Five-Star Collection... Many Albam

Manny Albam

Manny Albam And The Jazz Greats Of Our Time • Vol.1

Considering the fact that much of the essential character of jazz is derived from the spontaneity and excitement of improvisation, it would certainly seem that the most definitive jazz writing should be in compatible relation with, and emphasize the role of, the soloist. In essence, a marriage between the improvisation and the writing: the writer providing a pithy framework that is thought-provoking and impetus to the soloist, and in turn, the soloist, given the necessary latitude, investing life, individuality and substance to the story intimated in the writing.

There are some critics and musicians who subscribe to the polar aspects of this subject: some stand for improvisation in the complete sense —spontaneous, intuitive—without framework or guideposts; others line up for composition to the point of shutting off the soloist by writing everything, or giving him only a limited role. And then, there are variations on both. However, the middle ground, in its equivalent relation between writing and blowing, gives evidence of being the best approach.

We must enlarge for clarity... In their own way, some of these polar ventures have been successful, but whether they are jazz or not, is a matter for discussion. On the other hand, going toward the middle ground, definitions become clear, and the performance becomes jazz in the more accepted sense, retaining the idiom’s identifiable markings.

In truth, tradition is most accessible from the vantage point of the middle ground, and if anything were to define the writing of Manny Albam, it would be its great respect and reflection of tradition:

"I cannot divorce myself from tradition, for it's where we all come from, and it should be a base from which we operate in jazz. If writing is to be JAZZ WRITING, it should fuse the elements particular to its own tradition — the beat, improvisation within a disciplinary frame, and its own unique feeling.

"On this CORAL set, the first of a series, I had the blowers, the guys who dig deeply, and endow writing with the necessary richness of improvisational content. This is just what I wanted, for I feel that an inter-relation, inter-dependence between writing and blowing in jazz composition is imperative."*Burt Korall (from the liner notes)* 

This makes it. Manny Albam, an arranger sensitive to the blowing as well as the writing scene, assembled a good cross-section of eastern mainstream hornmen, supplied them with three-quarters of the New York Rhythm Section, and gave them some material on which to embroider, ranging from sparkling to merely fine.

Oddly enough, or perhaps justly enough, I found the Albam originals to be more fertile in terms of the results shown here. The two non-Albam tracks, Sweetie and Duke's All Too Soon, don't compare with the consistency and wealth of solos with which Blues for Neither Coast is endowed.

In fact, the only other track I found as richly rewarding as Neither Coast was Dr. Millmoss, and in this, Albam scores by using a simple device: Mulligan and Cohn playing the bass line on baritones as a binding factor in the composition.

Brookmeyer emerges as the most constantly challenging soloist. His appearances on the first three tracks, particularly on Blues, are glistening. His solo on Minor Matters is excellent, and his second solo on All Too Soon is moving and powerful.

Art Farmer's opening solo on Neither Coast is among his best recorded work. Zoot is unusually subdued throughout, except on Sweetie, where he boots along like the freewheeling tenor man we have come to know. Woods is stabbing and often terse. His playing of late has been brimming with tension. Travis is fine, particularly tasty in his muted work. Mulligan is good, but he has been more declarative as a soloist in his own group. As a supporting voice, he is excellent. Cohn is smooth and flowing, as expected. And Hank Jones remains one of the most tasteful of pianists.

Although I raise an eyebrow at the album title, I realize that other contractual commitments would of necessity exclude such vital voices as Miles, Monk, Diz, Hawk, J. J., Max Roach, and Pettiford, among other greats.

Burt Korall's liner notes are a valuable guidepost to the team lines followed by the participants. Manny has a West Coast collection due for release to complement this East Coast cross section. *Dom Cerulli (Down Beat, November 28, 1957 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Blues From Neither Coast

(Manny Albam)

2 - Latined Fracture

(Manny Albam)

3 - Poor Dr. Millmoss

(Manny Albam)

Side 2

4 - Minor Matters

(Manny Albam)

5 - My Sweetie Went Away

(Roy Turk, Lou Handman)

6 - All Too Soon

(Duke Ellington, Carl Sigman)

7 - See Here, Miss Bromley

(Manny Albam)

Art Farmer, Nick Travis (trumpets); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Phil Woods (alto sax);

Zoot Sims (tenor sax); AI Cohn (tenor sax, baritone sax); Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax);

Hank Jones (piano); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Manny Albam (arranger, conductor).

Recorded in New York City, April 2 [#5], April 3 [#3, #6, #7] and April 4 [#1, #2, #4], 1957

✳✳✳

Manny Albam

Manny Albam And The Jazz Greats Of Our Time • Vol. 2

By design, the writing for this set is spare. Though engaging in its own right, jazz composer-arranger MANNY ALBAM aimed for functionality, writing catalytic frameworks for his soloists. Like the writer of plays, he provided provocative material, but left it to his players to breathe life and immediacy into his story.

Says Manny Albam — "Regardless of what is said to the contrary, jazz is, and always has been a player’s art. When the jazz composer-arranger realizes this, adjusts his working perspective accordingly, giving due consideration and space to the soloist, only then can jazz composition become the community of expression it is at its best... I feel that an inter-relation, inter-dependence between writing and blowing in jazz composition is imperative."

If anything were to truly define the writing of Manny Albam, it would be its great respect and reflection of tradition.

Following traditional procedure: incorporation of elements particular to the jazz tradition — the beat, improvisation within a disciplinary frame, and jazz's own unique feeling — has become increasingly important to him.

Awareness of the past, or shall we say, the whole of jazz, is likely to make one's work all the more meaningful. Having functioned as a writer in a wide range of jazz situations (scoring big bands — Auld, Barnet, Kenton, Herman, etc., jazz backgrounds for vocalists, small bands) helped him to this realization.

