Reinhold Svensson - New Sounds from Sweden

Reinhold Svensson Sextet   

New Sounds from Sweden • Volume 8

Reinhold Svensson (December 20, 1919 in Husum – November 23, 1968 in Stockholm) was a Swedish jazz pianist, Hammond organist and composer. Reinhold was blind and learned to play by ear.

Svensson recorded as a solo artist in 1941-1942, then joined the ensemble of violinist Hasse Kahn. In 1948, Putte Wickman took leadership of the group, and Svensson worked with it until 1960 as a performer, arranger, and composer.

Svensson appeared at the Paris Jazz Festival in 1949, worked with Arne Domnerus's orchestra, and played with Charlie Norman in 1950-1951 as a duo under the names Ralph & Bert Berg and the Olson Brothers. He also recorded with his own ensembles (including under the name Ragtime Reinhold); Domnerus, Jack Norén, Simon Brehm, and Thore Jederby were sidemen of his in the late 1940s and early 1950s. *wikipedia.org*

It wasn't long after Jazz was born that America's classical music made its way across the Atlantic to Europe, where perhaps no other country embraced Jazz so passionately and produced as many masterful advocates as Sweden. In the early '50s, when bop reigned supreme both here and abroad, Sweden was second only to the U.S. in the number and quality of musicians following the adventurous trail blazed by Bird, Diz, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke and their colleagues It was a time of unparalleled enterprise and creativity, one that marked the emergence of a number of superior improvisers whose deference to America's magisterial boppers did not slacken their creative energy or suppress their resourcefulness. *Jack Bowers (allaboutjazz.com)*

New Sounds from Sweden • Volume 8 is one of a handful of early Prestige Records issues of Swedish modern jazz in the postwar years!  – a set that features Reinhold Svensson on piano, Rolf Berg on guitar, and Bo Kallstrom on vibes! Titles include "Tasty Pastry", "Top O' The Mornin'", "Blue Lou" and "Queen Of Saba" *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

Side 1

1 - Because Of George

(R. Svensson)

2 - Tasty Pastry

(R. Svensson)

3 - Bury Your Worries

(R. Svensson)

4 - Pin-Up

(R. Svensson)

Side 2

5 - Top O' The Mornin'

(R. Svensson)

6 - Blue Lou

(Sampson, Mills)

7 - Stealin' Apples

(Waller, Razaf)

8 - Queen Of Saba

(R. Svensson)

Reinhold Svensson (piano, harpsichord [#8]), Putte Wickman (clarinet),

Bo Kallstrom (vibes), Rolf Berg (guitar), Gunnar Almstedt (bass), Andrew Burman (drums).

Recorded at Radiotjänst (studio 2), Stockholm, Sweden,

September 10, 1952 (#1 and #2) and April 1, 1953 (#3 to #8)

Rolf Ericson And His Swingin' Swedes

Rolf Ericson

Swedish Pastry

One of Sweden's finest trumpeters, Rolf Ericson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 29, 1922. He moved to New York City in 1947 and, in 1949, joined Charlie Barnet's big band and then with Woody Herman in 1950. Later, he worked with Paul Gonsalves, Charlie Parker, and Charles Mingus.

Returning to Sweden in 1950, he recorded as a leader and with Arne Domnérus, as well as for Leonard Feather's Swinging Swedes and Lars Gullin. He returned to the U.S. during 1953–1956, and played with the big bands of Charlie Spivak, Harry James, the Dorsey Brothers, and Les Brown, and was with the Lighthouse All-Stars. In 1956, he toured Sweden and played with Ernestine Anderson and Lars Gullin.

From 1956 to 1965, he was back in the U.S., working with Dexter Gordon, Harold Land, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, Dan Terry, Max Roach and Charles Mingus, among others. He was with the Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1963 until 1971. In the early 1960s, he made three recordings as a member of the Rod Levitt orchestra (octet). Ericson played with the Al Porcino Big Band in Berlin in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His warm tone and creative yet melodic style were always considered an asset.

Rolf died in Stockholm, on June 16, 1997.

When American fans first became aware of the existence of a modern jazz cult in Sweden, one of the first musicians to spread the good word around was Rolf Ericson, the Stockholm-born trumpet player, who had emigrated to America in 1947, and played with Woody Herman, Charlie Barnet, Elliot Lawrence, Benny Carter and other name bands. 

Rolf's pride in the accomplishments of his fellow-Scandinavians was concerned not only with the individual solo talents of the Swedes, but also in their ability to weld themselves into clean-playing, neatly-arranged jazz units. 

Most of these men ...(who accompany Rolf in this album)..., at one time or another, have won the annual poll conducted by Sweden's ESTRAD magazine. When you hear these performances you'll undoubtedly agree with the Scandinavian jazz fans who voted for them.

*Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Miles Away

(Ericson)

2 - How High The Moon

(Morgan, Lewis)

3 - Conservation

(Theselius)

4 - Perdido

(Tizol)

Side 2

5 - Strike Up The Band

(Gershwin)

6 - The Nearness Of You

(Carmichael)

7 - Lullaby In Rhythm

(Profit, Sampson)

8 - Git Straight

(Ericson)

#1 to #4:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Georg Vernon (trombone), Arne Domnérus (clarinet, tenor sax),

Gösta Theselius (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Reinhold Svensson (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Sven Bollhém (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, September 19, 1950

#5 to #8:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Arne Domnérus (alto sax),

Rolf Blomquist (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Gunnar Svensson (piano), Yngve Åkerberg (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, January 10, 1951

Nils Lindberg And The Swedish Modern Jazz Group

 Nils Lindberg (1933-2022), a pioneering Swedish jazz composer and pianist, left an enduring mark on various musical genres. In 1960, he recorded the present album consisting of seven tracks, four of which stand as a testament to his unique fusion of jazz, Swedish folk music, and classical influences.

