Trumpet Conclave (I)

Conte Candoli • Nick Travis • Dick Sherman

Bernie Glow • Phil Sunkel • Don Stratton • Al De Risi

Cool Gabriels 

One of the rather surprising developments in the jazz field over the past few years has been the comparative neglect of that most venerated of jazz instruments, the trumpet. Since about 1950, when jazz started its upward climb toward its present pinnacle of popularity and prosperity, there have been scores of jazz albums issued featuring saxes, pianos, guitars and trombones, but comparatively few featuring cool horns. In order to somewhat rectify what appears to be an unfair situation for 

modern trumpet players, and to show how enjoyable cool trumpets can sound, this album was conceived. Since it was to be a showcase for cool horn men, it had to show off many different styles of trumpet, and it had to feature both wellknown modern trumpeters as well as rising young horn men who were just beginning to obtain recognition for their work. In addition, it had to display these "Cool Gabriels" both as soloists and in ensemble, to prove the versatility of the men and their instrument. In all these respects, this album of cool horns has succeeded admirably.

*Radio Corporation of America, 1956 (liner notes)*

This rare and longtime hard-to-find album was conceived to show how enjoyable cool trumpets can sound. Featured "Cool Gabriels" are Conte Candoli, Nick Travis, Don Stratton, Bernie Glow, Phil Sunkel, Al de Risi and Dick Sherman. The tune contained in this album were selected specifically to give each "Gabriel" a chance to show his stuff and also to demonstrate the various moods that could be brilliantly exemplified wit a trumpet ensemble. The fun that the musicians had making these recordings is apparent on every selection, including the Gerry Mulligan tunes, the clever Al Cohn items 'Cupcake' and 'Spooky', John Benson Brooks' devilish 'Nick', Paul Selden's somber 'Something Blue', and Elliot Lawrence's ligh compositions. *Jordi Pujol*

Cool Gabriels is a trumpet conclave with Conte Candoli, Nick Travis, Dick Sherman, Don Stratton, and Phil Sunkel soloing over a background of alternating lead trumpets Bernie Glow and Al De Risi, Elliot Lawrence, Burgher (Buddy) Jones, Sol Gubin, and themselves. Glow solos on "Arms". The writing is by Lawrence, Al Cohn, Paul Selden, Gerry Mulligan (arranged by Lawrence), and John Benson Brooks. The scoring is clean, always flowing, and sometimes quite ingratiating.

The solos are also of a consistently controlled and assured level while the ensemble playing is sharp and alive. Yet there is little here that really clutches the emotions, little that is nakedly beneath the surface. It's like a good issue of a well-produced slick magazine — Time, let's say. For a more earthy, more deeply wailing trumpet meeting, try Savoy's Top Brass under Ernie Wilkins' direction. But this isn't a dull set by any means. It just doesn't let go enough. There are two takes of "The Swingin' Scot". A complete solo chart is helpfully provided.

*Nat Hentoff (Down Beat, November 28, 1956)*

Side 1

1 - Five O'Clock Shadow

(Lawrence, Reichner)

2 - Cupcake

(Al Cohn)

3 - Mostly Latin

(Elliot Lawrence)

4 - Something Blue

(Paul Selden)

5 - The Swingin' Scot (part 1 and part 2)

(Elliot Lawrence)

6 - Love Is Just Around The Corner

(Leo Robin, Lewis Gensler)

Side 2

7 - Elevation

(Elliot Lawrence, Gerry Mulligan)

8 - Spooky

(Al Cohn)

9 - Happy Hooligan

(Gerry Mulligan)

10 - Each Other's Arms

(Lawrence, Glenn, Reichner)

11 - Nick

(John Benson Brooks)

#1, #7, #8, #9:

Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Conte Candoli, Don Stratton (trumpets);

Elliott Lawrence (piano); Burgher "Buddy" Jones (bass); Sol Gubin (drums).

#2, #3, #4, #6:

Nick Travis, Al De Risi, Conte Candoli, Don Stratton, Dick Sherman (trumpets);

Elliot Lawrence (piano); Burgher "Buddy" Jones (bass); Sol Gubin (drums).

#5, #10, #11:

Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Conte Candoli, Don Stratton, Phil Sunkel (trumpets);

Elliott Lawrence (piano); Burgher "Buddy" Jones (bass); Sol Gubin (drums).

