Oliver Nelson was a talented jazz saxophonist whose playing skills were eventually overshadowed by what flowed from his pen.
In 1961, he recorded Blues and the Abstract Truth, an album now considered a jazz classic. Nelson composed all the tunes, with one of them, Stolen Moments, becoming a standard in the jazz repertoire. Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy and Bill Evans were among the musicians on the date.
But Nelson soon became in greater demand for his arranging talents than for his playing. Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery and Billy Taylor were among those who benefited from his skills. Nelson also began writing for the movies and television.
But in 1974 (the year before his death at 43 from a heart attack), Nelson made one of his infrequent returns to playing when producer Bob Thiele put him together with Oily Rags, a British rock group fronted by Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock. The duo was soon to gain fame as Chas & Dave.
Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags, the result of the transatlantic collaboration, wasn't much favoured by the critics, but it's a pleasant, laid-back, blues-based affair. From it, comes Working Man, a Hodges/Peacock composition. The MP3 is taken from the original LP.
Working Man
As far as I know this album has never turned up on CD. And none of the tracks appear to be available as legal downloads. Used copies of the LP, which turn up fairly frequently, tend to be expensive.
Here's another track from the album, via YouTube.
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