Crucial to the project's success were the first-rate musicians Lindberg enlisted: Rolf Billberg (alto sax), Harry Bäcklund (tenor sax), Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Sture Nordin (bass), and Conny Svensson (drums). Collectively recognized as The Swedish Modern Jazz Group, they were expertly arranged and conducted by Lindberg, contributing to the overall excellence of the album.

Lindberg drew inspiration from Swedish folklore in compositions such as "Curbits", "Play for Love", and "Zodiac". Particularly noteworthy, "Brand New" stood out for its exclusively Swedish style and original construction, presented as a suite with interconnected parts.

The remaining tunes, "Blues for Bill" and "Birdland", brought additional jazz diversity to the album. "Just a Take"' featuring improvisation by Lars Gullin and Rolf Billberg, emerged as a standout and it turned out to be one of the highlights of this album.

Titled Sax Appeal, the album, originally released on the Swedish Barben Records label, not only captured Lindberg's innovative approach but also showcased the exceptional musicality of all the musicians involved in this project.  *Jordi Pujol*

The Swedish Modern Jazz Group

Sax Appeal

Yes, those frigid Swedes were able to swing in the early 1960s, as this album of music conducted by pianist Nils Lindberg and featuring the Gerry Mulligan-inspired baritone sax of Lars Gullin will testify. The first seven songs have the two teamed up with Conny Svensson/dr, Sture Nordin/b, llan Lundstrom/ts, Rolf Billberg/as and Harry Backlund/ts. The horns are upbeat on "Birdland" with some nice CA Cool tones from Billberg and Gullin, while the horns are elegiac on "Blues For Bill" with Backlund's warm tenor giving memories of Getz. Gullin's baritone glows, with the two tenors volley back and forth on the swinging "Brand New". Lindberg's TV Orkester makes a few changes as Gullin steps out for Tosten Wennberg, and Lunstrom sears through "Cotton Tail" and Lindberg is splashy on "Moonlight in Vermont". Swinging northern lights. *George W. Harris*

A music critic described Swedish composer and pianist Nils Lindberg as a "musical knight", riding on the frontiers of music. I looked through his extensive discography and saw jazz, classical composition, Swedish folk music. He was a busy guy. When it comes to jazz he worked with the great Swedish jazz vocalist, Alice Babs. He wrote arrangements for Duke Ellington. He worked with Josephine Baker, Judy Garland, and Mel Torme.

The Swedish Modern Jazz Group, recorded in 1960, didn't have any brass players, but you get a lot of saxophone. The arrangements are silky smooth. It's West Coast California cool, with a touch of the older swing band sound.

On "Curbits" Lars Gullin has the first solo on baritone sax, and it's gorgeous. Allan Lundström solos next on the tenor sax. Rolf Billberg steps in next on the alto sax. I'm struck by how good all the saxophone players are. Was there something in Sweden's drinking water that turned sax players into phenomenal soloists?

Lindberg was a fine jazz pianist, but maybe a bit tentative. He sure knew how to write pretty melodies.

Lars Gullin intros "Brand New", There’s a lovely duet with bassist Sture Nordin. The basslines are thick and resonant. Lindberg's piano dances along the upper keys, creating a charming contrast. Harry Bäcklund and Allan Lundström, both on tenor sax, collaborate and then trade off amazing solos. Drummer Conny Svensson's brushwork on the cymbals is flawless.

Lindberg composed most of the music, but the band does Charlie Ventura's "Birdland", and it's a knockout. Beautiful unison playing, drummer Svensson is given free rein, and he goes for it. There is a fabulous alto solo from Billberg. The rest of the sax players show their stuff. I was familiar with Lars Gullin. I had not heard of these other great sax men.

There are four tracks from another of Lindberg's bands, Nil Lindberg's TV Orkester. Trumpeter Maffy Faley and trombonist Ake Peerson were added. Tosten Wennberg replaced Lars Gullin on the baritone sax. Their version of "Cotton Tail" was performed by a much smaller outfit than the Duke Ellington orchestra, but they played their hearts out. There are some excellent solos from everyone, even Lindberg, despite having to play on a tinny-sounding piano.

"Blues For Bill" is another Lindberg composition. Bass and piano comp for a bit, and then there is this great theme. It reminded me of the theme from The Andy Griffith show. The band plays in unison, before the tenor sax, trumpet, and trombone show off their improvization skills.

Sax Appeal is a great album. If you’re not that familiar with Swedish jazz, this is a good place to start.

There is no better jazz reissue label than Fresh Sound Records. They remaster everything they put out. Many times, the reissue sounds better than the original. *Tim Larsen*

1 - Curbits

(Nils Lindberg)

2 - Blues For Bill

(Nils Lindberg)

3 - Brand New

(Nils Lindberg)

4 - Birdland

(Roland, Ventura)

5 - Just A Take

(Gullin, Billberg)

6 - Play For Love

(Nils Lindberg)

7 - Zodiac

(Nils Lindberg)

8 - Cotton Tail

(Duke Ellington)

9 - Taboo

(Ernesto Lecuona)

10 - Blues For Bill

(Nils Lindberg)

11 - Moonlight In Vermont

(Suessdorf, Blackburn)

#1 to #7, from the album Sax Appeal  (Barben SBLP-1004 Stereo)

Rolf Billberg (alto sax), Harry Bäcklund (tenor sax),

Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Nils Lindberg (piano), Sture Nordin (bass), Conny Svensson (drums).

