CLARK TERRY: PORTRAITS (ONE STEP)

Performer: Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals; Don Friedman – piano; Victor Gaskin – double bass; Lewis Nash – drums
Composer: Clark Terry
Number of discs: 1
Barcode: 4895241437984
Label: Evolution Music Group
Format: LP (180-gram One-Step)
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2025

180-gram One-Step LP pressing

First released by Chesky Records in 1989

Deluxe gatefold cover with extensive liner notes

Originally issued in 1989 by Chesky Records, Portraits stands as a priceless document of the extraordinary talent of legendary trumpeter, flugelhornist, and jazz educator Clark Terry. The first of four albums he recorded for the audiophile label, Portraits captures the 68-year-old St. Louis native at a time when he was already recognized as one of the world’s most renowned jazz musicians.

By then, Terry had released 35 albums and collaborated with luminaries such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones, and Dizzy Gillespie—firmly establishing his place in jazz history. Produced by David Chesky, Portraits features an exceptional quartet: Don Friedman on piano, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Alternating between flugelhorn and muted trumpet, Terry also displays his playful side with his signature scat singing on his original composition “Finger Filibuster.”

The quartet performs a superb set of classic jazz standards, including “Pennies from Heaven” and the nostalgic “Sugar Blues,” a heartfelt tribute to New Orleans jazz. As AllMusic critic Scott Yanow noted:

“Terry’s brilliant and instantly recognizable tone, combined with his creative, bop-influenced ideas, makes for an enjoyable and inspired session. All the selections pay homage to trumpeters, and pieces like ‘Pennies from Heaven,’ ‘Little Jazz,’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Kissed’—rarely performed by Terry—sound fresh and full of spirit.”

Tracklist

Side A

Pennies from Heaven
Sugar Blues
Finger Filibuster
Little Jazz

Side B

Jive at Five
Ciribiribin
I Can’t Get Started
I Don’t Wanna Be Kissed