Recorded in New York City, June 1 (#1, #7, #8, #9),

June 12 (#2, #3, #4, #6) and June 14 (#5, #10, #11), 1956

Billy Ver Planck Orchestra - Jazz For Playgirls

Billy Ver Planck is a highly respected arranger, composer and trombonist, husband of the brilliant singer Marlene Ver Planck (Marlene Paula Pampinella), surely one of the most underrated vocalists of the last three decades. This is one of the three or four albums he did for Savoy in the 1950s using a big-sounding nine-piece band containing such notable soloists as trombonist Bill Harris, also saxist Phil Woods, trumpeter Joe Wilder and Eddie Costa doubling vibraphone and piano. The writing is excellent for it inspires the soloists and allows them space to deploy themselves. This was a particularly productive period for Woods, who takes off like a rocket on a number of tracks and is fea tured throughout "Whoo-ee!". The unique sound that was Bill Harris is still a joy, and when Ver Planck takes over the solo trombone role on one track it is obvious who he admires. The playing time could be better, but the work of Ver Planck and his colleagues is above reproach.

A nine man ball! Yes, that’s the best way to describe the exciting occurence in jazz captured in the enclosed album. Billy Ver Planck, versatile young trombonist-writer, has composed and arranged seven superb essays for jazz nonet that are sure to capture the vote of every jazz fan! Featuring the brilliant Bill Harris and Phil Woods, Seldon Powell, Eddie Costa, Joe Wilder and "a cast of thousands" as the ads say! Ver Planck and Ozzie Cadena, SAVOY A&R chief, have collaborated and individually contributed tunes, that Billy has given a wide range of interpretation. *H. Alan Stein (liner notes)*

A good straight ahead 1957 nonet album arranged and conducted by little known Billy Ver Planck featuring the alto sax of Phil Woods and the trombone of ex Woody Herman trombonist Bill Harris. One or the other, or both, solo on every track with occasional trumpet or tenor sax solo as well. 

The sequencing here is perfect beginning with the most popular tune first, although Horace Silver had just recorded it the previous year. Billy raises the tempo perhaps hoping to get some radio airplay too and the down tempo tunes are well placed. My only minor objection is the vibraphone playing of Eddie Costa on the longest track, comping behind Harris's playing and then taking a Lionel Hampton like solo of his own detracting a bit from the straight ahead nature of the album. Costa plays piano on the rest album. Keep a ear out for Phil Wood's cool but brief clarinet solo on "Winds". *John M. (Amazon customer)*

Arranger Billy Ver Planck leads a nones on some hard-swinging numbers; all but Horace Silver's "Señor Blues" were composed either by Ver Planck or producer Ozzie Cadena. Starring on these spirited sides are trombonist Bill Harris (who is heard at his most exciting on "Play Girl Stroll"), altoist Phil Woods (doubling on clarinet), Eddie Costa (doubling on vibes and piano) and trumpeter Joe Wilder. Ver Planck's arrangements make the group sound twice as big as it was yet have the feel of a small combo. A highly recommended disc. *Scott Yanow*

Side 1

1 - Señor Blues

(Horace Silver)

2 - Play Girl Stroll

(Ozzie Cadena)

3 - Aw, C'mon Sugah!

(Ozzie Cadena)

Side 2

4 - Whoo-ee!

(Ozzie Cadena)

5 - Miss Spring Blues

(Billy Ver Plank)

6 - Winds

(Billy Ver Plank)

7 - Du-udah-udah

(Billy Ver Plank)

#1 and #3 to #7:

Clyde Reasinger, Joe Wilder (trumpets); Bill Harris [#1 to #5], Billy Ver Planck [#6] (trombones); Phil Woods (alto sax); Seldon Powell (tenor sax); Gene Allen (baritone sax); Eddie Costa (vibes, piano); George Duvivier (bass); Bobby Donaldson (drums). 

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, November 17, 1957

#2

Bernie Glow, Phil Sunkel (trumpets), Bill Harris (trombone); Phil Woods (alto sax); Seldon Powell (tenor sax); Sol Schlinger (baritone sax); Eddie Costa (vibes, piano); Wendell Marshall (bass); Gus Johnson (drums). 

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, July 30, 1957

Billy Ver Planck (Arranger and conductor) 

Elliot Lawrence • Gene Krupa - More Mulligan Arrangements

 

Elliot Lawrence

Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements

Marc Myers: Whose idea was it for you to record a full album of Gerry Mulligan’s arrangements in 1955?

Elliot Lawrence: Sol Zaentz of Fantasy called us because we didn't have a recording contract with a label. He asked if I wanted to record for Fantasy. Those were the arrangements I had bought from Gerry. At the time, he needed money so he offered to write a few new ones for me. I said yes and I bought them from him. The album helped him raise some cash.

