Charlie Mariano - Part Of A Great Jazz Testament

Charlie Mariano (1923-2009), a Boston native born to Italian immigrants, discovered his passion for jazz in the late 1930s after being inspired by Lester Young and Johnny Hodges. He quickly  embraced the alto saxophone as his instrument and began jamming around Boston. Drafted in 1942, Mariano spent three years in an Army Air Corps band. Upon being discharged, he enrolled at Schillinger House to pursue his studies, but soon, influenced by the groundbreaking work of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, he also immersed himself in Boston's vibrant modern jazz scene of the late 1940s, joining Ray Borden's orchestra and also performing at venues such as Hi-Hat, Wally's Paradise, and Eddie Levine's club.

In 1949, Mariano became a key figure in Nat Pierce's band and recorded his first two sides as a leader on the local Motif label, showcasing his modern style, and although he gained some attention among jazz critics, Charlie was still relatively unknown outside of Boston.

It was not until he recorded the 10-inch album titled "The New Sounds from Boston" —which included trumpeter Joe Gordon— for the Prestige label in December 1951 that Mariano's talents as a composer, arranger, and soloist were introduced to jazz audiences across the country.

In 1953, he recorded four more excellent albums, with releases on Prestige, Fantasy, and two on the Imperial label, leading groups that included other Boston jazz legends such as Dick Twardzik, Herb Pomeroy, and Jaki Byard. Not content with being solely a performer, that year he co founded the Jazz Workshop, advocating for musical education and experimentation. In early January 1954, he embarked on a tour with Stan Kenton, eventually finding himself on the West Coast, where he spent the next four years actively participating in the thriving California jazz scene.

Under the title Boppin' In Boston, this compilation of recordings from 1947-1953 serves as a testament to the early years of Charlie Mariano's extensive career. Although he initially played too much like Bird to be regarded as individually distinctive, from 1951 Mariano began creating a distinct voice with his alto saxophone, combining the innovations of bebop language with his own unique style. His contributions to jazz, as a performer and educator, solidified his legacy as one of Boston's most celebrated and revered jazz musicians. *Jordi Pujol*

Charlie Mariano

Boppin' In Boston • 1947~1953

The Fresh Sound label from Barcelona, Spain has during the past couple of decades put out hundreds (probably thousands at this point) of superior jazz reissues, most from the 1945-1965 period. Thanks to the diligence of Jordi Pujol, a countless number of sessions have been saved from obscurity and been given the attention and packaging that they deserve.

Recent reissues include a pair of box sets featuring American saxophonists who first emerged during the classic bebop era. One of them dedicated to Charlie Mariano (1923-2009), a talented alto-saxophonist who was born, raised and often based in Boston. The two-CD set Boppin' In Boston • 1947~1953 has most of the highpoints from the first part of Mariano’s career. Starting with a ballad feature on “What’s New” with the Ray Borden Orchestra, Mariano is heard with groups (including a big band) led by pianist Nat Pierce and at the head of a variety of bop oriented combos. Among his sidemen are the forgotten but colorful bebop trumpeters Gait Preddy (whose career should have gone much further), Joe Gordon, Dick Collins, and Herb Pomeroy, trombonist Sonny Truitt, and pianists Roy Frazee (another talented but forgotten great), Dick Twardzik, Richard Wyands, and Jaki Byard. Mariano was clearly influenced by Charlie Parker, particularly during this era, but his own individual voice is heard gradually emerging. He would later spend time as a member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, be part of the West Coast jazz scene in Los Angeles, and explore avant-garde jazz and fusion during his later years in Europe. Boppin’ In Boston shows that he was a very skilled player from the start.

This box set has extensive and definitive liner notes from Jordi Pujol along with superior sound. Highly recommended. *Scott Yanow*

* CD 1 *

1 - What's New

(Haggart-Burke)

2 - Boppin' In Boston

(Nat Pierce)

3 - Is This The Thing?

(Nat Pierce)

4 - Body Aand Soul

(Green, Sour, Heyman, Eyton)

5 - Sheba

(Charlie Mariano)

6 - Babylon

(Sonny Truit)

7 - King Edward The Flatted Fifth

(Chaloff, Burns)

8 - It Might As Well Be Spring

(Rodgers, Hammerstein II)

9 - King For A Day

(Fiorito, Lewis, Young)

10 - Boston Uncommon [Master A]

(Charlie Mariano)

11 - Boston Uncommon [Master B]

(Charlie Mariano)

12 - The Wizard [Master A]

(Charlie Mariano)

13 - The Wizard [Master B]

(Charlie Mariano)

14 - Mariners

(Charlie Mariano)

15 - Tzoris

(Charlie Mariano)

16 - Autumn In New York

(Vernon Duke)

17 - Aviary

(Charlie Mariano)

18 - Bye, Bye, Blues

(Hamm, Bennett, Lown, Gray)

19 - Bess, You Is My Woman

(G. and I. Gershwin)

20 - Barsac

(Charlie Mariano)

21 - Stella By Starlight

(Young, Washington)

22 - I'm Old Fashioned

(Kern, Mercer)

