Near-Myth - Brubeck / Smith

 

Baggin' The Dragon

Near-Myth

Dave Burbeck / W. O. Smith

Cover: Arnold Roth

Engineer: Ed Begley

Recorded by Fantasy Records, San Francisco 

Vogue Records Limited 

Vocalion SEA 565

Made In England

1964

From the back cover:  A session with Bill Smith is always an adventure. He leads you down paths not usually traversed by jazz musicians and points out lively possibilities en route. Bill's imagination is contagious. When he flew over from Italy last winter to appear at a concert of Electronic Music (another phase of this many faceted musician) we had but a few hours to rehearse and to record an album together. On the first meeting, he handed us the lead sheets and set forth his plan of a series of tunes based on mythological characters. Immediately ideas began to germinate. We walked into the studio the morning of March 20, 1961 and came out that evening with a finished album and a deep sense of satisfaction that we had succeeded in making a "different" jazz LP.

In addition to interesting music, which I expect and take for granted in Smith's performances, we had recorded several colourful effects unique to jazz. Nothing in the album was electronically "gimmicked" for special effect. What was performed in the studio was produced by extending the natural capabilities of the instruments. These same strange effects can be reproduced in live concert anywhere. A recent (July 7, 1961) Time article, reporting on a Smith Concert in Palazzo Pio, Rome, stated: "A virtuoso on his instrument, Smith also likes to push his clarinet above to 'C' or to engage in a series of strangely manipulated double and triple stopping."

As an example of Time's inference, the high, piercing sound of "Pan's Pipes" is produced with the aid of a mute, an age old device long associated with strings and brasses, but so far as I know never before used by a clarinettist: rarely have I heard any clarinettist, except Bill, play more than or note simultaneously on his instrument-unless it was a mistake! On this recording we not only hear two or more notes simultaneously, but also so precisely controlled that they sound within the exact chord.

The piano on "Apollo's Axe" achieves a weird sound through the sympathetic harmonic vibrations of the piano strings, or in one instance by Morello hittir tympani sticks gainst the strings. Also, I tried deliberately to modify my usual touch in order to get a different effect.

Since we first met when Smith and I were students of Darius Milhaud in 1947, Bill has always evinced a strange, but not necessarily incompatible, mixture of whimsy and intellectualism. (For example, his first recorded composition wa "Schizophrenic Scherzo", The Dave Brubeck Octet.)

Near Myth is a typical Smith concoction of humour, whimsy, classical refe ence and jazz, performed by the composer himself on clarinet and my usull rhythm section of Joe Morello (drums) and Gene Wright (bass).

Bill is quoted in Time as saying "Jazz forms are usually stereotyped, like a housing project with houses all alike. We want to change the number of rooms and the size and placement of the windows and doors."

I think on this album Bill Smith opens some new swinging doors.

DAVE BRUBECK
August 1961

Also from the back cover: No relation to Lena Horne.

A combination of good ol' time wine fest with a touch of Bachish counter- point and harmony.

Inspired by the siren bird-girls who lured sailors to their death with their singing.

When the object of Pan's desires transformed herself into a reed to avoid his advances, he cut several of the reeds and made them into a set of pipes. Perhaps this is the trouble referred to in the second chorus?

This one started out by Smith but ended up by the great Jupiter himself.

After a few ominous roars the boys throw their shafts straight to the mark, leaving the dragon to die after several last opera variety gasps. Lacking a magical lyre, Dave plays his usual axe in an unusual manner. Suggests a romantic escapade in which the sailor, the clarinet, of the first two choruses, is joined by the mermaid, the piano playing the Siren Song in the last one.

Features Gene in the guise of the Sea King.

A sprightly dance by all.

"Perhaps not a Hollywood extravaganza, but-A NEAR MYTH"

To underline the magical aspect of some of the numbers, several new instrumental techniques have been employed. In Pan's Pipes a clarinet mute is used in the first and last choruses and made it possible to end on an E, four notes above the highest note of the normal clarinet range. In the ending of Siren Song two and more clarinet notes are played simultaneously. Piano harmonics are used in the opening and closing of Apollo's Axe, and in Baggin' the Dragon tympani sticks are used on the strings of the piano.

To add to the musical unity of the album the opening 4-note figure is utilized in several of the numbers. There are further interrelationships, such as the use of the Siren Song at the conclusion of The Sailor and the Mermaid, the anticipation of the opening three notes of the Siren Song in the ending of Bach an' All, and the deriva- tion of the three-measure drum pattern of Bach an' All from the closing piano, clarinet, and bass figures of Unihorn.

W. O. SMITH Paris, France August 1961

The Unihorn

Bach An' All

Siren Song

Pan's Pipes

By Jupiter

Baggin' The Dragon

Apollo's Axe

The Sailor And The Mermaid

Nep-tune

Pan Dance

Time To Swing - Dakota Staton

 

Willow Weep For Me

Time To Swing

Dakota Staton

Arrangements and Orchestra Conducted by Sid Feller

Produced by Andy Wiswell

Cover Photo by Lee Friedlander

Capitol Records T 1241

1959

From the back cover: In the refreshing style that's made her a vocalist's vocalist, and a favorite with just about everybody else too, Dakota treats these favorite ballads to a sound such as they've never had before. For example, the lovely ballad, Avalon, gets a brisk uptempo delivery from Dakota, and an Afro-Cuban twist here and there from Sid Feller's swinging instrumental group. But even when she takes a normally slow ballad like this, or But Not for Me, and styles it as a bright rhythm number, Dakota never fails to melt abundant meaning from every lyric and phrase. Her happy tunes sound glad she came along, and her sad numbers, such as Willow Weep for Me, have never before found such sympathy as Dakota can give them, and does in this album.

As great a stylist as Dakota is, though, she sounds even finer against backings such as these. Sid and his crew have varied their instrumental power to give just the right amount of support in each selection; and just the right kind of setting and mood for this girl with the wonderful voice.

Among the musicians making Sid Feller's arrangements come true here are: trumpets: Taft Jordan, Joe Wilder saxes: Ray Beckenstein, George Berg, Don Hammond, Al Johnson, Jerome Richardson, Bill Woods oboe and flute: Romeo Penique/ piano: Hank Jones bass: George Duvivier / drums: Don Lamond guitar: Ken Burrell

Among other Capitol albums by Dakota Staton: Crazy He Calls Me T 1170, Dynamic! T 1054
In the Night (with the George Shearing Quintet) T 1003, The Late, Late Show T 876

When Lights Are Low

Willow Weep For Me

But Not For me

You Don't Know What Love Is

The Best Thing For You

The Song Is You

Avalon

Baby, Don't You Cry

Let Me Know

Until The Real Thing Comes Along

If I Should Lose You

Gone With The Wind

Carl Halen's Gin Bottle Seven

 

Carl Halen's Gin Bottle Seven

Carl Halen's

Gin Bottle Seven

Original Tapes: David C. Greer

Tape Mastering: Jack Towers

Annotation: David C. Greer

Cover Photo: Duncan P. Schist

Graphics: Bruce D. Davidson / Music Media

International Association Of Jazz Record Collectors

IAJRC 32

From the back cover: The gravel-voiced folk and skiffle singer, Dave Van Ronk, while passing through Dayton, Ohio in the summer of 1978 was quoted in a newspaper interview:

"At home, Van Ronk listens to classical music and jazz and he interrupts the questioning to inquire about trumpeter Carl Halen: 'You never heard of him? He was one of the hottest jazz trumpet players I ever heard and he's from Dayton. I've got this record he cut in the '50s and it's hot. I'd love to meet him if he's still around.'

Thus are memories fed and legends created.

