Cannonball Adderley - Yvette

Ballads is a lovely collection of Cannonball Adderley's work on Blue Note from the late '50s to the mid-'60s. Since the nine selections have been taken from nine different albums, the personnel varies widely. The overall mood and approach, however, remain uniform. On "Now I Have Everything" flutist Charles Lloyd, pianist Joe Zawinul, and cornet player Nat Adderley join in for a short, impressionistic lullaby; on "Easy Living" pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes lend their talents to a soulful take on a favorite standard. Adderley's alto paints in broad, expressionistic colors, wringing just a little more feeling from each note of "I Worship You" and "I Can't Get Started." The mood of pieces like "Dancing in the Dark" reminds one of a rainy night in a film noir classic, with the lights reflecting against the wet city streets at three a.m. The last cut, the 15-minute "The Song My Lady Sings," caps off 55 minutes of quiet, reflective jazz. This low-key exit quietly ebbs and flows as the band fills it with atmosphere to spare. For the unfamiliar, Ballads will serve as relaxed introduction into Adderley's stunning work; for all others, Ballads will serve as the perfect disc for late-night listening.