“Saying Something” is an album by the Bill Hardman Quintet, recorded on October 18, 1961, at Medallion Studios,Newark, New Jersey, produced by Herman Lubinsky with engineer Paul Cady. Originally released on SavoyRecords (MG-12170), it was reissued by Jazz Workshop Vinyl as a 180-gram audiophile LP (JW-094),remastered to highlight the original’s vibrant sound. The lineup features Bill Hardman (trumpet), Sonny RedKyner (alto saxophone), Ron Mathews (piano), Bob Cunningham and Doug Watkins (bass, by track), and JimmyCobb (drums). The album includes Hardman’s originals like Jojo and Assunta (dedicated to his wife, Roseline),plus standards like Thelonious Monk’s I Mean You. The music is hard bop with a bluesy foundation, withHardman’s trumpet bold and punchy, complemented by Sonny Red’s tart solos. AllMusic’s Scott Yanow gave it 4stars, calling it “solid hard bop, very much of the period but still fairly fresh.” The Jazz Workshop reissue, limitedto 500 copies, is praised for its clarity, especially in the trumpet, and features the iconic cover art by HarveyWilliams. It holds a 4.5/5 rating on Discogs (based on 8 reviews). Saying Something is a powerful record,underscoring Hardman’s talent and place among hard-bop titans.
Bill Hardman (April 6, 1933 – December 6, 1990), born William Franklin Hardman Jr., was an American jazztrumpeter and flugelhornist, a standout hard-bop player. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he played with local talents likeBobby Few and Bob Cunningham, performing with Tadd Dameron in high school. After graduating, he joined TinyBradshaw’s band, debuting on record with Jackie McLean in 1956. Hardman worked with Charles Mingus, ArtBlakey’s Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, and Lou Donaldson, but his three stints with the Messengers missedtheir iconic Blue Note recordings, hindering mainstream fame. His style featured blazing technique, crisparticulation, and a no-frills sound, later infused with the romantic passion of Clifford Brown in the 1960s–1970s.Though respected in jazz circles, he never achieved the commercial success of Donald Byrd or Lee Morgan. Hepassed away in Paris at 57, leaving a legacy as a brilliant but underrecognized master.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Capers (McIntosh) 7:10
2. Angel Eyes (Brent-Dennis) 5:55
3. Buckeye Blues (Hardman) 10:44
Side Two:
1. Jo B. (Hardman) 9:50
2. Assunta (Massey) 6:10
3. With Malice Toward None (McIntosh-Hendricks) 3:55
4. It Aint Happened Yet (Hardman) 5:18
Personnel:
Bill Hardman (trumpet), Sonny Red (alto sax, except on #7), Ronnie Mathews (piano), Bob Cunningham (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums). Doug Watkins, replaces Cunningham on #7.
Recorded at Medallion Studios, Newark, New Jersey, October 18, 1961
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