From Boogie to Funk finds the somewhat undercelebrated swing trumpeter
Bill Coleman at a late period in his career, nailing down this set of blues in Paris with a fine group in 1960. The set begins wonderfully with an extended journey through a 16-minute two-part piece entitled "From Boogie to Funk," with the first part subtitled "The Blues" and the second titled "The Boogie." The subtitles prove fitting as
Coleman indeed picks up the pace a bit for the second part, and from there the album never really slows down much. It's this swinging feel that propels the later pieces -- "Bill, Budd and Butter," "Afromotive in Blue," "Colemanonlogy," and "Have Blues, Will Play 'Em" -- which were all composed by
Coleman, as were the two parts of "From Boogie to Funk." Overall, this set never hits a lull and proves delightful throughout, making one wish
Coleman would have recorded a few more sessions such as this while in Paris. Joining him here are
Budd Johnson (tenor sax),
Les Spann (guitar),
Patti Bown (piano),
Quentin Jackson (trombone),
Buddy Catlett (bass), and
Joe Harris (drums).