Les Brown's Men

On June 15, 1955, Down Beat magazine profiled the members of Les Brown's orchestra in an article titled "Here's The Lineup Of The Les Brown Ork". The four protagonists of the album presented below were introduced as follows:

RONNY LANG [a.k.a. Ronnie Lang], 25, alto sax, was bom in Chicago, but first started playing in Los Angeles with Hoagy Carmichael's Teenagers. Ronny also worked with Earle Spencer, Dick Pierce, Ike Carpenter, and Skinnay Ennis. He joined Les in 1949 and played with him for a year before being drafted. Ronny rejoined Les in 1953. He is married, has one child, and stays in shape by playing tennis and golf.

RAY SIMS, 34, trombone, started playing at 15. Ray, brother of Zoot Sims, worked for Don Briggs, then with Giggie Royse in Honolulu until the war. He was in the army

three years. Ray also played for Jerry Wald, Bobby Sherwood, and Benny Goodman, before joining Les. "I love to watch and play baseball", says Ray.

DAVE PELL, 30, tenor sax, bass clarinet, oboe, and English horn, played with the bands of Bob Astor, Bobby Sherwood, and Tony Pastor before going to the coast to join the Bob Crosby show. Dave had a small group around L.A. for a few years, and recorded an album for Trend Records with an octet made up of the nucleus of the Brown band which proved to be a big success. Since then, the group recorded two more albums for Trend and one for Atlantic Records. When the Les Brown band has open dates, Dave has no trouble booking the group for jazz concerts and teenage dances. In his "spare time", Dave maintains a photography studio and an advertising and publicity office in Hollywood. He is married, and his wife is expecting a child.

DON FAGERQUIST, 28, trumpet, started his career in music back in his home town, Worcester, Mass. Don studied with local teachers and played in his high school band. He has been associated with the following orchestras: Mal Hallett, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, and a small combo with Anita O'Day, before joining Les Brown.

Don enjoys his record collection, and keeps in trim by swimming. He has two children: Tom, 8, and Donna June, 2.

Ronny Lang • Ray Sims • Dave Pell • Don Fagerquist

The Les Brown All Stars

The Les Brown All Stars are actually three groups — the Dave Pell Octet, Ronny Lang Saxtet and Don Fagerquist Nonet — comprised for the most part of members or alumni of Brown's popular and long-lived Band of Renown and encircling on this anthology from the mid-'50s three numbers by Zoot Sims' older brother, trombonist Ray, with string section. Pell's group, the precursor to the others, is heard on three tracks, as are the Fagerquist and Lang groups.

Pell, who joined Brown's band in 1948, formed his crowd-pleasing octet five years later. While the first group was made up entirely of personnel from the Band of Renown, others soon were enlisted, such as baritone saxophonist Bob Gordon, pianist Paul Smith and bassist Joe Mondragon, who are among the performers here. Pell is the common denominator in all three groups, manning the front line with Gordon and tenor giants Sims and Bill Holman in Fagerquist's nine-piece ensemble, with altos Lang and Bob Drasnin in the former's Saxtet.

The music, much of it taken from the Great American Songbook and neatly arranged by the likes of Holman, Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers and Wes Hensel, never strays far from Brown's dance-oriented philosophy (as Pell says, music that was "danceable and yet still had a jazz feel ). It's cheerful music that swings breezily along behind buoyant solos by Pell and the others. Pell, a remarkably durable musician who made his professional debut in 1941 plays a "happy tenor" that would put a smile on almost anyone's face. If you've heard Zoot or Bob Cooper, the tenors who perhaps came closest to Pell in style and temperament, if not in sound, you'll know what I mean.

*Jack Bowers (allaboutjazz.com)*

Four of Les Brown's most talented stars... leading four gifted groups through stimulating jazz performances! 

You may, quite rightfully, be bothered about the title "All-Stars" being applied to almost every musical group of more than four pieces. And then along comes a unit which has every right to use the title, and all of a sudden you feel sorry for the ones that try to bluff.