For this set, recorded in Hollywood, Manny employed 'blowers'; men equipped to fill his frameworks with the necessary improvisational nutrition. Once again, proof is accessible that players of substance are players of substance regardless of geographical boundaries.

*Burt Korall (from the liner notes)*

This set is a perfect companion piece to Albam’s Jazz Greats, Vol. 1, and some of the comments on that LP apply to this one. For instance, I still find Albam's originals far more interesting throughout than the standards. Possible exception here is De-Lovely, and again I find it's more Manny’s arrangement than the tune itself which makes it.

At any rate, I'll wager there hasn't been a moodier, lovelier ballad original than Afterthoughts (Benny Golson and his remarkable ballad compositions are not included in this bet). Kamuca and Candoli combine on Afterthoughts to create a stunningly somber mood, with the rest of the ensemble pitched low behind them. You can almost feel the rain.

Interwoven is interesting structurally, with sharp Mariano and Geller, and some pungent interchanges between Candoli and Sweets, the latter identified as Trumpeter X because of contractual ties.

Sweets has most of Sweet's-Bread to himself, and blows some compelling trumpet with the ensemble cast in a Basie vein. Harry stays in that groove, blowing relaxed muted trumpet on his and Basie's Jive at Five, and manages a witty phrase variation in the closing statement of the theme.

Thunder-Burt, similar in conception and main theme to Blues for Neither Coast in Vol. 1, is a good comparison track for buffs wishing to carry the East Coast–West Coast discussion into late spring. Solos here, perhaps because of the overall feel of the piece, are funkier, particularly Mariano’s baritone, Williamson's trombone, and Candoli (dig his trace of Eldridge at the end of his second chorus), and to a lesser extent, Flory and Kamuca.

De-Lovely is freshly arranged and smartly played all around. How Long, a muted, shadowy ballad, has some rough spots in Sheldon's solo and at the close of Levy's fine piano spot (with some interesting things going on behind him by Shelly).

If, after listening to both coasts on the two volumes, you can draw any conclusion, it will have to include that each swings, although the westerners seem to find their kicks in a Countish vein. You might also note that this is the third Coral LP in recent months by Albam, which has been in every way a superior effort. He seems to have crystallized that knack of writing brightly without lapsing into pretentiousness, and can score for plenty of solo blowing without just arranging a head and a tail and letting the soloists construct the rest of the skeleton as well as fleshing it out.

*Dom Cerulli (Down Beat, February 20, 1958 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Intervowen

(Manny Albam)

2 - Afterthoughts

(Manny Albam)

3 - Sweet's-Bread

(Manny Albam)

Side 2

4 - Jive At Five

(Harry Edison, Count Basie)

5 - Thurnder Burt

(Manny Albam)

6 - How Long Has This Been Going On?

(George and Ira Gershwin)

7 - It's De-Lovely

(Cole Porter)

Conte Candoli, Jack Sheldon [#2, #5, #6],

Harry Edison as "Trumpeter X" [#1, #3, #4, #7] (trumpets); Stu Williamson (valve trombone);

Herb Geller (alto sax); Richie Kamuca, Med Flory [#2, #5, #6] (tenor saxes);

Bill Holman [#1, #3, #4, #7] (tenor sax, baritone sax);

Charlie Mariano (alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax); 

Lou Levy (piano); Red Mitchell (bass); Shelly Manne (drums); Manny Albam (arranger, conductor). 

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, August 4 [#2, #5, #6],

August 15 [#3, #4, #7] and August 16 [#1], 1957

Lou Levy: Rescued from oblivion

The Lou Levy Trio

Jazz In Hollywood Series

32 years after the fact, listening to this album is a double experience. To explain, follow my thoughts. I'm listening to an album that I forgot was ever made, yet I remember everything as it's played back to me. Now put yourself in my place. As I listen I'm now 58 years old. If this album were to be done again, it would be very similar and yet very different. The reason for the difference would be basically playing and living another 33 years. But that's what it's all about.

As I listen to the final track, the youthful enthusiasm makes me smile. And knowing that enthusiasm is still there makes me happy. Very happy.

After all, jazz musicians never grow old. They're just a big wonderful bunch of grown-up children. *Lou Levy (November 29, 1986)* 

During the period in 1948 that I was playing with Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" band, perhaps my most fervent wish after Fred Otis, the pianist, left was to get this extremely talented "kid" from Chicago on the band. It did happen but not until I had left to return to some money-making jobs in Hollywood. On a 1949 trip to Hollywood, when Oscar Pettiford was playing with the band, I got a chance to substitute a couple of nights when Lou was there, and it was clear I was right.

My next experience with Lou was in the mid-fifties — he was actually out of music, working as some sort of executive in the publishing business. On trips to L.A. he saw most of his old friends doing pretty well playing — responded to my invitations to come and play with us — made the Virgil Gonsalves record for me and followed with the Trio. Very shortly thereafter, publishing lost a promising young executive and the World was blessed by the return of one of its finest pianists. *Harry Babasin (October 28, 1987)*

This Nocturne album represent the return of Lou Levy to the jazz scene after three years absence. Since his profesional debut with George Auld in 1947, he accompanied Sarah vaughan, and toured Scandinavia with Chubby Jackson at the end of 1947. Later he worked with several bands and groups -- Boyd Raeburn, Woody Herman, '49-'50; Louie Ballson-Terry Gibbs Sextet, '50; Tommy Dorsey, George Auld again and Flip Philips all in 1951, after which he settled in Minneapolis working as an advertising salesman for a dental survey publication.

In spring 1954 Lou traveled to Los Angeles and met his old friend Harry Babasin who invited him to record in his own Nocturne label. Lou made two records dates, one with Virgil Gonsalves and the other this trio session, which unfortunately remained unisseud until now.

At the time the record was announced as an imminent reléase on Nocturne, but the company ceased its activities just before the record could come out. At last this album has been rescued from oblivion and appears now its original number, NLP-10.

