[MRL 334] Michael Longo - Matrix

Personnel
Mike Longo - Piano
Mickey Roker - Drums
Potato Valdes - Congo Drums
Sam Jones - Guitar
Ron Carter - Bass & Fender Bass

Tracks
01. Night Rider (Mike Longo) (5:20)
02. Soliloquy (Mike Longo) (7:33)
03. Matrix (Mike Longo) (5:19)
04. My San Francisco (Mike Longo) (8:51)
05. Let Me Out (Mike Longo) (4:48)
06. Travel On (Mike Longo) (5:39)

Produced by Bob Shad
Engineer: Carmine Rubino
Photography: Raymond Ross
Cover Design: Ruby Mazur's Art Department


Liner Notes by Michael Cuscuna (transcribed by El Goog)

Mike Longo is a person of much experience that has been extremely valuable to his musical being. As a child in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, his father would take him to whartever jazz happening that was in town. He had many opportunities to see Cannonball Adderley, His first influence.

After intense classical study and a college degree, Mike toured with a Dixieland band in order to get to New York where he has remained for well over a decade.

In the early sixties, Mike enrolled in the school that Oscar Peterson was running in Canada each summer. A mutual love and respect grew out of this student-teacher relationship. Mike became a sort of protege of Oscar Peterson, and Oscar became Mike's first real influence.
In 1965, Longo joined Dizzy Gillespie's group. A bond grew there too. Soon Mike was writing tunes for Dizzy and eventually became musical director of the band. Mike claims that Dizzy has musical secrets that some of the greatest musicians still do not understand or appreciate. One of the fruits of this association was the unique learning experience that developed.

Although Mike has led his own trio on and off for many years, this is his first solo effort on record. In trio and quintet context, Mike has assembled some of the finest rhythm players in jazz including Mickey Roker, Ron Carter, Sam Jones and Potato. Guitarist Al Gafa, whose sound is similar to George Freeman and the late Wes Montgomery, is less known, but in no way less talented.

The six tunes presented here provide a full range view of Mike Longo, the pianist and the composer. "Matrix" and "My San Francisco" are beautiful, rich ballads. "Let Me Out" best illustrates Longo's ability to just swing.

"Night Rider" is possibly his most poetic composition.

Some of these tunes were written for Dizzy's band, some specifically for this record, others were just written. This then is the music of Mike Longo.

Mike Longo links:

Wikipedia
MySpace
All About Jazz
Facebook
iTunes
Discogs
AMG
Never Enough Rhodes