New Vinyl Record – Blue Mitchell – Down With It! (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)

Miami-born trumpeterBlue Mitchellhad a soulful, swinging style that was equally at home in jazz, R&B, and funk settings. Mitchell been a sideman on Blue Note sessions led byLou Donaldson,Jimmy Smith,Jackie McLeanand appeared on numerous classics as a member of theHorace Silver Quintetbefore he began recording his own Blue Note leader albums. For his 1965 dateDown With It!the trumpeter reconvened the same dynamic quintet that had recorded his label debutThe Thing To Dothe year before including his Silver bandmatesJunior Cookon tenor saxophone andGene Tayloron bass along with a 24-year-oldChick Coreaon piano and 22-year-oldAl Fosteron drums. The band comes flying out of the gate on the boogaloo grooved opener Hi-Heel Sneakers with other highlights of the set including the high-spirited March On Selma and the gorgeous ballad Alone, Alone, Alone.