The Cookers - 'Look Out!' CD

Look Out!

GB1571CD
Release date: 24 September, 2021
Compact Disc in replica mini LP-style gatefold sleeve
Liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre
Stereo

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“genuine all-stars” – The Guardian

“Individually, they've been at the core of the post-bop jazz scene for decades. As a group, they've been thrilling audiences around the world for the past 5 years.” – NPR

“A dream team of forward-leaning hard-bop” - NY Times

Look Out! is the triumphant sixth album return of jazz supergroup The Cookers, due out on September 24th on double vinyl, CD, and digital. Recorded at the iconic Van Gelder studio in Englewood Cliffs and cut using a Van Gelder-era '67 Haeco Sculley lathe at Gearbox Records, the 7-track release comprises original, fresh pieces written by Cecil McBee, Billy Harper, and George Cables which channel the heady, aggressive post-bop era of the mid-60s.

Whereas the majority of the jazz tradition’s elder statesmen head their own groups, this is one of the few jazz bands to contain legacy musicians of this calibre functioning as an equitable, long-standing ensemble. Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart all came up in the heady era of the mid ‘60s: Hart and Henderson were members of Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking Mwandishi group; Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd’s great ’60s quartet alongside Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette; Billy Harper was part of Lee Morgan’s last group, as well as being a member of Max Roach’s Quartet and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers; while George Cables held down the piano chair in numerous bands including groups led by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper. David Weiss and Donald Harrison, from a more recent generation and the youngest members of the band, are experts in this forthright lingo, having gained experience performing with Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Roy Haynes and Herbie Hancock.

After 14 years together, again the incredibly high level of musicianship has only increased with the revisiting of their fresh, challenging, boundary-pushing music from these legendary, revered, veteran improvisers.

Tracklist

1. The Mystery of Monifa Brown
2. Destiny Is Yours
3. Cat's Out The Bag
4. Somalia
5. AKA Reggie
6. Traveling Lady
7. Mutima

Credits

Billy Harper: tenor sax
Eddie Henderson: trumpet
David Weiss: trumpet
Donald Harrison: alto sax
George Cables: piano
Cecil McBee: bass
Billy Hart: drums

Produced by David Weiss
Executive Producer: Darrel Sheinman 

Recorded at Van Gelder Recording Studio by Maureen Sickler
Mixed by Katherine Miller
Mastered and cut at Gearbox Studio by Caspar Sutton-Jones and Darrel Sheinman

Mastered using all-valve Decca equalisation and Telefunken limiters. Lacquer discs cut on a Haeco Scully lathe with Westrex RA1700 series amps, Westrex 3DIIA cutting head. Monitored on Audio Note equipment