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Chet Baker Ensemble

Chet Baker Ensemble collects all the tracks recorded by trumpeter Chet Baker and his group on a session for Pacific Jazz in late December of 1953. Having been released piecemeal on various albums over the years, this represents the first complete gathering of this material. Recorded less than two months before the legendary Chet Baker Sings sessions, these tracks showcase the young Baker as a hardcore jazz trumpeter before the public became overwhelmingly infatuated with his unique vocal abilities. Featuring first-rate "West Coast"-style arrangements by tenor saxophonist Jack Montrose -- who also composed many of the songs -- the septet seems to combine the jocular interplay of Baker's work with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan with the hip, swinging work popularized by the large ensembles of trumpeter Shorty Rogers. Besides Montrose, backing Baker here are saxophonists Herb Geller and Bob Gordon, bassist Joe Mondragon, drummer Shelly Manne, and pianist Russ Freeman. Rating alongside the best of Baker's catalog, Chet Baker Ensemble is a must-hear for both longtime fans and neophytes of the iconic trumpeter/vocalist's work.

Matt Collar
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-chet-baker-ensemble-r709417

Chet Baker
The Chet Baker Ensemble

Tracks

1 Bockhanal (Montrose) 3:00
2 Ergo (Montrose) 3:11
3 Moonlight Becomes You (Burke, VanHeusen) 3:27
4 Headline (Montose) 3:11
5 A Dandy Line (Montose) 2:51
6 Little Old Lady (Adams, Carmichael) 2:50
7 Goodbye (Jenkins) 3:50
8 Pro Defunctus (Montrose) 3:27
9 Bockhanal [alt. take] (Montrose) 2:35
10 Moonlight Becomes You [alt. take] (Burke, VanHeusen) 2:55
11 A Dandy Line [alt. take] (Montose) 2:51
12 Little Old Lady [alt. take] (Adams, Carmichael) 2:01
13 Goodbye [alt. take] (Jenkins) 3:41

Personnel
Chet Baker - tp
Jack Montrose - ts
Herb Geller - as & ts
Bob Gordon - bs
Russ Freeman - p
Joe Mondragon - b
Shelly Manne - dr

Recorded at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, California ; December 14 [# 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 & 11] & 22, 1953 [other selections]

Joe Newman at Count Basie's

Joe Newman at Count Basie's is the first record the underappreciated trumpeter cut after leaving the Basie Band for the second time. The 1961 session was cut live at his former employer's club in front of a noisy, appreciative audience and features Newman and his young band (Oliver Nelson on tenor, Art Davis on bass, Lloyd Mayers on piano and Ed Shaughnessy on drums) cutting loose on a mix of standards and Newman originals. The record kicks off with a roaring version of "Caravan" featuring some fine soloing from Newman and Nelson, strolls through relaxed versions of "Love Is Here to Stay" and "Someone to Love," both of which spotlight Newman's bright tone and swinging approach, and picks up some serious steam on the charging Newman tune "The Midgets." The last two songs are the highlights of the record with "On Green Dolphin Street" showcasing Nelson's lyrical and searing soloing and the Newman original "Wednesday's Blues" letting the trumpeter get very down and dirty with Nelson following him note for note. It is a truly inspired track and ends the record on a high note. While this record may have seemed like the beginning of a great solo career for Joe Newman, in fact it was his final session for a major label as a leader. The 2005 reissue on Verve marks the first time the record has been available on CD. It isn't an essential purchase for the casual jazz fan but Newman fans (and fans of great trumpeters) will be thrilled by its appearance.

Tim Sendra
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/joe-newman-at-count-basies-r155672/review

Joe Newman
At Count Basie's

Tracks

1 Caravan (Tizol, Ellington, Mills) 9:45
2 Love is Here to Stay (From "Goldwynn Follies") (Gershwin, Gershwin) 4:33
3 Someone To Love (Warren) 5:46
4 The Midgets (Newman) 4:18
5 On Green Dolphin Street (Kaper, Washington) 5:52
6 Wednesday's Blues (Newman) 8:10

Personnel
Joe Newman - tp
Oliver Nelson - ts
Lloyd Mayers - p
Art Davis - b
Ed Shaughnessy - dr

Recorded at Count Basie's Club, New York City ; 1961

Chet Baker - The Route

This 1989 CD issue compiles all known sides cut during a July 26, 1956, session led by Chet Baker (trumpet) and Art Pepper (alto sax). Keen-eyed enthusiasts will note that this particular date occurred during a remarkable week -- July 23 through July 31 -- of sessions held at the behest of Pacific Jazz label owner and session producer Dick Bock at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles. The recordings made during this week not only inform The Route, but three other long-players as well: Lets Get Lost (The Best of Chet Baker Sings), Chet Baker and Crew, and Chet Baker Quintet at the Forum Theatre. Likewise, these were the first sides cut by Baker since returning from his triumphant and extended stay in Europe. The Route compiles all 11 tracks by the sextet featuring Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Pete Jolly (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Stan Levey (drums) in support of Baker and Pepper. Bock had no immediate plans to use these recordings for any one album; that is to say he incorporated the tracks throughout various compilations released on Pacific Jazz. Three months later, however, Baker and Pepper did record with completely different personnel for the expressed purpose of issuing what would become known as Playboys and alternately Picture of Heath. Perhaps encouraged by the swinging interaction on Pepper's "Tynan Time" and "Minor Yours," both tracks were featured at this session as well as during the Picture of Heath collaboration. There are a few unexpected moments of sheer brilliance spread throughout, such as the Baker-penned title track, which contains supple and nicely contrasting solos from Kamuca and Vinnegar -- whose solid pendulum accuracy swings all through this collection. The Route is recommended for completists as well as curious consumers wishing to expand their knowledge of the light and airy rhythms that typify the cool West Coast jazz scene of the mid-'50s.

Lindsay Planer
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-route-r134913/review

Chet Baker
The Route
(1956)

Tracks

1 Tynan Time (Pepper) 6:18
2 The Route (Baker) 5:04
3 Sonny Boy (Brown, DeSylva, Henderson, Jolson) 3:55
4 Minor Yours (Pepper) 7:11
5 Little Girl (Henry, Hyde) 4:14
6 Ol' Croix (Pepper) 5:27
7 I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Fields, McHugh) 4:07
8 The Great Lie (Calloway, Gibson) 4:16
9 Sweet Lorraine (Burwell, Parish) 3:08
10 If I Should Lose You (Rainger, Robin) 4:18
11 Younger Than Springtime (Hammerstein, Rodgers) 4:30

Personnel
Chet Baker - tp
Art Pepper - as
Richie Kamuca - ts
Pete Jolly - p
Leroy Vinnegar - b
Stan Levey - dr

Recorded at the Forum Theatre, Los Angeles, California ; July 26, 1956

Chico Hamilton Gongs East

The best-known of all the 1950s Chico Hamilton Quintet sets, this is also the only early Hamilton music that has been fully reissued on CD. At the time, the drummer's group also included cellist Nate Gershman, guitarist Dennis Budimir, bassist Wyatt Ruther and the young Eric Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet and flute. Dolphy has quite a few short solos on this rewarding music, and the highlights of the date include "Beyond the Blue Horizon," "Passion Flower," Gerald Wilson's "Tuesday at Two" and the exotic "Gongs East." Recommended.