Backing Lou Levy, are two regular members of the Nocturne label, Larry Bunker drums, and the company's founder, the venerable Harry Babasin on bass.

Now we can savour the first album of Lou Levy as leader. It was almost twenty five years ago. *Jordi Pujol (liner notes, 1988)*

1 - The Gentleman Is A Dope

(Rodgers, Hart)

2 -Serenade In Blue

(Harry Warren, Marck Gordon)

3 - Woody'n You

(Gillespie)

4 - Without You

(Dave Stamper, Gene Buck)

5 - All The Things You Are

(Kern, Hammerstein II)

6 - Tiny's Other Blues

(Lou Levy, Tiny Kahn)

7 - Like Someone In Love

(Burke, Van Heusen)

8 - Bloo Denim

(Lou Levy)

Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 23, 1954

Liberty Records • Jazz in Hollywood Series (I)

Jazz In Hollywood

✤Liberty LJH 6001✤

This is the first in an unlimited series of Jaz recordings to be released by LIBERTY. The artists featured in this album are not new-comers. These are the established, schooled and respected musicians of the West Coast. They are musicians in the true sense of the word. Unlike the "Tooters" who play and record in the name of Jazz, many of the artists in this album are also actively engaged in other phases of music. 

⁂

There are many facets to this gem called "JAZZ"; and I’m sure you'll feel as I do that some of the choicest are evident here. The rare cello work of Harry Babasin, the sophisticated improvisations of Jimmy Rowles, the incredible tempo achieved by Lou Levy and Buddy Wise, Dom Frontiere’s flawless accordion technique, the drive and imagination displayed by Abe Most on the clarinet, the precision of the Hollywood Saxophone Quartet and the familiar earthy sounds expressed by Herbie Harper, Bob Gordon, Bud Shank, Virgil Gonsalves and Bob Enevoldsen.

⁂

As a disc jockey and jazz enthusiast who really loves music, I am very impressed with the fine taste displayed in the presentation of this album. And this is just the beginning. These and other top jazz artists will be presented in LIBERTY albums of their own in the very near future.

*Jack Wagner (liner notes)*

Liberty scoops up a wide variety of West Coast jazz musicians and presents them under the title "Jazz In Hollywood". We hear samplings of the talents of Herbie Harper, Bud Shank, Jimmy Rowles, Virgil Gonsalves, Harry Babasin, Lou Levy, Dom Frontiere, Abe Most, Bob Enevoldsen, Bob Gordon, Buddy Wise, and the Hollywood Saxphone Quartet. Space does not allow comments on each artista involved. As an over-all description, it is an interesting collection of assorted talents playing easy to listen to west coast jazz. Improvisations in most cases stick close to the Melody line. Jazz fans should find it strong interest. *Billboard, September 24, 1955*

Side 1

1 - Sanguine

(Paich)

Herbie Harper (trombone), Bud Shank (alto, tenor and baritone saes),

Marty Paich (piano), Harry Babasin(bass), Roy Harte (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 16, 1954

2 - There Will Never Be Another You

(Gordon, Warren)

Hollywood Saxophone Quartet:

Russ Cheever (soprano sax), Jack Dumont (alto sax), Morrie Crawford (tenor sax),

Bill Ulyate (baritone sax), Mike Rubin (bass), Dick Cornell (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Studios,  September 1955

3 - Serenade In Blue

(Gordon, Warren)

Jimmy Rowles (piano), Red Mitchell (bass), Art Mardigan (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, December 13, 1954

4 - Yesterdays

(Kern, Harbach)

Virgil Gonsalves (baritone sax), Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone), Buddy Wise (tenor sax),

Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 29, 1954

5 - The Girl Friend

(Rodgers, Hart)

Harry Babasin (bass, cello), Larry Bunker (vibes),

Jimmy Rowles (piano), Bob Enevoldsen (bass), Roy Harte (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 23, 1955

(other source gives April 18, 1954)

6 - Bloo Denim

(Levy)

Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, August 29, 1954

Side 2

7 - Perpetual Motion

(Paganini)

Dom Frontiere (accordion), Abe Most (clarinet), Bill Ulyate (bass clarinet),

Jack Marshall (guitar), Mike Rubin (bass), Nick Fatool (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Records, Hollywood, California, summer 1955

8 - Bob White

(Mercer, Hanighen)

9 - Danza Do Brazil

(Paich)

Bob Enevoldsen (tenor sax [#8], valve trombone [#9]), Marty Paich (piano),

Howard Roberts (guitar), Harry Babasin (bass), Don Heath (drums), Roy Harte (bongos [#9]).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, summer 1954

10 - Bab-O-Ling

(Babasin)

Harry Babasin (bass, cello), Larry Bunker (vibes),

Jimmy Rowles (piano), Bob Enevoldsen (bass), Roy Harte (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 23, 1954

(other source gives April 18, 1954)

11 - Jive At Five

(Edison)

Herbie Harper (trombone), Bob Gordon (baritone sax),

Jimmy Rowles (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Roy Harte (drums).

Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, California, February 27, 1954  

(other source gives Recorded at United Western Recorders, February 27, 1954)

12 - Love Me Or Leave Me

(Kahn, Donaldson)

Virgil Gonsalves (baritone sax), Buddy Wise (tenor sax), Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone),

Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).

Recorded at United Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, September 29, 1954

Lennie Niehaus Octet

Lenny Niehaus

I Swing For You

The jazz spotlight has gleamed brightly at one time or another on big bands, small groups and soloists of varied creative scope and authenticity. But, rather unaccountably, very little attention has been paid to what should be one of the most flexible and rewarding types of jazz ensemble — the middling-sized group which can work with the easy intimacy of a small combo when it wants to or juice itself up to big band proportions when that seems desirable. John Kirby's sextet had some suggestion of this quality in the 1930s although with only six men (and just one brass instrument in the lot) a valid big band sound was out of its reach. Count Basie came closer with the brilliant octet he led in the early Fifties, a group that could trip along as lightly as a greased marble or come charging in like an overstimulated troop of marines.

