CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET / WEST BERLIN 1972 (1CDR)

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley – alto and soprano saxophone
Nat Adderley – cornet
George Duke – piano, keyboards
Walter Booker – bass
Roy McCurdy – drums

1. Black Messiah
2. Cannonball Raps
3. Humming
4. Cannonball Raps
5. Dr. Honoris Causa
6. Cannonball Raps
7. Bass, Piano Duo Improvisation
8. Soul Zodiac – Walk Tall

The BMM label—highly popular among fans for focusing on jazz and blues titles that were once considered rare collector’s items—now sees its catalog featured in the "Necromancer" series, a collection of officially licensed, budget-friendly reissues.

This release captures a performance in Berlin on November 2, 1972, sourced from an FM broadcast master (stereo soundboard). While many associate Cannonball Adderley primarily with works like *Somethin' Else* (featuring "Autumn Leaves"), the jazz world at this time—led by Miles Davis’s band—was evolving by incorporating elements of rock and funk; Cannonball was no exception. His rock-inflected improvisations are truly spectacular. Of particular note among the band members is keyboardist George Duke, who would later join Frank Zappa’s group, becoming a key figure during Zappa’s jazz-rock period. "Black Messiah," which spotlights Duke, is an essential listen—and not just for jazz fans.