50 Jazz Blues Licks is an exclusive series of video
I found out about tenorist Harold Ousley while scouting up information for an earlier post on Lou Donaldson – Ousley is the composer of the tune “Dapper Dan,” which Donaldson recorded on Midnight Creeper in 1968. Ousley, who made his debut as a leader in 1961 with the LP Tenor Sax, didn’t record again on his own until 1972. It’s hard to reconcile the notion of someone tasteful enough to fill Lester Young’s shoes (Ousley spent time accompanying Billie Holiday in the ‘50s) with the album art for Sweet Double Hipness, but – well – it was the 1970s. So what can you do? I’m just glad there are tracks in this world like “Uncle Funky,” which yes, predates Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” by a year. Unlike the Hancock tune, “Uncle Funky” winds its way through a complete twenty-four bar blues progression, albeit in a funk-inspired, straight-eighths way that makes you want to reach for your wide-wale corduroys and a big glass of Tang. Our first Ousley-inspired lick is as notable for what’s going on rhythmically as melodically and harmonically – on
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