Lorez Alexandria - Deep Roots

Lorez Alexandria - Deep Roots - Argo LP 694 - Argo Original Pressing, Stereo, Blue Label

Lorez Alexandria - Vocals
John Young - Piano
George Eskridge - Guitar
Israel Crosby - Bass
Vernell Fournier - Drums
Howard McGhee - Trumpet

Arranged by John Young

Recorded - ? [not listed on sleeve, but according to major discographies - February 13 &14, 1962, Ter Mar Recording Studios, Chicago]

Supervision - Ralph Bass
Engineer - Ron Malo
Cover - Don Bronstein

Released - June 23, 1962

Argo as a label really wasn't that interested in vocal sides - strange as its parent Chess had really pioneered blues/early rock n roll...Etta James was just about it, but she isn't much of a jazz singer. This is one of Lorez Alexandria's four wonderful but rather brief sides on Argo. It's arranged with nice accompaniment on the piano by John Young, joined by Ahmad Jamal's classic rhythm section of Israel Crosby and Vernell Fournier, and George Eskridge on guitar - a quite unique Argo all star lineup. This lineup also cut another Argo vocal side with the obscure blues-jazz singer Bonnie Graham in 1962 ('Brown Gal': LP 4017, released in the 4000 Blues/Pop/Folk series ) and it's another opportunity to hear Young working nicely with Crosby and Fournier as tasteful accompaniment.

Back to Lorez - she's really the Chicago jazz singer par excellence - the blues/gospel influence here is quite pronounced - but with her own unique intonation and phrasing on these jazz standards. Moving to Impulse in 1964, she really did deserve that commercial breakthrough into the pop world which unfortunately never came. Excellent fidelity off the original blue label Argo stereo vinyl.

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