Recorded at Europa Film, Stockholm, Sweden, February 9 and 10, 1960

Tracks #8-11, from the album Jazz in TV Time (Columbia SEGS 74)

Maffy Falay (trumpet), Åke Persson (trombone),

Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Tosten Wennberg (baritone sax),

Nils Lindberg (piano), Sture Nordin (bass), Conny Svensson (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, October 31, 1960

Charlie Rouse, Julius Watkins And The Jazz Modes

The Jazz Modes was a jazz group with a truly distinctive sound, which was only active between 1956 and 1959. The group's sound was built on its unusual instrumentation. Despite a typical jazz rhythm section of piano, bass and drums, the front line blended the sounds of the French horn and tenor saxophone. The band was formed by French horn player Julius Watkins and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse.

Julius Watkins was virtually the father of the jazz French horn. He started playing French horn at the age of nine, although he worked with the Ernie Fields orchestra on trumpet (1943-1946). In the late ’40s, he took some French horn solos on records by Kenny Clarke and Babs Gonzales, and spent 1949 as a member of the Milt Buckner big band. After three years of study at the Manhattan School of Music, Watkins started appearing on small-group dates including a pair of notable sessions led by Thelonious Monk in 1953-1954.

Possessor of a distinctive tone and a fluid bop-oriented style, Charlie Rouse was in Thelonious Monk's Quartet for over a decade (1959-1970) and, although somewhat taken for granted, was an important ingredient in Monk’s music. Rouse was always a modern player and he worked with Billy Eckstine's orchestra (1944) and the first Dizzy Gillespie big band (1945), making his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947. Rouse popped up in a lot of important groups including Duke Ellington's Orchestra (1949-1950), Count Basie's octet (1950), on sessions with Clifford Brown in 1953, and with Oscar Pettiford's sextet (1955). 

After the Jazz Modes experience, Watkins toured with Quincy Jones' big band (1959-1961); did plenty of studio work (including the Miles Davis-Gil Evans collaborations); and recorded with Charles Mingus (in 1965 and 1971), Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane (the Africa sessions), and the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, among many others.

For his part, Rouse joined Thelonious Monk for a decade of extensive touring and recordings. In the 1970s he recorded a few albums as a leader, and in 1979 he became a member of Sphere. Charlie Rouse’s unique sound began to finally get some recognition during the 1980s. He participated on Carmen McRae’s classic Carmen Sings Monk album and his last recording was at a Monk tribute concert.

With slight personnel variations, The Jazz Modes recorded a total of five albums, most of which are now very hard to find. All of these LPs are included in the following collection in their entirety and in chronological order.

As a bonus, we have included three further complete albums, all of which were originally issued as 10" LPs. Oscar Pettiford’s Oscar Rides Again is the only other existing album, outside of the Jazz Modes body of work, to feature both Rouse and Watkins in the front line. The two volumes by the Julius Watkins Sextet, on the other hand, present Watkins in the company of other celebrated tenor saxophonists: Frank Foster and Hank Mobley.

Charlie Rouse And Julius Watkins

The Complete Jazz Modes Sessions

The three discs in this set collect all the work by this short lived group, The Jazz Modes. Of particular interest are the two albums under Julius Watkins' name he recorded for the Blue Note label-now available on CD, or used if you can find them. Talking about these two albums, the personnel consists of Watkins-French horn, Hank Mobley-tenor sax, Duke Jordan-piano, the great Oscar Pettiford-bass, and Art Blakey-drums, with Perry Lopez-guitar.

The remaining albums have slightly differing personnel, but the core players are Watkins (who played with Coltrane, Mingus, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, and many others), Charlie Rouse (who played with Monk for years)-tenor sax, and Gildo Mahones-piano. Other players throughout consist of Art Taylor, Kenny Clarke, Paul Chambers, and Sahib Shibab. There's a few others showing up on bass and drums, along with Eileen Gilbert-on mostly wordless soprano vocals, Janet Putnam-harp (on 2 tracks only), and Chino Pozo-congas. This release is closer to 3 1/2 "stars" — the half for experimenting with the soprano voice in a jazz setting. Otherwise this is straight 1950's jazz-before the great changes began to happen in the 1960's.

The 30 page booklet contains an essay on the group as a whole, the primary players, original liner notes, (then) contemporary reviews, and a number of photos and reproductions of the album covers. Also included is song information, dates and who plays on which album. Again, some of this music is perhaps 3 or 3 1/2 "stars". But overall you have to give the principle players much credit for trying something new and different-especially during the relatively button-downed 1950's. A word about the vocals. To present day ears Eileen Gilbert's vocals will come as a bit of a shock. While her voice is a fine soprano, the juxtaposition within a jazz setting is hard to get into. Remember, this was the late 50's, and Rouse and Watkins (especially) were experimenting with a different approach to jazz. Some may like the combination, some will not. But underneath the vocals is some well arranged jazz. So you've been warned.