Such a group is the entire Les Brown Orchestra — a facile, skilled, sharpshooting gang of musicians who know what to do when jazz time rolls around.

A number of Brown's men lead bands in this album, augmented by a few sturdy West Coast jazzmen who are in complete rapport with them. See if you don't agree that this collection puts the phrase "All-Stars" back in the position where it belongs — a signification of strength and quality that corresponds to "sterling" on silver. *Jack Tracy (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Mike's Peak

(Shorty Rogers)

2 - Thou Swell

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

3 - The Way You Look Tonight

(Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields)

4 - You Don't Know What Love Is

(Don Raye, Gene De Paul)

5 - The Man I Love

(George and Ira Gershwin)

6 -Sorta Moonlight

(Wes Hensel, Ronny Lang)

Side 2

7 - Love Is Just Around The Corner

(Lewis E. Gensler, Leo Robin)

8 - Klump Jump

(Marty Paich)

9 - My Funny Valentine

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

10 - Love Me Or Leave Me

(Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn)

11 - Let's Fall In Love

(Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)

12 - Poopsie

(David Pell)

#1, #8, #12: Dave Pell Ensemble

Dave Pell (tenor sax), Bob Gordon (Baritone sax), Ray Sims (trombone),

Don Fagerquist (trumpet), Tony Rizzi (guitar), Paul Smith (piano),

Joe Mondragon (bass), Ralph Peña (bass [#8]), Jack Sperling (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Melrose Studios, Hollywood, California,

June 15 (#1, #12) and June 17 (#8), 1955

#2, #6, #10: Ronny Lang Saxtet

Ronny Lang, Bob Drasnin (alto saxes); Dave Pell, Abe Aaron (tenor saxes);

Butch Stone (baritone sax); Donn Trenner (piano); Buddy Clark (bass); Bill Richmond (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Melrose Studios, Hollywood, California, June 23, 1955

#3, #5, #7: Don Fagerquist Nonette

Don Fagerquist (trumpet); Bill Holman, Dave Pell, Zoot Sims (tenor saxes);

Bob Gordon (baritone sax); Vernon Polk (guitar); Donn Trenner (piano);

Buddy Clark (bass); Bill Richmond (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Melrose Studios, Hollywood, California, June 21, 1955

#4, #9, #11: Ray Sims With Strings

Ray Sims (trombone, vocal [#11]), Ronny Lang (flute), Corky Hale (harp),

Donn Trenner (piano), Buddy Clark (bass), Bill Richmond (drums).

[String section led by Les Brown but unidentified personnel]

Recorded at Capitol Melrose Studios, Hollywood, California, June 27, 1955

The Dave Pell Octet - The Complete Trend And Kapp Recordings

The success of the Dave Pell Octet was one of the fairy-tale stories of the West Coast jazz of the Fifties. Founded by Pell in 1953, this small jazz group, drawn from the nucleus of Les Brown's orchestra, was among the most popular jazz outfits in Southern California within months. The Octet's first library had the stimulating and ingeniously voiced arrangements of Shorty Rogers and Wes Hensel, which gave this group the feel of a big band. "We used the guitar as a voice in unison with trumpet", Pell explained, "and so the Octet sound had a successful formula which allowed us to play a tempo that was danceable and yet still had a jazz feel".

Bill Brown, Daily News jazz columnist wrote: "Pell and his group have flipped fans everywhere they've appeared. It's a skilled and interesting group and one you should hear". The Octet's cohesion was remarkable, and additional scores by such talented arrangers as Marty Paich, Johnny Mandel, and Bill Holman, helped establish its sound and personality.

