Lennie Niehaus Octet

Lenny Niehaus

I Swing For You

The jazz spotlight has gleamed brightly at one time or another on big bands, small groups and soloists of varied creative scope and authenticity. But, rather unaccountably, very little attention has been paid to what should be one of the most flexible and rewarding types of jazz ensemble — the middling-sized group which can work with the easy intimacy of a small combo when it wants to or juice itself up to big band proportions when that seems desirable. John Kirby's sextet had some suggestion of this quality in the 1930s although with only six men (and just one brass instrument in the lot) a valid big band sound was out of its reach. Count Basie came closer with the brilliant octet he led in the early Fifties, a group that could trip along as lightly as a greased marble or come charging in like an overstimulated troop of marines.

The neglect that this area has suffered can only be attributed to blindness, to a rather appalling lack of aware imagination for, as Lennie Niehaus clearly shows in this  album, there are an abundance of fascinating possibilities open to a flexibly two-faced middle-sized band. 

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The Niehaus alto that is heard in this album may come as a surprise to those who recall the strongly Parker-touched tone of his playing on earlier disks. That has all been assimilated now and he is stretching out in more direct, less involved lines that bristle with basic jazz qualities. It is a significant step in his development as a strongly individual jazz voice. There is significance, too, in the kind of arranging he offers here for this, says Lennie, is the side of his talent on which he intends to concentrate in the immediate future. If he has his way, he'll stay put in Hollywood, spending most of his time writing, possibly playing weekends as he does now with Kenton, but not getting involved in taking out a group of his own. For the time being at least, what you hear on this record is the closest thing there will be to a Niehaus band. *(from liner notes)*

Lennie swings, but he keeps it cool too — as this rare Mercury set steps off of the same octet energy Niehaus brought to his better-known sides for Contemporary in the mid 50s! The players here are a bit lesser known than some of Niehaus' other all-star groups — with Ken Shroyer on trombone, Ed Leddy on trumpet, and Steve Perlow on baritone — alongside some nicely searing tenor from Bill Perkins, whose presence always makes a set like this sparkle! Lou Levy plays piano and Red Kelly is on bass — and titles include "Soon", "Little Girl Blues", "P & L", "Four Eleven West", "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Kiss Me & Kill Me With Love", and "I See Your Face Before Me". *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

A very swingy West-Coast middle band session, all participants from the Stan Kenton band.

Lennie Niehaus, another great player from the Kenton band, is very famous of his superior arrangements as well as very swingy improvised alto play. Although his Contemporary LPs are much famous as his leader sessions, this EmArcy session also sounds nice. Thrilling arrangements as well as nice improvisation by Kenton pals are all great. *microgroove.jp*

Side 1

1 - P & L

(Lennie Niehaus)

2 - I See Your Face Before Me

(Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz)

3 - Four Eleven West

(Benny Golson)

4 - Soon

(George and Ira Gershwin)

Side 2

5 - He Ain't Got Rhythm

(Irving Berlin)

6 - Kiss Me And Kill Me With Love

(Shapiro, Fain)

7 - Little Girl Blues

(Bill Perkins)

8 - Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care To Know)

(Duke Ellington, Mack David)

Lennie Niehaus (alto sax), Ed Leddy (trumpet), Ken Shroyer (trombone, bass trumpet),

Bill Perkins (flute, tenor sax), Steve Perlow (baritone sax),

Lou Levy (piano), Red Kelly (bass), Jerry McKenzie (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, October 1, 1957