Don't let the French horn scare you away. This is some fine/very fine straight ahead jazz as they played it in the late 50's. The rhythm section(s) keep everything moving along on the up tempo tunes, and are suitably restrained on the ballads. All three of the principle players get room to solo throughout these albums. Rouse's big sound is right at home on these tunes, and Watkins' horn-sounding like a French horn-is used in much the same manner as any more conventional horn in jazz. Mahone's piano is straight out of the be-bop style of jazz, and fits in very well.

Songs are a combination of standards or (mostly) Watkins' compositions. But no matter which tune, this very fine, unique group plays each song as if it were their own. Straight ahead 1950's jazz/Watkins/Rouse fans need to hear this collection. This was experimental jazz in the 50's-the French horn, the impressionistic vocals, all were an attempt to find something new and different. But even if their music didn't catch on, it's still some good yet different, small group jazz. Period jazz fans may want to check this out-and having all the albums by this group in one collection is very handy, along with a useful booklet. It's definitely of it's era-certainly different than music of the present. A interesting sometimes good side street off the main boulevard of jazz.

*Stuart Jefferson (amazon.com)*

*CD 1*

1 - Dancing On The Ceiling

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

2 - Legend

(Gildo Mahones)

3 - Temptation

(Arthur Freed, Nacio Herb Brown)

4 - Episode

(Julius Watkins)

5 - Dancing In The Dark

(Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz)

6 - Goodbye

(Gordon Jenkins)

7 - Town And Country

(Varon)

8 - When The Blues Comes On

(Alvin G. Cohn, Charles Isaiah Darwin)

9 - Blue Modes

(Julius Watkins)

10 - You Are Too Beautiful

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

11 - So Far

(Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II)

12 - Idle Evening [Jazz Garden Suite, part I]

(Julius Watkins)

13 - Garden Delights [Jazz Garden Suite, part II]

(Julius Watkins)

14 - Strange Tale [Jazz Garden Suite, part III]

(Julius Watkins)

15 - Two Songs [Jazz Garden Suite, part IV]

(Julius Watkins)

16 - Stallion

(Gildo Mahones)

17 - Baubles, Bangles And Beads

(Alexander Borodin, George Forrest, Robert Wright)

18 - Autumn Leaves

(Jacques Prévert, Johnny Mercer, Joseph Kosma)

19 - The Golden Chariot

(Gildo Mahones)

20 - Let's Try

(Charlees Isaiah Darwin, Paulette Girard)

21 - Bohemia

(Ed Smollett, Charles E. Shirley, Mynell Allen)

22 - Cath Her

(Julius Watkins)

*CD 2*

1 - Hoo Tai

(Julius Watkins)

2 - Mood In Scarlet

(Julius Watkins)

3 - Linda Delia

(Julius Watkins, George Butcher)

4 - I've Got You Under My Skin

(Cole Porter)

5 - We Can Talk It Over

(Julius Watkins)

6 - Standing On The Corner

(Frank Loesser)

7 - Joey, Joey, Joey

(Frank Loesser)

8 - Warm All Over

(Frank Loesser)

9 - Happy To Make Your Acquaintance

(Frank Loesser)

10 - My Heart Is So Full Of You

(Frank Loesser)

11 - The Most Happy Fella

(Frank Loesser)

12 - Don't Cry

(Frank Loesser)

13 - Like A Woman

(Frank Loesser)

14 - Somebody Somewhere

(Frank Loesser)

15 - The Oblong

(Julius Watkins)

16 - 1-2-3-4-0 In Syncopation

(Julius Watkins, Princess Orelia Benskina)

17 - Blue Flame

(Julius Watkins)

18 - Mood In Motion

(Julius Watkins)

*CD 3*

1 - Knittin

(Charlie Rouse)

2 - This 'N That

(Charlie Rouse)

3 - Glad That I Found You

(Julius Watkins)

4 - Princess

(Julius Watkins, Princess Orelia Benskina)

5 - Sextette

(Gerry Mulligan)

6 - The Golden Touch

(Quincy Jones)

7 - Cable Car

(Oscar Pettiford, Sonny Clark)

8 - Trictrotism

(Oscar Pettiford)

9 - Edge Of Love

(Charles Ables, Goode, Baker)

10 - Oscar Rides Again

(Oscar Pettiford)

11  - Linda Delia

(Julius Watkins, George Butcher)

12 - Perpetuation

(Julius Watkins)

13 - I Have Known

(Julius Watkins, Gene Morgan)

14 - Leete

(Julius Watkins)

15 - Garden Delights

(Julius Watkins)

16 - Julie Ann

(Julius Watkins, Gene Morgan)

17 - Sparkling Burgundy

(Julius Watkins)

18 - B And D

(Bennie Harris)

19 - Jordu

(Duke Jordan)

*CD 1*

#1 to #6 from the album Jazzville '56, Vol.1 (Dawn DLP1101):

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Paul West (bass), Art Taylor (drums). 

Recorded in New York City, June 1956. 

[Despite its short duration, this album was a 12" LP, although Side B featured a Gene Quill-Dick Sherman Quintet.]

#7 to #16 from the album Les Jazz Modes (Dawn DLP1108)

 [reissued in 1960 as Smart Jazz for the Smart Set (Seeco CELP466).]:

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Paul Chambers (bass),

Oscar Pettiford (bass, replaces Chambers on #11, #12 and #14 only),

Janet Putnam (harp on #8 and #10 only), Ron Jefferson (drums),

Eileen Gilbert (soprano vocals on #8, #12 and #14 only). 

Recorded in New York City, June 12, 1956.

