Ray Anderson - Right Down Your Alley (Soul Note, 1984)

This post is by Scott and Dan

Ray Anderson (tb); Mark Helias (b); Gerry Hemingway (d)

Recorded on February 03, 1984

Right Down Your Alley was trombonist Ray Anderson's first major recording. He was born in Chicago in 1962 and formed a musical partnership with Gerry Hemingway and Mark Helias. Going under the monikers Oahspe and BassDrumBone, they recorded nine albums on assorted labels between 1979 and 2016. 

Anderson's music reflects his flamboyant personality. Unlike most post-bop trombonists, such as J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, and Jimmy Knepper, Anderson deploys a steady array of special effects - slides, slurs, growls - that are reminiscent of New Orleans-style traditional jazz. He's a bit like Wycliffe Gordon without the polish but more exploratory and with a more abundant sense of humor.

Side 1 of Right Down Your Alley features three Anderson compositions, all raucously spirited. Side 2 offers two compositions by the other group members, which adds to the variety of sonic pleasures. Helias's "Limbo" slows the pace and finds Anderson playing more conventional 'bone to complement the bassist's arco. Hemingway's "Paucartambo" ends the album with a delightful display of steel drums, part of the percussionist's vast array of instruments. 

The excellent recording was engineered by David Baker at Classic Sound in New York City and mastered in Italy. It was smart of Soul Note to manufacture and distribute records by American artists in the label's early days.