Carl Halen is still very much alive and well in Hamilton, Ohio, the locus of the Stockton Club where Bix and the Wolverines once played and the "cooling off" spot for many a gangster during the 1920's. An elderly bailiff at the courthouse still fondly recalls the good money he made by modifying guns into automatic weapons for vacationing big shots from Chicago in those frenetic years. Life is a little more civilized, but not much more serene, at present. Carl keeps busy providing psychological services for the Cincinnati school system and tending to the Christmas tree farm on which he and his charming wife Laura live. In recent years he has been an active officer of the Classic Jazz Society of Southwestern Ohio, and his cornet still contains the lyric punch you'll find on the enclosed recordings.

The revival of traditional jazz on the West Coast in the 1940's reached a midwestern flowering in the Dayton-Cincinnati area during the 1950's, and Carl's Gin Bottle Seven was a band with great swing and drive. The music on this record captures the band in full flight at its regular stand at the Hitching Post on South Main Street in downtown Dayton on a night in 1957. The members of the band are its usual contingent with the exception of a substitute for Bob Butters on trombone. The songs captured are typical of the band's working repertoire, and the background noise is typical of the fans who swayed to hot cornet tones popping over the bounce of Jim Campbell's bass sax in those happy days. Here for the first time since they were recorded on a forgotten tape twenty-three years ago are: 

Side 1

Shine

Snake Rag

Memphis Blues

Clarinet Marmalade

You're Next

Side 2

Panama

Once In A While

Ugly Chile

Maryland, My Maryland

Sweet Georgia Brown

The personnel consists of Carl Halen, cornet; Roland Sabrowsky, trombone; Martin Kollstedt, clarinet; Jim Campbell, bass sax; Matt Fuchs, piano; Jan Carroll, banjo; Tom Hyer, drums.

A CARL HALEN DISCOGRAPHY

Dixieland Rhythm Kings: Carl Halen, tpt.; Charles Sonnanstine, tbn.; Jim Campbell, clt.; Jan Carroll, bjo.; Gene Mayl, tuba; Tom Hyer, dms. Dayton, Ohio, 1949.

Jazz Disc 1-A Wolverine Blues

1-B When The Saints Go Marching In
2-A I Found A New Baby
2-B Fidgety Feet
3-A Weary Blues
3-B Sinister Bucket Blues
4-A Ancient Bottle Strut
4-B Tin Roof Blues
5-A Steamboat Stomp
5-B Terrible Blues
(Reissued as "The Original Ten" GHB 7)

Dixieland Rhythm Kings: Carl Halen, Dick Oxtot, cts.; Charles Sonnanstine, tbn.; Bill Napier, clt.; Eph Risnick, pno; Jan Carroll, bjo.; Gene Mayl, tuba; Tom Hyer, dms. New York 1951.
     Paradox 6002 (10" LP)-Mamma Don't 'Low, Sidewalk Blues, Riverside Blues, Buddy's Habits, Over In The Gloryland, Dirty Bottom Stomp, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, When The Saints Go Marchin' In. – (Reissued as part of 12" LP's Jazztone J1232 and J2373) 

Carl Halen and the Washboard Five: Carl Halen, tpt.; Bob Thompson, wbd.; Bob Vert, pno.; Bob Sand, bjo.; Charlie Paris, gtr. New York, 1951. 

     Knickerbocker 

          3 Doctor Jazz

          3 Heebie Jeebies
          4 Cakewalkin' Babies From Home
          4 Willie The Weeper
     (Reissued as part of Riverside RLP25002 with four tunes recorded by Gene Mayl's Dixieland Rhythm Kings in New York, 1950-Tiger Rag, Ace In The Hole, Oh By Jingo and Don't Go Way Nobody)

Gin Bottle Seven: Carl Halen, tpt.; Jim Campbell, cit.; George Stell, tbn.; Fred Gary, pno.; Jan Carroll, bjo.; Johnnie Pollack, tuba; Tom Hyer, dms. Yellow Springs, Ohio-Spring 1953.
     Empirical EM-101 (10" LP)-Salty Dog, Strut Miss Lizzie, London Blues, Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me, Tiajuana, She's Crying For Me, Wild Man Blues, Corinne Corinne.
Substitute Martin Kollstedt on clt. Halen alternates on tpt. and cnt. Dayton, Ohio, July 3 and November 6, 1954.

     Empirical EM-104 (10" LP)-Four Or Five Times, Aggravatin' Mama, Shake That Thing, Nagasaki, Eccentric, Wolverine Blues, Pallet On The Floor, Dallas Blues.
      (Reissued as part of Riverside RLP 12-231 "Gin Bottle Jazz"-12" LP, with the following additional sides from the same recording sessions-Angry, Apex Blues, Oh Baby, Milneberg Joys.) 

Same, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 1955.

     Audiophile AP-24 (12" LP)-Oh Baby, Apex Blues, Don't Leave Me Daddy.
Same: Carl Halen, cnt.; Bob Butters, tbn.; Martin Kollstedt, clt.; Jim Campbell, bass sax; Matt Fuchs, pno.; Jan Carroll, bjo. and vocals; Tom Hyer, dms. Yellow Springs, Ohio, August 26, 1956.
     Riverside RLP 12-261 (12" LP)-Once In A While, You're Next, King Porter Stamp, 'Deed I Do, Ugly Chil, Snake Rag, Somebody Stole My Gal, Basin Street Blues, Mabel's Dream, Original Jelly Roll Blues, Copen- hagen, Emperor Norton's Hunch.
Marty Grosz and his Honoris Causa Jazz Band, "Hooray for Bix": Carl Halen, cnt.; Harry Budd, tbn.; Frank Chace, clt. and bass sax; Bob Skiver, ten. sax and clt.; Tut Soper, pno.; Marty Grosz, gtr. and vocals; Turk Santos, second cnt. (on My Pet and Because My Baby) and gtr. (on Lonely Melody); Chuck Neilson, bass; Pepper Boggs, dms. Chicago, Illinois, November, 1957.
     Riverside RLP 12-268 (12" LP)-Changes, Cryin' All Day, Lonely Melody, I'm Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now, Sorry, My Pet, The Love Nest, Clemen- tine (from New Orleans), Oh Miss Hannah, Wa-Da-Da, For No Reason at All In C, Because My Baby Don't Mean Maybe Now.
Georg Brunis and His New Rhythm Kings, Jazzology 23. Georg Brunis, tbn.; Frank Powers, clt.; Carl Halen, cnt.; Clarence Hall, pno.; Gene Mayl, bass; Gene Kimmel, dms.
     Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jelly Roll, Yellow Dog Blues, Big Butter And Egg Man, Someday Sweetheart, Da Da Strain, Everybody Loves My Baby, How Long, How Long Blues, Fidgety Feet, Squeeze Me, Song of the Wanderer.

Victory At Sea - Aaron Bell

 

Victory At Sea

Victory At See

In Jazz – Adapted from the NBC-TV film series

The Aaron Bell Orchestra

Featuring Aaron Bell on Bass 

Produced by Eddie Heller

Lion Full Fidelity L70113

1959

From the back cover: Victory At Sea has been called "the most ambitious and most successful venture in the history of television" – a film-and-music history of naval operations during World War II. The series of half-hour films, produced by NBC-TV in cooperation with the United States Navy, has not only drawn lavish praise from the press and audiences of four countries and practically every major award in the industry, but also the highest decoration the U. S. Navy can confer upon a civilian for the three men chiefly responsible for the success of the programs-the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award went to Henry Salomon, originator, producer, and co-author of the series; Richard Rodgers, composer of much of the symphonic music utilized as backgrounds to the films; and Robert W. Sarnoff, then a vice-president of NBC. Through combat films, Victory At Sea tells the taut, dramatic story of war on the sea, over the sea and under the sea from the dark days after September, 1939, when Nazi U-boats preyed on Allied shipping in the Atlantic to the final defeat of the Axis aggressors in the Pacific. Important to the series are the superb Richard Rodgers musical scores – themes from which are transformed in the present recording in excellent jazz stylings by imaginative Aaron Bell and his orchestra. One high-light of the music making which truly stands out is Aaron's treatment of the popular Guadalcanal March in swinging fashion. Elsewhere, you'll hear Beneath The Southern Cross, a theme from which the later hit, No Other Love, was derived. And, there are many other unforgettable themes here to delight you in fresh, provocative versions- representing TV themes in jazz at its finest!

