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Tuesday, February 10, 2026

In The Last Analysis

 




In The Last Analysis

In The Last Analysis
The University Of Cincinnati Department Of Psychiatry 
17th Annual Christmas Skit, 1965
Written and Performed by The First Year Residents Department of Psychiatry University of Cincinnati
Recorded and Edited by Paul L. Whitehead and Perry B. Bach
Photography and Cover Design by Edward H. Stein and Perry B. Bach

Cast in order of appearance: James Robinson, Melvyn M. Nizny, Perry B. Bach, Richard Schaefer, Alan B. Levy, Perry Marshall, Robert Meitus, Robert Buchalter, Richard Arbogast, William MacMaster, Harry B. Woods, P. Gloria Burk, E. David Burk, Robert T. Daehler and Milton E. Block

From the back cover: Following the rich traditions set by their predecessors, those residents in their first year at the Department demonstrated their proficiency in psychoanalytic and insight directed therapy by writing the musical skit, "In the Last Analysis." Fortified by the Christmas Spirits, and having been assured that the audience had also imbibed, the writers turned performers. The production was recorded live, as it was performed on December 20, 1965, in the fabulous Sky Room of Cincinnati General Hospital, over- looking the picturesque Avondale quarter of Cincinnati.In adding their chapter to the traditions of the Department, the first year residents salute the denial defense mechanism which has done more than anything else to keep the traditions alive. In addition, this particular skit reaffirms a persistent suspicion regarding the omnipotence of the Department of Psychiatry Chairman.

Sunday, February 8, 2026

New York's A Song - Ralph Burns

 
















New York's A Song

New York's A Song
Ralph Burns and his Orchestra and the Sounds of The City
Sounds by Joan Franklin
Photo Essay of The City by Ed Hamilton
Decca Records DL 79068
1959

From the inside (blue colored booklet): About Ralph Burns - How, in one musical language, do you interpret the pulse of a city as complex and contradictory as New York? In this exciting new album, the music of Ralph Burns gives the answer. You don't. You can only portray this city, musically or graphically, in as many varied languages, colors, contrasts and moods as it continually reflects. Here, in a collection of songs culled from the almost inexhaustible store of melodies inspired by New York, are those most broadly and vividly representative. And, through the extraordinary arranging skill and fruitful imagination of Ralph Burns, one of the most modern and perceptive musicians of our time, we present a unique musical portrait of New York ... at times elaborately coiffured, more often with its hair down. The authentic sounds of the city give added color.

Ralph Burns, composer-conductor-arranger-piano soloist, was classically trained, but his experience runs the gamut of musical expression. His most recent plaudits have been garnered in television, but he is equally well known, in each of his outstanding musical func- tions and capacities, in the fields of jazz and popular music.

In attempting to define or classify the music in this collection, we can only say its scope is as broad as the fantastic potpourri of human activity and emotion of the city. In short, if it's a part of what makes New York a song... it's a part of this album


Side One

1. Sound: Sightseeing Bus Guide
Music: "I HAPPEN TO LIKE NEW YORK" Sound: Traffic jam-Times Square

2. Music: "LULLABY OF BROADWAY"
Sound: Broadway theatre crowds, taxis, newspaper vendor

3. Sound: Children in playground
Music: "MELTING POT" – Medley
Sound: More children in playground

4. Sound: Subway train loading at station and departing Music: "TAKE THE 'A' TRAIN"
Sound: Independent Subway "A" Train leaving station.

5. Sound: Harlem street sounds and voices
Music: "HARLEM NOCTURNE"

6. Sound: Puerto Rican children singing in church Music: "RICO VACILON"

Side Two

1. Sound: Herald Square street sounds at Christmastime Music: "MANHATTAN"
Sound: East side street traffic and fire engines

2. Sound: Rain and thunderstorm - Manhattan penthouse Music: "PENTHOUSE SERENADE"
Sound: Thunder-Manhattan roof-tops

3. Sound: New York harbor and waterfront sounds Music: "I COVER THE WATERFRONT"
Sound: More New York harbor and waterfront sounds

4. Sound: Third Ave. Elevated train and horse-drawn vehicle Music: "LITTLE OLD NEW YORK"-Medley Sound: Hansom cab in Central Park

