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Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Wonderful Waltz - Norrie Paramor

Always
The Wonderful Waltz
Norrie Paramor and His Orchestra
Paramor Photo by Derek Allen
Capitol Records ST 10173

From the back cover: Twenty-Nine Strings, recorded both stereophonically and monophonically in the world-renowned Abbey Road studios of E.M.I. in London, dominate this latest entry in Capitol's series of "mood" albums featuring Norrie Paramor.

Paramor wryly recalls that the waltz, when it first came into fashion at the start of the nineteenth century, was a highly controversial dance. "Many adults regarded the waltz as too daring – even suggestive," Paramor says. "It was a situation not unlike that of the 1960s when rock 'n' roll is unendorsed by a good many mothers and fathers."

Paramor serves up a dozen elegant and long-popular melodies in three-quarter time in this album. He opens with Irving Berlin, closes with Sigmund Romberg and generously features classics by Cole Porter, Richard Rogers, Noel Coward, Victor Herbert and others of equal repute in between.

From time to time, the weirdly musical voice of Patricia Clark briefly and unobtrusively slips through the Paramor violins, just as it did so delightfully in Norrie's best-selling "In London, In Love" album also on Capitol.


Always
Fascination
Three O'Clock In The Morning
Stars In My Eyes
Falling In Love With Love
I'll See You Again
The Kiss Waltz
A Kiss In The Dark
Wunderbar
Ramona
Waltz Of My Heart
Will You Remember

Roses Are Red - Sonny James

Hawaiian Wedding Song
Roses Are Red
Sonny James
Pickwick International, Inc.
Previously Released on Capitol Records
STEREO/JS-6100

From the back cover: Sonny James. The Souther Gentleman. Alabama born, he's known for his busy personal appearances across the nation, heavy TV guest spots and one of the most sustained recording careers in the hard, demanding field of country entertainment today. His all time smash was "Young Love" which sold close to 2,000,000 discs for Capitol Records. The greatest A&R man in Nashville - Chet Akins introduced Sonny to Ken Nelson of Capitol country and the rest is country music history.

Roses Are Red
Born To Be With You
'68 Rock Island Line
Hawaiian Wedding Song
She Will I Know
Only he Lonely
Wake Up Me Gentle
Out Of This World
I Fall To Pieces

Waltz In Jazz Time - Si Zentner

Green Fields
Waltz In Jazz Time
Si Zentner & His Orchestra
An S. W. Production
Arranger: Bob Florence
Engineer: Dave Hassinger
Cover Painting by Gene Grant
Cover Design and Photography: Studio Five
Liberty Records, Inc. - A Subsidiary Of Avnet Electronics Corp.
LRP-3284
1963

The Sweetest Sounds
Paradise
A La Mode
Belle Of The Ball
Cassandra
Gonna Go Fishin'
Waltz In Jazz Time
Green Fields
Willow Weep For Me
Lover
Wild Honeysuckle
Magenta

Truck Stop - Jerry Smith

My Happiness
Truck Stop
Jerry Smith And His Pianos
Arranged by Cliff Parman
Produced by Paul Cohen
Engineer: Mike Figlio and Jim Williamson
Cover Photo: Dave Underwood & Associates
Liner Photo: Russell Ray
Truck Stoppers are left to right: Misses Carol Ness, Ann Romeo and Cheryl Johnson
Courtesy Of Union Oil Company Of California
ABC Records ABCS-692 STEREO
1969

Truck Stop
Speakeasy (1929)
Sunrise Serenade
My Happiness
Smokey Corners
Sweet 'N Sassy
Tokyo Butterfly
I'll Always Be In Love With You
The Street Singers (Y Cantanti Della Strada)
Pretend

Monday, September 23, 2019

Qunicy Jones Explores The Music Of Henry Mancini

Charade
Quincy Jones Explores The Music Of Henry Mancini
Cover Photo: Don Bronstein
Cover Design: Marvin Glick
Mercury SR 60863
1964