ABOUT AARON BELL – The "most" on a bass, Aaron is one of current jazzdom's top performers. A painstaking perfectionist, he gives out with musical ideas which appeal at once to musicians and the public at large. Alumnus of such combos as those of Teddy Wilson, Andy Kirk and Lester Young, he now heads a solid aggregation of his own. His musicians in this recording, who rank among the country's finest, have been selected carefully for their qualities of inventiveness, ingenuity, virtuosity and sense of teamwork. They include Ray Bryant, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Eddie Costa, vibes; Oliver Jackson, Jr. and Charlie Persip, drums; and Seldon Powell, sax and flute. Credits The NBC-TV Victory At Sea film series is distributed by Victory Program Sales, a division of Cali- fornia National Productions, Inc.

Cover and liner photographs courtesy of Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, New York. The plane shown in the cover photograph is a supersonic Grumman F11F-1 Tiger on the deck of the U. S. S. Forrestal. The aircraft carriers pictured in the liner may be identified as follows: No. 37 is the U. S. S. Princeton and No. 18 is the U. S. S. Wasp.

Guadalcanal March

Beneth The Southern Cross

The Song Of The High Seas

Victory At Sea

The Pacific Boils Over

Hard Work And Horseplay

D-Day

Mare Nostrum

Harlem Style Hot Jazz - Waldo's Gutbucket Syncopators

 

Harlem Blues

Harlem Style Hot Jazz

Waldo's Gutbucket Syncopators

Producer: Big Al Mothershead, the ragtime millionaire

Recording: Fred Derf

Tune Notes: Frank Powers

Dirty Shame Records STEREO DSR 2003

1979

From the back cover: ST. LOUIS SHUFFLE: Legend says this is one of nine tunes Fats Waller gave to Fletcher Henderson to cover the corpulent one's tab in a hamburger joint in 1926. It's a good story and sounds typical of Fats; it's a shame it isn't true. Actually, Fats always got composer credit along with co-authors Jack Pettis and Al Goering They played saxophone and piano respectively with Ben Bernie. How much Pettis or Goering had to do with the composition might be questioned, but in all fairness, they did pen some other decent hot instrumental without help from Waller. Pettis made the initial recording in December 1926. Henderson recorded the number twice in the spring of the following year, first under the name of the Dixie Stompers for Columbia's low cost Harmony subsidiary and, in a more developed Ron Redman orchestration, for the Victor Company. The version here is partially adapted by Frank Powers from the Robbins published stock orchestration and the Henderson recorded versions.

HARLEM BLUES: This is a neglected W. C. Handy masterpiece copywrited in 1922. As in many of the Handy blues it is partially adapted from folk sources. The main theme will be recognized as the folk song BEEN AROUND THIS OLD TOWN TOO LONG. But Handy was far more than a collector of folk lore. As this tune and others like AUNT HAGAR'S BLUES demonstrate, he was a master of complex harmony and musical form. The version here attempts to exploit and showcase those harmonic and structural complexities and contrast them to the sensuous abandonment of the free ensemble playing on the main theme. Frank Powers did the chart with editorial assistance from Eddy Davis.

WHEN ERASTUS PLAYS HIS OLD KAZOO: This tune was written by three tin pan alley tunesmiths, Larry Spier, Sam Coslow and Sammy Fain, in 1926. The definitive version is the one recorded by Johnny Dodds and his Black Bottom Stompers. During the New Orleans revival of the '40s and '50s the tune was resurrected. Gene Mayl's Dixieland Rhythm Kings recorded a version for Riverside in 1953. Trombonist Jim Snyder was inspired to bring this one to the band after hearing a more recent recording by the South Frisco Jazz Band, a group he subsequently has played with.

BOY IN THE BOAT: This piece, originally called THE ROCK, was written by Charlie Johnson, leader of the house band at Small's Paradise in Harlem during the '20s and '30s. Don't confuse this tune with a Harlem ditty of the same name which forms the basis for Fats Waller's SQUEEZE ME. Johnson's Paradise Or- chestra made a classic recording in 1928 that strongly suggests that Duke Ellington was not unique for playing in the so-called jungle style. This particular adaption by Frank Powers was previously recorded by Cincinnati's Queen City Jazz Band in 1961.

EVERYBODY STOMP: This hot dance tune was written in 1925 by Billy Meyers, an obscure early figure on the Chicago music scene, and Elmer Schoebel, a skilled jazz pianist and composer who worked and recorded with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Schoebel is best remembered as a composer of Farewell Blues, Bugle Call Rag and his biggest hit, Nobody's Sweet- heart. Everybody Stomp was recorded by a number of hot '20s dance bands. The version that inspires this particular Powers arrangement is the one recorded by the Cotton Club Orchestra, a black group from the Middle West that eventually changed its name to the Missourians before being taken over by a hyper-active scat singer named Cab Calloway.

YELLOW ROSE RAG: This is Terry Waldo's rather successful attempt to compose a rag in the Joplin tradition. It was originally supposed to be incorporated in Terry's Warren G. Harding show, but fell victim to production considerations. It has subsequently been published in several forms. Waldo recorded a piano solo version on a earlier Dirty Shame recording (Snookums Rag, DRS 1237). This arrangement written by Frank Powers and the performance can be said to be a reaction to clinical orchestral interpretations of ragtime in recent vogue. Rags constitute a major portion of the library of early jazz and the performance of rags as jazz tunes and in a jazz style is both appropriate and wonderful.

ZULUS BALL: This is one of the most obscure of all the tunes re- corded by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Only one copy of that rare 1923 Oliver Gennett recording is known to exist. That worn platter was in the possession of Monte Ballou, the Portland, Oregon banjoist, reconteur and leader of the Castle Jazz Band. Biltmore, a bootleg reissuer of the early '50s, put out a dubbed version on 78 in that was nearly inaudible. Ballou's copy was eventually purchased by collector Robert Altshuler who then sold it to Herwin records where superior engineering by Nick Perl's produced a reasonably audible dubbing. The resulting LP recording of the Oliver Gennett's inspired Frank Powers to transcribe the number for Waldo's Gutbucket Syncopators. Thus, they become, as far as can be determined, the first band to perform and record this tune in over 50 years.

MANDY, MAKE UP YOUR MIND: This 1924 pop tune composed by George W. Meyer, Arthur Johnston, Grant Clarke and Roy Turk may be the nearest thing to a standard repertory item on this LP. Louis Armstrong was involved in two memorable recordings of this tune in 1924, one with Fletcher Henderson; the other with Clarence Williams' Blue Five. Maybe Muggsy Spanier recalled those records when he resurrected the piece for his Ragtime Band in 1939. Later versions are as diversified as Wild Bill Davison's effort with strings. and Turk Murphy's more barrelhouse rendering featuring the wonderful piano of Don Ewell. The band is indebted to banjoist Eddy Davis for setting right the changes for the last eight bars.

