Bobby Jones

Bobby Jones played tenor in the last Mingus bands of 1970-72, toured Europe and Japan with them, and then, with emphysema closing in, moved to Germany, where he died in 1980. Hill Country Suite is one of two records under his name, made at Trixi Studio in Munich on 30 August 1974 for Enja, in trio with George Mraz on bass and Freddie Waits on drums.

Six pieces, all his, and the titles say where he came from: Bringin' in the Sheep, Old Jack Daniels, Halleluja! Y'uns All Come to the Weddin' Dance, Only Blue, Lady Love, The Gospel Truth. Jones plays clarinet on two of them and tenor on the rest; Waits adds percussion on the opener. No piano, no other horn.

The Mingus connection is the reason to look, and the reason it works: a tenor player with that band's blues and church material in his hands, given a whole record to himself with a rhythm section as good as this one. Recorded by Heinz Gärtig, produced by Horst Weber and Matthias Winckelmann.

Japanese CD edition from Solid's Enja Real Jazz Classics series.