Nat Adderley - Work Song

Riverside

Never a poll-winner or spotlight magnet, Nat Adderley played second fiddle to his older brother Julian for much of his early career. There’s even an amusing quote from him elucidating the job security inherent to his post in his brother’s band: “the contract was made with mom.” Despite Nat’s apparent satisfaction with sideman status, producer Orrin Keepnews had faith in his talents. Nat parlayed that confidence into a clutch of Riverside sessions that placed his cornet in a number of unexpected settings. This Keepnews Collection reissue presents one of the best. Adderley’s program emphasizes instrumental variety without sounding gimmicky or slight on ideas. The album’s nine cuts pack in six different ensemble configurations, varying from trio to quintet in size. Besides the leader, guitarist Wes Montgomery is the only other constant and he easily meets the subtle challenges posed by the shifting palette. His signature and celebrated octave style is in evidence, but tempered by a greater reliance on single note improvisations that add to the openness of the pieces.

“I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “Violets for Your Furs” presage later ballad experiments by Chet Baker and Ruby Braff with only guitar and bass backing Adderley’s smooth melodic musings. “Mean to Me” places his puckish cornet in the company of a pianoless trio of guitar, bass and drums. “My Heart Stood Still” finds Sam Jones taking over on bass while Keter Betts switches to cello, a change-up that occurs repeatedly throughout the date. The braiding of high to low pizzicato patterns suggests chamber sonorities without sacrificing soul jazz credentials. Pianist Bobby Timmons assists in this regard as well, his funky comping augmenting the action on the opening rundown of Adderley’s crowning title composition and two other cuts. Drummer Louis Hayes shows comparable versatility on the fast tempo “Fallout”, punctuating a plucked thicket of strings with a sturdy snare barrage. Keepnews’ confidence was well justified in this case Nat’s inventive work here stands up well against the higher profile projects his brother was putting out in his company at the time. Admiration for the Adderley name wasn’t solely directed at an island of one.

~ Derek Taylor