Charlie Mariano On Bethlehem

In the 1950s, Charlie Mariano was one of the most promising of the bop-oriented altoists. His personnel here is consistent, with Mariano joined by pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Max Bennett, drummer Stan Levey, trombonist Frank Rosolino, and the cool-toned trumpeter Stu Williamson. The repertoire mixes together fairly basic group originals and swinging standards with many fine solos by the horns. An excellent example of Charlie Mariano's playing in the '50s.

Charlie Mariano

Charlie Mariano Plays

Altoist Charlie Mariano, active since the late Forties playing around his native Boston, became much better known through his stay at Stan Kenton's orchestra (1953-1955). He managed to assert his own individual quality and his own musical importance while keeping a deep-seated devotion to Charlie Parker. On these early sides, recorded in Los Angeles, Mariano blows with a great deal of emotion, authority, bite and consistency, showing why he became one of the most demanded studio sidemen in the West Coast (1953-1957) as well as one of the most important altoists in modern jazz since Charlie Parker.

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The Hollywood studio sessions included in this CD were originally produced and released by Bethlehem Records. In the three of them, Charlie Mariano is backed by the same solidly-swinging rhythm section composed of Stan Levey on drums, Max Bennett on bass and Claude Williamson on piano, one of the more felicitous trios to come from the West Coast. The result of their effort and talent is a driving, swinging and thoughtful beat.

On these recordings Charlie Mariano reached new heights as a musician. In them, we begin hear a change in his style, a style that allowed him to assert his own individual quality and his own musical importance while keeping a deepseated devotion to Charlie Parker. Mariano blows with a great deal of emotion, authority, bite and consistency, showing why he became one of the most demanded studio sidermen in the West Coast as well as one of the most important altoists in modern jazz. *Jordi Pujol (liner notes)*

1 - 'S Nice

(Charlie Mariano)

2 - Chlo-E

(Moret, Kahn)

3 - Three Little Words

(Ruby, Kalmar)

4 - Green Walls

(Charlie Mariano)

5 - My Melancholy Baby

(Burnett, Norton)

6 - You Go To My Head

(Coots, Gillespie)

7 - Slugger

(Claude Williamson)

8 - There Will Never Be Another You

(Warren, Gordon)

9 - Sunday

(Coots, Grey)

10 - Sapphire

(Stu Williamson)

11 - Don't Get Around Much Anymore

(Ellington, Russell)

12 - Strike Up The Band

(G. and I. Gershwin)

13 - Just Max

(Max Bennett)

14 - Sweet Georgia Brown

(Bernie, Pinkard, Casey)

15 - I'll Never Smile Again

(Ruth Lowe)

16 - T.K.

(Tiny Kahn)

17 - Rubberneck

(Frank Rosolino)

18 - Jeppers Creepers

(Warren, Mercer)

#1 to #6: from the album Mariano (Bethlehem Records - BCP 1022)

Stu Williamson (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Claude Williamson (piano), Max Bennett (bass), Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, December 21, 1954

#7 to #12: from the album Saphire (Bethlehem Records - BCP 1024)

Stu Williamson (trumpet), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Claude Williamson (piano), Max Bennett (bass), Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, January 18, 1955

#13 to #18: from the album Max Bennett (Bethlehem Records - BCP 1028)

Frank Rosolino (trombone), Charlie Mariano (alto sax),

Claude Williamson (piano), Max Bennett (bass), Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, January 27, 1955