Herbie Mann - The Complete Recordings: 1959-1962 (2017)

Starting his career as a practitioner of cool jazz and bop, Herbie Mann was one of the first musicians to embrace world influences into his sound. Incorporating the rhythms and melodies of Cuba, Africa, and South America, as well as the Middle and Far East, into his work, Mann was also known for his high-profile collaborations, appearing alongside the likes of Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan and numerous others. Having already put out an impressive body of work by the end of 1958, Mann s career witnessed a major creative shift thanks to one Sid Torin. Better known as Symphony Sid, Torin was the DJ credited by many as having introduced bebop into the mainstream, and it was he who suggested that Mann add a conga player to his group. This, coupled with a State Department funded tour of Africa, influences the Afro-Cuban jazz album Flautista! (Verve, 1959). Recorded live at Basin Street East, New York on 30th June that year and featuring renowned percussionist Carlos Patato Valdes, the record was a vital stylistic development for Mann, and for the jazz genre as a whole. Across the next few years Herbie Mann s albums would become a veritable smorgasbord of legendary jazz percussionists, with 1960 s Flute, Brass, Vibes and Percussion (Verve, 1961) regarded as one of Mann s finest recordings, due in no small part to the inclusion of Ray Barretto and Ray Mantilla. Nigerian vocalist and drummer Babatunde Olatunji joined Mann s group for The Common Ground (Verve, 1960), but despite his success with such daring collaborations, Herbie soon become dissatisfied with the monotony of African rhythms. However, around this time manager Monty Kay got Mann included on a tour by American musicians which was passing through Brazil. Mann became enamoured with the sounds he heard there and on his 1962 record, Brazil, Bossa Nova & Blues (United Artists), the influences he absorbed are quite apparent. Herbie Mann would continue to display his newly acquired Brazilian influence across his next few releases, such as Do The Bossa Nova With Herbie Mann (Atlantic, 1963) and Herbie Mann & Joao Gilberto With Antonio Carlos Jobim (Atlantic, 1965), which helped to usher bossa nova into the mainstream. As the 1960s drew to a close, Herbie Mann continued to change his style, albeit now with some dissent from certain quarters. Although not received well by jazz purists, the elements of rock, soul and funk that were introduced on Memphis Underground (Atlantic, 1969) and Push Push (Embryo, 1971) - the latter of which even featuring guitar solos from Duane Allman - were received well by critics, and ended up among the highest-selling jazz albums of all time. In the mid-1970s, alongside many other 1950s and 60s jazz musicians, Mann began to embrace disco and had his biggest hit Hijack, which held the number one position on the Billboard Disco Action chart for three weeks in 1975. Herbie Mann would continue to perform, write and record for the rest of his life, notably appearing on the AIDS benefit albums Red Hot + Rio (Antilles, 1996) on a collaboration with alternative indie act Stereolab. He gave his last performance on 3rd May 2003 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and lost a long battle with prostate cancer the following month. This four disc collection features eight complete albums from one of the most exciting and experimental phases of Herbie Mann s career, and serves as a perfect illustration of how this unique, exciting and ultimately fearless musician favoured the exotic over the traditional or mainstream and in so doing ended up among the most respected jazz men of all time.