Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club' [Live]

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"Live at 'The Club'" boasts the cover of this 1966 album. Of course, this turned out to be a lie, as did the entirety of the original liner notes. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy was not recorded at that Chicago venue, but instead at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. (The ruse was a favor to the club owner.) The hollering audience was comprised of invited guests and stimulated by free booze. Still, their enthusiasm is definitely well warranted, as alto man Cannonball Adderley and his band offer a riveting blend of postbop calisthenics and soul-jazz grooves. Joe Zawinul's famous title track, with its hypnotic, gospel-drenched funkiness, was a crossover top 10 pop hit, as well as an astonishing exercise in restraint for Zawinul, who somehow resists the urge to dig in on his electric piano, instead opting for a deep, mellow mood. The rest of the album cooks, with Cannonball, brother Nat on cornet, and Zawinul supplying the heat. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description
Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Nat Adderley (cornet), Joe Zawinul (piano), Victor Gaskin (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums).

Tracks:

Fun
Games
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Sticks
Hippodelphia
Sack O' Woe

Amazon.com

"Live at 'The Club'" boasts the cover of this 1966 album. Of course, this turned out to be a lie, as did the entirety of the original liner notes. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy was not recorded at that Chicago venue, but instead at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. (The ruse was a favor to the club owner.) The hollering audience was comprised of invited guests and stimulated by free booze. Still, their enthusiasm is definitely well warranted, as alto man Cannonball Adderley and his band offer a riveting blend of postbop calisthenics and soul-jazz grooves. Joe Zawinul's famous title track, with its hypnotic, gospel-drenched funkiness, was a crossover top 10 pop hit, as well as an astonishing exercise in restraint for Zawinul, who somehow resists the urge to dig in on his electric piano, instead opting for a deep, mellow mood. The rest of the album cooks, with Cannonball, brother Nat on cornet, and Zawinul supplying the heat. --Marc Greilsamer

Album Description

Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Nat Adderley (cornet), Joe Zawinul (piano), Victor Gaskin (bass), Roy McCurdy (drums).

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2007-02-17

I Remember Bird, Leonard Feather's tribute to Charlie Parker, is one of my all time favorite jazz pieces. Cannonball and his brother Nate play it superbly. It's an unforgettable performance.

Good fun.......2006-06-04

Performed in front of a studio crowd plyed with free drinks, Cannonball and company (Nat, Joe Zawinul, Victor Gaskin & Roy McCurdy) play six funky songs. First Cannonball speaks to the crowd, then the band gets in the groove. The groove is a strength and weakness of the album, with the exception of the title track, the songs don't stand out very strongly from each other. The title track has the most interesting songwriting, though the fact that it was a crossover hit surprises me. It's very good, though. The playing is all top-notch, too.

One of my best cds.......2005-12-30

The title track "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," alone, is enough reason to buy this album. This recording captures the electricity of this particular show to the extent that the listener may at points truly get a feeling like they're sitting in the room with the band.

Serious fun.......2005-06-30

This is hard bop at its essence. It's funky, fun, exciting, and most of all it's emotionally-charged. I tend to find myself driving to it a lot.

Although the first two tracks are titled "Fun" and "Games," there's a slightly dark edge to some of the soloing here, a bit of that mystery that makes the music of Miles Davis so compelling and captivating. Perhaps that's what makes this music so exciting. It's frequently on the edge of chaos, but never quite tips over into "free" jazz.

Zawinul really takes the spotlight on the title track, with a great spoken intro by Cannonball. This track is pure soul-drenched simplicity. Genius. Let this album be the light that guides you into jazz.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.......2004-08-23

Let me just tell you, this is about as exciting as it gets! The recording actually feels like it took place at a famous jazz club on a summer night, but as everyone knows by now, this wasn't so, and it was recorded in Capitol studios. This album finds the quintet at the top of its game, this time featuring Cannonball, his brother Nat on cornet, the spectacular Joe Zawinul on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums. Of the six exciting numbers, I'd have to say that "Games" is my favorite, another great example of how amazingly underrated Nat was as a composer. The title track has this after-hours mood that you won't be able to find anywhere else. Whenever you're down about something, just put on that track, and I guarantee it will help you deal with whatever your problem is. You can't possibly call yourself a jazz or Cannonball fan and not own this magnificent album, so order it now!

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