TERRY WALDO, leader and pianist, needs no introduction. From his headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, he authored a book on ragtime (THIS IS RAGTIME, Hawthorn, 1976), transcribed a folio of Eubie Blake piano compositions (SINCERELY, EUBIE BLAKE, Marks Music, 1975), composed the music for a Broadway show yet to premier based on the life of Warren G. Harding, produced a series of programs of recordings and comments on the history of ragtime for National Public Radio, and has still found time to perform as a soloist, accompanyist to singer Susan LaMarche and as leader of the Gutbucket Syncopators at festivals, concerts and night clubs throughout the United States. Terry is a protege of the vernerable Eubie Blake.

EDDY DAVIS, banjo, is a major star in the firmament of the New York traditional jazz, club and studio scene. Like Snyder, he is at graduate of the Original Salty Dogs. He has toured Europe exten- sively, recorded with his own group, Eddy Davis's Hot Jazz Orchestra, and performed with others like Vince Giardano's New Orleans Nighthawks and the Jazz A'cordes. Eddy and Terry first came together in New York where the former was conductor and orchestrator for the tranditional jazz group in pit for Terry's Warren G. Harding show. Eddy is one of the truly unique personalities in traditional jazz a virtuoso on several instruments, a skilled composer and orchestrator, an entertaining vocalist, and dedicated musical perfectionist.

LOUISE ANDERSON, tuba, a relative newcomer to traditional jazz, is a professional musician, orchestrator, composer and vocalist of many years experience in the folk, rock and classical fields. She dis- covered traditional jazz by accident when she stumbled into Arnold's, a traditional jazz hangout in Cincinnati. She retreated to her battered van; procured "Heinrich," an ancient tuba of Tuetonic origin, and assumed a position that has become permanent. She currently leads Arnold's Thursday night group, the Bluebird Jazz Band. Lou is a sought after studio musician doubling on both string bass and fender bass. She currently seeks a bass saxophone for her arsenal and plans to search for the elusive echo of Adrian Rollini.

FRANK POWERS, clarinet, tenor saxophone and arranger, is also a charter member of the Syncopators. His association with Roy Tate goes back 25 years. They worked together in various bands includ- ing Cincinnati's Queen City Jazz Band and Gene Mayl's Dixieland Rhythm Kings. Frank also played with Carl Halen's Gen Bottle Seven and appeared and recorded with the famous Boll Weevil Jass Band. His playing is an amalgam of clarinetist like Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, Omer Simeon, Frank Teschmacher and Pee Wee Russell. He is generally conceded to possess one of the more distinctive sounds in traditional jazz. He is the orchestrator of six of the selec- tions on this LP. He is also a co-founder of the Classic Jazz Society of Southwestern Ohio.

HAL SMITH, drums, is a Californian deeply involved in Bay Area traditional jazz activities. He had met some of the syncopators through former WGS drummer Wayne Jones. When Hal appeared with the Euphonic Jazz Band at the Central City Jazz Festival in 1978 Terry asked him to sit in. Afterwards Jim Snyder commented, "We've been waiting seven years to hear those temple blocks on the Mooche." Hal is drummer for the Golden State Jazz Band in California, a group that features such traditional jazz luminaries as Bill Napier, Ev Farey, Bob Mielke and Carl Lunsford. He is also editor of the newsletter of the New Orleans Jazz Club of Northern California.

ROY TATE, trumpet, is a charter member of the Syncopators. He first attracted attention as the trumpeter with Monte Tabbert's Queen City Jazz Band of Cincinnati in the late '50s. Subsequently he worked with Gene Mayl's Dixieland Rhythm Kings and other groups. Waldo describes Roy (known as "Swine-chops" to insiders) as the last of the great freak players. This a reference to such black trumpet stylists of the late 20s like King Oliver, Louis Metcalf, and Jabbo Smith. Much of the unique sound of the band is attributable to Roy.

JIM SNYDER, trombone, joined the Syncopators in 1971. Prior to that he had been a mainstay with Chicago's Original Salty Dogs since college days. Snyder is one of the most respected players in traditional jazz and a totally committed band player. He must be considered among the top ensemble players of traditional jazz, yet he is a soloist as skill, taste and wit. Snyd is one of a battalion of trombonists in the Turk Murphy style, but it is said that he is Turk's personal favorite.

Waldo's Gut-Bucket Syncopators - Hot Jazz Vol. One

 

Deep Henderson

Waldo's Gutbucket Syncopators

Hot Jazz Vol. One

Featuring Roy Tate, Bob Butters, Frank Powers, Terry Waldo, Jim Marshall, Blaine "Kid" Garver and Tom Hyer

Engineer: Bill Finan

G.H.B. Records Stereophonic GHB-55

From the back cover: Many authorities in the field of classic jazz agree that there are certain factors that produced and sustained the fine performances found in the bands of Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Bennie Moten, etc. These factors are: arrangements that assured the full use of harmony, improvised solos by highly competent musicians, and a relaxation that could only come from an understanding of and a feeling for the style. This recording combines all of these.

It is certainly not by chance that WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS made this record, or that it was recorded in the southwestern Ohio area. This locale has had a long history of musical excellence which is further exemplified here. The region has made important contributions to the history of jazz, but it was during the New Orleans revival of the forties and fifties that the Cincinnati-Dayton area attracted the most attention.

Possibly the first of the revival bands playing in the area was the DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS, sporting musicians such as Carl Halen, Gene Mayl, and Tom Hyer. It was during this early period that the famous JAZZ DISC and KNICKERBOCKERS sides were made (now available on GHB-7), Carl Halen organized a new band, the GIN BOTTLE SEVEN PLUS TWO, later called THE GIN BOTTLE SEVEN. This band played regularly in Cincinnati and Dayton, while the legendary Sheik Coyle and Pat Patterson performed in the Hamilton, Ohio area.

The musical climate created by these local bands attracted George Lewis to perform in many of the universities in this region. His attention to southwestern Ohio possibly prompted the formation of later jazz bands, including the CALHOUN STREET STOMPERS in which Frank Powers played. In 1957 the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND was formed, and by the fall of 1958 it included Roy Tate on trumpet, Frank Powers on clarinèt. Some time later Tom Hyer joined with his drums. It was this aggregation, with Frank Powers writing arrangements, that made the QCJB recording for the short-lived TOAD label.

When Frank Powers was working with the DRK, Terry Waldo happened on the scene. Terry had organized and led THE NEW MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS, a seven-piece traditional jazz band with its home base in Columbus, Ohio. By early 1970, Terry, Roy Tate, Frank Powers, and Tom Hyer felt that there was an opportunity to form a band to play traditional jazz as it should be played. The band played its first job in Dayton, at a Village Inn Pizza Parlor. Terry had started on tuba but switched to piano when Fred Gary, the original pianist, left the band. Steve Ley of the Purdue University SALTY DOGS played trombone and brought with him Jim Marshall on banjo. The job lasted six weeks and the band then moved to Columbus, Ohio. It was here that Bob Butters replaced Steve Ley on trombone. It was during this period on April 19, 1970, that this album was recorded.

The best way to express the raison d'etre for the album is to quote Frank Powers: "This band, this recording, is in the nature of a crusade to prove something about what traditional jazz might be. It is directed to the attention of intelligent people who regard jazz as an art form. Most of us are tired of commercial dixieland and are disturbed by the narrow limits (musically) of current pop music. I believe that traditional jazz musicians have an insight that gives their view of contemporary popular culture a perspective."

THE MUSICIANS

Ralph Emerson Waldo, III (Terry), piano and leader, displays a versatility as varied as his talents. His primary musical interest is classic ragtime piano, but he also plays tuba, banjo, and string bass. Terry provided the impetus and enthusiasm that has sparked this recording. His single-minded dedieation transmitted itself to other members of the band. In addition to WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS, Terry has organized THE COLUMBUS RAGTIMERS, a three-piece ragtime group performing in the Columbus, Ohio area and the NEW MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS, a seven- piece traditional jazz band which played in central Ohio from 1965 to 1968. He has often performed with Gene Mayl's DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS since 1963, and on occasion he has played with THE BOLL WEEVILS, TURK MURPHY'S JAZZ BAND, and various RED GARTER BANJO BANDS.

