MAY 27

               HAROLD VICK

               Steppin' Out!

                  Recording Date:

                      May 27, 1963

                  Personnel:

                      Blue Mitchell      TP
                      Harold Vick        TS
                      Big John Patton  O
                      Grant Green       G
                      Ben Dixon          D

LINK RETIRED

Reviewby Scott Yanow

This soul-jazz outing by tenor saxophonist Harold Vick (his recording debut as a leader) casts him in a role that was often occupied by Stanley Turrentine. Vick, with a quintet that also includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Grant Green, organist John Patton, and drummer Ben Dixon, performs four blues, a slightly trickier original (five of the six songs are his), plus the ballad "Laura" on this CD reissue. There are no real surprises, but no disappointments either on what would be Harold Vick's only chance to lead a Blue Note date. At 27 he was already a fine player.