Scott Yanow
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/gongs-east-r140054

Chico Hamilton
Gongs East !

Tracks

1 Beyond the Blue Horizon (Harling, Robin, Whiting) 2:59
2 Where I Live (Wilson) 2:57
3 Gongs East (Hamilton) 5:04
4 I Gave My Love a Cherry (Smith) 4:03
5 Good Grief, Dennis (Smith) 3:17
6 Long Ago (And Far Away) (Gershwin, Kern) 3:04
7 Tuesday at Two (Wilson) 3:59
8 Nature by Emerson (Katz) 4:48
9 Far East (Pierce) 4:38
10 Passion Flower (Strayhorn) 3:04

Personnel
Eric Dolphy - as, f, bcl & Bb cl
Dennis Budimir - g
Nathan Gershman - ce
Wyatt Ruther - b
Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California ; 29 & 30 December 1958

Django Reinhardt 1934 (2)-1935 (1) - Intégrale, vol. 2

The darling of top French accordionists during the latter half on the 1929s (see vol. 1), by the 1934-35 period covered here Django Reinhardt had become an accompanist of a totally different nature. Following the lead of Jean Sablon, numerous were the popular singers now calling upon his services, first among them Germaine Sablon, Jean's sister, who often used the jazz backing of the Michel Warlop orchestra. During the course of our Volume 2, we shall also come across many more. After 1935, opportunities to accompany vocalists would become rarer, howewer, since Django and some of his principal cohorts were by then almost totally absorbed by the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Even in the present volume, tucked away among the cooing of singers such as Léon Monosson and Le Petit Mirsha, we hear the historic Quintet's maiden efforts, that new, original jazz sound that captivated even the Americans...

Adapted by Don WATERHOUSE from the French text of Daniel NEVERS

© FRÉMEAUX & ASSOCIES, 1996

Django Reinhardt
"I Saw Stars"
The Complete Django Reinhardt, vol. 2
(1934-1935)

Tracks

Cd. 1

JEAN SABLON & TRIO
(1934)
1 Je sais que vous êtes jolie (Christiné, Poupon) 3’01
2 Par correspondance (Mireille, Nohain) 2’36

GERMAINE SABLON & L’ORCHESTRE. MICHEL WARLOP
(1934)
3 Tendresse (Aubert, Champlay) 3’05
4. J’ai besoin de toi (Coppola, Bourgeat) 3’21

MICHEL WARLOP ET SON ORCHESTRE
(1934)
5 Blue Interlude (Warlop) 3’18

TRIO DJANGO REINHARDT
(1934)
6 Tiger Rag (LaRocca) 2’19
7 After You’ve Gone (Creamer, Layton) 2’11
8. Confessin’ (Neiburg, Dougherty, Reynolds) 2’36

“DELAUNAY’S JAZZ” (QUINTETTE DU H.C.F.)
(1934)
9 I Saw Stars (Siegler, Goodhart, Hoffman) 2’41
10 Confessin’ (Neiburg, Dougherty, Reynolds) 2’46

ELIANE DE CREUS ET SES BOYS
(1934)
11 La Rumba-Da-Boum (Waltham, Jamblan, Olive) 3’16

AIMÉ SIMON-GIRARD (ORCH. MICHEL WARLOP)
(1934)
12 Cocktails pour deux (Cocktails for two) (Johnston, Coslow, Palex, Hennevé) 3’07

GERMAINE SABLON (ORCH. MICHEL WARLOP)
(1934)
13 Deux cigarettes dans l’ombre (Two cigarettes in the dark) (Pollack, Palex) 3’07

AIMÉ SIMON-GIRARD (ORCH. MICHEL WARLOP)
(1934)
14 L’amour en fleurs (Love in Bloom) (Johnston, Rainger, Palex, Hennevé) 3’01

GERMAINE SABLON (ORCH. MICHEL WARLOP)
(1934)
15 Je voudrais vivre (Sablon, Divert) 2’44

PATRICK ET SON ORCHESTRE DE DANSE
(1934)
16 From Now On (Brown, Freed) 3’02
17 I Saw Stars (Siegler, Goodhart, Hoffman) 3’01
18 Black Panther Stomp (DuPage) 2’49
19 Okay Toots (Donaldson, Kahn) 2’43
20 When my Ship Comes In (Donaldson, Kahn) 3’05
21 My Carolina Hide-a-way (Coots) 2’37

Cd. 2

LE QUINTETTE DU HOT CLUB DE FRANCE
(1934)
1 Dinah (Askt/Lewis/Young) 2’33
2 Tiger Rag (LaRocca) 2’33
3 Lady be Good (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2’53
4 I Saw Stars (Siegler, Goodhart, Hoffman) 2’28

JEAN SABLON
(1935)
5 La dernière Bergère (Siniavine, Sauvat) 3’02
6 The Continental (Conrad, Magidson, Palex, Hennevé) 2’56
7 Un Baiser (Coquatrix, Luc) 3’16

LE PETIT MIRSHA
(1935)
8.Vieni, vieni (Scotto, Vantard, Konyn) 2’53

LÉON MONOSSON & L’ORCHESTRE ALAIN ROMANS
(1935)
9 Deux cigarettes dans l’ombre (Pollack, Palex) 3’16
10 Tout le jour, toute la nuit (Night and Day) (Porter, Palex) 3’20

LE PETIT MIRSHA
(1935)
11 Maman, ne vends pas la maison (Trénet) 3’28
12 Petit homme, c’est l’heure de faire dodo (Little Man...) (Wayne, Hennevé, Plaex) 3’38

COLEMAN HAWKINS, ACC. PAR MICHEL WARLOP ET SON ORCHESTRE, AVEC ARTHUR BRIGGS
(1935)
13 Blue Moon (Rodgers, Hart) 3’14
14 Avalon (DeSylva, Jolson, Rose) 3’01
15 What a Difference a Day Made (Grover, Adams) 3’01

COLEMAN HAWKINS, ACC. PAR D. REINHARDT & S. GRAPPELLI
(1935)
16 Stardust (Carmichael, Parish) 3’10

PATRICK ET SON ORCHESTRE DE DANSE
(1935)
17 Hands Across the Table (Parish) 3’06
18 We Were so Young (Kern) 3’12
19 From You (McHugh, Fields) 2’53
20 Darling, je vous aime beaucoup (Sosenko) 3’17

Personnel

Featuring Django Reinhardt, Jean Sablon, André Ekyan, Noël Chiboust, Joseph Reinhardt, Alix Combelle, Stéphane Grappelli, Michel Warlop, Louis Vola, Roger Chaput, Guy Paquinet, Coleman Hawkins, Arthur Briggs, etc...

