#2 - Have You Heard? - "Patterns in Jazz"

Recorded in 1956, bari saxophonist Gil Melle's album is an odd but worthy addition to the Blue Note library.  I stumbled upon this rare album while looking over the Blue Note Records discography on Wikipedia.  Not to be confused with Jerry Coker's seminal be-bop guide Patterns for Jazz, Patterns in Jazz represents a great but obscure example of "cool" jazz.

Pattern's in Jazz introduced me to some excellent soloists I had not yet heard.  Joe Cinderella and Ed Bert's solos are exciting and melodic additions to Gil Melle's Gerry Mulligan inspired improvisations.  Veteran all-stars Ed Thigpen and Oscar Pettiford hold down groove and provide the perfect backdrop for inspired solists.  Melle's cool-school inspired yet abstract compositions are the true star of the show here.  Weird Valley and Nice Questions were among my favorite tracks.


"The Set Break" - 4:48
"Weird Valley" - 5:13
"Moonlight in Vermont - 4:52
"Long Ago and Far Away - 4:32
"The Arab Barber Blues" - 9:05
"Nice Questions" - 8:17


Patterns in Jazz - Gil Melle

• Gil Mellé - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
• Eddie Bert - trombone 
• Joe Cinderella - guitar
• Oscar Pettiford - bass
• Ed Thigpen - drums