*from an interview for JazzWax, February 2016*

Elliot Lawrence, who led a swing-oriented big band after the swing era had already passed its prime, primarily worked in the studios in the 1950s. This reissue from the Original Jazz Classics series (which has not yet surfaced on CD) was one of Lawrence's few jazz dates of the decade. Utilizing a dozen Gerry Mulligan charts (seven of the songs were also composed by Mulligan) and an all-star crew of young modernists (including trumpeter Nick Travis, trombonist Eddie Bert, altoist Hal McKusick, and Al Cohn on tenor), the results are quite pleasing. Although Mulligan himself does not play, his presence is very much felt on songs such as "The Rocker", "Bweebida Bwobbida", "Strike Up the Band", and "Apple Core". Other highlights include tributes to Zoot Sims ("The Swinging Door") and Lester Young ("Mr. President"). *Scott Yanow*

Elliot Lawrence loves jazz. When he was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania (he won the Thornton Oakley Award, given each year to the undergraduate who has contributed most to the arts, and won only once before in the field of music), he had himself a swinging band, which used to gig around the Eastern seaboard, blowing up quite a jumping storm. After he'd been graduated, he went to radio station WCAU, where he continued his swinging ways, despite the fact that studio bands are supposed to be strictly commercial. It paid off, though, because soon people started noticing his band much more than they did other studio groups, and finally offers became so frequent and attractive that Elliot and men left WCAU, bowed in at the Hotel Statler in New York, and automatically became a name band!

In that early Philadelphia outfit there was a young saxophonist, a redheaded, wide-eyed, enthusiastic youngster named Gerry Mulligan. Even then he was an arranger, and, encouraged by Elliot, who has done a great deal of writing, himself, Gerry began turning out a batch of manuscripts for the band. And when the gang left the studios, Gerry went with it, and he continued to write for it for several years thereafter, even after he’d quit playing baritone so that he could concentrate exclusively on arranging.

These then are the twelve tunes that comprise an LP of truly superior blowing of truly superior arrangements. The playing is by a bunch of modern, musicianly musicians, led by one of the most talented and enthusiastic leaders of big band modern jazz and penned by a composer-arranger whose contributions to the same medium have been tremendous. It's the first collection of several by Elliot Lawrence which Fantasy plans to issue in the months to come, and it's also the first that shows what a surprisingly blowing and exciting band Elliot Lawrence has been keeping under wraps for much too long. *George T. Simon (liner notes)*

1 - The Rocker

(Gerry Mulligan)

2 - Bye Bye Blackbird

(Henderson, Dixon)

3 - Happy Hooligan

(Gerry Mulligan)

4 - Mullennium

(Gerry Mulligan)

5 - My Silent Love

(Suesse, Heyman)

6 - Bweebida Bwobbida

(Gerry Mulligan)

7 - Strike Up The Band

(G. and I. Gershwin)

8 - Apple Core

(Gerry Mulligan)

9 - Elegy For Two Clarinets

(Gerry Mulligan)

10 - The Swinging Door

(Sims, Mulligan)

11 - But Not For Me

(G. and I. Gershwin)

12 - Mr. President

(Mulligan, Lawrence)

Elliot Lawrence (piano); Bernie Glow, Al De Risi, Dick Sherman, Nick Travis, Stan Fishelson (trumpets); Al Robertson, Eddie Bert, Paul Seldon, Ollie Wilson (trombones); Freddie Schmitt, Tony Miranda (French horns); Al Cohn, Charlie O'Kane , Eddie Wasserman , Hal McKusick, Sam Marowitz (saxes); Buddy Jones [#2, #4, #5, #6, #7, #10, #11], Russ Saunders [#1, #3, #8, #9] (basses); Don Lamond (drums).

Recorded at Fine Sounds, New York City, July 1955.

***

Gene Krupa

Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements

Gerry Mulligan joined the Gene Krupa band in February, 1946, and remained about a year. He arranged for the band all that time, played alto for a couple of months and tenor for about two more. The arrangements he did during that year —when he was 19— are both interesting in themselves and illuminating in the context of the way his writing has developed since. He did about 24 altogether.

At the age of 17, Mulligan had already started arranging professionally — for Johnny Warrington's band at the Philadelphia radio station, WCAU; for Tommy Tucker on Gerry's first road trip; and then for Elliot Lawrence, who had taken over the WCAU orchestra.