February 5th, 1964 - A&R Studios
"Days Of Wine And Roses"
"Moon River"
"Dreamsville"
"(I Love You) Don't Your Forget it"
Conductor: Quincy Jones
Reeds:
Jerome Richardson
Stanley Webb
Roland Kirk
Trombones:
Richard Hixson
Urbie Green
Billy Byers
Quentin Jackson
Tony Studd
Tuba: Harvey Phillips
French Horns:
Jimmy Buffington
Tony Miranda
Bob Northern
Ray Alonge
Trumpets:
Clark Terry
Ernie Royal
Snooky Young
Jimmy Maxwell
Harp: Margaret Ross
Percussion:
Martin Grupp (various perc.)
Gary Burton (vibes)
Osie Johnson (drums)
Bass: Milt Hilton
Piano: Bobby Scott
Guitar: Mundell Love

February 5th, 1964 - A&R Studios
"Odd Ball"
"Bird Brain"
"Pink Panther"
"Soldier In The Rain"
Conductor: Quincy Jones
Reeds:
Jerome Richardson
Zoot Sims
Phil Woods
Walter Kane
Trumpet: Ernie Royal
Trombone: Billy Byers
Bass:
Major Holley
Milt Hinton
Drums: Osie Johnson
Piano: Bobby Scott
Vibes: Gary Burton
Guitar/Harmonica/whistle: Toots Thielemans

February 6th, 1964 - A&R Studios
"Baby Elephant Walk"
"Charade"
"Mr. Lucky"
"Peter Gunn"
Conductor: Quincy Jones
Reeds:
Jerome Richardson
Seldon Powell
Roland Kirk
Phil Woods
Romeo Penque
George Berg
Trumpets:
Jimmy Maxwell
Snooky Young
John Bello
Ernie Royal
Trombones:
Quentine Jackson
Urbie Green
Richard Hixson
Tony Studd
Billy Byers
Vibes: Gary Burton
Percussion: Philip Kraus
Piano: Bobby Scott
Bass:
Major Holley
Milt Hinton
Drums: Osie Johnson
Guitar: Vincent Bell

From Billboard - April 25, 1964: An outstanding leader-composer-arranger himself, Quincy Jones digests and interprets some wonderful sounds created by Henry Mancini. Unique treatment is given to such favorites as "Charade" and "Moon River."

Baby Elephant Walk
Charade from the Universal motion picture "Charade"
Dreamsville from "Peter Gunn" T.V. Series
Bird Brain from the Allied Artists picture "Soldier In The Rain"
Days Of Wine And Roses
Mr. Lucky Theme from the CBS-TV Series "Mr. Lucky"
(I Love You) And Don't You Forget It
Soldier In The Rain from the Allied Artist picture "Soldier In The Rain"
Odd Ball
Moon River
Peter Gunn from the T.V. Series

Hi-Fi Jazz Session

Swinging The Blues
Hi-Fi Jazz Session
Featuring Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Norvo, Cozy Cole, Charlie Ventura and others
Masterseal
1957

Mean To Me
Sarah's lilting vocalizing is introduced by Charlie Parker's alto sax. The tenor sax of Flip Phillips and Dizzy Gilespie's trumpet share a chorus in the middle of the record. The other members of the group are Bill De Aranzo, Max Roach, Curley Russell and Nat Jaffe.

Bouncy
This original riff opus is played by a Red Norvo pick-up group, originally supervised by the jazz critic, Timmie Rosenkrantz. Choruses are by Norvo, vibraharp, Charlie Ventura, tenor sax, Harry Carney, baritone sax and Johnny Bothwell on alto sax. The other members of the group are Otto Hardwick, Jimmy Jones, Specs Powell and John Levy.

Blues At Dawn
Another original by Rosenkrantz-Jones-Cavanaugh and played by the same group as in the previous selection. Solo honors go to Harry Carney (of Duke Ellington fame), Red Norvo and Charlie Ventura.

