Moodsville Vol. 1 Review: Red Garland and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Launch Craft Recordings’ Late Night Jazz Reissue Series

Two respected artists from jazz’s 1950s and 1960s golden era are not exactly household names these days: pianist Red Garland and tenor saxophonist Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis.

But when you look at Garland’s discography alone, you quickly realize that he was the keyboard voice on many seminal recordings by no less than Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Some of his own albums with ’Trane and Donald Byrd—All Mornin’ Long, Soul Junction, and Dig It!—are considered classics in their own right and essential pieces of the completist collector’s puzzle.

Likewise, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis left behind a number of terrific sessions as both a leader and sideman, often working with Shirley Scott, Johnny Griffin, and Count Basie.

Given Garland’s subtle, tasteful playing style, it’s not entirely surprising that Prestige Records chose him to kick off its Moodsville series in 1960, paired with Davis’ breathy, crooning tone.

Accordingly, Craft Recordings has restored this rare gem as one of the first titles in its new reissue series. And I use the word “rare” here because, while there have been reissues over the years, only three original copies were listed on Discogs at the time of this writing—a handy barometer of relative scarcity for certain titles—and none appeared on eBay.

I’ve never found an original copy myself. 

Official press materials explain the Moodsville series’ intent:

“Each album will be released on vinyl in partnership with audiophile leader Acoustic Sounds, a partner Craft has previously collaborated with on its acclaimed Bluesville Records and Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds series. Delivering the highest-quality listening experience, the LPs feature all-analog mastering (AAA) from the original tapes by GRAMMY-nominated engineer Matthew Lutthans (The Mastering Lab) and are pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Records Pressing (QRP). Faithfully reproduced tip-on jackets round out every release.”

As with the Frank Wess Quartet Moodsville, Vol. 8 LP, which I reviewed recently, as well as Coleman Hawkins’ The Hawk Relaxes, the overall production quality of this new reissue is excellent, with quiet, well-centered vinyl and superior cover graphics.

Musically, Moodsville, Volume 1 is really one of those “less is more” scenarios. Red Garland’s sensitive choice of notes and timing elevates the recording. For example, “Wonder Why” opens with a lush solo piano introduction and plenty of borderline lounge-y flourish, but when the band enters midway through, the arrangement suddenly shifts into territory that pre-echoes the vibe Vince Guaraldi would later champion on his best-selling soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Admittedly, artists like Oscar Peterson made music like this over the years, but his sheer firepower could sometimes overwhelm the material, making it less appealing for late-night listening when the lights are low. Peterson’s conscious forays into softer, smoother sounds—such as 1956’s In a Romantic Mood and Pastel Moods—unfortunately crossed the line into schmaltzy arrangements and remain among my least favorite of his recordings.

Priced at just $32.99 on Amazon, this new reissue of Moodsville, Volume 1 is an easy choice if you want some chill late night jazz sounds which skillfully ride the fine line between the cocktail lounge and genuine sensitive musicality.

Our Ratings

★★★★★★★★★★ Music

★★★★★★★★★★ Sound

★★★★★★★★★★ Packaging

Where to Buy

Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc.  You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.