in Buffalo, Jeff Hackworth cut a CD with an organ trio but this effort is more likely to bring his talent before a wider audience. Jeff is living in the New York City area at this writing and is filling his time working club dates and backing pop singers while waiting for an opening. Iâm confident such a break will happen since talent such as his is bound to rise to the top.

BOB PORTER
WBGO