Roy Haynes: Snap Crackle
Musicians:
Roy Haynes (drums), Rahsaan Roland Kirk (tenor sax, manzello, stritch, nose flute), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Henry Grimes (bass).
Composed by Roy Haynes
.Recorded: New York, May 16, 1962
Rating: 92/100 (learn more)
In the late 1950s and '60s, Roy Haynes rededicated himself to the New York freelance scene. He took a walk on the wild side with such artists as Eric Dolphy, Jaki Byard, Steve Lacy, and Andrew Hill, performed straight-ahead dates with Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, and Stan Getz, and accompanied singers Jackie Paris, Shirley Scott, and Ray Charles. So when it came time to assemble a group for his own date, Haynes cleverly combined the experimental-yet-grounded Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the classicism of pianist Tommy Flanagan, producing one of the more rewarding combinations of soloists in jazz.
This track features the hyper-energized, prodding-and-stabbing drumming on smaller, high-pitched drums that led Haynes to acquire the very nickname of "Snap Crackle." Kirk offers a nice down-&-dirty solo here, but the drum solo is the sure highlight. Note how Haynes begins with brief 16th-note calls and responses, followed by 6 or 7 measures of offbeat 8th-note melodic patterns. He then begins the same process over again, this time extending the 16th-note runs for 10 measures, and the subsequent offbeat 8th-note runs for 12 or so. This clever, large-scale plan of laying a thoughtful foundation for improvisation is the very essence of Haynes's sound.
Reviewer: Eric Novod
Tags: 1960s jazz · drums
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