Frank Powers, clarinet and arranger, started on piano in a high school band THE CIRCLE CITY BLUE BLOWERS, in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Later, after finding a $2.00 Albert system clarinet in a junk shop, he switched to clarinet.

Frank is well known as a serious record collector and a student of jazz, possessing a large collection of jazz-oriented music. Much of the good taste in the sound and selection of material of the SYNCOPATORS can be attributed to him. He has played with THE GIN BOTTLE SEVEN, the DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS, the BOLL WEEVIL JAZZ BAND, and the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND. He has recorded with the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND, the BOLL WEEVIL JAZZ BAND, and with George Brunis, supported by one of Gene Mayl's groups. Frank arranged for the Queen City album, as well as writing all the band arrangements used in this re- cording.

Roy Tate, Jr., traded his bicycle for a trumpet at the age of fourteen and has been playing ever since. His style certainly gives the band much of its personality. Few players display the emotional impact of his performances. It is apparent that his style profoundly influences the musical direction of the group. Roy has played with the CALHOUN STREET STOMPERS, Gene Mayl's DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS, and has recorded with the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND.

Bob Butters had his own band during the college years, the DINNER MUSIC SOCIETY OF UPPER BEACON STREET. He also played occa- sionally with Walt Gifford's band at Harvard, THE CRIMSON STOMPERS. Between 1947 and 1951 he became an informal member of the house band at the Old Savoy Cafe in Boston. Here he spent time in the musical company of artists like Wild Bill Davison, Henry "Red" Allen, Jimmy McPartland, Phil Napoleon, Omer Simeon, Bud Freeman, etc. From 1951 to 1958 Bob played and recorded with the GIN BOTTLE SEVEN. Frank Powers first heard him with this band at the Sinton Hotel Mayfair Room in 1954. Since that time Bob has performed with Gene Mayl's DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS and Eddie Bayard's BOURBON STREET FIVE.

Jim Marshall began playing tenor banjo as well as five-string in 1959. He played with a local Indianapolis group and later with the Purdue University SALTY DOGS, then led by trombonist Steve Ley. (Steve brought Jim to the attention of WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS.) Jim has worked with the BOLL WEEVIL JAZZ BAND in the Ragtime Festival in St. Louis.

Blaine "Kid" Garver, tuba, the youngest member of the Syncopators (age 19), attends Ohio State University majoring in music. He has been performing professionally since the summer of 1969, occasionally filling in on string bass and baritone. Blaine also plays in a three-piece polka band THE POLKA DOTS, currently appearing in the Columbus area. WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS has found a convert in Blaine, who says that his " ambition is to be a good all-round tuba player and never give up traditional jazz."

Tom Hyer, drums, has been playing professionally since 1946. He has played with virtually every band in the central Ohio area. In 1948 Tom joined the DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS and has continued to work with later Gene Mayl bands. Starting in 1953, he joined the GIN BOTTLE SEVEN, playing with them at various times in the ensuing years. He played with Frank Powers in the LOSANTIVILLE RHYTHM MAKERS in 1961 and with the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND in 1962. Tom has recorded with the GIN BOTTLE SEVEN, the DIXIELAND RHYTHM KINGS, the QUEEN CITY JAZZ BAND, and the BOLL WEEVIL JAZZ BAND.

THE MUSIC

Much of the freshness and vitality of many early classic jazz performances can be attributed to the selection of musical material. WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS present here a collection of tunes all of which were written, and many recorded, before 1926. Each tune was selected because it imparts a feeling of the twenties and provides ample opportunity for solo and ensemble playing. These are not recreations of earlier performances but are original interpretations that wed talent and imagination to produce all of the excitement of the classic presentations.

HERE COMES THE HOT TAMALE MAN, written circa 1925 was a pop tune which received notice because of two recordings by the DOC COOK ORCHESTRA OF CHICAGO, which included famous New Orleans trumpeter Freddie Keppard Cook recorded the piece twice, once in June, 1926 with a small group out of his band (COOKIE'S GINGERSNAPS) and again in July, 1926 with the larger DOC COOK ORCHESTRA. In this arrangement, the Syncopators evidence a swinging quality seldom found in renditions of this number.

KISS ME SWEET was written around 1923 by A. J. Piron and Steve Lewis, two fine New Orleans musicians. Lewis was the pianist in PIRON'S NEW ORLEANS ORCHESTRA which recorded the number in 1923 and again in 1924. The later version remained unissued. Butterbeans and Susie, a vaudeville singing team, also recorded the tune in 1924 accompanied by Clarence Williams and King Oliver.

ORIGINAL RAGS, written in 1899 was Sectt Joplin's first published rag. It was recorded by Jelly Roll Morton as late as 1939. Morton often used this tune to demonstrate his alleged transformation of ragtime to jazz. Here we have the rag played with jazz band instrumentation and building the same feeling of momentum and exhilaration as the piano version.

HESITATION BLUES is a fine old blues copyrighted in 1926 by Billy Smythe, Scott Middleton, and Art Gillham, which has not, until now, produced a recording worthy of it. It is sometimes confused with HESITATING BLUES, written by W. C. Handy, although the melody and lyrics are different. This version of HESITATION BLUES may well be the best recording made to date, and is certainly one of the high points of the album. All of the ensembles and solos capture much of the intensity of the best in tra- ditional jazz.

SOUTHERN STOMPS, copywrited circa 1923, was written by Richard M. Jones, pianist and composer of a number of piano pieces and Dave Peyton, leader of PEYTON'S SYMPHONIC SYNCOPATORS, a band which at one time included King Oliver. Oliver's band recorded this number in 1923. Much of the feeling and sensitivity of the Oliver performance has been retained in this arrangment.

BROADWAY ROSE is a pop tune that was recorded in 1920 by the ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND. This is probably its first recording since that time.

BLACK BOTTOM STOMP, written by Jelly Roll Morton and recorded by his RED HOT PEPPERS in 1926, remains a jazz classic. It was also recorded in 1926 by RED AND MIFF'S STOMPERS. This version closely follows the Morton arrangement, retaining all of the vitality and drive in- herent in the tune.

WHY COULDN'T IT BE POOR LITTLE ME was written by Isham Jones around 1924 and was originally recorded by Fletcher Henderson in 1925 with a young Louis Armstrong on trumpet. Later that same year in was recorded by Muggsy Spanier and THE STOMP SIX. This mid-twenties pop tune was revived in 1933 by Benny Goodman who made a fine recording of it with his orchestra which included Jack Teagarden.

DEEP HENDERSON, copywrited in 1926, became a standard instru- mental feature of the 1920's. It was recorded by the COON-SANDERS ORCHESTRA in April of that year. The numerous breaks and strains in this Frank Powers arrangement are a challenge to a band's ability to maintain a high level of enthusiasm and movement.

ENTERTAINER'S RAG, written by Jay Roberts and copywrited in 1912, is one of the more obscure rags. This piano number has sometimes been confused with the more popular Scott Joplin number, THE ENTER- TAINER. This version, one of the few recorded performances of the rag. features Terry Waldo on piano.

