Abe Most Quintet
Mister Clarinet
✤Liberty LJH 6004✤
Abe Most (February 27, 1920 – October 10, 2002) was a swing clarinetist and alto saxophonist who is known for his performances and recordings of the works of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman. He began his career in 1939 as a member of Les Brown's big band. After serving three years in the US Army during World War II from 1942-1945, he became a member of Tommy Dorsey's big band.
Most made a few albums with smaller labels, including Superior (1946), Trend (1954), Annunciata (1978) and Camard (1984). He was a studio musician for seven decades, playing on albums by Earth, Wind & Fire, Ted Gärdestad, Dick Haymes, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, and Dory Previn among others. He can also be heard playing on the soundtrack of the film "How to Marry a Millionaire". He is the older brother of jazz musician Sam Most. *library.ucsb.edu*
Mister Clarinet stands out due to its emphasis on swing music and showcases Abe leading a quintet made up of prominent musicians from that time. The twelve tracks featured on the album highlight Most's remarkable versatility and skill on the clarinet. This album is well-regarded for its sophisticated performances and the high standard of its arrangements, reinforcing Abe Most's status as an exceptional swing clarinetist. *worthpoint.com*
He's a jazz clarinet player and he's the Most! And Abe is his first name.
He stands 6 ft. 2 in — weighs 15 stone. He’s good-natured, guileless, easy-going and always smiling. As so many of the Hollywood musicians say: "Of all the guys around, Abe is the friendliest and the happiest".
But. one Christmas Day he cried his eyes out. It was December 25, 1929. He was nine. For three years Jack Teagarden had been his idol. Naturally, young Abe Most wanted Santa to give him a trombone, and he'd "gotten a clarinet instead".
"You see, things weren't too good in Dad's hat business", Abe told me. And the still youthful Pop Most chimed in: "Yes, licorice sticks were much cheaper than slip horns".
Anyway, it seems that little Abe soon dried his eyes. He quickly transferred his affections from Big T (Jack Teagarden) to BG (Benny Goodman) and settled down to learn the intricacies of the Boehm system. He practised to good effect, as is amply evidenced on the fascinating new recordings by Abe with his own group of Hollywood jazz stars.
The accomplished Abe was born, of Russian parents, in New York. Immediately on leaving high school he formed his own jazz quartet, a clarinet-accordion-guitar-bass group.
However, the California sun lured Abe back. He returned to Hollywood to rejoin Les Brown. The Most clarinet was heard with the Brown band on the Bob Hope and other radio and TV shows emanating from the West Coast.
In 1950, Abe left Les to go to the 20th-Century Fox film studios as their jazz clarinettist.
Nevertheless, Abe and his friend Buddy de Franco have their own mutual admiration society. Abe was, actually, Buddy's successor in Tommy Dorsey's band.
Abe has studied extensively under the Schillinger system. He composes and arranges everything played by the group.
You will find that it is not, in any way music for profound study. But it is music for consummate enjoyment. It's modern jazz with a completely unpretentious approach — a swinging, ebullient sound that expresses the personality of its creator — articulate ABE (the) MOST.
*Howard Lucraft (liner notes)*
Side 1
1 - Let's Fall In Love
(Arlken, Koehler)
2 - There's A Small Hotel
(Rodgers, Hart)
3 - You Go To My Head
(Coots, Gillespie)
4 - Smoke Rings
(Gifford, Washington)
5 - The Lively Ghost
(Abe Most)
6 - Myrtha
(Abe Most)
Side 2
7 - Lady Is A Tramp
(Rodgers, Hart)
8 - Little Girl Blue
(Rodgers, Hart)
9 - Makin' Whoopee
(Kahn, Donaldson)
10 - Stuffed Olives
(Abe Most)
11 - What Is There To Say
(Harburg, V. Duke)
12 - Mr. Caddis Thorpe
(Abe Most)
Abe Most (clarinet), Tony Rizzi (guitar),
Paul Smith (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).
Recorded in Hollywood, California, August 1955