What
This is a remarkable record in that here were have a blues singer, Rubber-Legs Williams, singing in the old tradition of Bessie Smith, with accompaniment by such modernists, as Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Parker. "Bird" and Don Byas take choruses while Dizy and Trummie Young are to be heard backing up the vocal. Rubber-Legs and the backing blend quite successfully; this ride, as well as the next one, besides being good jazz music, are quite interesting curiosities to the jazz researcher.

Every Bit
This is another tune by the same group as above. The tempo is slower and the mood is a little "funkier." Bird again is heard to good advantage.

Rose Noire
H. Carel's combo of piano, drums, bass, trumpet and baritone sax typifies the music of the forties that by 1956 turned into Rock and Roll. The music is certainly jazz, yet the undertone is strictly "Rhythm & Blues."

Comes The Don
The artists here consist of Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Hank D'Amico, Charlie Shavers, Tiny Grimes, Slam Stewart, Johnny Guarneir and Cozy Cole – an all star lineup if there ever was one. The music they produce is not in the avantgarde category, yet it certainly remains as fresh as when first recorded.

Beat Bounce
On this tune, you find the same artists as for Bouncy and Blues At Dawn. Featured soloists are Norvo, Carney, Ventura and Bothwell.

Cravin'
This tune, by Hen Gates' combo, proves that there's nothing new under the sun, not even in Rock and Roll.

Kilroy Was Here
Dorothy Donegan, who has since become quite an attraction in the plusher music spots, here gives her version of the blues. Subclassification: boogie-woogie.

Edna
The Sabby Lewis band is a typical riff-oriented big band tune of the forties.

Swinging The Blues
This features the violin and voice of Eddie South with Hand Jones, and Leonard Garkin on piano and bass. The group plays in a surprisingly modern style. This tune has no connection with the Basie tune of the same name.

Notes by Joseph P. Muranyi

Patti Page In The Land Of Hi-Fi

Love For Sale
Patti Page
In The Land Of Hi-Fi
Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra
Arranged and Conducted by Pete Rugolo
High Fidelity Jazz EmArcy
Mercury Records MG 36074
1956

From the back cover: The thin, almost non-existent line between popular singing and jazz singing disappears entirely with the release of this unprecedented new album by Patti Page.

To many who have followed Patti during her decade with Mercury records as a producer of million-selling hits, this may seem to represent a radical departure. Actually, Patti has never been too far removed from jazz. As her fans will know, she was born Clara Ann Fowler in Tulsa, Oklahoma and received her professional name while working as a hillbilly singer over KTUL. But it was not long after Jack Rael had discovered her an launched her career as a soloist that she evidenced, on her very earliest Mercury releases, rhythmic qualities of phrasing that bespoke a natural instinct and understanding about the better things in popular music.

Patti's partner on her trip to the Land Of Hi-Fi is a man whose association with jazz has been long and distinguished. Pete Rugolo started working for the Stan Kenton orchestra in 1945, and during the next four years was the guiding force of the band. Settling in California in 1950 (he was born in Sicily but his family lived in Santa Rosa, California, from the time he was five), Pete did every thing from vocal backgrounds to original instrumental albums and movie work (The Strip, Glory Alley, Latin Lovers, Meet Me In Las Vegas, etc.). One of the most skilled arrangers in modern jazz, he was long been versed in the art of bringing out the best in a singer and of making, from the combination of voice and background, a cohesive and exciting whole.

The orchestra Pete assembled to work with Patti was composed of five trumpets, four trombones, two French horns, a tuba, five saxophones (doubling on miscellaneous woodwinds), piano, guitar, bass and three drummers, including the specialist in Latin-American percussion, Jack Costanza. The band was studded with stars such as Bob Cooper on oboe and Georgie Auld on tenor sax and Rocky Coluccio on piano. There was also a famous two-trombone team in the brass section, one of whom took a solo at letter J in Takin' A Chance On Love, the other of whom can be heard in the background around letter K in My Sin.