5. Music: "AUTUMN IN NEW YORK" Sound: Hansom cab in Central Park

6. Sound: Chinatown "Double Ten" celebration - fireworks Music: "CHINATOWN MY CHINATOWN" Sound: Chinatown fireworks and street parade

7. Sound: Ticker tape machines-Wall Street customers room Music: "TICKER TAPE TOWN"
Sound: Sightseeing bus guide

Teen Scene! - Chet Atkins

 




Teen Scene

Teen Scene!
Chet Akins
Pickwick by Arrangement with RCA Records
Previously released as LSP-2719
Pickwick ACL-7005
1975 

From the back cover: I don't guess you've ever had the opportunity to interview Chet Atkins. I have – and somehow managed to accomplish the assignment. It was no easy feat. He is not known in Nashville music circles for being a braggart or the most talkative of sorts. As a matter of fact all during the interview I kept thinking how Chet reminded me of the great Gary Cooper. Coop was tall, slim, and rather imposing. Ditto Atkins. And Coop was famous for his "Yeps" and "Nopes." Ditto Atkins. It probably just all goes to show you that when you accomplish a lot of things in your career and life, you really don't have to go around telling everybody about them. If they've been good deeds and merits, people will know without you telling them. That must be Chet Atkins' way of thinking, because after spending one hour with him talking about his many-sided career as one of the prime forces behind the popularity of country music around the world, you know the accomplishments certainly outweigh the simplified answers of "Yep, I did that," "Everybody made a lot of that, but it really wasn't much," and "I guess they elected me into the Country Music Hall of Fame because they felt sorry for me-thought I was dying of cancer and wouldn't be around till next voting."
Chet Atkins is a man of sparse words and mean accomplishments. He is a believer in the motto that action speaks louder than words. His life and career in the music business has been nothing but action – and that's action with a capital A.

The gifted guitarist has recorded over 60 albums for RCA during his 27-year association with the label. Many of them are Gold Records – all of them are classics in one way or another and major best-sellers. He has garnered Best Instrumentalist, Grammy, and CMA Awards galore; been elected into the prestigious Hall of Fame, and even "played the White House and lived to tell about it."

He has gone from the dire poverty of life on a 50-acre Clinch Mountains (Tennessee) farm with 15 brothers and sisters to Nashville's suburb of million- aires, Belle Meade. Through it all, he has changed little from that "little kid in the hand-me-down clothes with the inferiority complex!"

The performer and successful record producer attributes his longevity as an entertainer and his knack of creating hits for other artists as "just pure luck." When asked to explain some of the innovations he brought to country music and the influences he has had on setting trends, Chet says humbly – and sincerely, "I really can't pick on a guitar very well, you know. I may have changed a trend or two by playing with my fingers. Up till then everybody had a pocketful of picks. I just decided it was necessary for me to use 'em. I said 'What's wrong with my fingers?'"

And that's a fact!

Actually Chet also developed the technique of using the thumb and three fingers to play the guitar – influenced by his mentor and country great Merle Travis' thumb and one finger method. Atkins modeled his style after the guitarists in the Western Kentucky coal fields and that of classic guitar virtuosos, such as Andres Segovia.

Over the years Chet Atkins has adapted to the music styles as they have come and gone – and even invented a few himself. He can play the most country of Texas hillbilly swing and then turn right around and do memorable renditions of Bach. "The only bad thing," he says, "is that when I play Bach, it comes out country. But I don't plan to change!"

This most outstanding collection of Chet Atkins instrumentals shows his ability to handle just about any kind of tune that comes his way. There's the Broadway touch with "Bye, Bye, Birdie" – the reminisces to and the nostalgia of yesteryear in "Back Home Again in Indiana"-the hard-driving rock-a-billy of "I Got A Woman" – the warmth and simplicity of "I Love How You Love Me" – and there are the Atkins stable of hits and personal favorites, such as "Alley Cat," "Walk Right In," and "Teen Scene!"

They call Chet Atkins "Mr. Guitar." In music circles they speak of him in revered tones. They say he is the man most responsible for promoting "The Nashville Sound!" Let's face it, folks, Chet Atkins is a legend.