Recorded in Paris, between April 11, 1934 & March 4, 1935

See the complete artwork

Mary Lou Williams Plays in London '53-54

Mary Lou Williams traveled to London, England in the winter 1953 and sometime in 1954 for these sessions, likely spaced about a year or so apart, with two different British rhythm sections, the common denominator throughout being bongo player Tony Scott. This Vogue album originally titled Mary Lou Williams Plays in London and issued in the U.S. on the GNP Crescendo label as In London, is back on Vogue as The London Sessions. It features several alternate takes that are quite different, a smattering of Latin infused tracks, standards, a few solo performances, and all of the verve, spark, soul, and deep intelligence Williams always brought to any performance area. Of the cuts from 1953 featuring the excellent bassist Allan Ganley and bassist Ken Napper, the emphasis is on extrapolated swing-to-bop as "Perdido," the straight bop of "Lady Bird," Latin tinges tacked onto these tunes, and more straight Afro-Cuban beats from Scott on the cha cha infused B take of "They Can't Take That Away from Me." Two hot versions for the smart set of "Titoros" and one slice of the Williams original "Kool Bongo" -- similar in stance to "Titoros" -- are melodic marvels, rhythmically spurred on via Scott by what some called a trendy gimmick, but actually work well in spiced up parlance. There are also two different solo piano versions, one clipped and shorter, of "'Round About Midnight." The other trio date from 1954 has Tony Kinsey on drums and bassist Lennie Bush, definitely more obscure players. But the results are quite different, as Williams changes keys higher and lower on versions of "The Man I Love," and "Yesterdays." Her take of the famous "Flying Home" is very modified, with a deeper blue hue and indirect nuances of the basic melody. She takes the Wild Bill Davis evergreen "Azure Te" in a faster bop mode, and does the mambo with Scott during two versions of "Just One of Those Things." Three originals of Williams crop up; the evocative sundown cocktail number "Twilight," her famous easy swinger "Nickels," and the inquisitive and lonely solo heart wrencher "Why?" The contrasting moods, techniques, and of course the utter brilliance of Williams shines through from top to bottom. A valuable document of her work in this time frame, this is likely a must-have item, not only for fans of the undisputed first lady in jazz, but for students, educators, and any true lover of great music.

Michael G. Nastos
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-london-sessions-r478638

Mary Lou Williams
The London Sessions
(1953/1954)

Tracks

1 Perdido (Drake, Lengsfelder, Tizol) 2:55
2 Lady Bird (Dameron) 3:06
3 Don't Blame Me (Fields, McHugh) 3:48
4 Titoros (Davis) 3:17
5 Titoros (Davis) 3:03
6 For You (Burke, Dubin) 3:14
7 They Can't Take That Away from Me (Gershwin, Gershwin) 3:22
8 They Can't Take That Away from Me (Gershwin, Gershwin) 3:01
9 Koolbongo (Williams) 2:59
10 'Round About Midnight (Hanighen, Monk, Williams) 4:35
11 'Round About Midnight (Hanighen, Monk, Williams) 2:50
12 Azure-Té (Davis, Davis, Wolf, Wolf) 2:33
13 Flying Home (Goodman, Hampton, Robin) 3:09
14 Nickels (Williams) 2:58
15 The Man I Love (Gershwin, Gershwin) 3:01
16 The Man I Love (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2:45
17 Twilight (Williams) 2:38
18 Just One of Those Things (Porter) 2:33
19 Just One of Those Things (Porter) 2:48
20 Why (Williams) 3:44
21 Yesterdays (Harbach, Kern) 3:59
22 Yesterdays (Harbach, Kern) 3:44

Personnel
[# 1-11]
Mary Lou Williams - p
Ken Napper - b
Allan Ganley - dr
Tony Scott - bng
Recorded in London ; January 23, 1953
[# 12-22]
Mary Lou Williams - p
Lennie Bush - b
Tony Kinsey - dr
Tony Scott - bng
Recorded in London ; 1954

Joe Newman - Jive at Five '60

Originally put out on the Swingville label, this CD reissue is very much in the Count Basie vein. That fact is not too surprising when one considers that the quintet includes three members of Basie's men: trumpeter Joe Newman, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess and bassist Eddie Jones. Joined by the complementary pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Oliver Jackson, Newman and his friends swing their way through four vintage standards and a couple of the leader's original blues in typical fashion.

Scott Yanow
Souce : http://www.allmusic.com/album/jive-at-five-r144706

Joe Newman Quintet
Jive at Five

Tracks

1 Wednesday's Blues (Newman) 9:05
2 Jive at Five (Basie, Edison) 5:35
3 More Than You Know (Eliscu, Rose, Youmans) 3:59
4 Cuein' the Blues (Newman) 4:33
5 Taps Miller (Basie, Russell) 8:18
6 Don't Worry 'Bout Me (Bloom, Koehler) 4:39

Personnel
Joe Newman - tp
Frank Wess - ts
Tommy Flanagan - p
Eddie Jones - b
Oliver Jackson - dr

Recorded in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey ; May 4, 1960

Lucky Thompson '56

Born in Columbia, SC, on June 16, 1924, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson bridged the gap between the physical dynamism of swing and the cerebral intricacies of bebop, emerging as one of his instrument's foremost practitioners and a stylist par excellence. Eli Thompson's lifelong nickname -- the byproduct of a jersey, given him by his father, with the word "lucky" stitched across the chest -- would prove bitterly inappropriate: when he was five, his mother died, and the remainder of his childhood, spent largely in Detroit, was devoted to helping raise his younger siblings. Thompson loved music, but without hope of acquiring an instrument of his own, he ran errands to earn enough money to purchase an instructional book on the saxophone, complete with fingering chart. He then carved imitation lines and keys into a broom handle, teaching himself to read music years before he ever played an actual sax. According to legend, Thompson finally received his own saxophone by accident -- a delivery company mistakenly dropped one off at his home along with some furniture, and after graduating high school and working briefly as a barber, he signed on with Erskine Hawkins' 'Bama State Collegians, touring with the group until 1943, when he joined Lionel Hampton and settled in New York City.
Soon after his arrival in the Big Apple, Thompson was tapped to replace Ben Webster during his regular gig at the 52nd Street club "the Three Deuces" -- Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Art Tatum were all in attendance at Thompson's debut gig, and while he deemed the performance a disaster (a notorious perfectionist, he was rarely if ever pleased with his work), he nevertheless quickly earned the respect of his peers and became a club fixture. After a stint with bassist Slam Stewart, Thompson again toured with Hampton before joining singer Billy Eckstine's short-lived big band that included Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Blakey -- in other words, the crucible of bebop. But although he played on some of the earliest and most influential bop dates, Thompson never fit squarely within the movement's paradigm -- his playing boasted an elegance and formal power all his own, with an emotional depth rare among the tenor greats of his generation. He joined the Count Basie Orchestra in late 1944, exiting the following year while in Los Angeles and remaining there until 1946, in the interim playing on and arranging a series of dates for the Exclusive label. Thompson returned to the road when Gillespie hired him to replace Parker in their epochal combo -- he also played on Parker's landmark March 28, 1946, session for Dial, and that same year was a member of the Charles Mingus and Buddy Collette-led Stars of Swing which, sadly, never recorded...