Although it is Patti's confident, intelligent interpretation of the lyrics and Pete's colorful, vivid orchestration that make the record a success, there are individual credits that should be accorded.. Pete Candoli is responsible for the spots of trumpet in The Lady Is A Tramp and I've Got My Eyes On You; Chico Alvarez is heard on The Thrill Is Gone, which also has some fine flute background by Harry Klee. In Mountain Greenery, Al Hendrickson's guitar backs Patti during the verse and Buddy Childers' trumpet can be heard later. The alto saxophonist heard in I've Got Me Eyes On You, is a distinguished soloist well known to Pacific Jazz.


From Billboard October 6, 1956: In could almost be said that this is a new Patti Page. As usual, she sings fine, but in this case, it's the approach that counts. For the first time, the gal gets a chance at a really smart selection of tunes. "Mountain Greenery," "My Kind Of Love," "The Thrill Is Gone," "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "Love For Sale" are all here and the thrush's modified jazz treatment goes extremely well with the classy "big band" backings of maestro Pete Rugolo. It's a highly salable and listenable package thruout and dealers should take the cue first. Should be a bonanza for deejays.

Nevertheless
Out Of Nowhere
The Lady Is A Tramp
The Thrill Is Gone
A Foggy Day
Mountain Greenery
I've Got My Eyes On You
My Kind Of Love
I Didn't Know About You
My Sin
Taking A Chance On Love
Love For Sale

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Ramblin' Guitar - Larry Sparks

A Lonesome Day
Ramblin' Guitar
Larry Sparks and The Lonesome Ramblers
Pine Tree Records
Cover Photo: Osborne Studio
Engineer: William M. Jones
Produced by Osburn Thorpe
A Product of Melody Records - Hamilton, Ohio
Recorded at Melody Sound Studio
Manufactured at QCA - Queen City Album - Cincinnati, Ohio
0224

Vocal and Lead Guitar: Larry Sparks
1st Tenor and 5 String Banjo: Joe Isaacs
2nd Tenor and Rhythm Guitar: Bernice Neeley
Baritone and Mandolin: Davin Cox
Bass: Lloyd Hensley
Fiddle: Paul Mullins
Harmonica: William M. Jones
Saw: William M. Jones

From the back cover: Larry Sparks was born in the beautiful Miami Valley near Dayton, Ohio and has been singing and playing Country and Bluegrass music since he was five years old. Like many great Country Artists, Larry began his career singing in a church chorus and as a duet with his sister Bernice, who is still with Larry and very much a part of the Lonesome Ramblers.

Larry's first Radio program was at WPFB in Middletown, Ohio. Later he formed his own band and played at Churches, Schools and Clubs in Kentucky and Ohio, and WMOH Radio in Hamilton, Ohio.

The late Carter Stanley heard about Larry and in 1965 Carter asked him to become one of The Clinch Mountain Boys. He worked part-time with The Stanley Brothers until the death of Carter. Ralph than asked Larry to work with him full-time. Larry was lead singer and played lead guitar with Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys for about two and half years. He has travelled from coast to coast, done Radio and TV, and recorded five LP albums with Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys. – Osburn "Ozzie" Thorpe


Ramblin' Guitar (Larry Sparks)
Red Wing (Traditonal)
Cannon Ball Blues (A.P. Carter)
Wildwood Flower (A.P. Carter)
Rosewood Casket (Traditional)
Rambler's Special (Larry Sparks)
Six More Miles (Hank Williams)
Constant Companions (Osburn Thorpe)
These Old Prison Bars (Harold Russell)
Too Late To Walk The Floor (Osburn Thorpe)
A Lonesome Day (A.P. Carter)
God's Presence (Bernice Neeley)

