Red Holloway

Red Holloway recorded four albums for Prestige during 1963-65, but did not have another opportunity to lead his own record date until 1982. This 1998 CD reissues his first (The Burner) and fourth (Red Soul) sets for Prestige. The earlier session is the most interesting of the two for; in addition to Holloway (who is heard throughout on tenor), there are fine solos from the bluesy guitarist Eric Gale and organist John Patton; two of the numbers ("Crib Theme" and "The Burner") are extended (over ten-minutes) workouts. The later album matches Holloway with guitarist George Benson (his associate at the time with Jack McDuff's combo) and either organist Dr. Lonnie Smith or pianist Norman Simmons. Although Red Holloway would continue to grow as a highly expressive blues-based soloist through the years, these performances (soul jazz that occasionally becomes hard bop) show that he was already a fairly distinctive and powerful soloist as early as 1963. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide