Trumpeter Yves Francois has been active on Chicago's jazz scene since the '70s. Yves was brought up in a musical family, his father was a musician, his mother a ballerina. A trumpeter and huge fan of early jazz, he is active today as Yves Francois et Rocambu Jazz, a swinging group that still plays jazz & blues but also highlife and Caribbean. In the '80s Yves issued two LPs, in tiny quantities, on Franz's Pinnacle label.
Yves will be the first to tell you that he considered Franz his "musical father" and credits him with shaping the way Yves wanted to play jazz. There is no doubt about how much Yves respected Franz as a musician and as a man and his admiration was on display prominently when Yves joined so many other outstanding musicians for Franz's 95th birthday concert in November, 2007 and at his memorial service in May.
While this is not technically Franz’s album, trumpeter Yves so prominently features him (as well as saxophonist Eddie Johnson) that his name may as well be in the title! Mr. Francois is an excellent musician and shows his skill on such classics as “Lester Leaps In”. The true essence of the album, however, belongs to the great saxophonists Jackson and Johnson. These two great reedmen would not typically be found on the same album, but Francois scored quite a coup for the listener in getting them on this recording. Get ready to jump, jive and swing to such great tunes as “Lester Leaps In”, “Comin’ In Home” – a Franz Jackson composition, “Catnip” (a composition by Franz and Yves Francois), and “Melancholy Blues”. These recordings from 1981, 1982 and 1986 and released in 2005 will get you up out of your seat and swinging to some really outstanding jazz!
Musicians: Yves Francois (trumpet and flugelhorn); Franz Jackson (tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet and vocals); Eddie Johnson (tenor sax); (John Gorman (trumpet, flugelhorn and valve trombone); Marc Smierciak (alto and tenor sax); Joe Johnson (piano); Jeff Lindahl (bass); Ken Voelker (drums); Steve Mengler (trombone); Odie Payne, Jr. (drums); Stan Warren (alto and tenor sax); Carl Silberman (clarinet and baritone sax); Andy Johnson (piano); Mark Anderson (drums); John Knecht (congas); Bud Johnson (piano); Steve Keating (drums); Clay Grossman (drums); and Sharon Waltham (vocals).
Cuts Include:
Roll 'Em Pete
Blues For Hawk
Melancholy Baby
How Long Blues
Tiptoe
Kathy
Catnip
Studio Chatter
Mecca Flat Blues
Just a Feeling
Sweet Sue (Just You)
Hot Harlem
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
Spider Crawl
Hassell Road