Then, why is he such a disappointment to interview-no hate stories about some artist stealing one of his songs, no grudges, no patting himself on the back for the wonderful job done. Then I thought that perhaps that was why Chet Atkins was so interesting. For all the things he is and has become and stands for, he is just like our ole neighbor next door. With one exception, of course: Chet Atkins is the singularly, most outstanding instrumentalist in all the world of country music and a stunning exponent of what the country sound is all about. – ELLIS NASSOUR, Music City News, Nashville

I Got A Woman
Sweetie Baby
Teen Scene
Back Home Again In Indiana
Rumpus
Walk Right In
I Love How You Love Me
Alley Cat
Bye Bye Birdie

Jazz Best Coast - Various

 




Jazz Best Coast

Jazz Best Coast
Coral Records 97 010 LPCM
Original American Recording
Deutsche Grannophon
1958

From the back cover:

Bill Holman and his Orchestra / Evil Eyes. Bright Eyes

Personnel: Bill Holman, aranger-composer-tenor and leader...

Trumpets: All Porcino, Ray Linn, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson (also plays valve trombone)

Trombones: Bob Fitzpatrick, Ray Sims, Harry Betts Saxes: Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, altos; Charlie Kennedy, Richie Kamuca, tenors; Steve Perlow, baritone.

Rhythm: Lou Levy, piano, Max Bennet, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.

Solo Annotation

Evil Eyes: Lou Levy, Bill Holman, Stu Williamson, Charlie Mariano, Max Bennet.

Bright Eyes: Lou Levy, Stu Williamson, Bill Holman, Max Bennet.

In cross-the-continent correspondence concerning this Album Bill made his position clear.

"In the writing for this album, I was working for form, continuity, and economy while trying to retain. the swing and vitality necessary to a good jazz feel. This aim is certainly not new, but I think it's a direction in which jazz can do a lot of growing. 

"I don't consider myself an innovator. Rather than use odd instrumentations and/or pseudo-classical writing, I prefer to build the music on a fairly traditional base, letting what novelty there is come from the swing and sincerity of the band and the soloists, and from what individuality might be in the writing.

"The instrumentation here is a common one for a band of this size. It's light but capable of generating a lot of energy when required. The harmonies used are mostly simple, not so tense that they defy swing... Harmonic progressions should provide momentum of their own.

"Melodically, I try to write human, singable lines with natural curves, sometimes trying for an improvised feel...

"Rhythmically, I use a lot of syncopation and off- beat accents in the ensembles as a band seems to be able to get together easier on off-beats than on on-beats.

"Solos are fewer but longer, to give the soloists a better chance to build something of their own. Regarding backgrounds to soloists, I feel they shouldn't be confining to the soloist, (Ed. note they usually aren't in Holman's writing) although this premise is sometimes sacrificed for the sake of continuing a mood or idea."

Al Cohn Zoot Sims Quintet /Gone With The Wind

Personnel: Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, tenors; Mole Alli- son, piano; Teddy Kotick, bass; Nick Stabulas, drums.

COHN and SIMS, an earthy duo, by any measuring rod, in an informal mood. The dominant emphasis is on blowing; the propagation of an honest, unleashed swing. The cause is a winning one, in this case, for great rapport exists between the two; a sense of oneness within the group as a whole.

Both Cohn and Sims make stylistic reference to Lester Young. However, rather than reflecting on the grandeur of the man who so heavily mannered. their playing at an earlier time, the mirrow is turned inward; talent and jazz experience permitting individuality within a frame originally fashioned by Young.

After a conversational opening, Sims takes two solo choruses; Cohn three. They proceed to a chorus of eight bar exchanges initiated by Sims, and then a chorus and a half of "fours", which leads to the closing.

(Other recordings of this session on 57171.)

Joe Newman Sextet / Joe's Blues

Personnel: Joe Newman, trumpet; Frank Wess, tenor; Frank Rehak, trombone; John Acea, piano, Eddie Jones, bass; Corinie Kay, drums.