23 - Erosong

(Charlie Mariano)

#1: Ray Borden Big Band

Ray Borden, Gait Preddy, Bill Adams, Buddy Hartford (trumpets); 

ert Goodspeed, Joe Fine, Joe Laconi (trombones); 

Charlie Mariano, Sebastian Giacco (alto saxes);

Chuck Stentz, George Green (tenor saxes); Gordon Barrantine (baritone sax);

Nat Pierce (piano); Steve Hester (guitar); Frank Vaccaro (bass); Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded at Ace Recording Studios, Boston, December 1947

#2 to #4: Charlie Mariano / Nat Pierce Sextet

Gait Preddy (trumpet), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Nat Pierce (piano), Steve Hester (guitar), Frank Vaccaro (bass), Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded at Ace Recording Studios, Boston, January 1948

#5 and #6: Charlie Mariano Octet

Don Stratton (trumpet), Mert Goodspeed (trombone),

Charlie Mariano (alto sax), Randy Henderson (tenor sax),

George Green (baritone sax), Nat Pierce (piano),

Frank Gallaguer (bass),Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded in Boston, March 25, 1949

#7: Serge Chaloff / Ralph Burns Septet

Gait Preddy (trumpet), Mert Goodspeed (trombone),

Charlie Mariano (alto sax), Serge Chaloff (baritone sax),

Ralph Burns (piano), Frank Vaccaro (bass), Pete DeRosa (drums).

Recorded in Boston, July 7, 1949

#8: The Nat Pierce Orchestra

Don Stratton, Roy Caton, Bud Wilson, Dud Harvey (trumpets),

Bob Carr, Frank "Ace" Lane, Sonny Truitt (trombones),

Charlie Mariano, Dave Chapman (alto saxes),

Randy Henderson, Andie Pirie (tenor saxes), George Myers (baritone sax),

Nat Pierce (piano), Frank Gallaguer (bass), Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded in Boston, November 1950

#9: Charlie Mariano / Nat Pierce Sextet

Sonny Truitt (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Nat Pierce (piano), Chet Kruley (guitar), Frank Gallagher (bass), Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded in Boston, probably late 1950

#10 to #14: Charlie Mariano Octet

Joe Gordon (trumpet), Sonny Truitt (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Jim Clark (tenor sax), George Myers (baritone sax),

Roy Frazee (piano), Jack Lawlor (bass), Gene Glennon (drums).

Recorded in Boston, December 1951

#15: Charlie Mariano Sextet

Joe Gordon (trumpet), Sonny Truitt (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Roy Frazee (piano), Jack Lawlor (bass), Carl Goodwin (drums).

Recorded in December 1951

#16: Charlie Mariano Quartet

Charlie Mariano (alto sax), Roy Frazee (piano), Jack Lawlor (bass), Carl Goodwin (drums).

Recorded in December 1951

#17: Charlie Mariano Septet

Joe Gordon (trumpet), Sonny Truitt (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Jim Clark (tenor sax), Dick Twardzik (piano), Jack Lawlor (bass), Carl Goodwin (drums).

Recorded in Boston, December 1951

#18 to #23: Charlie Mariano Boston All Stars

Herb Pomeroy (trumpet), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Dick Twardzik (piano, tom-tom [#20]), Bernie Griggs (bass), Jimmy Weiner (drums).

Recorded in Boston, January 27, 1953

* CD 2 *

1 - Come Rain Or Come Shine

(Arlen, Mercer)

2 - My Friend Ethel

(Sonny Truitt)

3 - After Coffee

(Sonny Truitt)

4 - Trouble Is A Man

(Alec Wilder)

5 - Let's Get Away From It All

(Dennis, Adair)

6 - The Thrill Is Gone

(Brown, Henderson)

7 - The Nymph

(Vince Guaraldi)

8 - I've Told Every Little Star

(Kern, Hammerstein II)

9 - Diane's Melody

(Jaki Byard)

10 - Harangue

(Herb Pomeroy)

11 - Sweet And Lovely

(Arnheim, Tobias)

12 - Ryan's Love

(Jack Crown)

13 - This Is Heaven

(Sherman Feller)

14 - How About You?

(Fred, Blane)

15- My Nancy

(Charlie Mariano)

16 - Jan

(Jack Crown)

17 - Chanticleer

(Jack Crown)

18 - Chopin Excerpts

(DP, Adap. Charlie Mariano)

19 - April Afternoon

(Mariano, Pomeroy)

20 - Chandra

(Jaki Byard)

21 - Sagapo

(Jaki Byard)

22 - When Your Lover Has Gone

(E.A. Swan)

23 - It's Magic

(Styne, Cahn)

24 - American Indian

(Herb Pomeroy)

#1 to #8: Charlie Mariano Sextet

Dick Collins (trumpet), Sonny Truitt (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Richard Wyands (piano), Vernon Alley (bass), Joe McDonald (drums).

Recorded in San Francisco, 1953

#9 to #24: Charlie Mariano Quintet

Herb Pomeroy (trumpet), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Jaki Byard (piano), Jack Carter (bass), Peter Littman (drums).

Recorded in Boston, November 1953