BOOKER ERVIN — The In Between (1968-1997) RM | Blue Note Connoisseur Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Booker Ervin headed to Blue Note in 1968 for The In Between, a record that found him continuing in the vein of his later Prestige sessions. Supported by trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Bobby Few, bassist Cevera Jeffries and drummer Lennie McBrowne, Ervin created an album that pushed the boundaries of hard bop. Every song on The In Between is an Ervin original designed to challenge the musicians. The music rarely reaches avant-garde territory -- instead, it's edgy, volatile hard bop that comes from the mind as much as the soul. Appropriately, Ervin balances his full-bodied tone with a forceful, aggressive attack that even sounds restless on the slower numbers. The result is a satisfying, cerebral set of adventurous hard bop that finds Booker Ervin at a creative peak. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    The In Between    7:39
 Booker Ervin
2    The Muse    7:14
 Booker Ervin
3    Mour    5:57
 Booker Ervin
4    Sweet Pea    5:33
 Booker Ervin / Tommy Roe
5    Largo    6:23
 Booker Ervin
6    Tyra    7:28
 Booker Ervin
Credits :
Bass – Cevera Jeffries Jr.
Drums – Lenny McBrowne
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Bobby Few Jr.
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Booker Ervin
Trumpet – Richard Williams (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)

BOOKER ERVIN - Structurally Sound (1966-2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Mixing the dusky romanticism of Dexter Gordon and the progressive tonal ideology of John Coltrane, Booker Ervin is often filed under "A" for amalgam alongside other overlooked tenor masters such as Tina Brooks and Hank Mobley. Structurally Sound is perhaps not Ervin's most provocative album, but a solid and tasty endeavor featuring the suspended chord sounds popularized by McCoy Tyner during the late '60s. Here, the chords come via the brilliant pianist John Hicks, who opens the album with funky high-end triplet figures on Randy Weston's "Berkshire Blues." Joining in is a well-selected roster of musicians, many of whom were also overshadowed by their more well-known contemporaries, including Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Red Mitchell on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Tolliver contributes the original composition "Franess," a Wayne Shorter-influenced affair that features his fat and burnished tone. They also cover Oliver Nelson's blissful standard "Stolen Moments" to good effect. Originally ending with an athletic up-tempo version of "Take the 'A' Train," the Blue Note Connoisseur Series reissue includes a sparkling "Shiny Stockings," featuring an especially inspired chorus by Ervin. An oddball version of "White Christmas" also makes it onto the disc, as do alternate takes of "Franess" and "Deep Night." by Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1     Berkshire Blues 5:30
Randy Weston
2     Dancing in the Dark 4:58
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
3     Stolen Moments 4:59
Oliver Nelson
4     Franess 5:08
Charles Tolliver
5     Boo's Blues 5:33
Booker Ervin
6     You're My Everything 4:46
Mort Dixon / Harry Warren / Joe Young
7     Deep Night 4:58
Charles Henderson / Rudy Vallée
8     Take the "A" Train 3:43
Billy Strayhorn
9     Shiny Stockings 4:48
Frank Foster
10     White Christmas 4:27
Irving Berlin
11     Franess 5:13
Charles Tolliver
12     Deep Night 7:15
Charles Henderson / Rudy Vallée
Credits :
Bass – Red Mitchell
Drums – Lenny McBrowne
Piano – John Hicks
Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin
Trumpet – Charles Tolliver