Taba - Jara - Los Indios

Gigante Pescador
Taba - Jara
Los Indios
South American Primitive, Folk and Native Songs
Album: Levy Advertising Agency
Commentary: H. Alan Stein
Mastering: Paul Cady
Produced by Sound Of America, Inc. for Frank L. Kaltman Productions
Janus LP 14

From the back cover: Quoting the world-famous guitarist Andres Segovia, "Los Indios Tabajares que tocan veritigiorosamante con dedoes ligeros y obedientes." Thus describing the unique vocal and guitar qualities that have made these primitive-born Indians from one of the innermost and remote regions of Brazil, we turn to the men themselves, Herundy and Mussapere, for a further description of their own background.

"It was in 1930 that we first had contact with white men. Our village was on the outskirts of a huge jungle and we were a tribe of about 500 indians. It was at one of our annual feasts that we heard strange noises. Some of us thought it was a sign from Heaven, others thought it had been the noise of a giant bird falling to the ground. We heard quick shots. Incited by this, our leaders began their war cry, and a small legion of Indians set out to investigate. In a clearing in the forrest, we came upon a troop of more than 100 men in uniforms. It looked as if a terrible battle would begin, but for 2 men dressed in black robes who were missionary priests and who shouted in our dialect, "Friends, Friends'."

After 2 years among the Taba - Jaras, the soldiers and priests learned the Tupy dialect, and the Indians learned some Portuguese. At their suggestion, Herundy and Mussapere, No. 2 and No. 3 sons of 30 children of one of the Taba-Jara leaders, left to seek their way in the outside world. They traveled on foot for nearly 3 years before reaching Rio De Janeiro where they gained fame singing their primitive tribal songs. After years of study of classical guitar techniques, the brothers left Brazil to travel the world as accomplished performers. They have appeared in concert at opera houses and other leading room in Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Lisbon, Havana, Lima, Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Uruguay and the United States, where they appeared on television with Arthur Godfrey.


Eita
Serra Azul
Ca Purange
Fiesta Linda
Alam Llanera
Acara Cary
Canoita
Ninguém Tem Do
Gigante Pescador
Mulher Rendeira
Moita Brava
Meu Piao
Aracuan
Escrava Mariguina

Soft Plaintive And Moody - Sil Austin

These Foolish Things
Soft Plaintive And Moody!
Sil Austin And His Orchestra
Mercury Records MG 20576
1960

From the back cover: In the beginning – before early "society band" leader named Art Hickman got the happy thought – there were no saxophones in dance bands. Today there are not only saxophones; there are at least three schools of thought on how they should be sound. There's the constricted, muffled, adenoidal school associated with tenor lead bands. There's the introspective, almost vibratto-less, subtle and educated sound blown but the "hot-because-cool" contemporary school. And there's the wide open, unashamedly emotional, big and fat and proud-to-be-alive-and-blowing school.

Some people in classifying the music produced by the above would say that school number one is pat and shallow – emotionless. School number two froths and bubbles with emotion under the surface, yet couches that emotion under an intellectual and mature blanket. And school number three is frankly emotional, passionate even, and doesn't care who knows it.

Sil Austin is the honor graduate of school number three. The sound of his horn is directly descendent from the Coleman Hawkins-Chu Berry-Herschel Evans open horn style that gave so much of the character and drive to the big swinging bands of the Thirties and Forties. It's the very sound Sil heard and made when, as a teen-ager, he won an amateur contest at the old Apollo Theater by honking out a lush version of "Danny Boy" for the judges. It is, indeed, a sound whose popularity has never really wavered and probably never will.