The neglect that this area has suffered can only be attributed to blindness, to a rather appalling lack of aware imagination for, as Lennie Niehaus clearly shows in this  album, there are an abundance of fascinating possibilities open to a flexibly two-faced middle-sized band. 

⁂

The Niehaus alto that is heard in this album may come as a surprise to those who recall the strongly Parker-touched tone of his playing on earlier disks. That has all been assimilated now and he is stretching out in more direct, less involved lines that bristle with basic jazz qualities. It is a significant step in his development as a strongly individual jazz voice. There is significance, too, in the kind of arranging he offers here for this, says Lennie, is the side of his talent on which he intends to concentrate in the immediate future. If he has his way, he'll stay put in Hollywood, spending most of his time writing, possibly playing weekends as he does now with Kenton, but not getting involved in taking out a group of his own. For the time being at least, what you hear on this record is the closest thing there will be to a Niehaus band. *(from liner notes)*

Lennie swings, but he keeps it cool too — as this rare Mercury set steps off of the same octet energy Niehaus brought to his better-known sides for Contemporary in the mid 50s! The players here are a bit lesser known than some of Niehaus' other all-star groups — with Ken Shroyer on trombone, Ed Leddy on trumpet, and Steve Perlow on baritone — alongside some nicely searing tenor from Bill Perkins, whose presence always makes a set like this sparkle! Lou Levy plays piano and Red Kelly is on bass — and titles include "Soon", "Little Girl Blues", "P & L", "Four Eleven West", "He Ain't Got Rhythm", "Kiss Me & Kill Me With Love", and "I See Your Face Before Me". *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

A very swingy West-Coast middle band session, all participants from the Stan Kenton band.

Lennie Niehaus, another great player from the Kenton band, is very famous of his superior arrangements as well as very swingy improvised alto play. Although his Contemporary LPs are much famous as his leader sessions, this EmArcy session also sounds nice. Thrilling arrangements as well as nice improvisation by Kenton pals are all great. *microgroove.jp*

Side 1

1 - P & L

(Lennie Niehaus)

2 - I See Your Face Before Me

(Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz)

3 - Four Eleven West

(Benny Golson)

4 - Soon

(George and Ira Gershwin)

Side 2

5 - He Ain't Got Rhythm

(Irving Berlin)

6 - Kiss Me And Kill Me With Love

(Shapiro, Fain)

7 - Little Girl Blues

(Bill Perkins)

8 - Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care To Know)

(Duke Ellington, Mack David)

Lennie Niehaus (alto sax), Ed Leddy (trumpet), Ken Shroyer (trombone, bass trumpet),

Bill Perkins (flute, tenor sax), Steve Perlow (baritone sax),

Lou Levy (piano), Red Kelly (bass), Jerry McKenzie (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, October 1, 1957

Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (XV)

Vito Price

Swingin' The Loop

Born in New York in 1929, Vito Price, née Vito Pizzo, began playing tenor sax at the age of fourteen. After high school, he apprenticed on the road with various bands, as well as with Chubby Jackson's small group. He finally settled in Chicago in 1955, and went on to become one of the Windy City's top tenormen. In essence, Price has always been an exceptionally smooth swinger with a warm-toned horn, somewhat in the Al Cohn tradition. Swingin' The Loop was his first album, and a promising start. Price himself said at the time that he was "not trying to blaze new paths". So while no new trails were blazed and no frontiers were opened, Price emerged from the recording session with a valuable set of originals and standards that swing loose and easy. Five of the tracks feature a 10-piece band with a big, bold tone that was surely enhanced by the writing of Bill McRae. The other five are elevated by the incomparable guitar of Freddie Green, who joined in to make the quintet tracks that much more of a delight. *Jordi Pujol*

Rare work from obscure Chicago tenor player Vito Price — recorded back in the days when there actually used to be a jazz scene in the city's center – also known as The Loop! Price was a New Yorker by birth, but worked in Chicago clubs, TV, and radio in the 50s — and was most likely brought to Argo for this session by Chubby Jackson – with whom he'd worked on a previous date for the label. Price has a strong, bold tone in his horn – swing-based, but with a fluid sense of movement that's absorbed plenty of bop — and on the album, he's playing in two different settings. Side one features a largeish group with two more trumpets and two trombones, and side two features a quintet with a slightly more intimate sound. Lou Levy plays piano in both groups, and titles include "Credo", "Eye Strain", "Swingin The Loop", "Mousey's Tune", and "Duddy".  *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

1 - Swinging The Loop

(Vito Price)

2 - Mousey's Tune

(Vito Pizzo)

3 - Why Was I Born

(Kern, Hammerstein II)

4 - Duddy

(Vito Price)

5 - In A Mellow Tone

(Duke Ellington)

6 - Eye Strain

(Vito Price)

7 - Time After Time

(J. Styne, S. Cahn)

8 - Beautiful Love

(Young, Van Alstyne, King, Gillespie)

9 - Credo

(Vito Pizzo)

10 - As Long As I Live

(H. Arlen, T. Koehler)

#1 to #5

Vito Price (tenor sax, alto sax [#5]); Bill Hanley, John Howell (trumpets);

Paul Crumbagh (trombone); Barrett O'Hara (bass tombone); Bill Calkins (baritone sax);

Lou Levy (piano); Max Bennett (bass); Remo Biondi (guitar); Marty Clausen (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, January 25, 1958

#6 to #10

Vito Price (tenor sax), Lou Levy (piano), Freddie Green (guitar),

Max Bennett (bass), Gus Johnson (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, January 20, 1958

Gerry Mulligan Meets Stan Getz

There's a cross-dressing quality about the first three tracks on the CD version of Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi. As you listen to the baritone and tenor saxophones, things seem a little inside out. The baritone has Stan Getz's mildness and the tenor has Mulligan's bouncing attack. In fact, Verve producer Norman Granz recorded those tracks with the two jazz stars on each other's instruments. At first, the switch might seem pointless but it kind of grows on you. Both are lacking slightly, since the baritone doesn't sound nearly as commanding and the tenor doesn't sound as airy or as sweet. But somehow it works as a novelty on "Let's Fall in Love", "Anything Goe" and "Too Close for Comfort", forcing you to hear the instruments differently. Or rather, you wind up listening for the Getz feel on the baritone and the Mulligan feel on the tenor.