Eli "Lucky" Thompson
Nothing But the Soul

Tracks

1 Thin Ice (Thompson) 4:52
2 A Minor Delight (Thompson) 2:49
3 Takin' Care'n Business (Thompson, Berry) 4:20
4 Sophisticated Lady (Ellington, Mills, Parrish)/These Foolish Things (Link, Strachey, Maschwitz) 6:22
5 One Cool Night (Thompson, Berry) 3:46
6 Your Are My Dream (Sasson) 5:09
7 Lucky Strikes (Sasson) 2:49
8 My Love Supreme (Sasson) 2:21
9 Passin' Time (Thompson) 3:59
10 Nothin' But the Soul (Thompson) 4:49
11 Why Weep ? (Thompson) 4:24
12 To a Mornin' Sunrise (Thompson) 5:17
13 You Move, You Lose (Thompson) 2:45
14 Velvet Rain (Thompson) 2:45
15 One Last Goodbye (Thompson) 5:52
16 Thin Ice [alt. take] (Thompson) 5:58
17 Takin' Care'n Business [alt. take] (Thompson, Berry) 4:10
18 One Cool Night [alt. take] (Thompson, Berry) 3:53

Personnel

Eli Lucky" Thompson - ts
Henri Renaud - p [# 2-5, 17 & 18]
Martial Solal - p [# 9-15]
Jean-Pierre Sasson - g [# 6-8]
Guy Lafitte - ts [# 9-12]
Emmett Berry - tp [# 2-5, 17 & 18]
Paul Rovère - b [# 6-8]
Benoît Quersin - b [# 1-5, 9-18]
Gérard "Dave" Pochonet - dr [# 1-8, 16-18]
Roger Paraboschi - dr [# 9-15]

Recorded in Paris ; February 22, 1856 [# 1-5, 16-18] ; March 27 [# 6-8], 1956 ; April 5, 1956 [# 9-12] ; & April 20, 1956 [# 13-15]

________

...Thompson returned to New York in 1947, leading his own band at the famed Savoy Ballroom. The following year, he made his European debut at the Nice Jazz Festival, and went on to feature on sessions headlined by Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis (the seminal Walkin'). Backed by a group dubbed the "Lucky Seven" that included trumpeter Harold Johnson and altoist Jimmy Powell, Thompson cut his first studio session as a leader on August 14, 1953, returning the following March 2. For the most part he remained a sideman for the duration of his career, however, enjoying a particularly fruitful collaboration with Milt Jackson that yielded several LPs during the mid-'50s. But many musicians, not to mention industry executives, found Thompson difficult to deal with -- he was notoriously outspoken about what he considered the unfair power wielded over the jazz business by record labels, music publishers, and booking agents, and in February 1956 he sought to escape these "vultures" by relocating his family to Paris. Two months later he joined Stan Kenton's French tour, even returning to the U.S. with Kenton's group, but he soon found himself blacklisted by Louis Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, after a bizarre conflict with the beloved jazz pioneer over which musician should be the first to leave their plane after landing. Without steady work, he returned to Paris, cutting several sessions with producer Eddie Barclay.
Thompson remained in France until 1962, returning to New York and a year later headlining the Prestige LP Plays Jerome Kern and No More, which featured pianist Hank Jones. Around this same time his wife died, and in addition to struggling to raise their children on his own, Thompson's old battles with the jazz power structure also remained, and in 1966 he formally announced his retirement in the pages of Down Beat magazine. Within a few months he returned to active duty, but remained frustrated with the industry and his own ability -- during the March 20, 1968, date captured on the Candid CD Lord, Lord Am I Ever Gonna Know?, he says "I feel I have only scratched the surface of what I know I am capable of doing." From late 1968 to 1970, Thompson lived in Lausanne, Switzerland, touring widely across Europe before returning the U.S., where he taught music at Dartmouth University and in 1973 led his final recording, I Offer You. The remaining decades of Thompson's life are in large part a mystery -- he spent several years living on Ontario's Manitoulin Island before relocating to Savannah, GA, trading his saxophones in exchange for dental work. He eventually migrated to the Pacific Northwest, and after a long period of homelessness checked into Seattle's Columbia City Assisted Living Center in 1994. Thompson remained in assisted care until his death on July 30, 2005.

Jason Ankeny
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lucky-thompson-p7680/biography

Lucky Thompson & Dave Pochonet '56

While visiting France in 1956, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson recorded over a dozen sessions within a span of just four months, with various groups put together by drummer Gerard "Dave" Pochonet. This CD reissue in Verve's Jazz in Paris series combines two different studio dates. Four tracks feature a septet with an unusual lineup that includes bass trombonist Charles Verstraete and baritone saxophonist Michel de Villers and a rhythm section anchored by pianist Martial Solal. The full group blends very well, with excellent solos by each member of the front line, though Thompson's quartet feature, "Lullaby of the Leaves," is marred somewhat by his squeaking reed. The remaining five selections are by a tentet that includes the entire septet, except Henri Renaud takes over on piano. Thompson's lush quartet treatment of "I Should Care" is the highlight of the latter date. The French musicians prove up to the task of working with the visiting American star on both dates, while Thompson is in top form throughout most of the two sessions.

Ken Dryden
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-in-paris-with-dave-pochonet-all-stars-r602634

Lucky Thompson
With Dave Pochonet All Stars
Jazz in Paris

Tracks

1 Fascinating Blues (Sasson) 4:03
2 I Should Care (Cahn, Stordahl, Weston) 4:17
3 One for the Boys and Us (Pochonet, Thompson) 7:09
4 Home Free (Thompson) 5:07
5 Bluebird Blues (Hefti) 3:57
6 Lullaby of the Leaves (Petkere, Young) 4:00
7 Easy Going (Thompson) 4:08
8 Let's Try Again (DeVillers) 6:30
9 Stewin' Up a Wig (Pochonet) 3:54

Personnel
[# 1, 6, 8 & 9]
Charles Verstraete - tb
Lucky Thompson - ts
Michel de Villers - bs
Martial Solal - p
Jean-Pierre Sasson - g
Benoît Quersin - b
Dave Pochonet - dr
Recorded in Paris ; April 16, 1956
[# 2-5 & 7]
Fernand Verstraete - tp
Charles Verstraete - tb
Jo Hrasko - as
Michel de Villers - as & bs
Marcel Hrasko - bs
Henri Renaud - p
Jean-Pierre Sasson - g
Benoît Quersin - b
Dave Pochonet - dr
Recorded in Paris ; May 11, 1956

George Shearing Trio & Quintet

The sides referred to here are those that the George Shearing Trio (with Gene Ramey and Cozy Cole on one and Curly Russell and Denzil Best on others) cut for Discovery (which became Savoy) in 1948 — plus a solo for MGM and the quintet sides for Savoy in 1949 and 1950 (with Marjorie Hyams, Chuck Wayne, John Levy, and Denzil Best). Bop is the language spoken here folks — fluid, collected, and virtuosic. Shearing had reached his complete mastery of the piano as an instrument of continuous melodic and harmonic invention at this point in his career, and he is as dominant as Oscar Peterson in his busy attack. Shearing's reliance on the middle registers on these tunes — check "Have You Met Miss Jones?" and "Buccaneer's Bounce" for dynamite solos played entirely inside them — is remarkable, and reveals an attempt to create a new harmonic architecture across a smaller chromatic spectrum that could be manipulated by other instruments (vibes and guitar). It was ingenious and took the edges off the high-register notions of bop pianistry. Though there is plenty of his other work here too, this period is where he introduced and perfected that methodology. Simply put, Shearing's trademark lyricism and elegant voicings, his shimmering ostinatos, and his sprightly counterpoint are all in evidence on these 48 swinging sides. It was a brilliant period of growth and arrival for Shearing and this set, with decent sound and adequate if not spectacular liner notes, is highly recommended.

