Jazz For The Screen ★ Johnny Williams and Lionel Newman

"Jazz in the Movies" Collection

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Johnny Williams 

The Music From "Checkmate"

and

Lionel Newman

The Music From "Hong Kong"

John Williams' musical roots—like his credits—are impressive. Long before this highly skilled musician scored and conducted the acclaimed music of several of the most successful films of the last four decades—Star Wars, Jaws, Superman, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Empire Strikes Back, ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Accidental Tourist, Schlinder's List, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, etc.—he was an elegant and swinging young pianist as well as an ambitious arranger/composer in the jazz and pop fields. That work gained him recognition in the Hollywood entertainment and recording scenes of the Fifties, when all the "cats" called him Johnny. In 1961 he composed the haunting background music of the popular TV series Checkmate. The modern brass arrangements he conducted were played by the top West Coast jazz studio musicians.

From the same time, Hong Kong is an exciting album spotlighting background music from the 1961 TV show composed by Lionel Newman. The material combined the style and form of the racy Peter Gunn music with the sounds of the Orient, music played firstly in the Hollywood tradition of lush string and brass scoring and in its second half by a swinging jazz nonet featuring Frank Beach, Abe Most, Bob Cooper, Paul Smith and Larry Bunker, all under the direction of Newman, and scored by some of the most in-demand Hollywood arrangers. *Jordi Pujol*

When these TV film soundtracks were recorded more than five decades ago, you couldnt walk about Hollywood without bumping into a musician or three: jazz musicians, swing musicians, studio musicians, who could play almost anything you wanted and in whatever key. They gathered there in California like wasps round a jam jar, for this was where they could make a living irrespective of what kind of music they wanted to play. Among the personnel are many names from West Coast jazz lesser-known names like Conrad Gozzo who nevertheless played with Shorty Rogers and others, and the very familiar Jimmy Rowles, big band stylist and accompanist of Peggy Lee etc. These soundtracks made for two TV series give an idea of what these jazzmen (and non-jazzmen) were brought into the studios to accomplish. It was not always jazz-as-we-know-it.

But the selection written for Checkmate, while clearly fashioned to accompany cinematic action, has a great affinity to the big band sound which was on the wane outside in the real world. Its certain that some of these compositions would not have worked without the powerful interpretation of jazz-oriented brass players. The composer Johnny Williams had been active for years as a jazz pianist recording with Buster Bailey and Eddie Durham, for example. There are passages in En Passant, say, with a rousing French horn ensemble when his creative mind seems to remember its writing for Tinseltown. But overall this is composing and delivery which swing listeners would find satisfying and absorbing.

I find it hard to say the same about the Hong Kong tracks which, lumbered by a sizeable string section, come across largely as romantic/dramatic film music, but very professionally played. You can almost imagine the rustle of popcorn packets. Presenting it as jazz is optimistic. Nevertheless, some charts are arranged by Marty Paich and Billy May, showing how Hollywood helped the jazz economy. And (point of interest) I'd never heard of a mokkin before, a Japanese 16-key xylophone, played by vibist Larry Bunker. *Anthony Troon (Jazz Journal)*

Music from "Checkmate"

Johnny Williams

(Originally issued on Columbia CS 8391)

1 - Theme from Checkmate

2 - The Isolated Pawn

3 - Cyanide Touch

4 - Far Out Place

5 - Hassle In The Castle

6 - En Passant

7 - The Black Knight

8 - Fireside Eyes

9 - The Bishops Retreat

10 - Queens Sacrifice

11 - Shy Youth

12 - The King Swings

(All compositions by Johnny Williams)

#1, #2, #7, #10:

Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Olie Mitchell (trumpets); 

Vince De Rosa, Dick Perissi, John Cave (french horns); 

Dick Nash, Lloyd Ulyate, Dick Noel (trombones);

Ronny Lang, Ted Nash (ato sax, fute); Gene Cipriano (tenor sax, flute); 

Chuck Gentry (baritone sax); Jimmy Rowles (piano); Bob Bain (guitar);

Joe Mondragon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums); John F. Williams (percussion).   

