Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre

Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre:

Altoist Lee Konitz is showcased during a set of adventurous Bill Russo arrangements for an orchestra and strings in 1958, pops up on half of Ralph Burns' underrated 1951 classic Free Forms (the most enjoyable of the four sets), and meets up with baritonist Jimmy Giuffre, whose arrangements for five saxes (including the great tenor Warne Marsh) and a trio led by pianist Bill Evans are sometimes equally influenced by classical music and bop. The least interesting date showcases Giuffre’s clarinet with a string section on his five-part "Piece For Clarinet And String Orchestra" and the 16 brief movements of "Mobiles". *vinylpussycat.com*

These two virtuoso reed players are among the most intrepid improvisers in jazz. In the Forties, Konitz was the alternative voice to Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, playing with a pure, cool sound, and he first came to prominence with the Miles Davis nine-piece band.

Lee Konitz meets Jimmy Giuffre, and it's a small masterpiece of pure jazz. Konitz is the main soloist on nine tracks of standards, ballads and originals, all beautifully scored by Giuffre for five saxophones plus a rhythm section of pianist Bill Evans, bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Ronnie Free. The music swings effortlessly and has the added joy of solos by Evans, the late great tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh and Giuffre himself, who plays baritone sax. *classical-music.com*

You And Lee:

A treasure! This album has been long out of print, although it was available on some compilations.

Before I proceed give the sound samples on You And Lee  a listen to get a sense of this album. For one thing, it's more of a big band ensemble. However, the arrangements by Jimmy Giuffre lift this into a different vibe than your typical big band fare. There is a definite West Coast touch to this album. Another feature is the rhythm section, which features Bill Evans on piano leading on most tracks, and Jim Hall on guitar on the remaining ones. That, too, gives this album a distinctive sound without breaking the continuity of the overall listening experience.

This was recorded in New York City for Verve on October 29 and 30, 1959. The core ensemble is comprised of Konitz on alto sax accompanied by a trumpet section (Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Phil Sunkel), a trombone section (Eddie Bert and Billy Byers, with Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone), Bill Evans on piano, Jim Hall on guitar, Sonny Dallas on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. *Mike Tarrani*

One of the lesser-known Lee Konitz albums, this LP features the altoist joined by six brass and a rhythm section for eight Jimmy Giuffre arrangements. The shouting brass contrasts well with Konitz's cool-toned solos and together they perform eight underplayed standards. Guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Bill Evans (who are on four songs apiece) are major assets behind Konitz on this pleasing set. * Scott Yanow*

Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre

Featuring Bill Evans

This release presents the complete Lee Konitz albums You and Lee , and Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre . These were Konitz and Bill Evans' earliest studio collaborations: on the first LP the pianist only played on one of the two sessions (Jim Hall replaced him on the other one), while on the second Evans was featured throughout the entire album. Both works were taped in 1959, and although Konitz and Evans had been previously recorded together in a concert setting, and would be taped in the same fashion during a 1965 European tour, their only other studio LP collaboration was the pianist’s 1977 album Crosscurrents. The great Jimmy Giuffre also participated on both records – on the first as arranger, and on the second as arranger and performer. *jazzmessengers.com*

Merged from two brilliant 1959 studio sessions, this disc is, just as the title and artist credits suggest, a showcase for three immense talents. Those expecting to hear the snap-crackle of Roy Haynes' snare or Bob Brookmeyer's punctuated counterpoints after reading the all-star lineup may be surprised to hear them relegated to the background, but any disappointment will end there. The brilliant playing of Lee Konitz and Bill Evans, paired with Jimmy Giuffre's sensitive arrangements, is enough to satisfy any true jazz lover.

Assembled for the album Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre, the first band, a quintet of saxophones backed by the rhythmic underpinnings of Evans, bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Ronnie Free, immediately shows its musicality on the angular, quasi-atonal "Palo Alto. After a rundown of the pointillistic Giuffre arrangement, Konitz jumps in and alternately toys with and floats over the buoyantly swinging rhythm section and airy horn backgrounds. Konitz and Evans solo at length on "Somp'm Outa' Nothin'", which can only be described as a blues that has a hard time getting off the "one" chord. The arrangement is quintessential Guiffre, with its dense tone clusters and recurring rhythmic pedal; Evans takes incredible liberties with the harmonic structure and shows an early affinity for Monk.

Following a chamber-jazz reworking of "Darn That Dream", in which Giuffre masterfully exploits the subtle harmonic movements using a quintet of saxophones, the album is rounded out with a number of tracks from the '59 album You And Lee. Recorded five months after the initial Konitz/Giuffre studio session, this date finds a trio of trumpets and trombones replacing the saxophone section and adding a distinct edge to the music. Konitz is clearly the leader here; his probing, inventive solos are featured throughout the lineup of reworked standards, and the comping work is split by Evans' piano and the earthy guitar of Jim Hall. The tunes, especially "You Don't Know What Love Is", show Konitz at his best. He dazzles the listener with his sensitivity and invention and revels in the shimmering, transparent beauty evoked by Giuffre's arrangements. *Matthew Miller*

1 - Somp'm Outa' Nothin'

(Giuffre)

2 - Someone To Watch Over Me

(Gershwin, Gershwin)

3 - Uncharted

(Giuffre)

4 - Moonlight In Vermont

(Suessedorf, Blackburn)

5 - The Song Is You

(Kern, Hammerstein)

6 - Palo Alto

(Konitz)

7 - Darn That Dream

(VanHeusen, DeLange)

8 - When Your Lover Has Gone

(Swan)

9 - Cork 'n Bib

(Konitz)

10 - I’m Getting Sentimental Over You

(Bassman, Washington)

11 - You Don't Know What Love Is

(Raye, DePaul)

12 - I Didn't Know About You

(Ellington, Russell)

13 - Ev'rything I've Got (Belongs To You)

(Rodgers, Hart)

14 - You're Clear Out Of This

(Arlen, Mercer)

15 - You Are Too Beautiful

(Rodgers, Hart)

16 - The More I See You

(Warren, Gordon)

17 - You're Driving Me Crazy

(Donaldson)

#1 to #9: from the album Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre (Verve Records MG V-8335)

Lee Konitz, Hal McKusick (as); Warne Marsh, Ted Brown (ts); Jimmy Giuffre (bs); Bill Evans (p); Buddy Clark (b); Ronnie Free (d).

Recorded in New York City, May 12 (#1 to #5) and May 13 (#6 to #9), 1959.

#10 to #17: from the album You And Lee (Verve Records MG V-8362)

Ernie Royal, Irving "Marky" Markowitz, Phil Sunkel (tp); Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb); Eddie Bert [except #14 to #17], Billy Byers (tb); Lee Konitz (as); Bill Evans [except #14 to #17](p); Jim Hall [#14 to #17](g); Sonny Dallas (b); Roy Haynes (d). Jimmy Giuffre (arranger).

Recorded in New York City, October 29 (#10 to #13) and October 30 (#14 to #17), 1959.