S3, EP #20 - Larry Young - Unity (Blue Note Records)
Released August of 1966; Recorded November 10, 1965
Larry Young was a pioneering jazz organist born in Newark, New Jersey. Renowned for his innovative approach to the Hammond B-3 organ, Young seamlessly blended modal jazz, post-bop, and avant-garde elements. His career took off in the early 1960s, with notable albums and his groundbreaking collaboration with John Coltrane in 1965-1966. Unity, released in 1966 on the Blue Note label, is considered Young's masterpiece. This landmark album features an exceptional quartet: Larry Young on organ, Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Elvin Jones on drums, and Woody Shaw on trumpet. Each musician's unique talents contribute to the album's distinct sound, characterized by adventurous improvisations and a cohesive fusion of styles. Tracks such as "Zoltan," "Monk’s Dream," "If," "The Moontrane," "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," and "Beyond All Limits" showcase the quartet's virtuosity and synergy, making Unity a seminal work in jazz organ history. Despite his untimely death in 1978 at age 37, Larry Young's legacy endures, continuing to inspire musicians with his visionary contributions to jazz.