[MRL 348] The Night Blooming Jazzmen - The Night Blooming Jazzmen

1 Nam M'Yoho Ren' Ge Kyo
2 Funkville U.S.A.
3 Evil Gal Blues
4 Calypsoul
5 Donte's Inferno
6 The Night Blooming Jazzmen
7 I Remember Bird
8 Signing Off

AMG Review by Scott Yanow

In 1971, critic Leonard Feather, who only recorded on a very infrequent basis through the decades, led two albums by a group that he called the Night Blooming Jazzmen. The two Mainstream LPs were briefly reissued on CD in the early '90s. Feather, who plays background piano throughout the date, performs eight of his originals with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, Ernie Watts (on tenor, alto and flute), guitarist Fred Robinson, organist Charles Kynard, Al McKibbon on acoustic or Max Bennett on electric bass, drummer Paul Humphrey and percussionist Chino Valdes; Kitty Doswell takes the vocal on "Evil Gal Blues." In addition to "Evil Gal," Feather's best-known numbers on the set are "I Remember Bird" (an excellent showcase for Watts' alto) and "Signing Off," while "Nam M'Yoho Ren'ge Kyo" is a particularly catchy number. Worth searching for.