Five-Star Collection... Shelly Manne

Shelly Manne

Shelly Manne And His Men • Vol. 2

Continuing the West Coast workshop idea begun in Shelly Manne's first album, six leading jazz composers were asked to write the music for this set. Since the first album featured reeds, we felt it might be interesting to explore the possibilities of the brass sound. Each composer was given complete freedom within the limits of the instrumentation.

Each was asked, also, to state briefly something about his composition. *(from the liner notes)*

Shelly Manne's second Contemporary album, out of print since the 10-inch LP era, is one of the definitive statements of West Coast jazz aesthetics. It highlights adventurous musical structures and an unusual septet featuring four brass and rhythm, glows with sonorities no less bold for their intimacy, and is suffused with outstanding musicianship and subtle swing. The compact drive this music often achieved is particularly evident in the contributions of Bob Cooper and Marty Paich, while the beauty of Bill Holman's "Lullaby" captures a similar capacity for tenderness. Pieces by Jimmy Giuffre, Jack Montrose, and Shorty Rogers reveal the more complex notions cultivated in Los Angeles during the Fifties. Each track contains notable contributions from the talented cast, with Manne demonstrating how he helped to redefine the possibilities for jazz drummers in this period. *concord.com*

One of the most important LPs of the year. Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, Marty Paich, and Shorty Rogers have each contributed an original exploring the possibilities of brass sounds in the context of extended form in jazz. Recorded in Hollywood in December, 1953, and March, 1954, the musicians included Ollie Mitchell, Don Fagerquist, Shorty Rogers, Bob Enevoldsen, Paul Sarmento, Russ Freeman, Marty Paich, Joe Mondragon, and Shelly Manne. Each composer, moreover, has written a brief but clear exposition of his work in the notes. The important thing at the moment is not to fix firm value judgments on the worth of each work nor to argue aimlessly about whether this is "jazz" or not. Here are some of the directions in which jazz will inevitably evolve and these are unusually absorbing beginnings. Everyone concerned with this LP, including engineer John Palladino and supervisor Lester Koenig, deserves full praise. The notes, by the way, are the most articulately valuable of the year — because they were written by the musicians directly involved in the session. *Nat Hentoff (Down Beat, July 14, 1954 [5 stars])*

Side 1

1 - Dimension In Thirds

(Marty Paich)

2 - Shapes, Motion, Colors

(Shorty Rogers)

3 - Alternation

(Jimmy Giuffre)

Side 2

4 - Divertimento For Bass And Rhythm

(Bob Cooper)

5 - Lullaby

(Bill Holman)

6 - Etude De Concert

(Jack Montrose)

#1, #2, #3:

Ollie Mitchell (first trumpet), Shorty Rogers (second trumpet),

Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone), Paul Sarmento (tuba),

Russ Freeman (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Shelly Manne (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California, December 18, 1953

#4, #5, #6:

Don Fagerquist (first trumpet), Shorty Rogers (second trumpet, flugelhorn),

Bob Enevoldsen (valve trombone), Paul Sarmento (tuba),

Marty Paich (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Shelly Manne (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California, March 17, 1954

Rare And Obscure Criteria Jazz Recordings (I)

 

Recording engineer and producer Mack Emerman formed Criteria Records in Miami, Florida, in 1957.  He had just moved to Miami, himself and having been a jazz trumpeter he wanted to work with jazz musicians.  He was impressed with the work of Rudy Van Gelder and sought to achieve a similar sound.  He formed Criteria Studios the following year.   Criteria Records released five titles by 1960, when the label folded.  However, Criteria Studios went on to become the most successful studio in Miami, recording over 250 gold or platinum hit records by such aritsts as  Eric Clapton, The Eagles, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Bee Gees, Crosby Stills and Nash, Fleetwood Mac, Chicago and many many more.  Today it is The Hit Factory at 1755 NE 149th Street.

V.S.O.P. Records has released the only four jazz recordings that came out on Criteria Records and OUTLET JAZZ will present them in the next four posts...

The Lon Norman Octet

"The Octet"

Gold Coast Jazz

(Volume 1)

This is the first recording released on Criteria and the fourth of several VSOP releases of Criteria recordings. Criteria was a small jazz label by Mack Emerman that showcased Miami jazz musicians of the late 1950's. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and producers.

All Criteria LPs are extremely rare and highly sought after. This 1957 recording exemplifies the high caliber of jazz that made it onto this label. The Octet played straight ahead West Coast style jazz in the Shorty Rogers, Marty Paich manner. The arrangements by Lon Norman are excellent. The solos by Berry Poger, Marvin Marvin, Eddie Gralka and Jerry Marshall are top notch. This is very fine music, and compares most favorably with Hollywood sessions of the day. *magnebit.xeran.com*

This was the first recording released on the Criteria label in 1957. While The Octet was modeled on the Dave Pell Octet, Lon Norman's arrangements were totally original. This stereo recording puts on display Miami's finest musicians of the time, including Bill Ladley, Jerry Marshall, Eddie Gralka, Marvin Marvin, Berry Poger, Paul Sarmento, Joe Black & Frank DeFabio. Criteria founder Mac Emerman, who produced and engineered this date, went on to become a legendary recording engineer and studio owner. This session sounds and feels like it was recorded in Hollywood. The musicians are no slouches and the charts are excellent. *ccmusic.com*

When you blend two ingredients such as Lon Norman's drive to create new dimensions in ensemble sound, and Mack Emerman's imaginative organizational skills, the result could well illustrate the heights to which modern jazz music can be carried. And this is Mack Emerman's dream: to harness the skill and talent of Miami music on Criteria records, and to weld these creative elements into a powerful musical force. Perhaps the lush fertility of tropical Florida combined with Yankee-style skill and inventiveness, can provide the seeds for a new modern sound that must be reckoned with by the jazz — the Gold Coast Sound. 