"The Krupa band, however", Mulligan recalls, "was the most professional band I'd ever written for. They were so professional they sometimes scared the hell out of  me. They had no trouble playing anything I wrote. Having that skilled a unit to write for was a new and a challenging experience". 

Before he heard these versions of the arrangements he'd done for Krupa, Mulligan had feared that twelve years would make them sound much too dated for comfort, but he was hearteningly surprised to hear that they still stand up. "There were a lot of things", he said, "I thought I hadn't tried until I started writing for Claude Thornhill, but now I hear that I'd already been doing them with Gene's band". 

Mulligan feels he learned a great deal from his year with Krupa, not only about writing and playing, but about people. The band traveled throughout the country, and the experience broadened Gerry considerably. He was also fond of Gene personally, and appreciated the fact that Gene let him write as much as he did — and used most of it. Krupa, in turn, liked Mulligan because he always stood up for what he believed, and knew what he wanted to do. 

Adding this album to your Mulligan-Krupa collection should prove to be an instructive pleasure. It gives —in high fidelity— a cross-section of an important year in Mulligan's history; and it also indicates that Krupa had the prescience to keep the 19-year-old with the band, and —up to a point— give him his head. *(Liner notes)*

Gerry Mulligan was only 19 in 1946 when he joined Gene Krupa's band, playing a bit of alto and tenor sax, but primarily serving as an arranger. But the Verve LP Gene Krupa Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements wasn't made until 1958, long after Mulligan went out on his own. Although there are solo features built into the framework of each piece, Mulligan was quite confident in his ability to showcase the entire band as well. Mulligan's "Disc Jockey Jump" became a hit for Krupa, though it wasn't recorded until after he left the band. The vague liner notes fail to identify any of the musicians in Krupa's big band, which includes Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones, Barry Galbraith, Kai Winding, and Phil Woods, though Woods' alto sax solos are easily identifiable to his fans. Baritone saxophonist Danny Bank is a bit disappointing compared to what Mulligan could have recorded on the instrument, though it would have been unlikely that the composer would have been interested in rejoining Krupa, even for one record date, at the time it was recorded. It's surprising that this excellent LP remained out of print for so long, particularly with the strong resurgence of interest in all aspects of Mulligan's work since his death in 1996. *Ken Dryden*

Gene Krupa and Gerry Mulligan —hardly a pairing that we would have thought of— but one that works surprisingly well here, and which showcases Mulligan's increasing fascination for larger group settings! The album features Gene on drums with a set of players that include Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Phil Woods, Hank Jones, and Barry Galbraith – but the real star of the set is Gerry, who's not playing here, but conducting the larger group of jazz players through charts that are all his own, and which display the same love of fluid ensemble horn parts that he used in his own smaller combo work. There's a lot more brass in the mix than you'd usually get from Gerry —which gives the album a bit more of a Krupa kick— and Gene also gets some nice space to show himself on drums. *dustygroove.com*

1 - Bird House

(Mulligan)

2 - Margie

(Conrad, Robinson, Davis)

3 - Mulligan Stew

(Krupa, Mulligan)

4 - Begin The Beguine

(Porter)

5 - Sugar

(Pinkard, Alexander, Mitchell)

6 - The Way Of All Flesh

(Mulligan)

7 - Disk Jockey Jump

(Krupa, Mulligan)

8 - Birds Of A Feather

(Mulligan)

9 - Sometimes I’m Happy

(Youmans, Caesar, Grey)

10 - How High The Moon

(Lewis, Hamilton)

11 - If You Were The Only Girl

(Ayer, Grey)

12 - Yardbird Suite

(Parker)

#1, #2, #3, #12:

Al DeRisi, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Al Stewart (trumpets); Eddie Bert, Jimmy Cleveland, Billy Byers, Kai Winding (trombones); Sam Marowitz, Phil Woods (alto saxes); Frank Socolow, Eddie Wasserman (tenor saxes); Danny Bank (baritone sax); Hank Jones (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Jimmy Gannon (bass); Gene Krupa (drums). Gerry Mulligan (arranger & conductor).

Recorded at Fine Studio, New York City, October 20, 1958.

#4 to #11:

Al DeRisi, Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Al Stewart (trumpets); Jimmy Cleveland, Willie Dennis, Urbie Green, Kai Winding (trombones); unknow (tuba); Sam Marowitz, Phil Woods (alto saxes); Frank Socolow, Eddie Wasserman (tenor saxes); Danny Bank (baritone sax); Hank Jones (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Jimmy Gannon (bass); Gene Krupa (drums). Gerry Mulligan (arranger & conductor).