Recorded at Columbia Records Studio, Hollywood, California, November 17, 1960 

#3, #5, #9, #12:

Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Olie Mitchell, Frank Beach (trumpets); 

Vince De Rosa, Dick Perissi, John Cave (french horns); 

Dick Nash, Lloyd Ulyate, Dick Noel (trombones);

Ronny Lang, Ted Nash (ato sax, fute); Gene Cipriano (tenor sax, flute); 

Chuck Gentry (baritone sax); Jimmy Rowles (piano); Bob Bain (guitar);

Joe Mondragon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums); John F. Williams (percussion). 

Recorded at Columbia Records Studio, Hollywood, California, December 1, 1960   

#4, #6, #8, #11:

Vince De Rosa, Dick Perissi (french horns); Dick Nash, Lloyd Ulyate (trombones);

Ronny Lang (flute); Jimmy Rowles (piano); Bob Bain (guitar);

Joe Mondragon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums); John F. Williams (percussion). 

Recorded at Columbia Records Studio, Hollywood, California, December 9, 1960

Music from "Hong Kong"

Lionel Newman

(Originally issued on ABC Paramount ABCS 367)

13 - Hong Kong

(Lionel Newman)

14 - Evans Theme

(Lionel Newman)

15 - Number One Girl

(Lionel Newman)

16 - Joanna

(Lionel Newman)

17 - The Jade Empress

(Frank Comstock)

18 - Blues For Evans

(Lionel Newman)

19 - Tullys Bar

(Lionel Newman)

20 - A Toast To Joanna

(Lionel Newman)

21 - Honorable Hong Kong Rock

(Billy May)

22 - Tully And Evans

(Lionel Newman)

23 - Chinesse Cha Cha

(Newman-Feller)

24 - Chop Chop Waltz

(Marty Paich)

#13 to #18:

Frank Beach, John Clyman, Bob Fowler (trumpets);

Vince DeRosa, Harry Schmidt, Fred Fox (french horns);

Hoyt Bohannon, Ray Klein, Marlo Imes (trombones);

Abe Most, Russ Cheever, Bill Ulyate, Morey Crawford (reeds);

Paul Smith (piano); Mike Rubin (bass); Richard Cornell (drums);

Dale Anderson, Ralph Collier, Harold Rees (percussion); Ann Stockton (harp); 

plus 10 violins, 2 violas, and 2 cellos unidentified  

#19 to #24:

Frank Beach (trumpet), Milt Bernhart (trombone),

Abe Most (alto sax), Bill Ulyate (bass clarinet, alto sax),

Bob Cooper (tenor sax), Larry Bunker (vibes, mokkin), Howard Roberts (guitar),

Mike Rubin [#21, #23, #24], Richard Cornell [#19, #20, #22] (drums). 

Recorded at United Recorders Studio, Hollywood, California,

November 2 (#13 to #18) and November 3 (#19 to #24), 1960

Al Cohn And The Sax Section

If one had to define the most striking quality of the sax section in the dance or jazz orchestra, it would be variety of sound. Though saxophones have a relatively small range and uniform tone, the woodwinds (piccolo, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet and English horn) have more extensive ranges and are used in varying ways to make the reed section the flexible unit it is... The numerous instrumental combinations that are possible give this section wide scope. Challenging arrangements permit full exploitation of the sound spectrum. 

The evolution of the sax section is the result of the various changes in conception of dance and jazz music, and the maturation of arranging procedures.

In this period of temporary stability before the next possible big change in the sax section, Epic thought the time ripe to record a contemporary sax section. In order to fully exploit its many possibilities an arranger was selected who was completely oriented in jazz and dance music and nationally recognized for his unique scoring talent... Al Cohn. 