All of the Octet's recordings for the labels Trend (1953-1954) and Kapp (1956), which epitomize its smooth sophistication; with their tightly scored ensembles, the deft styling concealed some excellent musicianship, and they all contain highly individualistic contributions by its stellar soloists, Don Fagerquist, Ray Sims, Ronny Lang, and the airy, swinging tenor of Dave Pell, who said, simply: "We play jazz for dancing. That's our forte". *Jordi Pujol*

Mine is not the approach of a jazz musician who goes into the recording studio to play 40 minutes of completely improvised jazz. Our projects are carefully planned. I feel that our music should be well designed, interesting yet easy to follow. We find it best to state the melody first, then come the spots for the blowing. But even behind a jazz chorus I want backgrounds going at the same time to give an overall big band sound. The restatement of the melody, in one form or another, in the closing completes the pattern. *Dave Pell*

The Dave Pell Octet

The Complete Trend And Kapp Recordings

1953 ~ 1956

Back in the 1950s, a group of guys from New York and Philadelphia moved to Hollywood to get steady work in the nascent TV and movie recording industry and developed a sound called "West Coast Cool". Essentially, is was a reaction to the torrid tempos and harmonics of bebop; a kinder, gentler sound, more adaptable to cruising along Pacific Coast Highway in your convertible while wearing your Hawaiian shirt. The softer and more arranged sounds have been denigrated by some, but they have surprisingly aged well, especially when the music was in the capable hands of Pres-inspired tenor saxist Dave Pell, who faithfully carried the lighter than sound air and kept it popular until it was finally taken over by the cacophonous shrieks and wails by the barbarians at the gates in the late 50s and early 60s.

This two disc set has the soft and sleek toned tenorist with fellow Angelenos including Don Fagerquist, Ray Sims, Ronny Lang, Jeff Clarkson, Don Trenner, Claude Williamson, Tony Rizzi, Rolly Rundock, Bill Richmond and Jack Sperling. The polished chrome arrangements are by the likes of Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, Johnny Mandel, Med Flory, and Bill Holman among others. The themes of the three albums produced here give tributes to composers Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart and Burke & Van Heusen.

Vocalist Lucy Ann Polk gives girl next door versions of daiquiri-flavored "Like Someone In Love", "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and "Aren't  You Glad You're You". Pell himself is lithe and warm as he coos on "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" and "Kate". Pell adds some rich harmonics as he switches to the English horn on "Russian Lullaby" and Ronny Lang wisps on the flute during "It Never Entered My Mind" and "Darn that Dream". The team is light enough to swing with soft shoes, but thick enough to show some muscle in the process, and the creative charts keep the music concise, coherent and clever.

The liner notes include all of the studio info, as well as some great background on a period when a jazzer could make a good living and buy a house in the Valley just by blowing his horn. Any complaints? *George W. Harris*

The Dave Pell Octet was one of the definitive cool jazz groups of the 1950s. Tenor saxophonist Pell played with Les Brown's big band during 1948-56 and started to record with an octet drawn from the orchestra in 1953. His first project was a set of a dozen Irving Berlin tunes, and the results are quite memorable. The swinging and subtle ensembles, concise and emotionally restrained solos, and excellent musicianship would be trademarks of the band. Consisting of Pell; trumpeter Don Fagerquist; trombonist Ray Sims; Ronny Lang on baritone, alto, and flute; pianist Jeff Clarkson; guitarist Tony Rizzi; bassist Rolly Bundock; and drummer Jack Sperling, the octet plays arrangements by Shorty Rogers, Jerry Fielding, and Wes Hensel. Recommended.

The Rodgers & Hart set was one of the group's most famous recordings, with classic renditions of "Mountain Greenery", "The Blue Room", "Spring Is Here" and "Ten Cents a Dance" being among the highpoints. The arrangements (by Marty Paich, Wes Hensel, Shorty Rogers, and Johnny Mandel) practically define the idiom, as do the cool-toned solos. A gem.

