The Freedom Book Explained

The Freedom Book
Type:	Album
Artist:	Booker Ervin
Cover:	The Freedom Book.jpg
Released:	March 1964^[1]
Recorded:	December 3, 1963
Studio:	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre:	Post-bop, hard bop
Length:	40:05
Label:	Prestige PRLP 7295
Producer:	Don Schlitten
Chronology:	Booker Ervin
Prev Title:	Gumbo!
Prev Year:	1963
Next Title:	The Song Book
Next Year:	1964

The Freedom Book is an album by American jazz saxophonist Booker Ervin featuring performances recorded in 1963 for the Prestige label.^[2]

Reception

The Allmusic review by Steve Leggett awarded the album 4½ stars and stated "The Freedom Book is a near perfect set of modern hard bop, ranging just far enough out there to feel fresh but retaining a strong lifeline to bop tradition".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Booker Ervin except where noted

1. "A Lunar Tune" - 7:50
2. "Cry Me Not" (Randy Weston) - 4:53
3. "Grant's Stand" - 8:01
4. "A Day to Mourn" - 9:33
5. "Al's In" - 9:48

Personnel

• Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone
• Jaki Byard - piano
• Richard Davis - bass
• Alan Dawson - drums

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=BCIEAAAAMBAJ&dq=booker+ervin+the+freedom+book&pg=PA33 Billboard March 21, 1964
2. http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Leaders/ErvinBooker-ldr.php Booker Ervin discography
3. Leggett, S. Allmusic Review accessed February 3, 2011