Plenty, Plenty Soul (Mono) Milt Jackson

• 1Plenty, Plenty Soul09:35
• 2Boogity Boogity04:58
• 3Heartstrings04:57
• 4Sermonette05:29
• 5The Spirit-Feel04:26
• 6Ignunt Oil05:39
• 7Blues At Twilight06:49
• Total Runtime41:53

Info for Plenty, Plenty Soul (Mono)

The story of Milt Jackson – known to his friends and fans as “Bags” – goes a little something like this: he was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, who hired him for his sextet in 1946, soon found himself working with the likes of Woody Herman, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker, and within half a decade, he, pianist John Lewis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Kenny Clarke had founded the group that would come to call itself the Modern Jazz Quartet.

In addition to his work with the Quartet, however, Jackson did a fair amount under his own name as well, including this week’s Mondo Monday release. Not unlike his other efforts, Jackson had an all-star cast of musicians working alongside him on Plenty, Plenty Soul, starting with the title track, which he co-wrote with Quincy Jones, who arranged that song as well as the two subsequent numbers, “Boogity Boogity,” a Jones composition, and “Heartstrings,” a Jackson original.

Those first three tracks also featured the legendary Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone, Jimmy Cleveland on trumpet, Frank Foster on tenor sax, Sahib Shihab on baritone sax, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. For the rest of the album’s songs – Adderley’s “Sermonette,” Jackson’s “The Spirit-Feel” and “Ignunt Oil,” and Jones’s “Blues at Twilight” – you’ll find Lucky Thompson on tenor sax, Oscar Bettiford on bass, and Connie Kay on drums.

It should also be noted that you’re hearing Joe Newman on trumpet and Horace Silver on piano for the whole blessed affair, and as Scott Yanow noted in his review of the album on AllMusic.com, with Silver helping out on both sessions (Tracks 4-7 were recorded on January 5, 1957, and Tracks 1-3 were recorded on January 7), “these all-star dates still sound fresh and enthusiastic decades later.” In other words, if you’re in need of some good vibes, then Plenty, Plenty Soul provides plenty of ‘em.

'...[T]wo sessions led by vibraphonist Milt Jackson... Bags is in fine form (and contributed four of the seven selections)... The first side of Plenty, Plenty Soul, which features a nine-piece group, is highlighted by the contributions of the exuberant altoist Cannonball Adderley, while the flip side has a sextet that is not hurt by the solos of tenor-saxophonist Lucky Thompson. With pianist Horace Silver helping out on both sessions, these all-star dates still sound fresh and enthusiastic decades later.' (Scott Yanow)

Milt Jackson, vibraphone
Cannonball Adderley, alto saxophone
Frank Foster, tenor saxophone
Lucky Thompson, tenor saxophone
Sahib Shihab, baritone saxophone
Joe Newman, trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland, trombone
Horace Silver, piano
Percy Heath, bass
Oscar Pettiford, bass
Art Blakey, drums Connie Kay, drums


Recorded at Coastal Studios, New York, New York on January 5, 1957 and Capitol Studios, New York, New York on January 7, 1957
Produced by Nesuhi Ertegun

Digitally remastered

Milt Jackson
Before Milt Jackson, there were only two major vibraphonists: Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. Jackson soon surpassed both of them in significance and, despite the rise of other players (including Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton), still won the popularity polls throughout the decades. Jackson (or "Bags" as he was long called) was at the top of his field for 50 years, playing bop, blues, and ballads with equal skill and sensitivity.

Milt Jackson started on guitar when he was seven, and piano at 11; a few years later, he switched to vibes. He actually made his professional debut singing in a touring gospel quartet. After Dizzy Gillespie discovered him playing in Detroit, he offered him a job with his sextet and (shortly after) his innovative big band (1946). Jackson recorded with Gillespie, and was soon in great demand. During 1948-1949, he worked with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, and the Woody Herman Orchestra. After playing with Gillespie's sextet (1950-1952), which at one point included John Coltrane, Jackson recorded with a quartet comprised of John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke (1952), which soon became a regular group called the Modern Jazz Quartet. Although he recorded regularly as a leader (including dates in the 1950s with Miles Davis and/or Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, and Ray Charles), Milt Jackson stayed with the MJQ through 1974, becoming an indispensable part of their sound. By the mid-'50s, Lewis became the musical director and some felt that Bags was restricted by the format, but it actually served him well, giving him some challenging settings. And he always had an opportunity to jam on some blues numbers, including his "Bags' Groove." However, in 1974, Jackson felt frustrated by the MJQ (particularly financially) and broke up the group. He recorded frequently for Pablo in many all-star settings in the 1970s, and after a seven-year vacation, the MJQ came back in 1981. In addition to the MJQ recordings, Milt Jackson cut records as a leader throughout his career for many labels including Savoy, Blue Note (1952), Prestige, Atlantic, United Artists, Impulse, Riverside, Limelight, Verve, CTI, Pablo, Music Masters, and Qwest. He died of liver cancer on October 9, 1999, at the age of 76. (Scott Yanow)

This album contains no booklet.