The Three Sounds (3)

GENE HARRIS AND HIS THREE SOUNDS - ELEGANT SOUL (1969)

1. Elegant Soul
2. Do It Right Now
3. Sittin' Duck
4. (Sock It To Me) Harper Valley P.T.A.
5. Sugar Hill
6. African Sweets
7. Black Gold
8. Book Of Slim
9. Walls Of Respect

Additional personnel: Al Vescovo (guitar); Henry Felber (violin, strings); Leonard Malarsky, Dave Burk, Ralph Schaeffer (violin); Phil Goldberg (viola);
Jerry Kessler (cello); Albert Steinberg, William Kurash (strings); Jim Horn (flute); Bob Jung (reeds); Miles Grayson, Paul Humphrey (drum);
Alan Estes, Dee Ervin (percussion); Louis Kievman.

Arranger: Monk Higgins.

THE THREE SOUNDS - BLACK ORCHID (1962)

1. Black Orchid
2. A Foggy Day
3. For All We Know
4. Oh Well, Oh Well
5. At Last
6. Secret Love
7. Don't Go, Don't Go
8. Saucer Eyes
9. You Dig It
10. Nature Boy
11. Theme from M Squad
12. Azule Serape
13. For Dancers Only
14. Back Home
15. Tadd's Delight

Between 1958 and 1962, the Three Sounds were one of the most prolific artists on Blue Note, recording over ten albums worth of material during those four years. During all that time, the group never changed their style much, concentrating on lightly swinging, lightly soulful mainstream jazz that balanced jazz and pop standards with bluesy originals. As time progressed, they veered closer to soul-jazz, but each of their records sounded quite similiar and were equally satisfying. Black Orchid, their last album for Blue Note in the early '60s (they would rejoin the label in another four years), was no exception to the rule. It displays their knack for deftly swinging uptempo numbers, light blues and sensitive standards. If anything, it swings a little harder and is a little more soulful than some of its predecessors. Again, the very fact that the music is instantly enjoyable and accessible makes some jazz critics write the Three Sounds off, but Gene Harris, Andrew Simpkins and Bill Dowdy are genuine stylists with prodigious technique. It's difficult to make music this consistently enjoyable, and the Three Sounds illustrate that they have the knack once again on Black Orchid. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

THE THREE SOUNDS - COLDWATER FLAT (1968)

A1.Lonely Bottles
A2.The Look Of Love
A3.Georgia
A4.Grass Is Greener
A5.Coldwater Flat
B1.Last Train To Clarksville
B2.My Romance
B3.I Remember Bird
B4.Do Do Do (What Now Is Next)
B5.Star Trek

Arranged By - Oliver Nelson
Bass - Andrew Simpkins
Drums - Donald Bailey
Piano - Gene Harris