Recorded at Fine Studio, New York City, October 21 and 22, 1958.

Herbie Mann - Flute Mann • Salute To The Flute

The flute, an honorable pastoral spirit in the classical orchestra and chamber groups, is only beginning to be more than glancingly accepted by jazz critics. The jazz musicians, always more hospitable and curious than the critics, have, with rare exceptions, not objected to its increasing inclusion in jazz record sessions and regular combos and orchestra. There have been, however, several dourly skeptical writers, most notably in England, who feel the flute is not capable of projecting all the heat and urgency of elemental jazz. 

It is absurd (it seems instantly axiomatic to me) to proscribe any instrument as being inherently alien to jazz. It is the player, after all, who is transmitting the message; the instrument is his means, and if his message is heated and urgent, it will get through. In any case, an increasing number of jazz musicians, especially within the past four and five years, have become intrigued with and soon assured on the instrument; and it is not at all outré to bring a flute to a jam session on an average gig. 

A majority of the jazz flutists, however, utilize the instrument secondarily. Frank Wess of the Basie and Jerome Richardson, for example, are primarily tenors although their transformation of the flute into a vessel afire may eventually make the flute their first instrument. Buddy Collette distributes his calm skills about equally among the clarinet, alto, tenor and flute. Bud Shank is still an altoist first and Sam Most continues to concentrate on the clarinet although both have become flute-facile too. Bobby Jaspar of the J. J. Johnson quintet is regarded by his colleagues as a tenor who, on the side, plays warm, singing flute.

Mann, on the other hand, although a professional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist, can be considered the first of the younger jazzmen to regard the flute as his major instrument. Born in Brooklyn on March 16, 1930, he gained experience during three years with an Army band in Trieste and first became known on the jazz scene through his work with the Mat Mathews combo in 1953 and 1954. He started playing flute as well as other reeds with Mat, and as he explains the context at the time, "it was impossible for me to be influenced by any other flute player then, because there were hardly any. I had that advantage. I had heard and been impressed by Harry Klee's flute on a Mary Ann McCall album in the early '50's, but it has been a trumpet player, Miles Davis, who has actually been my one major influence on flute". *Nat Hentoff (liner notes)*

This Columbia LP (a 1981 reissue of an Epic album titled Salute to the Flute) found flutist Herbie Mann accompanied for the first time by a big band on five of the nine selections. Prior to 1959, virtually all of Mann's recordings were bop-oriented, and this one is no exception. Whether it be "Little Niles", "When Lights Are Low", "Beautiful Love" or even "Old Honky Tonk Piano Roll Blues", Mann proves to be an excellent bop soloist; other important players on this date include trumpeter Joe Wilder, altoist Anthony Ortega, pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Joe Puma and bassist Oscar Pettiford. This LP will be a difficult one to find. *Scott Yanow*

The best of the plethora of Mann sets that have hit the market recently. With the aid of excellent musicians, in example, Hank Jones, Anthony Ortega, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford, Joe Wilder, Urbie Green, etc., and arrangements by A. K. Salim and Gigi Gryce, the flutist is heard in big, medium-sized and small band contexts, and the music is at once pleasant, interesting, and provides adequate blowing space. Set should be appealing to jazz coterie, and those not so heavily oriented as well. Try "Little Niles" and "A Ritual" as demo bands. *Billboard, October 28, 1957*

Side 1

1 - When The Lights Are Low

(Benny Carter)

2 - Little Niles

(Randy Weston)

3 - Old Honkie Tonk Piano Roll Blues

(Herbie Mann)

4 - Pretty Baby

(A. K. Salim)

Side 2

5 - Beautiful Love

(Victor Young, Wayne King, Egbert Van Alstyne)

6 - Hip Scotch

(Joe Puma)

7 - Song For Ruth

(Herbie Mann)

8 - Noga's Nuggets

(Oscar Pettiford)

9 - A Ritual

(Herbie Mann)

Herbie Mann (flute, alto flute); Bernie Glow, Don Stratton, Joe Wilder (trumpets); Urbie Green, Chauncey Welsch (trombones); Anthony Ortega (alto sax); Dick Hafer (alto and tenor sax); Dave Kurtzer (tenor sax); Sol Schlinger (baritone sax); Joe Puma (guitar); Hank Jones (piano); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Gus Johnson [#1, #3, #5, #6, #8, #9]), Philly Joe Jones [#2, #4, #7] (drums).