As arrangers Ernie Wilkins and Manny Albam have repeatedly said to me: "JOE NEWMAN is a modern trumpeter with the rare facility and flexibility to be able to deal expressively with both old and new formats in jazz It is also to be noted that he retains his own musical personality, while projecting the spirit of the materials he is dealing wth. On his appearance here with a sextet, Newman turns to the heart of jazz, the blues. Certainly a fruitful form when dealt with adequately, the blues are demanding on the musician in that he is dealing with only three basic chord changes, and must produce.

Having been associated with the Count Basie band from 1943 to 1946; from 1952 to the present, New- man has become well-oriented in the letter and spirit of the blues, for the Basie library is essentially blues in feeling, if not in form

In his entourage of blues blowers, Newman has two associates from the Basie band: tenorist Frank Wess and bassist Eddie Jones. In addition, MJQ's timekeeper, Connie Kay, who essays a virility in his work here, seldom manifested with the John Lewis unit; 'New Star' Down Beat poll winner Frank Rehak on trombone, and at the piano, the extremely knowledgeable blues player, John Acea.

Within this expanded, blues commentary, one is apt to be impressed with the pointed economy of the solos. The solo commentators speak in a flowing manner, but never over-embellish, thus intimating all the more by their restraint.

The opening and closing choruses of this selection. feature Joe and bassist Jones; the opening setting the stage, issuing the clarion call; the close com- pleting the design of the blues fabric. (Other recordings of this session on 94 103.)

Manny Albam and the Jazz Greats of Our Time 

Arranger composer MANNY ALBAM charts the way for an excellent array of soloists on both of these selections with unintursive yet provocative frameworks. In his compositional relationship between writing and blowing, one seems to nourish the other; the balance, flow of one to the other, to be noted.

Essaying strong ties with jazz's ancestry by fusing elements particular to jazz tradition and the idiom's individuality in his writing: the beat, improvisation within a disciplinary frame, jazz's own unique feeling, Albam is just another example, a most valid one, at that, of the basing of modern outlook on the secure plank of traditionalism. Home Brew

Personnel: Conti Candoli, "Trumpeter X", trumpets; Stu Williamson, valve trombone; Herb Geller, alto; Richie Kamuca, Charlie Mariano, tenors; Bill Holman, baritone; Lou Levy, piano; Red Mitchell, bass; Shelly Manne, drums.

Selection is initiated by an eight bar piano intro by Lou Levy, establishing the 'feel" of material. A full chorus of ensemble follows with 'Trumpeter X' playing a one note commentary on last four bars of the bridge. Solo choruses by Geller, Williamson, the ever-charming 'Trumpeter X', and Kamuca separated by four bar ensemble send-offs and underlined by interweaving sax figures are next. The 'out chorus' is notable for a repeated two-bar riff with drum adornments by Manne; a four-bar drum break and 'Trumpeter X's' four-bar interjection in the last 16 of the tune.

(Other recordings of this session on 57 142.)

Am I Blue

Personnel: Art Farmer, Nick Travis, trumpets; Bob Brookmeyer, valve trombone; Phil Woods, alto; Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, tenors; Gerry Mulligan, bari- tone; Hank Jones, piano, Milt Hinton, bass; Osie Johnson, drums.

The relaxation, general tenor of the interpretation, evokes memories of Jimmie Lunceford in its off- hand but pointed movement.

Altoist Woods is the dominant voice in the first 16 bars of the theme chorus which plays off the saxes, anchored by Mulligan, against the brass. Brookmeyer wends his way in and out of ensemble textures during last 16 of first chorus. The lyrically inclined Cohn tenor glides in next, framed by quietly flowing backgrounds. Woods then voices his backstory in his typically virile manner, as the ground fabric changes color. Mulligan takes cue from ensemble figure preceding his stint, enlarges upon it in a rhythmic manner; paries with the figure again, then delineates further, leading directly into Art Farmer's muted solo. Zoot Sims continues the skein, and makes some thoughtful yet pulsating Hank Jones takes the solo spotlight, engages primarily in interplay with the band, and moves the opus into closing theme chorus. Latter is notable for bassist Hinton's conversation with the band, and a lyrical stint by Travis on the bridge. (Other recordings of this session on 57 173.)

Hal McKusick Quintet featuring Art Farmer /  This Time The Dream's On Me

Personnel: Hal McKusick, alto; Art Farmer, trumpet; Ed Costa, piano; Milt Hinton, bass; Gus Johnson, drums.