This release reissues the band's two Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen albums. Lucy Ann Polk sings eight of the 16 selections, and she is a major asset, displaying a relaxed, straightforward, basic, and winning approach, warmly uplifting each song. The arrangements are by Shorty Rogers, Wes Hensel, Bill Holman, Bob Enevoldsen, Jack Montrose, Med Flory, Jim Emerson, and Buddy Bregman. The octet sounds at its best on "But Beautiful", "Suddenly It's Spring", "It's Always You", "Aren't You Glad You're You", "It Could Happen to You", and "Imagination". Timeless music. *Scott Yanow*

*CD 1*

1 - I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket

2 - Change Partners

3 - Love And The Weather

4 - Russian Lullaby

5 - Kate

6 - Say It With Music

7 - I Used To Be Color Blind

8 - Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee

9 - Better Luck Next Time

10 - They Say It's Wonderful

11 - This Year's Kisses

12 - He Ain't Got Rhythm

13 - Why Do You Suppose?

14 - Have You Met Miss Jones?

15 - You Are Too Beautiful

16 - Mountain Greenery

17 - A Ship Without A Sail

18 - The Blue Room

19 - I've Got Five Dollars

20 - Sing For Your Supper

21 - It Never Entered My Mind

22 - The Lady Is A Tramp

23 - Spring Is Here

24 - Ten Cents A Dance

(#1 to #12: All compostions by Irving Berlin)

(#13 to #24: All compostions by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart)

*CD 2*

1 - But Beautiful

2 - My Heart Is A Hobo

3 - Like Someone In Love

4 - Swinging On A Star

5 - Suddenly It's Spring

6 - It's Always You

7 - What Does It Take

8 - Aren't You Glad You're You

9 - All This And Heaven Too

10 - It Could Happen To You

11 - Just My Luck

12 - Imagination

13 - When Is Sometime

14 - Darn That Dream

15 - Humpty Dumpty Heart

16 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams

(All compositions by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen, except #14 by Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie De Lange)

#1 to #12 (CD1):

Don Fagerquist (trumpet), Ray Sims (trombone, vocals [#10]), Ronny Lang (baritone sax, alto sax [#6, #11], flute [#4]), Dave Pell (tenor sax, English horn [#4], Jeff Clarkson (piano), Tony Rizzi (guitar), Rolly Bundock (bass), Jack Sperling (drums).

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, April 22 (#3 to #6) and May 28, (#8 to #11), 1953; May 14 (#1, #2, #7, #12), 1956 

#13 to #24 (CD1):

Don Fagerquist (trumpet), Ray Sims (trombone), Ronny Lang (baritone sax, flute [#21]), Dave Pell (tenor sax, bass clarinet [#23]), Donn Trenner (piano, celeste [#15]), Tony Rizzi (guitar), Rolly Bundock (bass), Bill Richmond (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California, June 11, 21 and 24, 1954

#1 to #16 (CD2):

Don Fagerquist (trumpet), Ray Sims (trombone), Ronny Lang (baritone sax, flute [#6, #14, #16]), Dave Pell (tenor sax, English horn [#6, #14, #16]), Claude Williamson (piano, celeste [#14, #16]), Tony Rizzi (guitar), Rolly Bundock (bass), Jack Sperling (drums), Lucy Ann Polk (vocals [#1, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14, #16]).

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, December 18 (#1, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14) and December 28 (#16), 1953; May 7 (#2, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11, #13) and May 21 (#15), 1956

#1, #2, #7 and #12 (CD1): from "The Dave Pell Octet Plays Irving Berlin" (Kapp KL-1036)

#3 to #6 and #8 to 11 (CD1):  "The Dave Pell Octet Plays Irving Berlin" (Trend TL-1003)

#13 to #24 (CD1): "The Dave Pell Octet Plays Rodgers & Hart" (Trend TL-1501, reissued as Kapp KL-1025)

#1, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14 and #16 (CD2): "Dave pell Octet · Lucy Ann Polk" (Trend TL-1008)

#2, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11, #13 and #15 (CD2): "The Dave Pell Octet Plays Burke & Van Heusen" (Kapp KL-1034)