Thom Jurek

Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-savoy-trio-and-quintet-sessions-r600834

George Shearing
Complete Savoy Trio & Quintet Sessions
(1947-1950)

Tracks

Cd. 1

1 So Rare (Herst, Sharpe) 2:58
2 Have You Met Miss Jones ? (Hart, Rodgers) 2:58
3 Buccaneer's Bounce (Shearing) 2:38
4 When Darkness Falls (Shearing) 3:00
5 Bop's Your Uncle (Shearing) 2:38
6 Sweet and Lovely (Arnheim, LeMare, Tobias) 3:08
7 Cozy's Bop (Shearing) 3:01
8 Sophisticated Lady (Ellington, Mills, Parish) 3:08
9 Cherokee (Noble) 2:44
10 Four Bars Short (Shearing) 2:22
11 Bebop's Fables (Feather) 3:03
12 Midnight on Cloud 69 (Feather, Shearing) 3:08
13 Sorry, Wrong Rhumba (Feather) 3:20
14 Cotton Top (Wayne) 2:48
15 Moon Over Miami (Burke, Leslie) 3:12
16 Life With Feather (Feather, Shearing) 3:10
17 The Nearness of You (Carmichael, Washington) 2:57
18 Someone to Watch Over Me (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2:48
19 Consternation (Shearing) 2:48
20 The Fourth Deuce (Shearing) 2:56
21 The Man from Minton's (Shearing) 2:34
22 To Be or Not to Bop (Shearing) 2:40
23 Poinciana (Bernier, Simon) 2:47
24 Summertime (Gershwin, Gershwin, Heyward) 3:08

Cd. 2

1 September in the Rain (Dubin, Warren) 3:15
2 Good to the Last Bop (Shearing) 2:51
3 Bop, Look and Listen (Shearing) 2:59
4 I Didn't Know What Time It Was (Hart, Rodgers) 3:20
5 The Continental (Conrad, Magidson) 3:04
6 Nothin' But D. Best (Best) 2:59
7 East of the Sun (And West ofthe Moon) (Bowman) 3:06
8 In a Chinese Garden, Pt. 1 (Wayne) 2:11
9 In a Chinese Garden, Pt. 2 (Wayne) 2:31
10 Conception (Shearing) 2:55
11 I'll Remember April (DePaul, Johnston, Raye) 2:48
12 Little White Lies (Donaldson) 2:57
13 Carnegie Horizons (Shearing) 2:33
14 Jumpin' With Symphony Sid (Young) 2:42
15 November Seascape (Hyman) 2:37
16 How's Trix ? (Shearing) 3:18
17 Changing with the Times (Shearing) 3:12
18 Strollin' (Levy) 3:06
19 When Your Lover Has Gone (Swan) 2:37
20 As Long as There's Been Music (Cahn, Styne) 2:43
21 Roses of Picardy (Weatherly, Wood) 2:57
22 For You (Burke, Dubin) 3:07
23 (Geneva's) Move (Best) 2:24
24 Pick Yourself Up (Fields, Kern) 2:52

Personnel
[Cd. 1 - # 1-4]
George Shearing - p
Gene Ramey - b
Cozy Cole - dr
Recorded in New York City ; February 3 & 23, 1947
[Cd. 1 - # 5-8]
George Shearing - p
Curley Russell - b
Denzil Best - dr
Recorded in New York City ; December 23, 1947
[Cd. 1 - # 9-16]
George Shearing - p & acc [# 9 & 10]
Marjorie Hyams - vb
Chuck Wayne - g
John Levy - b
Denzil Best - dr
Recorded in New York City ; January 31, 1949
[Cd. 1 - # 17-23]
George Shearing - p
Jack Fallon - b
Norman Burns - dr
Recorded in London ; November 26, 1948
[Cd. 1 - # 24]
George Shearing - p solo
Recorded in New York City ; June 28, 1949
[Cd. 2 - # 1-24]
George Shearing - p & acc [# 2]
Marjorie Hyams - vb & p [# 2]
Chuck Wayne - g
John Levy - b
Denzil Best - dr

Recorded in New York City ; between February 17, 1949 & July 5, 1950

See the complete artwork

James Moody & Frank Foster in Paris

James Moody was an institution in jazz from the late '40s into the 21st century, whether on tenor, flute, occasional alto, or yodeling his way through his "Moody's Mood for Love." After serving in the Air Force (1943-1946), he joined Dizzy Gillespie's bebop orchestra and began a lifelong friendship with the trumpeter. Moody toured Europe with Gillespie and then stayed overseas for several years, working with Miles Davis, Max Roach, and top European players. His 1949 recording of "I'm in the Mood for Love" became a hit in 1952 under the title of "Moody's Mood for Love" with classic vocalese lyrics written by Eddie Jefferson and a best-selling recording by King Pleasure. After returning to the U.S., Moody formed a septet that lasted for five years, recorded extensively for Prestige and Argo, took up the flute, and then from 1963-1968, was a member of Dizzy Gillespie's quintet. He worked in Las Vegas show bands during much of the 1970s before returning to jazz, playing occasionally with Gillespie, mostly working as a leader and recording with Lionel Hampton's Golden Men of Jazz. Moody, who alternated between tenor (which he preferred) and alto throughout his career, had an original sound on both horns. He was also one of the best flutists in jazz. Moody recorded as a leader for numerous labels, including Blue Note, Xanadu, Vogue, Prestige, EmArcy, Mercury, Argo, DJM, Milestone, Perception, MPS, Muse, Vanguard, and Novus. He died of complications from pancreatic cancer on December 9, 2010 in San Diego, CA. James Moody was 85 years old.