#17 to #22 from the album Mood in Scarlet (Dawn LP1117):

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Rivera (bass), 

Ron Jefferson (drums), Chino Pozo (bongos on #20 and #21). 

Reorded in New York City, December 4, 1956.

*CD 2*

#1 to #5 from the album Mood in Scarlet (Dawn LP1117):

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Rivera (bass),

Ron Jefferson (drums), Eileen Gilbert (soprano vocals on #1 and #2).

Recorded in New York City, December 4, 1956.

#6 to #14 from the album The Most Happy Fella (Atlantic LP1280):

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Rivera (bass),

Ron Jefferson (drums), Chino Pozo (conga, bongos),

Eileen Gilbert (soprano vocals on #10 only).

Recorded in New York City, November 7, 1957.

#15 to #18 from the album The Jazz Modes (Atlantic LP1306):

#15, #16, #18: 

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Sahib Shihab (baritone sax), Gildo Mahones (piano),

Martin Rivera (bass), Jimmy Wormworth (drums).

Recorded in New York City, 1959.

#17:

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Rivera (bass),

Ron Jefferson (drums), Chino Pozo (congas, bongos),

Eileen Gilbert (soprano vocals).

Recorded in New York City, October 28, 1959.

*CD 3*

#1 to #4 from the album The Jazz Modes (Atlantic LP1306):

#1, #3, #4:

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Rivera (bass),

Ron Jefferson (drums), Chino Pozo (congas, bongos),

Eileen Gilbert (soprano vocals).

Recorded in New York City, October 28, 1959.

#2:

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn),

Sahib Shihab (baritone sax), Gildo Mahones (piano),

Martin Rivera (bass), Jimmy Wormworth (drums).

Recorded in New York City, 1959.

#5 to #10: from the album Oscar Rides Again (Bethlehem 10” LP BCP1003),

 [reissued on Bass (Bethlehem 12” LP BCP-6]:

Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Julius Watkins (French horn), Duke Jordan (piano),

Oscar Pettiford (bass, cello on #6, #9,#10), Ron Jefferson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, September 1954.

#11 to #14: from the album Julius Watkins Sextet,

[a.k.a New Faces, New Sounds (Blue Note BLP5053)]:

Julius Watkins (French horn), Frank Foster (tenor sax),

George Butcher (piano), Perry Lopez (guitar),

Oscar Pettiford (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums).

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, August 8, 1954.

#15 to #19: from the album Julius Watkins Sextet, Volume Two (Blue Note BLP5064):

Julius Watkins (French horn), Hank Mobley (tenor sax),

Duke Jordan (piano), Perry Lopez (guitar),

Oscar Pettiford (bass), Art Blakey (drums).

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, March 20, 1955.

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XX)

The John Young Trio

Young John Young

Approaching his middle thirties, pianist, John Young, still maintains in his musical approach the same youthful exuberance and sparkle that has, since his early playing days, been the dominant factor in his everlasting popularity, with audience and fellow musician alike.

Listing such top musicians as his leader over a period of 15 years of professional music-making, as Andy Kirk, Gene Ammons, Eddie Chamblee, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, and King Kolax, Young John Young, has run the gamut of popular musical expression, from society-tinged dance music and rhythm & blues, to the purest forms of swinging Jazz. 

After too many years on the road with the various leaders listed, John decided to make his own mark in the musical world, and formed the versatile trio he now directs. After a period at the famous Bee-Hive, as a complete rhythm section for the various stars that appeared there, John moved his group to the intimate 63rd St. spot known as the Kitty Kat club, where he has been for the past two years. 

When cutting this album it was decided to give his new-found audience the opportunity to hear the many faceted forms of John's artistry, and therefore it was agreed to present each side as near as possible as a complete set would be presented on the stand most any night at the Kitty Kat. 

Since the inception of his present group, John has been able to maintain the same sidemen... Herbert Brown, bass and Larry Jackson, drums... which as anyone in the music business will attest to, is quite a managerial accomplishment. The interplay, and counter-balancing that add so much to the trio’s musical value are the results of this long and profitable association of these three top modern musicians.

I think you, the listener, will agree whole-heartedly with me, in the premise that though John Young has reached the age of maturity when musical habit usually supplants adventuresomeness, he still maintains, with uncompromising consistency, the youthful awareness and daring which makes his playing, and his Trio, a musical treat to behold. This, then is >Young, John Young<, and this album couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. *Joe Segal (liner notes)*

Pianist John Young (1922-2008), crisscrossed the country in the '40s with a vastly popular big band Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy before he became a revered figure on the Chicago jazz scene. His approach was reminiscent of Erroll Garner, but he also looked for inspiration in the work of younger pianists like Ahmad Jamal and Ramsey Lewis, who also launched their careers in this city.

In a career that spanned over six decades, Young regularly played popular clubs either with his own trio, orchestra, or as a sideman, accompanying artists such as Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Lurlean Hunter, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Lorez Alexandria and many others. The noted jazz authority Dan Morgenstern in Living with Jazz, called Young one of Chicago's several unsung piano originals.*Jordi Pujol*

Side 1

1 - Three Penny Opera

(Kurt Weill)

2- Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White

(Louigay, M.David)

3 - Invitation

(Bronislau Kaper)

4 - Star Eyes

(Don Raye)

5 - Warsaw Concerto

(Richard Addinsell)

Side 2

6 - Medley:

(a) It Never Entered My Mind

(b) Spring Is Here

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

7 - The Boy Next Door

(Martin, Blane)

8 - Bags Groove

(Milt Jackson)

9 - Close To Me

(Peter De Rose)

10 - The Continental

(Con Conrad)

John Young (piano), Herbert Brown (bass), Larry Jackson (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, 1956

✤

To be continued...