September Song
Gone Again
Around The World
At Last
Trust Me
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Moonlight Become You
All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings
Please Send Me Someone To Love
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Moonlight In Vermont
These Foolish Things

I Love A Guitar - Billy Byrd

Any Time
I Love A Guitar
Billy Byrd
Cover Photo by Hal Adams at Comancias Guest Ranch
Warner Bros WS1327
1959

From the back cover: Although Billy has been playing it pretty for many years before he joined the popular Ernest Tubb troupe of performers, it was Ernest who gave Billy the tag line that's followed him everywhere: "Play it pretty Byrd." Before joining Tubb's troupe Billy had gained a world of experience in different fields, working the raucous Hadacol shows, delivering fine guitar back-grounds for such vocalists as Burl Ives, and playing with such dance bands as Francis Craig's. Then came July, 1949, when Billy met Ernest Tubb.

"Actuall," says Billy, "Ernest's never hired me. I've been 'out of work' since 1949, when I first approached Ernest for a job. I knew he needed a guitar player, so I asked for an audition. I made the appointment, then hurried home to learn all of Ernest's records. Well, I got the job, but it was pretty funny. That night we played WSW's "Grand Ole Opry." I'd had to borrow a western outfit from several guys and nothing fit. Ernest would call out one number and I'd start another. We finally made it together, though, and we've been together ever since. In spite of that shaky beginning, things've worked out real fine."


From Billboard - September 14, 1959: Ernest Tubb's "ace guitar player," Billy Byrd, gets a chance to show his stuff in this disk debut. Set is a spinnable one with stereo contributing a great deal in showing up the fine points of Byrd's talents. Tunes include "Your Cheatin' Heart," "I Love You So Much It Hurts," "Trouble In Mind," "Half As Much," and a fine arrangement of "Walking The Floor Over You."

Slipping Around
Your Cheatin' Heart
Any Time
I Love You So Much It Hurts
Trouble In Mind
Byrdland Guitar
Candy Kisses
A Fallen Star
Just A Little Lovin'
Hey, Good Lookin'
Half As Much
Walking The Floor Over You

Rendezvous With Peggy Lee

While We're Young 
Rendezvous With Peggy Lee
Capitol Records T151
1955

Why Don't You Do Right
Them There Eyes
Deed I Do
I Don't Know Enough About You
It's A Good Day
Golden Earrings
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Stormy Weather
Don't Smoke In Bed
While We're Young
Manana
Hold Me

We Like Guys

Skylark - Jackie Paris
We Like Guys
Coral Records CRL 57228
1958

Hold My Hand - Don Cornell
Undecided - Ames Brothers
Flamingo - Herb Jeffries
Sweet And Gentle (Me Lo Dijo Adela) - Alan Dale
Mountain Greenery - Mel Torme
After You've Gone - Art Lund
Day In Day Out - Steve Lawrence
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter - Billy Williams
Play Me Hearts And Flowers - Johny Desmond
Skylark - Jackie Paris
Will You Still Be Mine - Buddy Greco
The Gang That Sang "Heart Of My Heart" - Don Cornell, Alan Dale, Johnny Desmond

Tremendo Cumban - Machito

Francicua
Tremendo Cumban!!
Machito
Produced by Teddy Reig
Tico LP 1094
1963

From the back cover: The long career of Machito in the field of Latin American music is an enviable one. Machito has seen fads and manias come and go. He has witnessed the popularity of the rhumba give way to the madness of the mambo and then the mambo bow to the craze for the cha-cha-cha.

Through all this Machito has continued to field a band that works all year long, year in and year out. From the crowed Palladium in New York, to the mobs at the Concord Hotel in the Catskills, Machito's band of Latin American music holds sway and always will no matter what new dance sensation has taken hold.

Machito's music is founded on the rock like strength of the band's arrangements and the musicians' ability to breathe pulsating life into these arrangements. The arrangements by Mario Bauza, have been the mainstay of Machito's orchestra ever since Mario and Machito met each other many years ago.


Tremendo Cumban
Francicua
Guajira
Escuchame
Mi Bandon
El Pairaguero
I Care
Bimbi-Si
Ven Guajira
Latin Cornbread
Ensename
Guajeo
Los Bailadores