Russ Garcia - Four Horns And A Lush Life

The name of Russell Garcia always comes to mind when we try to describe the orchestral sounds emerged from West Coast jazz scene during the second half of the Fifties. His works are regarded with great respect for the special, distinctive touch there is in all of his arrangements that helped to enrich the language of both orchestra and combo-size jazz ensembles.

On this LP Russ conducts a band featuring four trombones with support from a rhythm section and a baritone sax that validates the experimentalists cause. Herbie Harper, Tommy Pederson and Frank Rosolino play slide trombones, while Maynard Ferguson romps through the proceedings on valve trombone. Each member of this quartet is a distinguished artist in brass and their blended talent has produced a trombone choir that is unexcelled. *Jordi Pujol*

There are great jazz albums and then there are tasty great jazz albums. This is the latter Russ Garcia's Four Horns and a Lush Life (Bethlehem). Recorded in Hollywood in November 1955, the band featured four gorgeous trombonists: Frank Rosolino, Herb Harper, Maynard Ferguson and Tommy Pederson (tb) backed by Dick Houlgate (bs), Marty Paich (p), Red Mitchell (b), Stan Levey (d) and Russ Garcia (arr, conductor).

In 2008, I asked Russ about the album during a JazzWax interview:

Marc Myers: Four Horns and a Lush Life featured your original four-trombone concept. Who came up with the song title, I'll Never Forget What's Her Name?

Russ Garcia: (laughs) Oh, that was trombonist Frank Rosolino. The tune actually was "Fine and Dandy", but there wasn't much left of that. I just took the chord structure and wrote an original. I said, "What do I call this?" Frank was a funny, funny guy. He shot out, how about "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name." It was too good to pass up.

Marc Myers: What is it about writing for the trombone that you love so much?

Russ Garcia: The instrument can be strong and gutsy and swinging, or it can be soft and beautiful, like a French horn. And it's in a tenor range, which is always very pleasant. I just kind of enjoy the instrument. I played a wee bit of trombone. After that Four Horns album, I wound up writing a number of trombone-oriented albums in the 50s for Frances Faye and Anita O'Day.

Also note the juicy piano solos taken by Marty Paich and how soft and brief his left was in the bass clef. *Marc Myers*

Russ Garcia was a popular arranger in the mid-'50s, often working with some of the best jazz artists of the day. On this session for Bethlehem, he conducts an octet with four trombonists (including Maynard Ferguson, Frank Rosolino, Herbie Harper and Tommy Pederson), plus baritone saxophonist Dick Houlgate, pianist Marty Paich, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Stan Levey. Most of Garcia's cool arrangements are of standards, while his "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name (The Lo-est)" is a barely disguised reworking of the chord changes to "Fine and Dandy". Obviously, the trombonists are the primary focus of the solos, though Paich, Houlgate and Mitchell get a chance to get in a few licks of their own. Garcia's use of a trombone choir is very effective in the warm treatment of "Lush Life" and a cooking "What Is This Thing Called Love?". *Ken Dryden*

Side 1

1 - I'll Never Forget What's Her Name

(Garcia)

2 - But Beautiful

(Burke, Van Heusen)

3 - Dancing On The Ceiling

(Rodgers, Hart)

4 - The Boy Next Door

(Martin, Blane)

5 - Just One Of Those Things

(Porter)

6 - Zigeuner

(Coward)

Side 2

7 - Limehouse Blues

(Braham, Furber)

8 - Lush Life

(Strayhorn)

9 - Lover, Come Back To Me

(Romberg, Hammerstein)

10 - Ramona

(Wayne, Gilbert)

11 - Someone To Watch Over Me

(G. and I. Gershwin)

12 - What Is This Thing Called Love?

(Porter)

Frank Rosolino, Herbie Harper, Maynard Ferguson, Tommy Pederson (trombones); Dick Houlgate (baritone sax); Marty Paich (piano); Red Mitchell (bass); Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Holywood, California, November 14, 1955.

Arranged and conducted by Russ Garcia