The Brothers Nash - Ted & Dick Nash

 

Cuban Verandah

The Brothers Nash

Ted and Dick Nash

Jazz Unlimited Series

Producer: Simon Jackson

Engineer: John Neal

Cover Art: Don Nelson

Liberty Records LJH 6011

1956

The Brothers Nash was recorded in Hollywood during December, 1955 and April, 1956.

From the back cover: Back in Somerville, Massachusetts the Nash brothers were born – Ted, on October 31st, 1922, Dick, on January 26th, 1928. But with the untimely death of their parents, the two boys were separated and brought up independently. In spite of growing up as they did with many miles between them, they still found the same innate attraction of music and they both went about developing int. 

Ted had original aspirations to became a classical flutist, but he switched to tenor in his early teens. The opportunities seemed to be more in the jazz field, and he wound up on the road with a succession of dance bands. After his hitch in the service he joined the Les Brown group, where he rapidly made an important name for himself. His distinctive tenor solos are the high points of many of the old Les Brown records. You know, in those days it was often the vogue for young jazz aspirants to copy the choruses of their idols note for note. Bu with Ted's solos that wasn't so easy. Most of his would go right on up, clear off the horn. The best way to get the fingering for some of these flights was to pick up a copy of his book, "High Harmonics," which introduced a new technique for upper register fingering.

After getting married, Ted decided to settle in California and worked the recording and studio scene. When Billy May was about to record his new band and looking for a few major soloists, he called immediately on Ted. The studios have used his distinctive talents, also... after all, he's a pretty valuable man to have around with his background on flute, piccolo, clarinet, and all the saxes from soprano through baritone.

With Dick it was not much different. His first horn was a trumpet, which he played at ten with a Vermont boarding school band. Looking for an instrument which would better suit his particular embouchure, he switched to baritone horn. Bu brother Ted, sent him one for Christmas, he was one his way. He studied later with John Coffey, of the Boston Symphony, then followed Ted on the road with a series of dance bands which included Sam Donahue, Glen Gray, and Tex Beneke, and after the Service he was with Billy My for a year.

Marriage in Los Angeles seemed to be the happy combo for Dick, too, and here in California he's made his home. Currently, he's on the staff of CBS Radio Orchestra, and very happy about it. It gives him the chance to relax and develop his full-bodied, exciting style. This is a young man who is now looked upon as one of the new stars of modern trombone.

This, then, is in the nature of a new beginning for two brothers who have made names for themselves independently and are united at last in California with their music. Here, they have pooled their extreme musical talents and come up with an album of rare taste and quality. The music here is a pleasure to listen to. It combines clean, crisp sounds with good jazz. It is sometimes more delicate, sometimes forceful. Often quiet – more often exciting. And always conceived and executed with good taste.

The sound the group gets is amazing. Six men manage to sound like a group twice its size. They make it seem easy. Piano and guitar (Jimmy Rowles and Tony Rizzi) work first as a unit then as independent voices. Bass and drums (Harry Babasin and Roy Harte) are ever-present but never flamboyant. Dick's trombone is joined by Ted, at one time or another, on alto, tenor, soprano, baritone, flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet, and bass clarinet to give a startling aural exhibition – and did I say only six in the total aggregation?

Much of the group's balance and continuity are due to the subtle arrangements of Frank Comstock, Chuck Kopely, Bob Harrington and Jim Emerson. – Don Nelson

I Remember You

We'll Be Together Again

Juntos

Prelude To A Kiss

Theme From "The Bad And The Beautiful"

I Could Write A Book

Back In Your Own Backyard

For Heaven's Sake

Cuban Verandah

The Nearness Of You

Night Soliloquy

You Are Too Beautiful