Shirley Scott – A Walkin’ Thing

Description

1992s A Walkin Thing is the last of three albums the great American organist Shirley Scott recorded for Candid, and her final recording before her passing.A true titan of jazz, Scotts mix of gospel and hard-pop helped define the 60s soul-jazz scene both as a leader and a featured player with Stanley Turrentine and Eddie Lockjaw Davis.

Born in 1934, the undisputed Queen of the B3 began her long recording career with Prestige Recoedsa in 1958, going on to release legendary albums on Impulse!, Cadet, Atlantic and Candid. Here, on her last outing, Scott returns to her signature sound, ending her career on a perfect high-note.

The set has a variety of moods – The infectious romp and joy of Carnival, the marvelous tribute to Art Blakey entitled Shades of Bu, and title track A Walkin Thing, which gets an extended workout by Scott. Theres also a swinging version of Irving Berlins Remember, the truly funky DB Blues. Probably the standout is Scotts ultra-slow, hymn-like take on When a Man Loves a Woman.

First and foremost, Scott was a trained pianist, and it should be noted that towards the end of her life, she gravitated more to that instrument. But here, Scott returns to form, making this recording bitter sweet.

Recorded in 1992 at the at the famed Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. This recording has been remastered by legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. – CANDID Records