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XIX)

Red Rodney

Red Rodney Returns

The late Harvey Husten once said, "Some day some bright-eyed historian is going to write a definitive work on the music and musicians of our time. I hope he has enough savvy to include a generous chapter paying tribute to the people who made it commercially, and then found they couldn't stomach it, and began the long, tedious, and sometimes painful struggle to make it all over again — but this time playing, or singing, or writing the things they sincerely believed in; things that were inspired from the heart rather than the bank balance". 

Although Harvey Husten never met Red Rodney, I am sure he had the "Red Rodneys" in mind when writing the above. I had the pleasure to see and hear the birth of this quintet… in the winter of '58 at the Philadelphia area's leading jazz room (The Red Hill Inn); first heard as a replacement for an ailing Oscar Peterson — then by overwhelming demand heard at "the Hill" for as many as ten consecutive weeks.

This is the first the record world has heard from Red Rodney in some time, hence the title, "Red Rodney Returns". It does not mean a return to the jazz scene, as Red has been quite involved in the jazz scene for the past sixteen years.*Sid Mark (liner notes)*

One of the great albums that Red Rodney recorded during his comeback in the late 50's, and one that features the great Philadelphia tenor player Billy Root! Root's playing is one of the highlights of this LP, and he wails with a soulful intensity that maks the whole album crackle. Tracks include "5709", "Red Hot and Blue", "Whirlwind", and "Shelly", all of which were written by Danny Kent, the piano player on the session. *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

Side 1

1 - Shaw Nuf

(Dizzy Gillespie)

2 - Red Hot And Blue

(Danny Kent)

3 - I Remember You

(Mercer, Schertzinger)

4 - 5709

(Danny Kent)

Side 2

5 - Whirlwind

(Danny Kent)

6 - Jordu

(Duke Jordan)

7 - Shelley

(Danny Kent)

8 - Two By Two

(Jay Cave)

Red Rodney (trumpet), Billy Root (tenor sax),

Danny Kent (piano), Jay Cave (bass), Frank Young (drums).

Recorded at Reco-Art Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 16 and 17, 1959

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XVIII)

Benny Bailey And The Quincetet

The Music Of Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones wears many hats. He is an arranger of brilliance. He plays trumpet passably. He leads his own large orchestra, a feat that requires more than conducting, in that a leader also has to be father, mother, wife, and psychiatrist to some 16 musicians. But, most of all, he is a composer who writes with delicate melodic sense and rhythmic vigor-

He is a budding Duke Ellington, and there are many who will tell you that his orchestra will be the band of the 1960s.

He already has given impressive indication of the road he intends to take. The recent trip he made with his band revealed to listeners what his first two albums had led them to suspect – that his orchestra is precise, joyously swinging, and interested in exploring arrangements that show thought in their preparation and are written expressly for the musicians in that band, utilizing their individual capabilities.

One of those individuals created a good deal of attention on his own. That would be Benny Bailey, the trumpeter with huge tone and broad attack who went to Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton and stayed there until Quincy called Benny back from Sweden to join him.

Bailey's performances herein show you why Jones was so eager to get him on the band. This LP was cut in Sweden last year in the company of another American, drummer Joe Harris, and the light-quick Swedish trombonist Åke Persson, another member of the Jones band. Several combinations of Swedish all-stars make up the backing.

We think you'll find this combination of Quincy Jones' music and the resounding horns of Benny Bailey and Åke Persson to be a stirring mixture and one that points out yet one more facet of Quincy's talent. He has an unerring sense of taste when it comes to picking the right chairs. Quincy Delight Jones is something else! *Al Porch (liner notes)*

An excellent album that's a perfect document of the strong impact that Quincy Jones had in the transatlantic jazz scene of the late 50s and early 60s! The set was recorded in 1960, and features two players that Quincy would leave behind in Europe to have a huge influence on the scene. Trumpeter Benny Bailey is the greatest of these – and his impact on jazz in Germany and Sweden during the 60s and 70s cannot be discounted. The other is drummer Joe Harris, who does excellent work here in a group that includes Arne Domnérus on sax, Åke Persson on trombone, and Gunnar Svensson on piano – all Swedes that Quincy picked up after touring the country heavily during the late 50s. The set grooves with the best of Jones' work on Mercury from the time – and although Quincy's not listed in the credits, it's probably only because of contractual reasons. Titles are all Jones originals – including "Meet Benny Bailey", "Plenty, Plenty Soul", "Fallen Feathers", and "The Midnight Sun Never Sets". *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

This album is one of the earliest devoted solely to the compositions of Quincy Jones and emerged from his work in Europe in the late 1950s. A classic session that took place 1959 in Stockholm featuring international stars Joe Harris and Benny Bailey. Together with a troop of legendary Swedish jazzers from this era they recorded this album which in many ways is a tribute to the songwriting skills of master Quincy Jones. Apart from Åke Persson, musicians like Arne Domnérus, Lennart Jansson and a handful of others are making this to a true gem.*paladinvinyl.com*

Side 1

1. The Golden Touch

(Jones, Pettiford)

2. I'm Gone

(Quincy Jones)

3. Jones Beach

(Quincy Jones)

4. The Midnight Sun Never Sets

(Jones , Salvador)

Side 2

5. Meet Benny Bailey

(Quincy Jones)

6. Plenty, Plenty Soul

(Jones, Jackson)

7. Fallen Feathers

(Quincy Jones)

8. Count 'Em

(Jones, Cleveland)

Benny Bailey (trumpet); Åke Persson (trombone); Arne Domnérus (alto sax);

Bjarne Nerem (tenor sax); Lennart Jansson (baritone sax);

Gunnar Svensson [#1], Gösta Theselius [#2 to #8] (piano); Gunnar Johnson (bass);

Anders Burman [#3, #6], Joe Harris [#1, #2, #4, #5, #7, #8] (drums).