Scott Yanow
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-moody-p7165/biography

James Moody & Frank Foster
Sax Talk

Tracks

1 Bootsie (Moody) 3:40
2 I Cover the Waterfront (Green Heyman) 3:06
3 Deep Purple (DeRose, Parish) 2:52
4 Lover Come Back to Me (Romberg, Hammerstein II) 4:33
5 That's My Desire (Kresa, Loveday) 3:08
6 More Than You Know (Youmans, Rose, Eliscu) 3:09
7 Moody's Mode (Moody) 2:39
8 This Is Always (Warren Gordon) 3:31
9 Les Feuilles Mortes (Kosma, Prévert) 3:26
10 Chanter pour Toi (DR) 2:23
11 Bedelia (Michel) 2:47
12 Aimer comme je t'aime (Lucchesi, Giraud) 2:39
13 Si Jolie (Gérard, Marmey) 2:26
14 September Serenade (Gillespie, Gérard) 2:54
15 My Heart Stood Still (Rodgers, Hart) 3:06
16 Fat Shoes (Foster) 4:51
17 I'll Take Romance (Oakland, Hammerstein) 5:23
18 Escale à Victoria (Bailly, Toubiana) 4:40
19 The Things We Did Last Summer (Styne, Kahn) 4:00
20 Just 40 Bars (Reynaldo) 4:36

Personnel
[# 1-8] JAMES MOODY QUINTET
James Moody - as
Roger Guérin - tp
Raymond Fol - p
Pierre Michelot - b
Pierre Lemarchand - dr
Recorded in Paris ; July 27, 1951
[# 9-14] JAMES MOODY WITH STRINGS
James Moody - as & ts
Raymond Fol - p
Pierre Michelot - b
Pierre Lemarchand - dr
Pepito Riebe - bng
Unknow - ob, frhrn, fl, cl, harp & str*
Recorded in Paris ; July 13, 1951
[# 15-20] FRANK FOSTER QUARTET
Frank Foster - ts
Henri Renaud - p
Jean-Marie Ingrand - b
Jean-Louis Viale - dr
Recorded in Paris ; April 4, 1954

*See also
http://www.jazzdisco.org/blue-note-records/discography-1951-1952/

*
Rene Reumont (frh) Max Porret (fl) Robert Jeannoutot (ob) Henri Bellicourt (cl, bcl) James Moody (as, ts) Marcel Beaujojan, Lionel Gali, Jean Gaunet, Charles Vaudevoir (vln) Robert Jadoux, Guy Rogne (vlc) Bernard Galais (harp) Raymond Fol (p) Pierre Michelot (b) Pierre Lemarchand (d) Pepito Riebe (bgo) Andre Hodeir (arr, cond)

________

A very talented tenor saxophonist and arranger, Frank Foster was associated with the Count Basie Orchestra off and on since 1953. Early on, he played in Detroit with the many talented local players and, after a period in the Army (1951-1953), he joined Basie's big band. Well-featured on tenor during his Basie years (1953-1964), Foster also contributed plenty of arrangements and such originals as "Down for the Count," "Blues Backstage," and the standard "Shiny Stockings." In the latter half of the 1960s, Foster was a freelance writer. In addition to playing with Elvin Jones (1970-1972) and occasionally with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, he led his Loud Minority big band. In 1983, Foster co-led a quintet with Frank Wess and he toured Europe with Jimmy Smith in 1985. Although influenced by John Coltrane in his playing, Foster was able to modify his style when he took over the Count Basie ghost band in 1986, revitalizing it and staying at the helm until 1995. Outside of his Basie dates, Foster led sessions for Vogue, Blue Note (1954 and 1968), Savoy, Argo, Prestige, Mainstream, Denon, Catalyst, Bee Hive, SteepleChase, Pablo, and Concord.

Scott Yanow
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-foster-p77044/biography

Mulligan at Pleyel '54

During a 1954 trip to Europe Gerry Mulligan played several concerts in Paris at the Salle Pleyel to enthusiastic crowds, excerpts from which are heard on this CD and a second volume, issued separately. The baritone saxophonist is joined by one of his most stimulating musical partners, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer; the quartet's rhythm section includes bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Isola (who sticks to brushes). Mulligan does his best to introduce most of the tunes in halting French to the appreciation of the audience. Mulligan and Brookmeyer work magic together as they alternate between taking the lead and providing backgrounds for one another, while also engaging in some terrific counterpoint. The set includes standards, classic jazz tunes and Mulligan's originals, all of which delight the audience. It is almost impossible to name all of the highlights within this disc, though "Bernie's Tune" (with a playful detour into a circus theme), Mulligan's loping "Walkin' Shoes" and cool "Soft Shoe" as well as "My Funny Valentine," which rivals his famous recording with trumpeter Chet Baker. This CD and its companion volume should be considered among Gerry Mulligan's most essential recordings.

Ken Dryden

Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/pleyel-jazz-concert-vol-1-r478639/review

Gerry Mulligan
Pleyel Jazz Concert
vol. 1 & 2

Cd. 1

Tracks

1 Bernie's Tune (Leiber, Miller, Stoller) 4:50
2 Presentation of the Musicians 0:51
3 Walking Shoes (Mulligan) 4:50
4 The Nearness of You (Carmichael, Washington) 4:34
5 Motel/Utter Chaos (Mulligan) 5:48
6 Love Me or Leave Me (Donaldson, Kahn) 5:52
7 Soft Shoe (Mulligan) 4:16
8 Bark for Barksdale (Mulligan) 5:29
9 My Funny Valentine (Hart, Rodgers) 4:52
10 Turnstile/Utter Chaos (Mulligan) 7:25
11 I May Be Wrong (Ruskin, Sullivan) 4:50
12 Five Brothers (Mulligan) 4:39
13 Gold Rush (Mulligan) 6:27
14 Makin' Whoopee (Donaldson, Kahn) 3:43

Personnel
Gerry Mulligan - bs
Bob Brookmeyer - tb
Red Mitchell - b
Frank Isola - dr

Recorded at Salle Pleyel, Paris ; June 1, 1954 [# 1-10] ; & June 3, 1954 [# 11-14]

cd. 2

Tracks

1 The Lady Is a Tramp (Hart, Rodgers) 3:45
2 Laura (Mercer, Raksin) 4:12
3 Motel/Utter Chaos (Mulligan) 4:50
4 Five Brothers (Mulligan) 5:07
5 Lullaby of the Leaves (Petkere, Young) 3:28
6 The Nearness of You (Carmichael, Washington) 4:39
7 Limelight (Mulligan) 5:10
8 Come Out, Come Out, WhereverYou Are (Cahn, Styne) 4:08
9 Makin' Whoopee (Donaldson, Kahn) 2:49
10 Love Me or Leave Me (Donaldson, Kahn) 4:38
11 Laura (Mercer, Raksin) 4:15
12 Line for Lyons (Mulligan) 4:20
13 Moonlight in Vermont (Blackburn, Suessdorf) 3:15
14 Bark for Barksdale/Utter Chaos (Mulligan) 5:58

Personnel
Gerry Mulligan - bs
Bob Brookmeyer - tb
Red Mitchell - b
Frank Isola - dr

Recorded at Salle Pleyel, Paris ; June 3, 1954 [# 1-3] ; June 5, 1954 [# 4-7] ; & June 7, 1954 [# 8-14]

Sahib Shihab

Made in the mid-'60s, over a decade before Thad Jones led the Danish Radio Big Band, this gem of an album offers more evidence of the centrality of Denmark to the modern, post-World War II jazz scene. It's also a forceful reminder of the limitations of the "great names" approach to jazz history, where such worthy talents as the late Sahib Shihab (1925-89) are ignored or marginalized. Shihab, a pioneering bebop baritone saxophonist and flutist, continued to develop and innovate in the post-bop years, as these compositions/arrangements with a slightly smaller version of today's Radio Big Band, ably attest.

