Lee + 3 - Lee "Roy" Lovett

Judaline

Lee + 3
Lee "Roy" Lovett - Piano
Al Hall - Bass
"Butch" Ballard - Drums
Bob Brown - Tenor and Alto Sax
Wynne Records, Inc. WLP 110

From the back cover: The complete musician – performer, arranger, conductor and writer. This is Lee Lovett.

In his native Philadelphia, where Lovett began studying piano at the age of five, he is considered one of the top ranking musicians in the area. He did arranging for most of the top local Philadelphia dance bands in the mid-forties, and left to enter the big band scene in New York around 1945.

Lovett arranged for the Randy Brooks Orchestra, Lucky Millinder, Tab Smith, Mercer Ellington and Erskine Hawkins, and helped Cat Anderson form a swing big band in 1949.

It was about that time that Lee Lovett decided to enter the recording field, and started handling sessions from Atlantic, Herald, Mercury, Columbia and RCA Victor. In 1952, he joined forces with the great Johnny Hodges and Al Sears, to form one of the finest combos of that era, the "Castle Rock" group.

It was during this period that the talented Mr. Lovett wrote such pop hits as "Can't I," "After The Lights Go Down Low," and "Why," and "All At Once." He also organized a big Afro-American band to produce albums of pop American tunes with Latin rhythms for RCA Victor and Columbia Records.

A stint in California followed with Clef and Norgran Records, where Lovett worked with Norman Granz, in writing and arranging albums for Al Hibbler, Billie Holiday, Bud Powell, Buddy Rick, and many others.

To continue to list the many accomplishments of Lee Lovett would fill many volumes. It would be impossible to include all in a short synopsis. Lovett is the epitome of talent. As head of the A&R department of Wynne Records, he has shown his many-sided abilities in producing every type of music he is called upon to do.

With the aid of the swinging horn of one of Philadelphia's coming giants in Jazz, Bob Brown on Alto and Tenor, with "Butch" Ballard on Drums, and Al Hall on Bass, Lovett has gotten together as aggregation that puts down a tremendous new sound.

Listen to his impression of such lovely standards as Kurt Weill's "My Ship," and Errol Garner's "Misty," and his own compositions, "Can't I." The treatment he gives to these numbers, as well as to the to the others in this album are truly fantastic.

Take a special listen to "My Funny Valentine," and "Plum Street," and the "ABC Hop," These numbers will definitely prove beyond any doubt, that the Lee Lovett group ranks among the finest in the recording industry. – Sid Pastner

My Ship
If It's The Last Thing I Do
Can't I
Judaline
Angel Eyes
A.B.C. Hop
Misty
My Funny Valentine
Plum Street