One point we should like to strongly make, if we haven't made it so far, is the fact that the Octet and this album are truly a cooperative effort. We must pay tribute to the following wonderful guys who are part of all this. They are LON NORMAN, of course, who is the cohesive force behind all of this, for it is Lon's arranging, his musical directorship, his fine trombone playing that are the true highlights of this album. *Val Machen (liner notes)*

1 - Saturday Comes 'Round

(Lon Norman)

2 - Don't Blame Me

(Jimmy Mchugh)

3 - Potsdam

(Lon Norman)

4 - Blue Moon

(Rodgers, Hart)

5 - If I Should Lose You

(Rainger, Robin)

6 - Dark Horse

(Lon Norman)

7 - Scott Free

(Lon Norman) 

Lon Norman (trombone); Jerry Marshall (trumpet); Berry Poger (alto sax, tenor sax, flute);

Eddie Gralka (baritone sax, tenor sax); Marvin Marvin (tenor sax);

Joe Black [#1, #2, #3, #6, #7], Frank DeFabio [#4, #5] (pianos);

Paul Sarmento (bass); Bill Ladley (drums).

Recorded at Criteria-Reela Studios, Miami, Florida, August 1957

Milt Bernhart Brass Ensemble - Modern Brass

Milt Bernhart grew up as a musician playing in the bands of Boyd Raeburn, Buddy Franklyn, Jimmy James and Teddy Powell. After that peculiar apprenticeship he joined Stan Kenton's band. The years with Kenton boosted Bernhardt to considerable popularity with jazz followers, and his solos won him repeated high placings in Down Beats readers poll. After that, he was a graduate of the Kenton school of higher learning. But, for the most part, musicians are born, not made, and the notes Milt blew, the phrasing and imagination he so vividly demonstrated, could not have been easily picked up in any learned institution. With this particular group, nucleus of the West Coast school of jazz, he contributed more than his share to its new sounds and seemingly fantastic thought processes. This album includes some of the most inspired trombone playing since the invention of that venerable instrument. *Jordi Pujol*

When RCA Victor decided to make an album showcasing the considerable talents of Milt Bernhart, they searched for an entirely new form of presentation employing not only his horn but a unique voicing and instrumentation in which to frame it. Milt came up with the idea of an all-brass setting, exclusive of the conventional rhythm section. After deciding upon the voicing — two trumpets, Milt's trombone, French horn, bass horn and tuba, along with guitar, string bass and drums — the arrangers were chosen. Certainly no single jazz album ever done has had such a roster of composers-arrangers: Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Andre Previn, Wes Hensel, Pete Candoli and Jimmy Guiffre — the individual approach of each further enhances their collective reputations as the vanguard of the West Coast school. That they solved any seeming problems should be very evident, for in none of the twelve selections could any lack of color or tonality be detected; in fact, the unique voicing and arranging, the inspired solos and warm feeling of the group as a whole are everywhere evident.

Thus this album features not only Milt Bernhart’s happy, brazen trombone along with other equally great soloists playing superb arrangements, but a fresh and unique — nonetheless valid and justifiable — approach to the problem of extending the horizons of jazz.

Listen then to Modern Brass played by Milt Bernhart and his brass ensemble.

*Paul Krupa (liner notes)*

This is an experimental album that clearly expands the frontiers of modern jazz. Giving a brass section, consisting of two trumpets, trombone, French horn, bass horn amd tuba the task of creating a well-balanced sound without the relieving colors of the usual band sections is practically an invitation to disaster. The success here, against heavy odds, is due chiefly to the skill of the fine arrangers employed for this remarkable set: Pete Rugolo, Shorty Rogers, Andre Previn, Jimmy Giuffre, Wes Hensel and Pete Candoli. The trombone of Bernhart is featured thruout, and in the richly varied fare offered here, his solos are consistently warm and imaginative.

*Billboard, October 15, 1955*

Side 1

1 - The Horns

(Jimmy Giuffre)

2 - Hooray For Hollywood

(Mercer, Whiting)

3 - What Is There To Say

(Harburg, Duke)

4 - Looking For A Boy

(G. and I. Gershwin)

5 - Amor Flamengo

(Laurindo Almeida)

6 - Southern Comfort

(Pete Candoli)

Side 2

7 - London In July

(Vernon Duke)

8 - Tangerine

(Mercer, Schertzinger)

9 - Lavender

(Jimmy Giuffre)

10 - Hillside

(Andre Previn)

11 - It's All Right With Me

(Cole Porter)

12 - Save Your Chops

(Pete Candoli)

Milt Bernhart (trombone) with:

#1, #3, #8, #9

Shorty Rogers [as Roger Milton], Ray Linn (tumpets); Maynard Ferguson (euphonium); John Graas (French horn); Ray Siegel (tuba); Jack Marshall (guitar); Red Mitchell [as Keith Mitchell] (bass); Irv Kluger (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California, March 4, 1955.

#5, #7, #12

Shorty Rogers, Pete Candoli (trumpets); Maynard Ferguson (euphonium); John Graas (French horn); Ray Siegel (tuba); Jack Marshall (guitar); Red Mitchell (bass); Irv Kluger (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California, March 6, 1955.

#2, #4, #6, #10, #11

Ray Linn, Pete Candoli (trumpets); Maynard Ferguson (euphonium); John Graas (French horn); Paul Sarmento (tuba); Jack Marshall (guitar); Red Mitchell (bass); Irving Cottler (drums).

Recorded in Hollywood, California, March 8, 1955.