STAMPEDE, written by Fletcher Henderson, was recorded by his or- chestra in 1926 and also by the SAVOY BEARCATS in that same year. The JEAN GOLDKETTE ORCHESTRA with Bix recorded it in 1927 but it was unfortunately, never issued. Red Nichols and Miff Mole also recorded it in 1926 as RED AND MIFF'S STOMPERS. Henderson again recorded the tune in 1937. The number of recordings of this fine jazz composition and the calibre of the recording artists attest to its quality. This version by WALDO'S GUTBUCKET SYNCOPATORS carries on the tradition and retains all the fire and exuberance of the original. Some will find it the most exciting cut on the album. – Bob Fertig

Here Comes The Hot Tamale Man

Kiss Me Sweet

Orignal Rags

Hesitation Blues

Southern Stomp

Broadway Rose

Black Bottom Stomp

Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me

Deep Henderson

Entertainer's Rag

Stampede

Ella Logan Sings

 

Ella Logan Sings

Ella Logan Sings

Allegro Elite Long Playing 4048 (10-inch LP)

There's A Small Hotel

A Little Bit Of Heaven

That Old Feeling

Book At My Bedside

It's A Long Long Way To Tipperary

Give My Regards To Broadway

Loch Lamond

America I Love You

Percussion And Brass - The Grand Award All Stars

 

Nature Boy

Percussion And Brass

Featuring The Grand Award All Stars

Produced and Originated by Enoch Light

Grand Award STEREOPHONIC GA 2255 SD

1960

Grand Award All Stars: Doc Severinsen, Mel Davis, Bernie Glow, Bobby Bryne, Nick Hixon, Ezelle Watson, Stanley Webb, Bob Haggart, Artie Marotti, Willie Rodriguez, Cliff Leeman, Don Lamond, Phil Bodner, Al Cassamenti, Sol Gubin, Dominic Cortesi

From the back cover: For the most exciting musical adventures made possible by the newest advances in stereophonic recording techniques, no instruments can match the thrills afforded by the brilliant brassiness of trumpets and trombones and the stabbing, insistent rhythms of the drums, scratchers, bells, rattlers and cymbals that make up a percussion section.

But there is more than aural excitement alone in these specially sound-crafted arrangements for percussion and brass, written by the outstanding pioneer in this new form of orchestration, Lew Davies. The tremendous variety of striking and subtle shadings that can be produced by either brass or percussion is another of the many ear-opening surprises they contain.

On Danny Boy and That's My Desire, for instance, you hear the bright, open sound of Doc Severinson's trumpet ringing out in its full splendor over the compelling beat of an all-star percussion team made up of Willie Rodriguez, king of the bongos, Cliff Leeman, one of the all-time great jazz drummers, and Artie Marotti, a versatile virtuoso on vibraphone, xylophone and all the drums and cymbals and knockers in the percussion set-up.

Yet on Nature Boy it is the percussion that dominates the arrangement. Extra accents are provided by such percussive tools as the guerra, which makes a scratching sound (at the very end you'll hear a small guerra playing against a large guerra), and the cabasa, a huge, rattling gourd, while the trumpet is gently muted and flutes and guitars help to carry the melody.

Then, in full contrast, the brass disappears entirely on Hands Across the Table, Allah's Holiday and the lovely folk song, I Know Where I'm Going. Instead, reeds and woodwinds are heard in conjunction with an unusual mixture of exotic percussion instruments. On Hands Across the Table a fascinating underlying rhythm is supplied by a handful of timbales sticks which are struck firmly on the open palm while the baritone saxophone, bass clarinet and accordion combine (in the second chorus) to form one of the richest, mellowest sounds ever recorded.

Allah's Holiday opens with a figure played in unison by a guitar and an Islamic mission bell, blending into a complementary figure which involves three piccolos and an electronically treated piano-a remarkable and previously unheard musical combination. During the melody you'll hear another intriguing combination of sounds-English horn and flute-and, at the very end, this same combination is spiced by the addition of a high-voiced piccolo. An example of the delicacy that can be found in a phalanx of percussive instruments appears in the opening of I Know Where I'm Going. The first repeated pattern is played by celeste, accordion, maraccas and vibraphone-a revealing lesson in musical lucidity.

Lew Davies' arrangements are designed not only to give new musical excitement and values to this carefully chosen set of favorite tunes but also to combine and contrast the wide range of sounds of which these instruments are capable. He has created musical subtleties that can only be appreciated when the sound of each instrument is clearly and separately defined both in the studio recording and in its reproduction on your equipment. The painstakingly careful engineering that goes into Grand Award's spectacular stereophonic recording has made this separation possible, preserving every bit of the fascinating and exciting musical brilliance that makes these performances a unique and memorable listening experience.

The Boy Next Door

They Can't Take That Away From Me

Music Maestro Please

Danny Boy

Nature Boy

I've Got You Under My Skin

That's My Desire

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter

Hands Across The Table

Allah's Holiday

I Know Where I'm Going

Talk Of The Town

Dance The Fox Trot - Various

 

Dance The Fox Trot

Dance The Fox Trot

Cover: Kyler / Monogram

Columbia Records CL 533

The titles in this set were selected with the cooperation of Miss Betty White, Author of 'Betty White' Teen-Age Dance Book' and Betty White's Dancing Made Easy'.

Harlem Nocturner - Dick Jurgens

I'm Beginning To See The Light - Harry James

On The Sunny Side Of The Street - Tony Pastor

You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me - Tony Pastor

I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Les Brown

Coquette - George Siravo

Deep Purple - Hal McIntyre

Goosey Gander - Woody Herman

Time On My Hands - Buddy James

You're Driving Me Crazy! - Tony Pastor

Linda - Ray Noble (vocal - Buddy Clark)

Girl Of My Dream - Sammy Kaye

The Return Of The Seven - Al Caiola

 

The Flame And The Fire

The Return Of The Seven and Other Themes

Al Caiola

Produced by Leroy Holmes

United Artists UAS 6560

From the back cover: During recent years, the popular music scene has undergone many notable changes. Not the least of these is the emergence of first Hollywood, then television themes, as a source of songs that have become standard fare, joining, of course, that long-flowing gusher of evergreens from the Broadway stage. And during this period, one of the world's foremost entrepreneurs of this kind of an instrumental menu has been AL CAIOLA, guitarist supreme, instrumentalist par excellence, and imaginative arranger.

Some two decades ago, Al merely accompanied the vocal greats at their hit platter sessions, and then a little more than a half-decade ago, exploded into the national spotlight with a string of best-selling singles and albums and has not stopped turning out successful discs ever since. Al is a dedicated musician. He lives, breathes and thinks music. His trademark is superb taste – whether it be in his choice of instrumentation, his arrangements, or his selection of a program. All these facets and many more are so very much in evidence in this, his latest collection for United Artists Records.

Caiola has carefully plucked the choice plums of recent vintage from those three areas mentioned in the initial paragraph, and' video, the silver screen and the proscenium arch have never been more liltingly saluted. These are the tunes that are assured of long life, and just about every one, in addition to standing up on its own two feet as a brilliant melodic entity, is certain to recall to many some memorable theatrical moments. "RETURN OF THE SEVEN" is the sequel to the AL CAIOLA hit, "The Magnificent Seven", and succinctly tells the story of the entire album. In other words, here are the newer melodies that have scored, and will be around for moons and moons and moons. They are beautifully and magnificently presented to you by the great AL CAIOLA and a full crew of truly gifted musicians. It is safe to say that listeners will return again and again to "RETURN OF THE SEVEN".

