Out Of The Blue - Sonny Red (1LP Vinyl) [Tone Poet Series]

Out Of The Blue by Sonny Red.

There is a particular kind of magic that happens when an alto saxophonist steps into the Blue Note orbit, and Sonny Red's "Out Of The Blue" captures that moment with unforced grace. Originally released in 1960, this record finds Red asserting himself as a leader with a voice that is warm, direct, and thoroughly steeped in the blues tradition that gives the album its very name.

The sessions that produced this music span two dates, December 5, 1959 and January 23, 1960, the latter yielding "The Lope" and "Stairway To The Stars" on the second side. That gap of a few weeks does nothing to fracture the album's cohesion; instead, it lends the collection a slightly wider palette, a sense of an artist returning to the studio with fresh ideas while holding firm to a consistent vision.

Side A opens with "Bluesville," a title that tells you exactly where Red's heart lives, before moving through the tender standard "Stay As Sweet As You Are" and the classic "I've Never Been In Love Before." The side closes with "Nadia," a piece that lets Red's phrasing breathe and roam, showing that this is a player equally comfortable with a swinging blues figure and a more searching, lyrical line.

The flip side keeps the momentum alive, leading off with "Blues In The Pocket," where the groove sits deep and easy, then settling into the wistful ballad "Alone Too Long." From there, the later session material takes over with "The Lope," a title that promises a loose, striding feel, and the closing "Stairway To The Stars," a standard rendered with the kind of tenderness that leaves you wanting the needle to lift and return to the start.

As a Blue Note release, this record carries the imprimatur of one of the most storied labels in jazz history. Blue Note is a registered trademark of Capitol Records, LLC, and this pressing arrives under the care of Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc., with the recordings copyrighted to UMG Recordings, Inc. The matrices in the runouts are etched, a small detail that collectors know to appreciate when they turn a record over in the light.

For anyone building a serious collection of hard bop and blues-rooted jazz, "Out Of The Blue" is an essential document of Sonny Red's artistry at a pivotal moment. It is a record that rewards repeated listening, revealing new nuances in Red's tone and his easy command of both the blues and the ballad. Slip it onto the turntable and let the whole thing play through; this is jazz that asks nothing of you but your attention and gives back far more.

Pressing Details:
Recorded on December 5, 1959 & January 23, 1960*
*B3 and B4

A Blue Note Records release; Originally released in 1960 by Blue Note Records © UMG Recordings, Inc.
Distributed by Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Blue Note® is a registered trademark of Capitol Records, LLC.

© Mosaic Images, LLC

Matrices in runouts are etched.

Track Listing:
A1. Bluesville
A2. Stay As Sweet As You Are
A3. I've Never Been In Love Before
A4. Nadia
B1. Blues In The Pocket
B2. Alone Too Long
B3. The Lope
B4. Stairway To The Stars

Artist: Sonny Red

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: B0033154-01

Series: Tone Poet Series

Release Year: 2022

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)