By the fourth track—"That Old Feeling"—Getz and Mulligan are on their signature horns for the remainder of the album. Getz is roosted on the high end of the tenor's register and soaring off the top while Mulligan bops along with barking-seal accents on the baritone. That's when the album's pairing of these two giants gels. And how could it not? If they were playing wooden recorders they'd sound great. After Lester Young, they were among the smoothest, most lyrical saxophone swingers of the 1950s

A little history: Shortly after pop albums began appearing on 12-inch albums in 1955, they quickly replaced the 10-inch disc. Better playback equipment was manufactured and marketed to the public as all-in-one, hi-fi consoles. Albums on the larger format were issued with improved audio production and more dynamic instrument placement. They were meant to sound better on these improved units. Album covers proudly exclaimed that the music inside was "in hi-fi" or they used a half-dozen other terms to say the same thing, including "orthophonic sound," "living sound" and "360 sound". Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi let you hear the two saxophones coming through your console's speaker more distinctly and seemingly in two different places.

As for the three tracks with Getz and Mulligan, Granz revealed in early liner notes that Mulligan was responsible for the swap. In his notes, Granz wrote: "Mulligan suggested at one juncture that they trade horns, so you find that on side one of the album that Getz plays baritone and Mulligan plays tenor; and on the other side they reversed the procedure so that each played his primary instrument—Stan the tenor and Gerry the baritone. The session, by the way, produced a second album, which will be released shortly after this one, so there will be something for fans to look forward to as further minutes of this history meeting".

From these notes, it would seem that the earliest release came on two 10-inch albums, but it's hard to imagine why the 10-inch format would have been used in 1957. As for the rhythm section, Granz writes they were selected by Getz "with Mulligan's approval." They are: Lou Levy (p), Ray Brown (b) and Stan Levey (d).

Stan Getz died in 1991; Gerry Mulligan died in 1996. *Marc Myers*

Gerry Mulligan And Stan Getz

Getz Meets Mulligan In Hi-Fi

This release presents the complete album Getz Meets Mulligan on HI-FI, including the two last tunes from the session, originally issued on another LP Getz and Mulligan's only collaboration ever in a quintet format. The trade horns on the album's first three tracks, allowing the listener the rare opportunuty to hear Getz on baritone and Mulligan on tenor.

In the original liner notes, producer Norman Granz states that he was interested in the results of a front-line collaboration between saxophonists Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan.

He also commented that this was the first time they recorded together as the primary horns of a session. Even though this project proved very successful musically and both musicians had known each other long before it was recorded, they would never again play together in this format (at least on records). *jazzmessengers.com*

1 - Let's Fall In Love

(Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)

2 - Anything Goes

(Cole Porter)

3 - Too Close For Comfort

(Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener, George David Weiss)

4 - That Old Feeling

(Sammy Fain, Lew Brown)

5 - This Can't Be Love

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

6 - A Ballad

(Gerry Mulligan)

7 - Scrapple From The Apple

(Charlie Parker)

8 - I Didn't Know What Time It Was

(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)

Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax [#4 to #8], tenor sax [#1 to #3]), Stan Getz (tenor sax [#4 to #8], baritone sax [#1 to #3]), Lou Levy (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, October 12, 1957.

Shorty Rogers - Clickin' With Clax

With the resurgence of interest in West Coast Jazz, and Shorty Rogers in particular, here is a bonus in the form of a previously unissued album. Recorded in March 1956, and containing 8 originals in the characteristic Rogers mould.

As player, composer and arranger, Shorty on flugelhorn leads Herb Geller, Bud Shank, Bill Holman and Jimmy Giuffre, all on various reeds, with rhythm from Lou Levy, Ralph Peña and Shelly Manne.

This session once again proves just how good the West Coast musicians were, and that their music is jazz of the first order. *Neil Skrimshire (liner notes)*

This is swinging, compelling music twenty-two years after it was recorded. There is superb playing by the saxaphonists and exemplary arranging by Rogers, given the instrumentation of flugelhorn plus saxaphone and rhythm sections.

Shorty Rogers retired from jazz as an instrumentalist in 1963. Although he still fashions a jazz chart on occasion; for the past fifteen years he has concentrated on writing for television and motion pictures. But from 1942 to 1963, he accomplished everything there was for him to accomplish in jazz. *Todd Selbert (liner notes)* 

A gem of a record from Shorty Rogers – a set recorded in the mid 50s for Atlantic, but never issued at the time – making it not only a hell of an album, but a great discovery too! Shorty's in wonderful form here – working with some of the best modes learned on his RCA sides, served up with the tighter focus that we love in his other Atlantic recordings of the 50s – and graced with a great group of players who include Herb Geller on alto, Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet and tenor, Bud Shank on alto and baritone, Bill Holman on tenor, Lou Levy on piano, Ralph Peña on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. With a lineup like that, you can bet things are on the money throughout – especially since all tunes are originals by Shorty, with great arrangements that really let all the solo voices come through strongly! *dustygroove.com*

1 - Toyland

2 - I Dig Ed

3 - Adam In New York

4 - Clickin' With Clax

5 - Put The Goodies On

6 - Our Song

7 - Pete's Meat

8 - Mike's Peak

(All compositions by Shorty Rogers)

Shorty Rogers (flugelhorn), Herb Geller (alto sax), Bud Shank (alto sax, baritone sax, bass sax), Bill Holman (tenor sax), Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, tenor sax, baritone sax), Lou Levy (piano), Ralph Peña (bass), Shelly Manne (drums).

