Memphis Underground -1989
Herbie Mann
The flutist is in excellent form at the Newport Jazz Festival
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Herbie Mann (1930-2003), who started his career playing bebop on tenor and bass clarinet in addition to flute, became jazz’s most popular flutist when he started performing Latin jazz in 1959.
Mann was a major attraction during the 1960s and ‘70s and continued playing worthwhile music for the next few decades.
“Memphis Underground” was a popular number for Mann in 1968 but this version from the 1989 Newport Jazz Festival is much more adventurous and swinging.
Joined by a strong band that probably includes keyboardist Mark Soskin and percussionist Cyro Baptista, Mann is in top form for a spirited rendition that shifts tempos and moods a few times.
-Scott Yanow
