That's Where It's At [RVG Editon/Bonus Track] [Remaster]

Performer: Stanley Turrentine
Artist: Les McCann
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Producer: Alfred Lion; Alfred Lion; Michael Cuscuna (Reissue)
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Stanley Turrentine; Herbie Lewis (double bass); Les McCann (piano); Otis Finch (drums). Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder. Liner Note Author: Bob Blumenthal. Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (01/02/1962). Photographer: Francis Wolff. A Blue Note release with Les McCann on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Otis Finch on drums. Small group format. Excellent (and exciting) soul-jazz session with Turrentine blowing hot. ~ Ron Wynn & Michael Erlewine This 1962 session places tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine in the company of pianist Les McCann, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Otis Finch. Of the six cuts on the original release, McCann, who was already in serious soul-jazz territory, wrote four. His meaty three- and four-chord figures are prominently placed and, as always, his sense of time and swing are everywhere. "Smile, Stacey" kicks it off in full blowing fare with Turrentine walking the line between soul-jazz and hard bop like a tightrope. His earthy tone is particularly muscular and quick here. His own blues ballad, "Soft Pedal Blues," follows, with Turrentine doing his best Ben Webster with slow, smoky breathy tones and McCann trilling across the top on the turnarounds. The slippery soul-blues of "Pia" is a shimmering little groover by McCann with him singing along with the lines in his solo. On his "We'll See Yaw'll After While, Ya Heah," his gospel chops come pouring out into the lyric until Turrentine moves it to bluestown with his solo and picks up the tempo and changes it to a quick waltz timing. The final two tracks on the CD are different takes of Tommy Turrentine's classic "Light Blue," a swinging little blues that features fine solos by both McCann and Turrentine. There is very little to be said about the quality of Turrentine's Blue Note work, it's simply all great, and all very necessary for any fan of early soul-jazz. [This RVG Edition of That's Where It's At includes a bonus track.] ~ Thom Jurek

Tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine possesses a big, slightly raw tone, and a powerful sense of swing, but is also quite at home with subtle expressions of tenderness. He achieved considerable success in the '60s working live and recording with Jimmy Smith and later, Shirley Scott. Together, they provided some of the finest examples of the tenor/organ soul-funk-jazz approach.

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