Recorded in New York City, April 18 (#2, #4, #7) and April 29 (#1, #3, #5, #6, #8, #9), 1957. 

The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop #4

Billy Byers

The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop

In Greek mythology there was a remarkable marine deity in the service of Poseidon, the god of the sea. His name was Proteus, and when seized he would assume different shapes. 

Billy Byers’ music has nothing to do with Greek mythology, except to the extent that from Proteus’ name the adjective "protean" was derived to denote anything or anybody very changeable or versatile, able to alter in shape, principle or style as desired; and by all odds Billy Byers, when seized, is as protean a cat as you will find in or out of jazz today. 

If the exigency of the moment calls for a movie background score, don’t forget that after he came out of the Army in 1945 Billy Byers was busy writing for the film studios for three years. If it’s TV music that’s needed, he can point to the several seasons he dedicated to the scoring of "Your Show of Shows" and of numerous Spectaculars for Max Liebman. Or if big-band jazz orchestrations are required, he can duplicate his success with the bands of Benny Goodman and Charlie Ventura. 

On the other hand, when the situation simply requires a capable trombonist, remember that this was how Billy got his start, playing with the Hollywood Canteen Kids at the age of fifteen (he was born in Los Angeles in 1927); and much of his early experience was gained on the road with Georgie Auld and Buddy Rich. His playing and writing have contributed already to a number of successful RCA Victor jazz albums.

Furthermore, in case you wondered whether a man burdened down with so many heavy responsibilities might be capable of going back home to reunite with the origins, let us recall, too, the evenings he spent getting his kicks in the Dixieland bands at Eddie Condon’s and the Stuyvesant Casino. 

As you are beginning to observe, Proteus had nothing on Mr. Byers.

When Jack Lewis assigned Billy an album in the RCA Victor Jazz Workshop series, it was to be expected that operating within this challenging framework Billy would again show his ability to assume various guises. Accordingly, he is presented here in three provocatively contrasted settings: one featuring four strings, another in which he’s part of a trombone quartet along with trumpet, saxophone, bass and drums; and a third in which the instrumentation is more conventional — three horns and three rhythm.

At this writing Billy Byers is taking French leave from the U. S. scene, composing and arranging for Ray Ventura in Paris. After hearing his own first album I’m sure you will join me in hoping he’ll soon become homesick. *Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

The remarkably versatile trombonist-writer, Billy Byers, currently recording and arranging in France for Ray Ventura, handles his Victor Jazz Workshop assignment with characteristic avoidance of the overfamiliar and with much taste. He uses three different groups — three cellos and rhythm section with horns; trombone quartet with alto, trumpet, and rhythm; three horns and rhythm.

The musicians present are Nick Travis and Bernie Glow, Urbie Green, Fred Ohms and Chauncy Welsh, Al Cohn (clarinet, tenor, baritone), Phil Woods (clarinet, alto); Jerry Sanfino (flute, alto); Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Moe Wechsler (piano and celeste), vibist Joe Venuto, violinist Gene Orloff, and cellists Alan Schulman, Lucien Schmit, and Bernie Greenhouse.

Billy did all the writing, much of it quite effective and reflecting his feeling for dynamics. The casual, often witty originals are also his, and it’s disappointing once again that a workshop LP (or any other) should cram a dozen tracks into one set. The Funky Music Box, for example, needn’t have been left in such a sketchy form. 

The rating would be higher were it not for the four string tracks. Byers does not use strings so that they have any added jazz value, and they only serve to oversweeten the sound. Among the highlights are Cohn’s clarinet on "Chinese Water Torture" (Al should record more on the instrument, including bass clarinet) ; Billy’s warm, flowing trombone all the way; Woods (called Phil Funk here); and the over-all skill of the rest of the men on the date. Had the strings been omitted and had there been more space for Billy to expand fewer songs into more cumulatively building climaxes, this could have been a major LP. As it is, it’s a sound collection, very much worth hearing.

*Nat Hentoff, Down Beat, July 11, 1956*

Side 1

1 - Alone Together

(Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz)

2 - The Tickler

(Billy Byers)

3 - Billy Bones

(Billy Byers)

4 - Chinese Water Torture

(Billy Byers)

5 - I See A Million People

(Robert Sour, Una Mae Carlisle)

6 - Back In Your Own Back Yard

(Jolson, Rose, Dreyer)

Side 2

7 - The Funky Music Box

(Billy Byers)

8 - The Great Rationalization

(Billy Byers)

9 - Sunday

(Miller, Cohn, Stein, Kreuger)

10 - Misty Osie

(Billy Byers)

11 - Thou Swell

(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)

12 - You're Mine You

(John Green, Edward Heyman)

#3, #4, #8, #10:

Bernie Glow (trumpet); Billy Byers, Urbie Green, Fred Ohms, Chauncey Welsh (trombones); Al Cohn (clarinet, tenorsax, baitone sax); Moe Welscher (piano, celeste); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, December 9, 1955.