Hal McKusick has always been quite concerned with projecting his feelings through his horn, working in circumstances which permit him to do so. 

"I don't feel that larger bands. have a negative function, but in most cases, they tend to emphasize the orientation of the arranger or composer rather than the improvisor, and the feeling of creation notable in the small group is lacking. 

"The group of musicians I had on this session all feel strongly about individual expression, but realize there is a need for a certain amount of writing to frame the expansive blowing sections. 

"Manny Albam, a writer who understands the needs of the jazz player, created a substantial, non-ccn-stricting chart, which helped engender the relaxed, impovisory feeling we wanted.

In the final evaluation of this track, the heat and flow of the solos is not to be overlooked. The latter indicative of the compatibility of the players; the capacity of highly competent individuals to make for a cogent whole.

(Other recordings of this session on 57 131.) – Burt Korall

Shelly Manne by Courtesy of RCA Victor_Records Lou Levy by Courtesy of Contemporary Records

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Die Dubarry / Die Rose von Stambul - Erika Koth, Rudolf Schock, Horst Wilhelm

 




Die Dubarry / Die Rose von Stambul

Die Dubarry - Millocher/Mackeben
Die Rose von Stambul - Fall
Ouerschnitte: Erika Koth, Rudolf Schock, Horst Wilhelm
Eurodisc 60 018 GE (10 inch 33 rpm disc)
1962

Erika Koth, Sopran
Horst Wilhelm, Tenor
Der Gunther Arndt-Chor
Die Berliner Symphoniker
Dirigent Frank Fox

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Heitor Villa Lobos / Quintette en Forme de Chores - John Dowey / Agort, Jean Francaix Quintette

 




Temp de Marcia Francese

Heitor Villa Lobos
Quintette en Forme de Choros
John Downey / Agort
Jean Francaix / Quintette
The Woodwind Arts Quintet
Orion Master Recordings Inc. ORS 73123
1973

From the back cover: HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) stands out as the best known of Latin American composers. Born in Rio de Janeiro on March 5, 1887, his early music training was with his cellist father, and later with Francisco Braga and Agnelo Franca. Having toured Brazil as a concert pianist, he also undertook numerous folklore expeditions into the interior of his vast and exciting native country. His dedication and lifelong research in folk music expresses itself profusely in his creative work. His compositions are saturated with flowing warmth, rhythm and the wild passion of the jungle.Villa-Lobos' enormous musical output (an estimated two thousand works) includes operas, ballets, chamber music, orchestral music, concertos, piano pieces, songs, masses, an oratorio and a musical comedy. In addition he contributed significantly as conductor, educator and writer of countless articles on Brazilian folklore.

The Quintette en forme de choros (Villa-Lobos used this title to describe music of an informal serenade-like nature, based on folk tunes) was composed in Paris in 1928 for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn and Bassoon. In 1953 he revised the instrumentation by substituting the French Horn for the English Horn, thus making it accessible to the standard woodwind quintet ensemble. In doing so, the composer had to give a large portion of the English Horn high tessitura passagework to the clarinet in order to make life easier for the French Hornist. In this recording, however, we chose the original 1928 version with all of the English Horn writing performed by the French Horn. The composition moves from a recitative-like opening statement through seemingly free cadenza style writing, sustained expressive singing by each individual instrument, strongly driving rhythms, virtuoso fireworks, extremely varied color combinations, to a truly brilliant bravura ending. Most importantly, the work is intense, passionate, exotic and haunting. – Israel Borouchoff

JOHN DOWNEY was born in Chicago, Ill., Oct. 5, 1927. After receiving his B.M. from De Paul Univ., and his M.M. from the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt Univ., he left that city, and with a Fulbright Scholarship to Paris, he began his artistic activities abroad. After a number of years, during which time he traveled extensively throughout Western Europe, and after having earned a Ph.D. from the Univ. of Paris and a Prix de Composition from the Paris Conservatory, he returned to the U.S. At present, he is a Professor of Theory and Composition at the Univ. of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he resides with his linguist wife, Irusha, and their two children, Lydia and Marc.