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California, March 27 (#1 to #4) and March 30 (#5 to #8), 1956.

Dennis Farnon - Caution! Men Swinging

Dennis Farnon was born in 1923 in Toronto, Canada as John Denis Farnon to Robert and Elsie Farnon (née Menzies). He grew up in a musical family, and learned to play the trumpet at age 12. Through his older brother Robert, he enlisted into the Canadian Army Band, also travelling to Europe to entertain the Allied troops during the last years of the war. In his mid-20s, he moved to Chicago where he played in jazz clubs and pursued studies in conducting, arranging, and orchestration, strongly influenced by the works of Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Béla Bartók and Sergey Prokofiev.

Several years later, he accepted an invitation to Hollywood as musical director for singer Johnny Holiday, and he stayed, continuing to compose, conduct and arrange. In 1956, he was tapped by RCA Records to head their West Coast A&R and signed on as producer, arranger and recording artist. During that time, the Dennis Farnon Orchestra recorded numerous albums, including Magoo in Hi-Fi, over 10 episodes of Mr Magoo cartoon shorts, Chet Atkins in Hollywood, Velvet Carpet with The George Shearing's Quintet, The Enchanted Woods, Songs From The Motion Picture Gigi, While My Lady Sleeps with Phineas Newborn Jr., and Caution! Men Swinging.

This roaring, vibrant album has all the drive, sparkle and vibrancy that characterized swing big bands in their heyday, plus imaginative new ideas. Not only is the swing youthful, but Dennis Farnon's own musical imagination has also brought it up to date and added new lustre and meaning to the idiom. Caution! Men Swinging stands out for its precision and powerhouse sound of the brass and sax sections in the overall set, arranged and conducted by Canadian Dennis Farnon. In addition, there is ample room for solo blowing by Don Fagerquist, who plays all the jazz trumpet; pianists Lou Levy and Jimmy Rowles, guitarist Howard Roberts, tenor Ted Nash, plus the superb lead trumpet work of Frank Beach and George Roberts' bass trombone very present at all times. This 1957 album was the only jazz LP Farnon recorded in his entire career and, possibly thinking he could hardly have surpassed it, he devoted his work primarily to writing arrangements and conducting for pop singers. Enjoy this fantastic swinging big band session! *Jordi Pujol*

Back in the 1950s, as the Big Band Era was slowly dying, the money for musicians was to be made in the studios, with alumni from Herman, Rogers and Kenton playing for TV shows and movies in order to pay off their mortgages in  the San Fernando Valley. Here are a couple swinging albums from Hollywood in the swinging Eisenhower Years.

Canadian conductor Dennis Farron leads a 1957 studio orchestra that includes Pete Condoli/tp, Ted Nash/ts, Bob Enevoldsen/vtb, Howard Roberts/g, Jimmy Rowles-Lou Levy/p and Alvin Stoller/dr for a mix of originals and standards. They sound like a background sound track for a film noir on the swaggering "Caution! Men Swinging" while the muted horns sway on "Lover Come Back To Me". West Coast Cool moods dominate "Why Don’t You Do Right" while big brass is bold on "Just You, Just Me" with the team sounding like Kenton on the hard hitting "Three Little Words". Bright primary colors. *George W. Harris*

Side 1

1 - Caution! Men Swinging

(Dennis Farnon)

2 - Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year

(Frank Loesser)

3 - Lover Come Back To Me

(Oscar Hammerstein, Sigmund Romberg)

4 - Shoo-Shoo Baby

(Phil Moore)

5 - Just You, Just Me

(Jessie Greer, Raymond Klages)

Side 2

06 - Isle Of Capri

(Wilhelm Grosz, James Kennedy)

07 - South Of The Border

(M. Beresford, J. B. Kennedy)

08 - It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

(Duke Ellington, Irving Mills)

09 - Why Don't You Do Right

(Joe McCoy)

10 - Three Little Words

(Harry Ruby)

11 - Resume Speed

(Dennis Farnon)

Pete Candoli, Frank Beach, Don Fagerquist, Paul Geil (trumpets); Tommy Pederson, Joe Howard (trombones); Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone); George Roberts (bass trombone); Jack Dumont, Brian Farnon (alto saxes); Ted Nash, Gene Cipriano (tenor saxes); Chuck Gentry (baritone sax); Howard Roberts (guitar); Jimmy Rowles [#1, #2, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9], Lou Levy [#3, #4, #10, #11] (pianos); Cliff Hills (bass); Alvin Stoller (drums).

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, May 30, 1957.

 

Quincy Jones - Go West, Man!

In Southern California the evenings are cool, as many an Easterner has found out to his discomfort. But periodically the sequence of chilly dusks is broken by a hot, dry, sometimes rather nervous wind, that sweeps from the interior and changes the entire atmosphere of the area. Then you see the retired Idaho farmers sitting on their verandahs rocking back and forth and watching the traffic. 

They call this wind a Santa Ana. This album is NOT called a Santa Ana, but it does bring a warm, almost hot breeze to Southern California, or West Coast, jazz which shows that it need not always be cool. 

And it’s time some real effort was made to demonstrate to the world that everything recorded in the Hollywood studios is not more Brooks Brothers tan Madison Avenue and not more emotionally restrained than a London native in a room full of Americans. As Betty Roche wroje to Jimmy Lyons, whose nightly KNBC, San Francisco eee has been a breath of warmth in what has sometimes seemed a wilderness of cool sounds, "it's good to hear the swingers". 