#2, #6, #7, #11:

Nick Travis (trumpet), Billy Byers (trombone), Phil Woods (clarinet, alto sax), Moe Welscher (piano, celeste), Milt Hinton (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, December 23, 1955.

#1, #5, #9, #12:

Billy Byers (trombone); Jerry Sanfino (flute, clarinet, alto sax); Joe Venuto (vibes, marimba); Moe Welscher (piano, celeste); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Gene Orloff (violin); Alan Schulman, Lucien Schmit, Bernie Greenhouse (cellos).

Recorded in New York City, December 30, 1955.

The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop #1

One of the most smartest and innovative recordings in the mid-1950's was produced by Jack Lewis, RCA’s A&R man in California at the time.

In August 1955, the specialized publication Down Beat was in charge of anticipating the "project":

A major new project entitled "The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop" is now under way under the direction of that company’s jazz A&R man, Jack Lewis.

Details of the plan are shrouded in secrecy, but it is known that the "Workshop" will afford an opportunity for a number of young artists, some already RCA Victor contractees and others newly signed, to indulge in experimental work. There will be groups involving unusual instrumentation. One date already known to have been cut features Al Cohn with four trumpets and rhythm. Bob Brookmeyer is also contributing a number of arrangements and will be heard with at least two different style combos. Lewis says that the “Workshop” efforts will all be on 12″ LPs and will be released at the rate of one or two a month, in addition to the regular jazz releases.

*Down Beat, August 10, 1955 (page 4)*

A month later, it was reported again with a little more detail:

RCA-Victor is undertaking the most ambitious jazz recording schedule in its history. Jack Lewis, in charge of jazz for the label, recently released further details concerning his plans for the next few months. A key Victor undertaking is a Jazz Workshop series in which a number of leading jazz writer-players will be given complete freedom in choice of instrumentation, personnel, and the range of their writing ideas.

Among the musicians set to head individual Jazz Workshop LPs are Al Cohn, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Byers, Manny Albam, Hal Schaefer, and several others. Lewis also is cutting an album by The New York saxophone quartet, consisting of Danny Bank, Hal McKusick, Cohn, and Ray Beckenstein. No rhythm section is used with this unique unit. Lewis is commissioning original compositions for the quartet from prominent jazz writers.

*Down Beat, September 21, 1955 (page 7)* 

Finally, six months later and in an advert revealing the album covers, Down Beat announced the release of the first two albums in the series, by Al Cohn and Hal Schaefer:

Like any art form, Jazz requires space and the opportunity to grow and search for new avenues of expression. It either finds these avenues and goes forward — or it stands still and dies. There is need today in Jazz for just such space and opportunity. 

And to meet this need, RCA Victor has undertaken a program bold and unique in modern music. 

A Jazz Workshop has been established where artists can enjoy the widest latitude in composition, arrangement and performance... where new sounds can be tried ... where different directions can be explored — and all without the necessity of conforming to established modes or patterns. 

Below are the first recordings made under these exciting, stimulating conditions —forerunners of a new, unhampered kind of music from the RCA Victor Jazz Workshop. Your record dealer invites you to hear them today! 

*Down Beat, March 21, 1956 (page 17)*

In summary, there were seven Jazz Workshop albums recorded in all:

★ Al Cohn (May 1955)

★ Hal Schaefer (October 1955)

★ Manny Albam (December 1955)

★ Billy Byers (December 1955)

★ Hal McKusick (March 1956)

★ George Russell (March 1956)

★ John Carisi (April 1956)

The release led by John Carisi consisted of in three recording sessions in April, May, and June of 1956 were assigned a release number, LPM-1371, but it remained in the vault until 1988 when Executive Producer Steve Backer tapped veteran jazz producer Ed Michel to put together a CD release of sessions from the Jazz Workshop series.

Unfortunately The New York saxophone quartet session never materialized, at least there is no record in the jazz discography literature with the artists mentioned in the Down Beat column. 

