The Jon Eardley Seven

When Jon Eardley first joined Gerry Mulligan's Quartet many people immediately closeted him with Chet Baker for the simple reason that he was playing with Gerry Mulligan. It is true that Jon was exercising a certain restraint in fitting his personality to the quartet but he never sounded like Baker. However, it took his own recordings and those with Phil Woods to establish clearly that his was a harmonically richer and more virile style.

Here it is a septet for which he has penned some arresting lines which never lack an inner swing and are well developed by the integration of trumpet-alto against trombone-tenor. For the personnel of the septet, Jon has drawn on past and present associates and chosen wisely and well. The very sound that they get points up the kindred spirit that existed on the date. For conclusive proof listen to the exchange between Zoot and Phil in "On The Minute" or the four way conversation on "Ladders". 

As I said before this is really Jon's personal expression. Aside from the ballad "There's No You" and George Syran's "For Leap Year", the rest of the compositions are by him. And there is his muscular and melodic horn which shows further maturity and added lustre. This is Eard's word and you can take him at it, for he knows whereof he speaks... straight from the shoulder.

*Ira Gitler (liner notes)*

This recording was done at a time when Jon Eardley and Zoot Sims were members of Gerry Mulligan's sextet. Jon, the young trumpeter from Altoona, Pennsylvania, was first visible at the legendary Open Door sessions in Greenwich Village during the mid-Fifties. Then he and Phil Woods recorded together in their New Jazz Quintet and Jon did his own quartet and quintet dates for Prestige. This septet shows off not only his playing and composing but his arranging talent as well. With Sims and Woods aboard, solo power was guaranteed. Milt Gold was not as well known but his highly articulate trombone fits in perfectly. In the Sixties Eardley left the United States for Europe to work in Belgium and Germany. He became a valuable member of the WDR Radio Big Band in Cologne, Germany, where his trumpet and flugelhorn continued to champion lyricism and swing until his death in 1991. *concord.com*

Side 1

1 - Leap Year

(Syran)

2 - There's No You

(Hopper)

3 - On The Minute

(Eardley)

Side 2

4 - Ladders

(Eardley)

5 - Koo Koo

(Eardley)

6 - Eard's Word

(Woods)

Jon Eardley (trumpet), Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Phil Woods (alto sax), Milt Gold (trombone), George Syran (piano), Teddy Kotick (bass), Nick Stabulas (drums).

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, January 13, 1956.