Johnny Richards - Something Else

Something Else was recorded for Bethlehem in Hollywood on August 2 and 3, 1956. What made Richards special as an arranger was his fiery romanticism and percussive moodiness. A highly progressive orchestral writer, Richards thought big. Really big. And he loved his section writing busy, textured and inflamed. He also wanted his soloists soulful and emotionally committed. As you might imagine, a Johnny Richards session was highly challenging from a reading and blowing perspective, even for the best studio musicians with the most hardened chops. Bill Holman said so. So did Al Stewart.

During the August 2 session, "Waltz Anyone?" was the only composition recorded that day. This may have been largely a result of the work itself. There is a sizable amount of instrumental traffic coming and going, and yet it's one of the prettiest and most cohesive jazz orchestral works. But it's a tiger. Or, Richards and the band may have nailed it early and used the remaining studio time to rehearse the other arrangements for the next day's session.

Don't think for a second that the problem may have been with the band: Pete Candoli, Buddy Childers and Maynard Ferguson (tp); Stu Williamson (tp,v-tb); Tommy Pederson, Frank Rosolino and Milt Bernhart (tb); John Cave (fhr); Albert Pollan (tu); Charlie Mariano (as); Richie Kamuca (ts); Ronny Lang (bar,pic); Bill Holman (bassax); Marty Paich (p); Buddy Clark (b); Stan Levey (d); Lou Singer (perc) and Johnny Richards (arr,dir).

The next day, Richards took on more firepower: Shorty Rogers (flhrn) was added (yeah, I know, added), and Don Kelly (b-tb) and Vince DeRosa (fhr) replaced Milt Bernhart and John Cave, respectively. The songs were For All We Know, Aijalon, Dimples, Long Ago and Far Away, Band Aide, Turn About and Burrito Borracho.

Richards composed Waltz Anyone? Dimples, Band Aide, Turn Aboot, Burrito Borracho and Aijalon (Richards's wife Blanca is listed as co-writer on the last track). The rest were standards. Every single track on this album is out of the park. There isn't a single ounce of wheel-spinning, cliché weaving, back-peddling or even the thought of padding or a cop-out chart. It's a perfect album and in my top 5 greatest jazz orchestra recordings of all time. *Marc Myers*

Side 1

1 - Waltz, Anyone?

(Richards)

2 - For All We Know

(Coots, Lewis)

3 - Dimples

(Richards)

4 - Band Aide

(Richards)

Side 2

5 - Turn Aboot

(Richards)

6 - Burrito Borracho (Inebriated Donkey)

(Richards)

7 - Long Ago And Far Away

(Kern, I.Gershwin)

8 - Aijalon

(Richards, Webb)

Johnny Richards (leader, arranger)

Track #1: Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli (tp), Stu Williamson (tp, v-tb), John Cave (Frh), Frank Rosolino, Tommy Pederson, Milt Bernardt (tb), Charlie Mariano (as), Richie Kamuca (ts), Ronny Lang (bs, piccolo), Bill Holman (bs), Marty Paich (p), Buddy Clark (b), Stan Levey (d), Lou Singer (mallets).

Recorded in Hollywood, August 2, 1956.

Tracks #2 to #8: Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli (tp), Stu Williamson (tp, v-tb), Shorty Rogers (b-tp), Vince De Rosa (Frh), Frank Rosolino, Tommy Pederson, Don Nelly (tb), Charlie Mariano (as), Richie Kamuca (ts), Ronny Lang (bs, piccolo), Bill Holman (bs), Marty Paich (p), Buddy Clark (b), Stan Levey (d), Lou Singer (mallets).

Recorded in Hollywood, August 3, 1956.