Recorded at Millessalen Recording Studios, Stockholm, Sweden, October 8, 1959

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XVII)

Dorothy Ashby

Dorothy Ashby

A jazz harpist is a rare thing. First of all the harp is a rather unlikely instrument to swing. It's an awfully difficult instrument to play really well and it demands technique that is incongruous with swinging. Perhaps as important is the thinking that the harp, by the very nature of the instrument, is likely to attract musicians who, in themselves, are improbable swingers. Dorothy Ashby is, then, a rare thing. She is indeed a jazz harpist and she does swing.

Dorothy is a Detroit musician and in some circles that, in itself, is some claim to fame. Detroit has produced an uncommon group of splendid muicians… Milt Jackson, Paul Chambers, Kenny Burrell, Pepper Adams, all those Joneses, Frank Rosolino and many more — rather a strong group to stand out among. Cannonball Adderley recently made the remark that any musician who makes it among that Detroit crowd has got to be saying something. Dorothy is much loved and respected among her Detroit contemporaries and has surely distinguished herself in their company.

This is a trio album.  With Dorothy are  Herman Wright playing bass, and John Tooley on drums. Again Dorothy is with men of stature. Herman Wright has been a firmly established musician for a long time and appears in an enormous number of albums, but is probably best know for his work with Terry Gibbs and George Shearing. John Tooley's creddits include that coveted experience of accompanying Billy Holiday.

This is not hard jazz. This is an album that says jazz can, after all, be melodic, that a thing can be gentle without being weak and can be sweet without being saccrine. What is done here is done well, the improvisation is creative, and in typical Dorothy Ashby thinking — it’s done in beautiful taste. 

She is indeed a jazz harpist and she does swing. *Jim Rockwell (liner notes)*

One of the most stripped-down albums from legendary jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby — and one of her earliest records too! The set's got Dorothy right out front in a trio setting — working with bassist Herman Wright and drummer John Tooley — in a wonderfully jazzy take on the sound of the harp — an instrument used here in a way that's never flowery, or linked to classical modes at all — but instead in a very unique space that's somewhere between jazz bass and guitar — as Ashby plucks these hip notes with a very soulful vibe! The album's got a special Chess/Argo sort of vibe — one that really opens up Ashby's Detroit roots. Dorothy wrote two originals for the set — "John R" and "Booze" — and other titles include "Lonely Melody", "Django", "Gloomy Sunday", and "Lil Darlin". *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

Side 1

1 - Lonely Melody

(Arr. O. McLaughlin)

2 - Secret Love

(Webster, Fain)

3 - Gloomy Sunday

(Seres, Javor, Lewis)

4 - Satin Doll

(Ellington)

5 John R.

(D. Ashby)

Side 2

6 - Li'l Darlin'

(Neal Hefti)

7 - Booze

(D. Ashby)

8 - Django

(J. Lewis)

9 - You Stepped Out Of A Dream

(Lane, Washington)

10 - Stranger In Paradise

(Wright, Forrest)

Dorothy Ashby  (harp), Herman Wright (bass), John Tooley (drums).

Recorded at Ter-Mar Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois, August 8, 1961

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XVI)

Sandy Mosse

Relaxin' With Sandy Mosse

Sandy Mosse would like to live and work in Chicago. 

He's been trying to do just that for years, yet his income is substantially less than that of performers with far less artistry.

The tenor man, now in his late twenties, has tried to capture a niche in jazz. By working as regularly as possible, he has become well known to jazz fans in Chicago. He has worked in dives and in plushly padded spas, for club owners who rarely appreciated his efforts. Believing intensely in the rewards —personal and economic— of working steadily, he has attempted to do so in recent years.

Sandy Mosse is known to Chicago jazz fans and to a handful of devotees in other cities. He has not recorded album after album, as have other tenor men in other locales. He has chosen to remain in Chicago and has suffered. 

Born in Detroit, Mosse came to Chicago when he was 11. He brought with him some background on clarinet. At Chicago's Sullivan high school, he met pianist Lou Levy. Together, they worked in the bands of Jimmy Dale and Jay Burkhart. They spent hours listening to the explorations of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. 

In 1950, after having studied both clarinet and alto, Mosse switched to tenor. It was a case of finding the right sound.

Influenced by Lester Young, Stan Getz, and Al Cohn (primarily the latter, Mosse feels), Mosse has managed to weld an individualistic conception, a fiuency on the horn that is his own. His work is of value for several key reasons.

He is, above all else, a melodically-oriented musician. His work rarely borders on stridency. He is concerned with melodic content and the appropriate exploitation of that content. This does not mean that he is unaware of harmonic and rhythmic development; he is well aware of both and employs subtle patterns in his work. But to Mosse, the theme and variations are of equal importance.