Quincy Jones, who produced this album, selected the personnel, picked the instrumentation and arrangers, is a West Coast product himself — he’s from Chicago originally but settled in Seattle when he was 10 and was raised there. For that matter, most of the so-called West Coast musicians are originally from the East, or at least not the West, and they don't always play in that tight little style that has become known as West Coast. They can get pretty funky, especially, as Shelly Manne says, "if they’ve eaten enough in those all-night hamburger joints". 

In ten years of writing on jazz for Down Beat and in the San Francisco Chronicle, I have never known what "West Coast" was, really, except in terms of individuals and only then for a specific time and a specific performance. This album will do considerable good if it makes people realize, as I hope it does, that all winds do not blow cool on the Pacific Coast. Sometimes they blow hot, too. *Ralph J. Gleason (liner notes)*

There is a bit of mis-information surrounding this album, and I’ve seen more than one inaccurate review, so to clear up a few things first, Go West Man! is not a big band album and the arrangements on here are not by Quincy Jones. Although there is some good music on here, in some ways, this second album in Quincy Jones’ young career is somewhat of a disappointment. Jones’ first album was a great success and revealed a young big band arranger with some fresh new sounds, so I would imagine his new fans were disappointed to find out that Jones only served as a conductor and producer, not arranger, on his follow-up LP. There are three different mid-sized groups that Jones works with on here, including two groups led by saxophone summits and one group led by a trumpet quartet. All three groups have a piano, bass and drums rhythm section. Each of the three groups is given three songs which leads to nine songs total on the album if you are keeping score at home.

All three of these groups are very talented, but possible top honors goes to an all-star sax five-some that includes Art Pepper and Charlie Mariano. The west coast sax players are known for their silky smooth ensemble work, and this group is a good example. The liner notes claim the other sax group is made up of three tenors, but there is quite clearly a fourth man on baritone, and one of the supposed tenors sounds suspiciously high. The arrangements for the nine tracks were provided by Jimmy Giuffre, Lennie Niehaus and Charlie Mariano. “London Derriere”, with its striking sounds made up of trumpets with Harmon mutes, is the arrangement that sounds the most like Quincy. This album is recommended for fans of west coast jazz, there so much great saxophone playing on here, both in ensemble and in solos, but Quincy Jones fans may be disappointed by the somewhat misleading presentation and slap together nature of this album. *jazzmusicarchives.com*

Quincy turns his soul jazz arranging style to a band filled with West Coast players, and he gets them to groove a lot more than you'd expect! Players include Herb Geller, Art Pepper, Charlie Mariano, Bill Perkins, and Walter Benton. The tracks are short, with tight solo space, and most of them were written and arranged by West Coasters like Jimmy Giuffre, Lennie Niehaus, and Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Be My Guest", "London Derriere", "Kings Road Blues", "The Oom Is Blues", and "Bright Moon".  *dustygroove.com*

1 - Dancin' Pants

(Jimmy Giuffre)

2 - Blues Day

(Jimmy Giuffre)

3. Bright Moon

(Jimmy Giuffre)

4 - No Bones At All

(Johnny Mandell)

5 - The Oom Is Blues

(Charlie Mariano)

6. Be My Guest

(Lennie Niehaus)

7 - Medley: 

•What's New?

(Haggart, Burke)

•We'll Be Together Again 

(Fischer, Laine)

•Time On My Hands

(Adamson, Youmans, Gordon)

•You Go To My Head

(Coots, Gillespie)

•Laura

(Mercer, Raksin)

8 - London Derriere

(Johnny Mandel)

9 - Kings Road Blues

(Lennie Niehaus)

Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jack Sheldon (trumpets [#2, #4, #8]); Benny Carter, Herb Geller, Charlie Mariano, Art Pepper (alto saxes [#1, #6, #9]); Pepper Adams (baritone sax [#3, #5, #7]); Walter Benton, Buddy Collette, Bill Perkins (tenor saxes [#3, #5, #7]); Lou Levy [#1, #6, #9], Carl Perkins [#2 to #5, #7, #8] (pianos); Red Mitchell [#1, #6, #9], Leroy Vinnegar [#2 to #5, #7, #8] (basses); Shelly Manne [#1, #3, #5, #6, #7, #9], Mel Lewis [#2, #4, #8] (drums).

Jimmy Giuffre, Johnny Mandel, Charlie Mariano, Lennie Niehaus (arrangements); Quincy Jones (conductor).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, February 25, 1957.

Bob Cooper - Coop! The Music Of Bob Cooper

Having listened to all of Bob Cooper's jazz appearances on record in recent years in the function of record reviewer, I regret that the fact I am writing these liner notes will preclude my reviewing this, his latest set. It is his best, I feel, to this point; and it is his best partly because it represents a considerable growth in his conception as a writer and player in the direction of spareness, of that "less is more" discovery most artists achieve as they mature and find their own voice. 

Cooper, being as articulate verbally as he is in music, is actually the primary annotator of these proceedings. *Nat Hentoff, September 19, 1957 (liner notes)* 

A tremendous early album from this west coast tenorist – really breaking out here in a smaller group setting than usual! Coop plays tenor, in a group with Victor Feldman on vibes, Loy Levy on piano, Frank Rosolino on tormbone, and Mel Lewis on drums!  (Out of print.) *dustygroove.com*

Cooper was a mainstay of the west coast jazz scene of the '50s.A member of Stan Kenton's band and the Lighthouse All Stars (regulars of the Lighthouse Club in Hermosa Beach,California). He was married to singer June Christy who he met in the Kenton band (Kenton forbid June to have any serious relationships with the guys in the band but could'nt help June and Bob falling for each other). June passed away in 1990 and Cooper was heartbroken, he died a short 3 years later of a heartattack. This album is from happier days in the '50s with his west coast pals the Candoli brothers, Frank Rosolino, Victor Feldman, Lou Levy, and Mel Lewis. The first half is a suite called "Jazz Theme" which includes a bit of big band trumpet blasts within a small group. The other tracks include Charlie Parker's "Confirmation", the standard "Easy Living", and the Gershwin's "Somebody Loves Me". A overall fine album for west coast cool fans and one of the few Cooper cut under his own leadership. *rateyourmusic.com*

Tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper's only Contemporary album (reissued on CD in the Original Jazz Classics series) is a near-classic and one of his finest recordings. Cooper, along with trombonist Frank Rosolino, vibraphonist Victor Feldman, pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett, and drummer Mel Lewis, performs colorful versions of five standards (best are "Confirmation", "Easy Living", and "Somebody Loves Me") that show off his attractive tone and ability to swing at any tempo. Half of the release consists of his "Jazz Theme and Four Variations", a very interesting work that holds together quite well throughout 23-and-a-half minutes and five movements. Three trumpeters (including Conte Candoli) and one trombone are added to make the ensembles richer. This set is an underrated gem. *Scott Yanow*

Jazz Theme And Four Variations

(Bob Cooper)

1 - Main Theme: Sunday Mood

2 - 1st Varation: A Blue Period

3 - 2nd Varation: Happy Changes

4 - 3rd Varation: Night Stroll

5 - 4th Varation: Saturday Dance

✤

6 - Confirmation

(Charlie Parker)

7 - Easy Living

(Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger)

8 - Frankie & Johnny

(Traditional)

9 - Day Dream

(Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn)

10 - Somebody Loves Me

(George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald, B. G. DeSylva)

Bob Cooper (tenor sax, arranger); Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist (trumpets [#3, #4, #5]); Frank Rosolino, Johnny Halliburton [#3, #4, #5] (trombones); Victor Feldman (vibes); Lou Levy (piano); Max Bennett (bass); Mel Lewis (drums).

Recorded at Contemporary's Studio, Los Angeles, California, August 26 (#1, #2, #6 to #10) and 27 (#3, #4, #5), 1957

Shorty Rogers Quintet - Wherever The Five Winds Blow

In no sense whatsoever has Milton "Shorty" Rogers ever been known heretofore as a windy fellow. He blows trumpet (flugelhorn sometimes) with finesse, taste and feeling rather than with any effort to shatter glass windows; his mannerisms are gentle and exceedingly mellow, while his conversation is soft and generally as lazy as the Mississippi. “Shorty” may well be the only truly southern gentleman from Great Barrington, Massachusetts. 

For this album, however, "Shorty" Rogers quite deliberately turned meteorologist. And he did it without changing his style of anything. 

The Bible will tell you: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth". Until comparatively recent times that was quite true — the movement of air was a mystery. Now, however, while we know a great deal about winds and what they do, we are still not able to predict faithfully what they will do next. 

Such is the nature of the winds, and this, in effect, is "Shorty" Rogers’ adventure into the atmosphere — a stunning musical salute to everywhere that the five winds blow. *Roy Morse (liner notes)*

Clever title serves as a peg on wich Rogers hangs the titles of his five originals compositions that make up the set: "Hurricane Carol", "Breezin' Along In The Trades", "Marooned In A Monsoon", etc. The blowing is not all of that earth-shaking; in fact, with Jimmy Giuffre alternating on tenor sax and clarinet, Rogers sticks pretty close to the "Cooler" side of the West Coast idiom. However, there is a flock of young people who gobble up this kind of package, and they must be accommodated. Terrific cover. *Billboard, March 16, 1957*

Side 1

1 - Hurricane Carol (North Wind)

2 - Breezin' Along In The Trades (South Wind)

3 - Marooned In A Monsoon (East Wind)

Side 2

4 - The Chinook That Melted My Heart (West Wind)

5 - Prevailing On The Westerlies (Fifth Wind)

(All compositions by Shorty Rogers)

Shorty Rogers (trumpet), Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, tenor sax), Lou Levy (piano), Ralph Pena (bass), Larry Bunker (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, July 2, 1956. 

Stan Getz - West Coast Jazz

In 1955 the difference between East/West Coast jazz was a hot topic, with critics and fans capable of taking zealous musical alliances with one or the other. The title of this disc, West Coast Jazz, was conceived as a joke, considering all musicians involved were originally from the East Coast and did not play exclusively in the laid-back, commercially profitable, cool style, as pigeonholed by some. Stan Getz was in California for his part in the film the Benny Goodman Story, where he picked up a week long gig at Zardi's in Hollywood. The pickup band that greeted him featured a great rhythm section: Lou Levy (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Shelly Manne (drums), along with Conte Candoli (trumpet). These musicians connected with Getz immediately, having crossed paths previously. Impressed with this lineup, he took them into the studio to record West Coast Jazz. Generally unlike West Coast jazz of the time, the rapid group interplay with energized bop solos, still stand out particularly on "Shine" and Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia". *Al Campbell*

Name power, talent and display-worthy cover tag this as a leader. Getz and Manne are the big names, of course, tho Candoli too has a following. The new star, comparatively, is Levy, whose remarkable jazz performances should win him first fligt recognition in no time. The stuff is modern, always interesting, and it swings powerfully when it's supposed to. For musicians and for fans, this one is tops. *Billboard, October 15, 1955*

Side 1

1 - East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)

(Bowman)

2 - Four

(Davis)

3 - Suddenly It's Spring

(Van Heusen, Burke)

Side 2

4 - Night In Tunisia

(Paparelli, Gillespie)

5 - Summertime

(Gershwin, Heyward

6 - Shine

(Dabney, Brown, McPherson)

Stan Getz (tenor sax), Conte Candoli (trumpet), Lou Levy (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Shelly Manne (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, August 9 (#2) and 15 (#1, #3, #4, #5, #6), 1955.