Shihab's approach to orchestral jazz is decidedly post-Swing era modern (Charles Tolliver 's current big band comes to mind), employing novel voicings, contrapuntal and fugal strategies and a highly developed architectonic structure that makes each of the eight instrumental pieces here utterly engrossing: complete and detailed jazz creations that seem much longer than their three-plus to six-plus minute running times. "Dance of the Fakowees" manages to develop three distinct melodic strains and shifting rhythms through four turns by soloists plus a coda featuring dueling wah-wah trumpet and trombone over handclaps—all in just four-and-a- quarter minutes. "Tenth Lament" is a three-part (slow-fast-slow) impressionistic concerto-like piece featuring Shihab's muscular baritone over chimed orchestral voicings in the middle section—clocking in as the longest track at 6'20."
"Mai Ding," a piece with Afro-Latin beats that seem unique to Shihab (he's heard introducing them to the band on cowbell as a prelude to the track) alternating with two- and four-beat rhythms adds extra time layers in the chordal pacing of the low horns (baritone sax and tuba), building tension through interlocking lines. "Da-Di" builds a simple phrase into a full-bodied theme by slowly adding instruments and layers of staccato counterpoint. "Harvey's Tune," a waltz featuring Shihab's hummed-blown flute solo, employs a counter-melody hinting at a round, while "The Cross-Eyed Cat" develops a busy little theme into a fugue.
Shihab's compositions and solos are the stars here, but the band is terrific too, with fine solo contributions from the likes of bassist Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen, trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, tenor saxophonist Bent Jaedig and numerous others.

George Kanzler
Source : http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=31835

Sahib Shihab
&
The Danish Radio Jazz Group

Tracks

1 Di-Da 5:10
2 Dance Of The Fakowees 4:14
3 Not Yet 3:25
4 Tenth Lament 6:20
5 Mai Ding 4:50
6 Harvey's Tune 3:07
7 No Time For Cries 3:52
8 The Crosseyed Cat 3:34
9 Little French Girl 2:35

All Compositions by Sahib Shihab

Personnel

Featuring Sahib Shihab, Palle Bolvig, Palle Mikkelborg, Allan Botschinsky, Torolf Molgard, Svend Age Nielsen, Poul Kjaeldgard, Poul Hindberg, Bent Jaedig, Niels Husum, Bent Nielsen, Ib Renard, Louis Hjulmand, Fritz Von Bulow, Bent Axen, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Alex Riels.

Recorded August 18 & 21, 1965

Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster

Although an earlier CD added five previously unissued tracks to the original LP Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, this Verve Master Edition two-CD set adds just about everything else recorded during the two sessions that produced the original record, and also features 20-bit sound. Even though Gerry Mulligan was outspoken against issuing material omitted from his original recordings, it is a treat to hear how the songs evolved in the studio. Webster and Mulligan seem mutually inspired throughout the sessions, and strong performances by pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis are of considerable help. The music is presented in the order in which it was recorded, with each CD devoted to a separate session. In both cases it is clear that the initial takes of music from the Ellington songbook ("In a Mellotone" and "Chelsea Bridge") are more focused than the follow-up versions. They only needed one try to nail "What Is This Thing Called Love?" (also left off the LP), in an understated setting that shows off their beautiful interplay. Their barely disguised reworking of "I Got Rhythm," called "Who's Got Rhythm," was likely an effortless performance, though Webster seems to briefly laugh in the middle of his solo. Webster's swinging "Fajista" opens the second date, followed by two takes of Mulligan's beautiful ballad "Tell Me When." Webster's "Blues in B-Flat" is another fine swinger inexplicably left off the LP, and Rowles kicks off the oldie "Sunday" with a brief stride piano introduction (something Webster played himself but rarely in a recording studio). Fans on a budget can probably make due with the earlier CD reissue but serious fans of Mulligan and/or Webster should invest in this very rewarding set instead.

Ken Dryden
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/gerry-mulligan-meets-ben-webster-complete-r155602/review

Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
[Complete]

Tracks

Cd. 1

1 In a Mellow Tone [cd master take] (Ellington, Gabler) 7:20
2 In a Mellow Tone [alt. take] (Ellington, Gabler) 5:44
3 What Is This Thing Called Love ? [cd master take] (Porter) 7:22
4 Chelsea Bridge [LP Master Take] (Strayhorn) 7:39
5 Chelsea Bridge [alt. take] (Strayhorn) 5:03
6 Go Home [1. breakdown - 2. rehearsal & false start] (Mulligan, Webster) 10:01
7 Go Home [LP Master take with insert as issued] (Mulligan, Webster) 6:54
8 Who's Got Rhythm ? [Original LP Master take] (Mulligan) 7:26
9 For Bessie [LP Master take] (Webster) 5:38
10 Go Home [end of unedited -3] (Mulligan, Webster) 1:44
11 Go Home [unedited insert] (Mulligan, Webster) 1:30

Cd. 2

1 Fajista [false start] (Webster) 1:34
2 Fajista [alt. take] (Webster) 6:21
3 Fajista [discussion & rehersal] (Webster) 1:37
4 Fajista [cd master take] (Webster) 5:58
5 Tell Me When [alt. take] (Mulligan) 5:02
6 Tell Me When [LP Master take] (Mulligan) 5:29
7 Blues in B Flat [1. breakdown - 2. discussion - 3. false start] (Mulligan, Webster) 2:46
8 Blues in B Flat [alt. take] (Mulligan, Webster) 8:38
9 Blues in B Flat [cd master take] (Webster) 7:23
10 The Cat Walk [1. rehearsal & discussion - 2. false start & discussion - 3. breakdown] (Mulligan) 3:26
11 The Cat Walk [alt. take] (Mulligan) 5:45
12 The Cat Walk [1. warmup - 2. breakdown - 3. breakdown] (Mulligan) 2:13
13 The Cat Walk [LP Master take] (Mulligan) 6:19
14 Sunday [1. false start - 2. alt. take] (Conn, Krueger, Miller, Styne) 5:32
15 Sunday [LP Master take] (Conn, Kreuger, Krueger, Miller, Styne) 7:21

Personnel
Gerry Mulligan - bs
Ben Webster - ts
Jimmy Rowles - p
Leroy Vinnegar - b
Mel Lewis - dr

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood ; November 3 [cd. 1] & December 2, 1959 [cd. 2]

Conte Candoli & Lou Levy

Trumpeter Conte Candoli and pianist Lou Levy had only occasional opportunities to work as leaders before this 1955 session they recorded together for Atlantic Records. Both made the most of the chance, fronting a quintet that also included tenor saxophonist Bill Holman, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Lawrence Marable. The group got out of the gate quickly (following a contemplative piano intro, that is) on a quickstep bop reading of the Sigmund Romberg operetta tune "Lover Come Back to Me," which quickly established that a commonplace of jazz ensembles would hold -- no matter whose name is in large print on the cover, it's the group that's performing, and other people will get their chance to shine, too. While the rhythm section contented itself with supporting (though Marable often made his drums noticeable), Holman got more solo time than his sideman credit would indicate, at least on this track. Levy and Candoli got to make their statements up front, of course, but this was really a five-headed beast and, from the sound of forceful bop compositions like Candoli's "Pete's Alibi," it's one that should have been given more of a hearing than just one album.