Return Of The Seven from the United Artist Film "Return Of The Seven"

Theme from "The Sand Pebbles" from the film "The Sand Pebbles"

The Spies from the TV Series "The Spies"

Penelope from the film "Penelope"

When The Day Is All Done (Foyo) from the Musical Entertainment "Wait A Minim")

Strangers In The Night 

Rat Patrol (Main Theme) from the TV Show "Rat Patrol"

Theme From "Maya" from the film "Maya"

Cast A Giant Shadow from the United Artists Film Festival"Cast A Giant Shadow"

The Flame And The Fire from the film "The Flame And The Fire"

Duel At Diablo from the United Artists Film" Duel At Diablo"

In The Mood - Francis Bay

 

In The Mood

In The Mood

Memories of the Glenn Miller era

Francis Bay and His Orchestra

All Francis Bay Orchestra Recordings are produced for Omega Records by Peter Blum and David Hubert

Cover Design: Mike Johnson

Cover Photo: George Jerman / Photography 2

Omega Records OSL-18

From the back cover: FRANCIS BAY has been quietly perfecting his orchestra for more than five years, They play every week on programs of the Brussels Radio and during the past year they have burst forth throughout Europe as THE most talked about orchestra. Any jukebox in Belgium, France, or England is likely to include two or three records by the Bay Orchestra. His recording of "Eso Es El Amor" is the biggest hit of many latin-styled best sellers during the past few years. The Bay Orchestra recently won the highly coveted"Golden Gondol" trophy in a battle of the bands from all over the world held in Venice. The precision section work and fluid jazz improvisation of the soloists are a product of years of rehearsal and development shared by the same group of musicians with very few replacements in the ranks of the musicians. The result is an orchestra in which the musical rapport between musicians is amazing. All of the members of the Bay Orchestra have invested the greatest care in making a danceable, jazz-flavored, fresh group of recordings, but the driving force that makes the Bay Orchestra function as a musical unit is Francis Bay himself. He already has a large following of fans in Europe who know him affectionately as "Francis." Recently his fame has spread to Japan, Mexico, and Canada as well as the United States. People everywhere who have come to appreciate good music are enthusiastic in their praise of Francis Bay because of his most distinctive contribution to popular music... perfection.

Also from the back cover: Remember that day just before Christmas in 1944, when a small Army Air Force plane disappeared over the English Channel? That plane carried in addition to a pilot, a colonel and a major. Most people have forgotten the name of the colonel, but no one who has ever listened or danced to American music will ever forget the name of the major. With the death of Glenn Miller there came more than a sad feeling of loss. It marked the presumable end of one of the truly great eras of American dance band music.

But Glenn Miller has left us a legacy. It is the memory of a musical style that is as alive today as it was in the late Thirties and early Forties. What's more, the remarkable thing about that memory is the relatively short life of the Miller band. Glenn Miller was a civilian band leader for only five years, and the fabulously successful Miller band that we remember best was only in existence for three. But during that short space of time the Miller style and the legion of Miller-made hits caused such an important impression that it will be remembered as the most popular dance band ever put on wax.

There isn't anyone who has ever heard the Miller style who cannot recognize its familiar trademarks... the famous clarinet lead in the reed section, the crisp, controlled brass sound ... and most of all, the characteristic sweet swing.

There is a story of how the Miller style was discovered. It was almost by accident. Early in his career, when Miller was arranging for the Ray Noble band, he decided to experiment by voicing a high lead trumpet with four reeds. Years later, after Miller had failed as a leader twice and had disbanded two early bands, he suddenly hit upon the idea of building  success of Miller's music was never rivalled during his lifetime, since his death his influence has been felt strongly enough to create countless imitators. Many latter day popular bands have built enviable reputations by picking up the most recognizable hallmarks of the Miller sound and adding individual interpretations.

Today, when the countries of the world have gathered in one place to exhibit at the Brussels World's Fair, one of the most notable wares of each nation is its music. It was fitting that, as part of a salute to American dance bands, the Bay Big Band pay tribute to one of the most distinguished styles in "dancebandom" by playing Miller's music in its pure form.

Some of Miller's all-time smash hits were recorded at the Fair by the Bay Big Band with the same precision and vitality you heard in the originals.

Today, in realistic stereo, they'll take you back to an unforgettable night at the Glen Island Casino or the Meadowbrook in New Jersey, or perhaps to a memorable afternoon in a Hollywood radio station when you sat through an interminable film on the growing of tobacco just to hear fifteen minutes of the Miller sound as it was being broadcast coast to coast on radio.

With this salute to the Miller big band, Omega is proud to bring you once again some of the most listenable and danceable music ever written. – CY SCHNEIDER

Saint Louis Blues (March)

At Last

Sleepy Town Train

In The Mood

Yesterday's Gardenias

American Patrol

I Know Why

Tuxedo-Junction

Rhapsody In Blue

Adios

Chicago Shouts! - Dave Remington

 

Chicago Shouts!

Chicago Shouts!

The Chicago Sound of Dave Remington's Big Band

The Compositions and Arrangements of Loren Binford, Les Hooper, Bobby Lewis

The Tenor Saxophone of John Klemmer

Cover Photography by Mike Willett

Cover Design by John Hill

Universal Records 76835S STEREO

1968

From the back cover: CHICAGO SHOUTS! introduces a brand new Chicago big band sound. Organized in January 1968 by Dave Remington, the band remains a working unit with regular appearances at The Abbey Hotel in Fontana, Wisconsin. This album presents the singing of Irene Kral, the tenor sax of John Klemmer and the compositions and arrangements of Loren Binford, Les Hooper and Bobby Lewis. The audio engineering was by Murray Allen.

Three of the tunes are sung by Irene Kral: UNLIT ROOM, WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON and WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. Recorded a few weeks prior to Irene's departure to Los Angeles, the album certainly captures the sound of a great voice and the spirit of a groovy woman.

Loren Binford contributed the composition and arrangement of HERE'S HOYLE. Arthur Hoyle is featured playing the flueglehorn. Binford played first trombone on both sessions and has arranged for Art Van Damme, the Ed Higgins Trio and the Warren Kime Brass Impact Band. He received both his BM and MM from Northwestern University.

Les Hooper created the arrangements on UNLIT ROOM, WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS, GOING OUT OF MY HEAD, GREEN DOLPHIN STREET, LAST SUMMER'S SPELL and UP, UP AND AWAY. Les composed and arranged LONLY PIRCUS. A composition major at LSU, Les is active in the commercial jingle business in Chicago, including the scoring of TV films. LAST SUMMER'S SPELL, composed by John Klemmer, indicates the direction that Les Hooper's writing will take in the future... a longer musical form for large orchestra in the jazz character. Les, of course, is the pianist on the album.

Bobby Lewis composed and arranged MARCH WINDS and arranged both GIRL TALK and NORWEGIAN WOOD. Bobby earned his Masters Degree in trumpet from the University of Wis- consin and recently began his musical writing. Several years with Jack Teagarden, Tex Beneke and Skitch Henderson preceeded his entry into the commercial field in Chicago as both arranger and trumpet player. Bobby has also written a trumpet etude book, french horn sonata and brass ensemble works. On CHICAGO SHOUTS! he splits the lead book with John Howell.

Father Robert Owen, Chicago's Night Pastor, is friendly with all the musicians on the album and has contributed financially to the introduction of this big band. The Night Pastor and Dave Remington have been associated for many years, and this album will be used as a fund raiser for Father Owen's near northside ministry. With offices at 30 East Oak Street, the Night Pastor works through the night until 6:00 A.M. each day offering his help to the people of Old Town and the Rush Street night club district. Additional copies of this album can be ordered from the Night Pastor's office as well as at your local record store!

Featured throughout the album is the tenor sax of John Klemmer. John appears through the courtesy of Cadet Records, and immediately following the date left Chicago for the Don Ellis Band in Los Angeles. LAST SUMMER'S SPELL is a Klemmer composition and features John on tenor. The album also signals the return of former business executive Bob Cousins to the music profession, and his drumming sparks the entire session. Jim Atlas is featured on bass in GREEN DOLPHIN STREET, and Ron Kolber is heard on GIRL TALK.

