Azure [Bonus Tracks] (2007)

About this title: King Curtis' lone LP for the tiny Everest label eschews his signature gutbucket R&B approach in favor of a late-night, bluesy atmosphere that brilliantly captures the unparalleled soulfulness of his tenor sax solos. Ballads and standards spanning from "Unchained Melody" to "The Nearness of You" are vividly realized by the lush arrangements of Sammy Lowe, complete with vocal contributions from the Malcolm Dodds Singers. Still, it's Curtis' melancholy leads that command the spotlight, boasting the cerebral intricacy of jazz and the emotional heft of soul. [Originally released in 1960, Essential ... read more

Tracks:

1. Close Your Eyes [Petkere]
2. Unchained Melody [North/Zaret]
3. Off Shore [Goldsen/Diamond]
4. The Nearness of You [Carmichael/Washingt]
5. Misty [Burke/Garner]
6. Stranger [Kaper/Latouche]
7. When I Fall in Love [Sheldon/Selden]
8. It Ain't Necessarily So [Gershwin/Gershwin]
9. Our Love Is Here to Stay [Gershwin/Gershwin]
10. My Love Is Your Love [Rule/Green]
11. Sweet and Lovely [Amheim/Tobias/Danie]
12. Azure [Ellington/Mills]
13. Lonely Prairie [Curtis]
14. Jay Walk [King Curtis]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.