William Ruhlmann
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/west-coast-wailers-r136345

Conte Candoli & Lou Levy
West Coast Wailers

Tracks

1 Lover, Come Back to Me (Hammerstein, Romberg) 8:18
2 Comes Love (Brown, Stept, Tobias) 4:17
3 Lover Man (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman) 3:37
4 Pete's Alibi (Candoli) 3:27
5 Cheremoya (Holman) 5:53
6 Jordu (Jordan) 4:59
7 Flamingo (Anderson, Grouya) 5:25
8 Marcia Lee (Candoli) 4:52

Personnel
Conte Candoli - tp
Bill Holman - ts
Lou Levy - p
Leroy Vinnegar - b
Lawrence Marable - dr

Recorded in Los Angeles, California ; August 16 & 17, 1955

Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal's 1960s trio, with Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums, was, to some, one of the more influential small groups in jazz. To others, his work was just a mere cut above lounge playing. Recorded almost two years to the day after his most popular trio album At the Pershing, Happy Moods is a program of mostly standards, a flirtation with a classical piano piece and two Jamal originals. Playing with his patented sneaky left-hand voicings and his jingling right hand, interspersed with block chords all within a lean framework, the performances offered by this album are representative of Jamal's work of the period. He takes a piece of fluff like "Little Old Lady" and transforms it into a fugue replete with the counterpoint that personifies this classical form. An up-tempo "You'd Be So Easy to Love," highlighting Vernell Fournier's brushes, is tastefully garnished with runs and chords borrowed from fellow Pittsburgher Erroll Garner. Billy Strayhorn's "Raincheck" features heady arpeggios as well as quotes from "I'm Beginning to See the Light." All very good stuff and more.

*

With regard to arguments about Jamal's rightful position in the jazz pantheon, including the extent of his influence on others, Happy Moods does nothing to diminish the position of those who believe that the pianist deserves a considerably higher spot than he is usually accorded.

Dave Nathan
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-moods-argo-r141394/review

Ahmad Jamal
Happy Moods

Tracks

1 Little Old Lady (Adams, Carmichael) 5:18
2 For All We Know (Coots, Lewis) 2:48
3 Pavanne (Gould) 5:48
4 Excerpt from the Blues (Jamal) 3:04
5 You'd Be So Easy to Love (Porter) 3:23
6 Time on My Hands (Adamson, Gordon, Youmans) 1:38
7 Raincheck (Strayhorn) 4:46
8 I'll Never Stop Loving You (Brodszky, Cahn) 3:05
9 Speak Low (Nash, Weill) 4:58
10 Rhumba No. 2 (Jamal) 2:40
11 Ahmad's Waltz (Jamal) 4:45
12 Valentina (Christine, Reynolds) 2:22
13 Yesterdays (Harbach, Kern) 2:58
14 Tempo for Two (Kennedy) 3:28
15 Hallelujah (Grey, Robin, Youmans) 2:09
16 It's a Wonderful World (Adamson, Savitt, Watson) 2:52
17 Baia (Barroso) 4:02
18 You Came a Long Way from St.Louis (Brooks, Russell) 3:39
19 Lover Man (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman) 4:07
20 Who Cares ? (Gershwin, Gershwin) 3:13

Personnel
[# 1-10] HAPPY MOODS
Ahmad Jamal - p
Israel Crosby - b
Vernell Fournier - dr
Recorded in Chicago ; January 20/21, 1960
[# 11-20] LISTEN TO THE AHMAD JAMAL QUINTET
Same as above, plus special Guests
Joe Kennedy - vl
Ray Crawford - g
Recorded in Chicago ; August 15-17, 1960

Benny Carter

This CD reissues an enjoyable obscurity. Although originally associated with big bands, the set has what was Benny Carter's only big-band recording as a playing leader during 1947-86. While the song titles are a bit gimmicky, saluting the 12 months of the year (including "June in January," "I'll Remember April," "June Is Busting Out All Over," etc.), the music (which includes four alternate takes) is solid, mainstream big-band swing. The less familiar titles include four Carter originals written for the date, plus Hal Schaefer's "February Fiesta." The leader/altoist solos on every selection, and among the other top West Coast studio players featured are trumpeters Shorty Sherock, Pete Candoli and Joe Gordon, trombonists Frank Rosolino and Herbie Harper, vibraphonist Larry Bunker, pianists Arnold Ross and Gerry Wiggins, and guitarist Barney Kessel. Two overlapping big bands were utilized, and the music alternates between being forceful and lyrical.

Scott Yanow
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/aspects-r136396

Benny Carter
Aspects

Tracks

1 June in January (Rainger, Robin) 3:12
2 February Fiesta (Schaefer) 1:54
3 March Wind (Carter) 3:16
4 I'll Remember April (DePaul, Johnston, Johnston, Raye) 3:21
5 One Morning in May (Carmichael, Parish) 2:49
6 June Is Bustin' Out All Over (Hammerstein, Rodgers) 2:59
7 Sleigh Ride in July (Burke, VanHeusen) 2:50
8 August Moon (Carter, Liebert) 3:39
9 September Song (Anderson, Weill) 2:39
10 Something for October (Carter) 2:52
11 Swingin' in November (Carter) 3:02
12 Roses in December (Jessel, Magidson, Oakland) 2:36
13 February Fiesta (Schaefer) 1:55
14 June Is Bustin' Out All Over (Hammerstein, Rodgers 3:00
15 August Moon (Carter, Liebert) 3:33
16 Swingin' in November (Carter) 3:05

Personnel
[# 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13 & 15]
Benny Carter - as
Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Sherock, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey - tp
Tommy Pederson, Herbie Harper, George Roberts - tb
Buddy Collette, Bill Green, Justin Gordon, Chuck Gentry - reeds
Arnold Ross - p
Bobby Gibbons - g
Joe Comfort - b
Shelly Manne - dr
Larry Bunker - vb & bng
[# 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14 & 16]
Benny Carter - as & tp
Al Porcini, Stu Williamson, Ray Triscari, Joe Gordon - tp
Frank Rosolino, Tommy Pederson, Russ Brown - tb
Buddy Collette, Bill Green, Jewel Grant, Plas Johnson - reeds
Gerald Wiggins - p
Barney Kessel - g
Joe Comfort - b
Shelly Manne - dr

Recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles ; late Summer, 1958.