The Abbey Hotel on Lake Geneva at Fontana, Wisconsin, successfully presents the Dave Remington big band on the third Friday of each month. Now in its sixth year, Remington has been associated with the hotel throughout that time as musical director and leader of his own quartet. The Abbey has consistently presented excellent music and musicians to match the elegant atmosphere and food of this magnificent hotel.

Universal Records, Inc. is happy to introduce this Chicago band. And it is a genuine Chicago effort. The sound of Universal Studio A, Chicago musicians and arrangers and the voice of a Chicago singer are all here. You will dig this album. . . and believe me, you ain't heard nothin' yet! – Bernie Clapper, Pres., Universal Records, Inc.

RECORDED MAY 6, 1968

Trumpets: John Howell, Bobby Lewis, Arthur Hoyle, Joe Burnett. Trombones: Loren Binford, John Avant, Bob Rudolph (bass), Dave Remington. Reeds: John Klemmer, tenor; Joe Daley, tenor; Ted Dolan, alto; Al Porth, alto and flute: Ron Kolber, baritone. Rhythm section: Les Hooper, piano: Jim Atlas, bass and electric bass: Bob Cousins, drums. UNLIT ROOM, GIRL TALK, UP, UP AND AWAY. NORWEGIAN WOOD, WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. LONLY PIRCUS, MARCH WINDS. HERE'S HOYLE, LAST SUMMER'S SPELL.

RECORDED JUNE 19, 1968

Trumpets: Bobby Lewis, Joe Burnett. George Bean, Gary Slavo. Trombones: Loren Binford, Ed Avis, Bob Rudolph, Dave Remington. Reeds: Joe Daley, tenor; Sandy Mosse, tenor; Al Porth, alto and flute: Bob Ericson, alto: Ron Kolber, baritone. Rhythm section: Hooper, Atlas, and Cousins. GOING OUT OF MY HEAD, GREEN DOLPHIN STREET.

Unlit Room

Girl Talk

Up, Up And Away

Green Dolphin Street

Without Rhyme Or Reason

Norwegian Wood

March Winds

Here's Hoyle

Last Summer's Spell

Watch What Happens Lonely Pircus

Going Out Of My Head

The View From Jazzbo's Head - The Six

 

Phweedan

The View From Jazzbo's Head

The Six

Cover: Burt Goldblatt

Rep Records REP-210

1956

Bob Wilber - Clarinet, Tenor Sax

John Glasel - Trumpet

Sonny Truitt - Trombone

Bob Hammer - Piano

Bill Britto - Bass

Jackie Moffitt - Drums

From the back cover: "It's nice to see such a clean-cut group so dedicated to their work." This comment was passed by a hard-boiled publicity man at New York's Club Bohemia during an engagement The Six had there during the winter. Coincidentally, he said in effect what many of us have known about this group for many months, i.e., that they are young and devoted students of their art, constantly striving for perfection of technique and expression.

Much has been written about the corporate nature of this distinctive unit so that we feel it unnecessary to elaborate the point save to say that the operation is controlled six ways. More important is the definite musical direction which the group has taken. The decision to bend to a left-of-center format was agreed to by each member of The Six in view of the fact that a "road" unit must have an identifiable trademark in order to interest club owners and customers.

In a more artistic sense, The Six found that adapting the group to the writing talents of such contemporaries as Washington, D.C., arranger Bill Potts gave a new flavor to the unit. Their original plan to fuse the best elements of two or more schools of jazz had reached a cross-road which demanded their ultimate decision.

Consider the wealth of talent amalgamated into this unit. In addition to his instrumental skill, each man makes an added contribution of specially written arrangements based upon his own interpretation of the group's sound and the instrumental technique displayed by each member. Certainly for unity of purpose within a small group there can be no more ideal union than this.

The discipline generated by the mutual efforts of The Six is not only musically gratifying but makes the task of recording an LP a far easier job. Rehearsals for the session started a full month prior to the date, and this extraordinary devotion to perfection resulted in the preparation of more tunes than the physical limits of a 12" platter will allow.

The tune analysis presented here was especially written for this liner by Bob Wilber. His attention to accuracy and detail reflects, in writing, the same dedicatory spirit which motivates The Six.

GIGGLES: Here is a Bill Potts arrangement of the familiar 12-bar blues theme with altered harmonic structure in the first four bars. Melody consists of four bars of even eighth notes, followed by a series of shorter, more conventional phrases. The arrangement achieves great unity through the use of interludes before each soloist and as background. (NB: The tenor-trombone background behind the second trumpet chorus is in reality the first phrase of Sonny Truitt's "Shifty" played in half time. The hard driving quality of the last chorus is suggestive of the type of writing Potts does for THE Orchestra in Washington, DC.

PHWEEDAH: This slightly exotic composition by Bob Wilber derives its title from a verbalization of the two note phrase which forms its base. The phrase is most closely as- sociated with Miles Davis and was first heard in "Venus de Milo" recorded by Miles in 1949. It's also heard in Bill Potts "Strange Diet" in the group's intial Bethlehem release. Dissonance of harmony is achieved through very close voicing of the three horns. The harmonic structure, which starts in B-flat major and ends in E-flat minor, gives the soloists something stimulatingly different upon which to improvise.

OVER THE RAINBOW: This one-chorus arrangement by Bill Britto is orchestrated for trombone, trumpet, tenor and bowed bass. This is obviously not jazz in the strict sense of the word but rather a contrapuntal four part arrangement of a familiar theme with a great deal of harmonic variation. Rhythmically the very straight melody in the trumpet is contrasted with a good deal of movement in the other three voices.

THE VIEW FROM JAZZBO'S HEAD: This sprightly num- ber, written by Bill Britto, is dedicated to our favorite disc jockey and any similarity in the title to a well known, best selling novel is completely uncoincidental. The tune illustrates Bill's most original use of form, quite a departure from the usual popular song type of construction, i.e., the improvised portions by trombone, trumpet and tenor are all of different length and different chord structure. This also gives our drummer, Jackie Moffitt, a chance to shine. His solo sustains the light, whimsical mood of the piece right through to its ensemble conclusion.

BLUE LOU: This is one of Sonny Truitt's few arrangements of a standard. He is much better known for his intriguing origi- nals. This particular arrangement has been played by various bands in the past few years, but this is the first time it has been recorded. While seemingly quite traditional in its close adherence. to the melodic line, it is nevertheless, unmistakably Truitt in its meticulous workmanship, logicality, and clever use of syncopation. The arrangement sets the mood for very relaxed soloing and close with some ensemble variations on the melody and a Kansas City-style tag.

OUR DELIGHT: Bob Hammer arranged this composition by Tad Dameron, the brilliant composer/arranger of the post- war jazz era. Although Dameron's compositions reflect the modern trend, they retain the directness and simplicity of the swing era. The tune is very conducive to extrovertish, uninhibited wailing and that's exactly what happens. After everyone's had their say, we modulate to a brighter key and romp to the finish.

MY OLD FLAME: This rather abstract arrangement by Bob Wilber features the clarinet throughout, opening with the three horns and bass. The five part writing is achieved by having the bass play double stops. This gives way to the clarinet's melodic variations over a line played by the bass. The piano doesn't enter until its solo, followed by clarinet in a new key bringing the piece to a close.

THE TROGLODYTE: The title of this Bill Britto original was suggested by a newspaper review of The Six while on tour in the mid-west in which the reviewer referred to our "Troglodytic Bass Player." The description fits Bill's retiring nature, not his playing as the tune will demonstrate. "The Troglodyte" is a tour-de-force in the tradition of "Jack the Bear," "One Bass Hit" etc,. and will serve to bring wider notice to Bill's superb musician- ship. – BOB WILBER

Giggles

Phweedah

Over The Rainbow

The View From Jazzbo's Head

Blue Lou

Our Delight

My Old Flame

The Troglodyte