That's what the next seven posts will be about and here goes the first:

Al Cohn

Four Brass, One Tenor

The appropriate sounding of brass (to be specific, four brass and one tenor) heralds the advent, with these sides, of an ambitious new venture that will be welcomed by jazz cognoscenti everywhere: the RCA Victor JAZZ WORKSHOP. 

This will be the generic phrase applied to a series of enterprises, as varied in intent and content as they will be in ideation and instrumentation. Some of the workshop ventures will be, as the saying goes, "far out"; others will be less experimental musically but will essay new ideas instrumentally. Into the latter category falls Al Cohn’s Four Brass, One Tenor. 

As far as Al or I can recall, this is the first time the idea has ever been tried out. It was RCA Victor’s Jack Lewis who suggested that four trumpets might make a unique and effective cushion for a tenor saxophone. The plan was translated into action via the swinging pens of Messrs. Cohn and Albam and brought to reality in three sessions with an almost identical personnel.

Alone or together, these are among the great horn men of jazz today; but over and above it all, the assertively swinging tenor of Al Cohn soars superbly to lend vibrant power to this novel instrumental experiment. To paraphrase a song on one of these sides, this is one of those occasions when after the song is ended the melody, the harmony and the rhythm will all linger on.

*Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

This is the better though the less ambitious of the first two LPs released in Victor’s Jazz Workshop series, a project instituted by Jack Lewis. Against a background of four brass and rhythm, Al Cohn is heard in some of his best blowing on record, and his full tone and big beat are virilely complemented by Joe Newman, Bart Valve (Thad Jones), Nick Travis, and the alternating horns of Bernie Glow, Joe Wilder, and Phil Sunkel. On several numbers, Travis doubled on valve trombone.

The equally tall rhythm section is composed of Freddie Greene, Osie Johnson, Buddy Jones, and Dick Katz. Newman takes most of the trumpet solos, but there are choruses by the others, too, (including four-trumpet chases on two tracks). There are full solo identifications in Leonard Feather’s exact notes, which should serve as a model to Victor liner writers.

Manny Albam and Cohn arranged six apiece and contributed three agreeable originals each. The writing is just right for this context, clean, uncluttered, swinging. The brass team, as a result, shouts bitingly alongside Al when the mood is up and is appropriately gentler on other tracks. The excellent engineering, as on almost all Victor jazz LPs, is by Ray Hall, who should be given liner credit. Recommended. *Nat Hentoff*

The 1955 sessions that make up this Al Cohn LP were part of RCA Victor's Jazz Workshop series. In each of the three studio dates, the tenor saxophonist is matched up with a quartet of trumpeters, with the fourth chair differing on each date. Either Manny Albam or the leader contributed the arrangements of the almost even split between standards and originals. Cohn is in terrific form, boosted by the swinging rhythm section consisting of pianist Dick Katz, bassist Buddy Jones, guitarist Freddie Green, and drummer Osie Johnson. The trumpeters include Thad Jones (who appeared under the pseudonym Bart Valve on the original issue), Nick Travis (who doubles on trombone), Joe Newman, and either Joe Wilder, Bernie Glow, or Phil Sunkel rounding out the section. Newman takes most of the trumpet solos, except for Cohn's "Haroosh" (Jones) and "Every Time" (Wilder), while "Rosetta" and "Linger Awhile" both feature a chase among all four trumpeters. This very entertaining cool jazz album. *Ken Dryden*

Side 1

1 - Rosetta

(Hines, Woode)

2 - The Song Is Ended

(Irving Berlin)

3 - Linger Awhile

(Vincent Rose, Harry Owens)

4 - Every Time

(Farrar, Kent)

5 - Haroosh

(Al Cohn)

6 - Just Plain Sam

(Manny Albam)

Side 2

7 - I'm Coming Virginia

(Heywood, Cook)

8 - Cohn Not Cohen

(Al Cohn)

9 - A Little Song

(Al Cohn)

10 - Foggy Water

(Manny Albam)

11 - Sugar Cohn

(Manny Albam)

12 - Alone Together

(Schwartz, Dietz)

Al Cohn (tenor sax); Bernie Glow [#2, #8, #9, #10,#11], Joe Newman, Joe Wilder [#1, #4, #6, #12], Phil Sunkel [#3, #5, #7], Thad Jones [a.k.a. Bart Valve] (trumpets); Nick Travis (trumpet, trombone); Dick Katz (piano); Freddie Green (guitar); Buddy Jones (bass); Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded at Webster Hall, New York City, May 9 (#1, #4, #6, #12), May 14 (#2, #8, #9, #10,#11) and May 16 (#3, #5, #7), 1955.