He has composed a large variety of works, some of which include the electronic medium. He has had major performances of his works both in Europe and the U.S. In addition, he has been the recipient of a number of important commissions which include: String Quartet for the Fine Arts String Quartet Foundation in Chicago; Earthplace, a half hour T.V. electronic sound score for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Jingalodeon, for the Milwaukee Symphony Children's Concerts; Cello Sonata, for George Sopkin (recorded on C.R.I.); Prospectations III-III, for three orchestras simultaneously and four conductors, for Music For Youth of Milwaukee; and Symphonic Modules Five (a 41 min. work for large orchestra) for the Milwaukee Symphony, Kenneth Schermerhorn, conductor.

Twice he has been an invited participant at the Aspen School of Music, the Princeton Siminars in Advanced Musical Techniques, and a Fellow at the MacDowell Colony. Among his many teachers were Stein, Shapiro, Tarnowsky, Ganz, Margolies, Krenek, Tcherepnin, Rieti, Boulanger, Honegger, Milhaud, Rivier, Messiaen, Chailley, Brailoui, Sessions, Cone and Babbitt.

John Downey's AGORT for Woodwind Quintet was begun in Nov. of 1966. By the Spring of 1967, four of its five movements were completed, but it wasn't until the Fall of 1972 that the Quintet was finalized into its present form. It was premiered at Ganz Hall in Chicago on Oct. 5, 1972 by the Woodwind Arts Quintet, to whom this work is dedicated, and who championed it from its inception. AGORT exploits both the timbral characteristics of the woodwinds and their virtuosic potentialities.

The title of the composition is based on two parallel running concepts: one is derived from the linguistic and phonetic qualities inherent in the synthetic word AGORT; i.e., movements I and III, being slow and open, are characterized by vowels with their potential for prolonga- tion while the fast movements, II and IV, are associated with consonants and their capacity for staccato-like reiteration. Mov. IV, in particular is symbolized by the so-called "liquid R" reflecting its own tempo indication. The Vth and final movement, although predominantly slow, is continuously truncated by fast running passages, and because of this, as well as for sheer sound, the consonant "T" was chosen to complete the title word.

The second associative concept of AGORT derives from a similar aggregate of letters in the Greek word "agora", one meaning of which has to do with an open gathering of people assembled to discuss ideas of mutual interest such as philosophy or politics. In this latter sense, we have the concept of democratic discourse in the ideal tradition of true chamber music. AGORT'S five movements bear the markings:

A        G       O       R       T

A        A       Q e     P       A

n m     l m     u        P       A
d i       l o      a m    r       n r
a s       e l      s o     s L    d e
n t       g t      i l      t  q    a f
t e       r o        t      o u    n l
e r       o        a o        i     i c
   i                 d          d     n t
   o                a r        o     o i
   s                g u                 v
   o                i b                  o
                     o a
                        t
                        o

     "An ingenious work"... Walter Monfried, the Milwaukee Journal

     "A fluid sweep of conceptions"... Jay Joslyn, the Milwaukee Sentinel

     "Well written for the instruments. 
     Indeed, its chief interest lay in its exploitation of sonorities"... 
     Allen Hughes, the New York Times

     This composition was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1973.

JEAN FRANÇAIX was born in Le Mans on May 23, 1912 into a musical family. In his own words: "It appears that I first drew attention to myself at the age of eighteen months by beating out on a table, with a wooden ruler, the rhythm of a military march played on the piano by my father, who introduced tricky rallentandos and accelerandos. When I was five, seated one day at the piano with manuscript paper before me, I enjoined silence upon a venerable bearded visitor with the remark: 'Don't disturb me. I'm inspiring!'". At the age of 12 Françaix became a private pupil of Nadia Boulanger. He also won numerous prizes at the Conservatoire of Le Mans and in 1930 the Premier Prix de Piano at the Paris Conservatoire.

His creative work includes orchestral music, concertos, chamber music, ballet, theatre music and comic opera. His Serenade for Small Orchestra was choreographed in 1951 by George Balanchine to create the ballet "A la Françaix".