Because he was scoring merely for reeds and rhythm, Al felt it necessary to take special care in making the arrangements for this LP. Without the brass instruments to enhance or balance things, the saxes —woodwinds had to be utilized in a most stimulating fashion— rhythmically and harmonically to hold interest. Even a section as colorful as the reeds will suffer from the limitation of sameness, if not provocatively scored for. Al Cohn's handling of the section leaves little to be desired. *Burt Korall (liner notes)*

Al Cohn's writing for small groups is always appealing, and this set is no exception. Leading three separate groups consisting of various reeds (and no brass) plus a rhythm section, Cohn obtains marvelous results from his groups of all-stars and veteran session musicians. The first session concentrates on saxophones, including Cohn and Eddie Wasserman on tenor saxes, Sam Marowitz and Gene Quill on alto saxes, with Sol Schlinger on the baritone sax. Cohn's swinging "Shazam" brings the swing era to mind, while "Tears by Me Out the Heart" is a warm ballad. The second meeting is more of a mixed bag, with Boomie Richman, Peanuts Hucko, Romeo Penque, Phil Bodner, Charlie O'Kane, and the leader switching out between various reed instruments from one track to the next. Particularly effective is Cohn's exotic arrangement of "While My Lady Sleeps," featuring two flutes in the lead, backed by oboe, clarinet, and bass clarinet. The final date matches three tenor saxophonists (Zoot Sims and Eddie Wasserman joining the leader) and Sol Schlinger again on baritone. The feeling throughout these tracks touches on the work of the big bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Woody Herman, always swinging, with plenty of hot solos and tight ensembles. This long-unavailable record is worth acquiring. *Ken Dryden* 

This CD contains sides made by three different groupings of reedmen and rhythm section. The usual big band section, as featured in group one, gets a fine sound and offers Al Cohn and Gene Quill a framework for some excellent soloing. John Williams is heard from, too, with his solidly swinging piano style. 

The second grouping, with a woodwind instrumentation lends a different coloration to the section. Peanuts Hucko is featured on clarinet, Phil Bodner plays good flute, and Boomie Richman sounds great on bass clarinet.

The third set has three tenors and a baritone. A "Four Brothers" sound with Al and Zoot soloing and Hank Jones playing really lovely piano —tasty, clean, and swinging— behind them and on his own solos. As an experiment in the various shapes a sax section can be drawn in, this was a very successful project. *Jordi Pujol* 

1 - Shazam

(Al Cohn)

2 - The Mellow Side

(Al Cohn)

3 - Shutout

(Al Cohn)

4 - Double Fracture

(Al Cohn)

5 - While My Lady Sleeps

(Kahn, Kaper)

6 - Shorty George

(Gibson, Basie)

7 - The Return Of The Redhead

(Al Cohn)

8 - Villa Rowboats

(Al Cohn)

9 - Solsville

(Al Cohn)

10 - Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me

(Koehler, Bloom)

11 - Blues for the High Brow

(Al Cohn)

12 - Tears By Me Out The Heart

(Al Cohn)

#1, #4, #9, #12:

Sam Marowitz, Gene Quill (alto saxes); Al Cohn, Eddie Wasserman (tenor saxes); Sol Schlinger (baritone sax); Johnny Williams (piano); Milt Hinton (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).

Recorded in New York City, May 24, 1956.

#3, #5, #8, #10:

Romeo Penque (clarinet, alto sax, oboe, English horn), Phil Bodner (flute, clarinet), Peanuts Hucko (clarinet), Boomie Richman (bass clarinet), Charlie O’Kane (flute, bass clarinet), Johnny Williams (piano), Milt Hinton (bass), Don Lamond (drums).

Recorded in New York City, June 5, 1956.

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

Al Cohn, Eddie Wasserman, Zoot Sims (tenor saxes); Sol Schlinger (baritone sax); Hank Jones (piano); Milt Hinton (bass); Don Lamond (drums).

Recorded in New York City, June 28, 1956.