This is Sandy Mosse's first LP as a leader. He has been one of the leaders of jazz in Chicago for several years, but has been unable to achieve the recognition he deserves. Perhaps this LP will serve that purpose. If it does, it will be one reward for a musician who has given much of himself to jazz. *Don Gold (liner notes)*

Many musicians on the 50s Chicago scene felt that Sandy Mosse (1929-1983) was among the most eloquent tenor men in jazz. But recognition and opportunity were lacking until, finally, in 1956 he signed with Argo Records. Relaxin' With Sandy Mosse, his only album as a leader, recorded in 1958, gave him the chance to be heard with an accomplished young quartet that included pianist Junior Mance, and with a string section background. Mosse showed his considerable potential and forceful approach, and though he admired many musicians, one was his idol. Al Cohn is the epitome of tenor players, he said. *Jordi Pujol*

Over the years, many jazz scribes have written that tenor saxophonist Sandy Mosse's sound was influenced by Lester Young. To me, that's not nuanced enough. Dozens of tenor saxophonists adopted Prez's easy-going style. I find that Mosse's true influence was Stan Getz. I can't think of any other player who comes as close to Getz's playing profile.

Getz, of course, was a disciple of Lester Young's approach, but he had his own forceful sound in the higher register. This is where Mosse also did most of his business. In 1958 and '59, Mosse recorded Relaxin' With Sandy Mosse for the Argo label in Chicago, giving us a chance to compare the two.

Sandy Mosse died in 1983 at age 54. *Marc Myers*

Side 1

1 - Fools Rush in

(Rube Bloom)

2 - I'm Old Fashion

(J. Kern)

3 - Birks Works

(Dizzy Gillespie)

Side 2

4 - Stella By Starlight

(Victor Young)

5 - Love is For The Very Young

(Dave Raskin)

6 - Speak Low

(Kurt Weill)

7 - My Man's Gone Now

(George Gershwin)

8 - Cocoanut Sweet

(Harold Arlen)

#1 to #3:

Sandy Mosse Quartet

Sandy Mosse (tenor sax), Junior Mance (piano),

Bob Cranshaw (bass), Marty Clausen (drums).

#4 to #8:

Sandy Mosse Quartet and The Bill McRea's Strings

Sandy Mosse (tenor sax); Eddie Higgins (piano);

Art Tabachnik, Carl Racine, George Palermo (violins); Harold Kupper (viola);

Harry Wagman (cello); Bob Cranshaw (bass); Marty Clausen (drums);

Bill McRea (arranger, conductor).

Recorded at Universal Studios, Chicago, Illinois,

September 5 (#1 to #3) and October 13 (#4 to #8), 1958

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XV)

Vito Price

Swingin' The Loop

Born in New York in 1929, Vito Price, née Vito Pizzo, began playing tenor sax at the age of fourteen. After high school, he apprenticed on the road with various bands, as well as with Chubby Jackson's small group. He finally settled in Chicago in 1955, and went on to become one of the Windy City's top tenormen. In essence, Price has always been an exceptionally smooth swinger with a warm-toned horn, somewhat in the Al Cohn tradition. Swingin' The Loop was his first album, and a promising start. Price himself said at the time that he was "not trying to blaze new paths". So while no new trails were blazed and no frontiers were opened, Price emerged from the recording session with a valuable set of originals and standards that swing loose and easy. Five of the tracks feature a 10-piece band with a big, bold tone that was surely enhanced by the writing of Bill McRae. The other five are elevated by the incomparable guitar of Freddie Green, who joined in to make the quintet tracks that much more of a delight. *Jordi Pujol*

Rare work from obscure Chicago tenor player Vito Price — recorded back in the days when there actually used to be a jazz scene in the city's center – also known as The Loop! Price was a New Yorker by birth, but worked in Chicago clubs, TV, and radio in the 50s — and was most likely brought to Argo for this session by Chubby Jackson – with whom he'd worked on a previous date for the label. Price has a strong, bold tone in his horn – swing-based, but with a fluid sense of movement that's absorbed plenty of bop — and on the album, he's playing in two different settings. Side one features a largeish group with two more trumpets and two trombones, and side two features a quintet with a slightly more intimate sound. Lou Levy plays piano in both groups, and titles include "Credo", "Eye Strain", "Swingin The Loop", "Mousey's Tune", and "Duddy".  *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

1 - Swinging The Loop

(Vito Price)

2 - Mousey's Tune

(Vito Pizzo)

3 - Why Was I Born

(Kern, Hammerstein II)

4 - Duddy

(Vito Price)

5 - In A Mellow Tone

(Duke Ellington)

6 - Eye Strain

(Vito Price)

7 - Time After Time

(J. Styne, S. Cahn)

8 - Beautiful Love

(Young, Van Alstyne, King, Gillespie)

9 - Credo

(Vito Pizzo)

10 - As Long As I Live

(H. Arlen, T. Koehler)

#1 to #5

Vito Price (tenor sax, alto sax [#5]); Bill Hanley, John Howell (trumpets);

Paul Crumbagh (trombone); Barrett O'Hara (bass tombone); Bill Calkins (baritone sax);

Lou Levy (piano); Max Bennett (bass); Remo Biondi (guitar); Marty Clausen (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, January 25, 1958

#6 to #10

Vito Price (tenor sax), Lou Levy (piano), Freddie Green (guitar),

Max Bennett (bass), Gus Johnson (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, January 20, 1958