The Quintette dates from 1948 and was dedicated to the Woodwind Quintet of l'Orchestre National de Paris. Neo-classical in style, it is spirited, charming, piquant, lighthearted and effervescent. To quote Françaix: "My desire is to communicate joy rather than sorrow. Why be sad when you live in Paris? It would amount to cowardice towards your neighbour. Leave sorrow to silly people or to the truly great. Aim at simplicity in music, in science, even in politics. Simplicity is more than a virtue; it is a faculty. But it is a posthumous faculty, acquired through sacrificing one's life to it..." – Israel Borouchoff

THE WOODWIND ARTS QUINTET has received consistent nationwide acclaim from enthusiastic audiences and critics. The ensemble was founded in 1966 and is presently in residence in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Each of its five members is a high caliber virtuoso with extensive solo, chamber music and orchestral background on a national and international scale.

ISRAEL BOROUCHOFF, Flute
Israel Borouchoff has played and recorded with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; was Solo Flutist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for eight years; member of the Casals Festival Orchestra in Puerto Rico and in Caracas, Venezuela; Solo Flutist with the Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia with which he recorded seven albums for RCA; Soloist with the St. Louis Symphony, Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia, The Aristeia Ensemble on numerous occasions, the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble of New York, Temple University Summer Music Festival and many others. Mr. Borouchoff is also a frequent recitalist.

PAUL KRAMER, Oboe
Paul Kramer, who studied with Philip Kirchner and Fernand Gillet, was a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he recorded with William Steinberg; the Cleveland Orchestra, Boston "Pops" and Esplanade Orchestras, the Symphony of the Air, Stokowski's American Symphony Orchestra, Chatauqua Symphony Orchestra, and has per- formed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He taught and per- formed as a member of the resident woodwind quintet at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and has coached chamber music at Boston University and Brandeis University.

JACK SNAVELY, Clarinet
Jack Snavely is very active nationally and internationally as a soloist, conductor, clinician, recitalist, adjudicator, clarinetist in the Woodwind Arts Quintet, and saxophonist in the Leblanc Fine Arts Saxophone Quartet. He has been a member of the Milwaukee Symphony, the Waukesha Symphony, the Thor Johnson Chamber Music Orchestra, the United States Army Band, Washington, D.C., and has recorded for Golden Crest Records. His many publications include clarinet and saxophone methods and studies, works for clarinet choir and band, and numerous articles in the leading music and music education periodicals. He received degrees from Lebanon Valley College and the University of Michigan.

BASIL TYLER, French Horn
Basil Tyler has performed as principal French Horn with the Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia, Mantovani Orchestra, New Orleans Philharmonic, Florida Symphony, American Wind Symphony, Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, and numerous radio and television programs and recordings including RCA and Capitol. He has also toured extensively, with more than twenty foreign countries on past itineraries.

ROBERT THOMPSON, Bassoon
Robert Thompson has a distinguished career as a bassoon soloist, chamber musician and orchestral performer. Solo appearances at Carnegie Recital Hall and Yale University by Mr. Thompson received high praise, and he has recorded an album of solo bassoon compositions for the Musical Heritage Society. He was formerly the first bassoonist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

"Each of the five men is an acknowledged expert, and their blending and overall team play were something to admire." – Milwaukee Journal

"THE WOODWIND ARTS QUINTET....IS TAKING A BACK SEAT TO NO OTHERS IN THE PROFESSION." – Milwaukee Journal

"They made the points of each work and their feelings about it without forcing or straining for effects."  – New York Times

"WOODWINDS FILL HALL WITH MAGICAL SOUND." – Milwaukee Sentinel

Heitor Villa Lobos
Quintette en Forme de Choros
John Downey - Agort (1972)

Jean Francaix Quintette (1948)
Andante tranquillo
Presto
Tema: Andante
Temp di marcia francese

Crew Cut Capers

 




Are You Havin' Fun Yet

Crew Cut Capers
Orchestra Conducted by David Carroll
Mercury Records MG 20143
1957

From the back cover: Today's popular music scene seems to be based on a continuous raft of new personalities who jump to the top and then disappear before you hardly get a chance to know them. The reverse, however, is true of this group which Mercury Records takes pleasure in presenting to you on this Long-Playing recording-the ever popular and favorite, Crew Cuts. The Crew Cuts, to be sure, did make their bid for fame in a fast, meteoric rise, but they have not faded from the scene, and from the response of the music loving public, it seems they never will. They are truly the perfect example of young America personified. They have captured the hearts of young people clear across this large country we live in and their antics have made them loved by the young as well as the old.

