Five-Star Collection... The Sauter-Finegan Orchestra

The Sauter-Finegan Orchestra

The Sons Of Sauter-Finegan

To anyone who has never enjoyed the felicities of life in a large family, the purpose and particular joy of this present album may appear somewhat obscure, but on the other hand, those who have grown up in the midst of countless brothers (or sisters) and have been saddled with years of hand-me-downs will know at once just what it is that has brought us together. We may not be members of a regulation-type family in the generally accepted sense of the term, but it is one that swings like few others — and we ask you, how many other families get a chance to carry out the work of their parents as we do that of Eddie and Bill? It's sometimes difficult (if not impossible) to follow, but man, we dig it!

You are all undoubtedly aware of the size of our musical family — unfortunately, we have only one sister, but man, there are brothers coming out of every instrument imaginable, not to mention the woodwork. Not that it isn’t the greatest, but it's always nice to get away for a little vacation even if it means nothing more than traipsing down to the nearest recording studio. So, when RCA Victor's Jack Lewis got together with our parental team and suggested that the older members of the family cut some sides, we were all for it. But don't get the wrong idea — our beards are not quite that white, it’s just that we've been around longer than some of the other S-F kids. And just to make things complete, we thought we should invite one of the parents to sit in with us — it turned out to be Bill Finegan on piano, but if we had used any kazoos it would inevitably have been the estimable Mr. Sauter. He did show up, however, to lead his renowned choir. 

Of course, the making of these records did not actually constitute a vacation, for at the time they were being cut we were also fulfilling an engagement at the New York night spot known as Basin Street. But the music itself is a distinet change from what we usually play with the band. There, in the intricate, colorful, and always swinging arrangements by Eddie and Bill, we join all our other brothers in a massive panorama of sound — we only rarely receive the opportunity to show what we can do in a solo capacity. Not that we're complaining, for there’s really no musical satisfaction quite like playing the products of the Sauter-Finegan imagination, but every musician likes to blow on his own every once in a while, and on these dates we blew to our hearts’ content. Bill built some simple arrangements around each one of us, and from that 

point it was every man for himself.

(...)

Come to think of it, this was something of a vacation — but most of all, it was just great fun. There's something about spontaneous creation that lifts all of us, in an individual way, just a little higher, and especially when it's something we don't do every day, it comes as almost a new experience. At the present writing, we're back with all our countless brothers, once again in the midst of recorders, kazoos, finger cymbals and elephant bells, but for us — and we hone for you, too — the melody lingers on. *(from the liner notes)*

There have been and continue to be many brilliant sidemen in the Sauter-Finegan entourage, but the extent of each man's expressivity has been constricted by the gimmicky, heavily pretentious book of the band. Now, thanks to Jack Lewis of Victor, several of these sidemen have been gathered into small units and have been given ample solo space in loose "head" arrangements. The sides were cut several months ago.

The musicians are: Bobby Nichols, trumpet and fluegel horn; Nick Travis, trumpet and valve trombone; Sonny Russo, trombone; Tommy Mitchell, trombone; Joe Venuto, marimba and vibes; Francis James, bass; Mousey Alexander, drums; Bill Finegan, piano.

Everyone on the date is in fine form. Sonny Russo, (now with Neal Hefti) indicates again he's one of the better young trombonists in jazz although, like his contemporary, Frank Rosolino, Sonny is ill-advised to sing. Mitchell also shows well. Nichols and Travis play with moving warmth and impressive musicianship. Venuto makes it on his one solo band. Though I respect Mousey Alexander, the rhythm section isn't as apt as it could have been for the small units that make up the date. It could flow more, particularly on the up-tempos.

Nichols has two ballads to himself that he plays beautifully, and he duets with Travis on three other numbers. Russo has two to himself, and everyone joins in the last number. Of special interest are two of the Nichols-Travis numbers, Non-Identical Twins and Two Bats in a Cave. Both have the two hornmen alone — without rhythm section. Their third duet, Nip and Tuck — with rhythm — is also absorbing. Good recorded sound throughout. One of the more imaginative albums of the year.

*Nat Hentoff (Down Beat, September 21, 1955 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Back In Your Own Backyard

(Rose, Jolson, Dreyer)

2 - I Surrender Dear

(Barris, Clifford)

3 - Street Of Dreams

(Young, Lewis)

4 - Lip Service

(Russo, Mitchell)

5 - Two Bats In A Cave

(Nichols, Travis)

6 - Mad About The Boy

(Coward)

Side 2

7 - Over The Rainbow

(Arlen, Harburg)

8 - Non-Identical Twins

(Nichols, Travis)

9 - Easy To Remember

(Rodgers, Hart)

10 - Nip And Tuck

(Nichols, Travis)

11 - Fascinating Rhythm

(G. & I. Gershwin)

12 - Procrastination

(Finegan)

Eddie Sauter (arrangements, direction), Bill Finegan (piano, celesta [#7]), 

Bobby Nichols (trumpet, flugelhorn [#7]), Nick Travis (trumpet, valve trombone [#9]),

Sonny Russo (trombone, vocals [#1]), Tommy Mitchell (trombone),

Joe Venuto (marimba [#2], vibes), Francis James (bass), Mousey Alexander (drums).

Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City,

January 15 (#1, #3, #10, #11), 16 (#2, #5, #6, #9) and 20 (#4, #7, #8, #12), 1955