The Crew Cuts, to the younger set, are themselves in action, and to the older set, they bring back memories of their youth. The group can kick up their heels and ring out in song in a zestful manner that defies comparison or imitation. It is for this reason, that the group decided to choose this particular repertoire of songs – it depicted their spirit and they had fun recording the tunes. The title is an apt one, "Crew Cut Capers", a connotation of fun, and a happy-go-lucky spirit.

Off stage, the Crew Cuts weren't always a happy Crew. At one point in their career, they were so broke that they accepted an engagement in Cleveland, Ohio, many miles from their home town of Sudbury, Ontario, and drove the entire distance in a blinding snow storm in a 15-year old car, all for the grand salary of $100. This trip, however turned out to be the turning point in their career, for it was during this appearance at Cleveland, that a disk jockey heard them sing and called the head of Mercury Records and asked that they be auditioned. The audition was held, and the rest is history. Their first recording, "Crazy 'Bout Ya Baby", became a nation-wide hit, and the boys were on their way. Each new release after that, has gained immediate acceptance by the record buyers and the boys are now firmly entrenched in the enviable position of being regular box office draws. The group consists of Ray Perkins, his brother Johnnie, Rudi Maugeri, and Pat Barrett. They got their name of course from the way their hair is cut. In fact, they started a national fad with their odd style of hair-dos. Each of the lads has a flair for comedy as well as for singing and it is this quality which shines thru not only on the stage, but on records as well. Add sincerity to their list of traits and you will see why the Crew Cuts are here to stay.

The entire repertoire of this Long-Playing recording was chosen thru the collaboration of all four of the Crew Cuts in an effort to give you the listener an example of the type of tunes they themselves love to do for you. Listen now to such exhilarating tunes as "Blue Moon," their first big smash "Crazy 'Bout Ya Baby," "I Spoke Too Soon," "Sure She Will," "Blue Jean Gal," and the popular "In A Little Spanish Town." You will also hear excellent performances on such tunes as the happy "Dixie Danny," the romantic "Glory Of Love," "Present Arms," "Oh Yes I Know," the jumpy "Are You Having Any Fun," and the haunting "Unchained Melody". Here is an album that will soon find itself among your most cherished recorded items, a truly favorite musical treasure
.

Blue Moon
Crazy 'Bout Ya Baby
I Spoke Too Soon
Sure She Will
Blue Jean Gal
In A Little Spanish Town
Dixie Danny
The Glory Of Love
Present Arms
Oh Yes I Know
Are You Havin' Any Fun
Unchained Melody

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Enchanted Tangos - Bella Sanders

 




Jealousy

Enchanted Tangos
Bela Sanders and His Orchestra
Telefunken LGX 66045
Made in England
1956

From the back cover: New ballroom dances always seem to provoke violent reactions. Even the graceful, elegant waltz was once denounced as being "wicked and immoral." But perhaps the biggest wave of indignation was caused by a gay, exotic dance-step from the Argentine.

The United States got their first glimpse of the tango when the "Revue of 1911" was produced in New York; that same year saw the South of France go tango-crazy; in 1912 George Grossmith danced the tango with Phyllis Dare in "The Sunshine Girl" at London's Gaiety Theatre.

During the early months of 1914 the new dance was condemned by both the German Kaiser and the King of Italy. A lecturer at a conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, declared that the tango was a reversion to the ape and a confirmation of Darwin's theory.

A medical point of view came from a New York doctor. In April, 1914 he announced that a new disease could be added to such occupational ailments as housemaid's knee and miner's elbow. "Tango foot' was the name he gave it. About the same time a reader of the 'New York Times' sent a letter to its editor: "About Christmas time in 1913," he wrote, "I decided to abandon doctors and began to learn the Tango.. Within two weeks practically all symptoms of indigestion left me."

"Tango Teas' became more and more popular. Fashionable society was stepping gayly to the intoxicating habanera rhythm. It was not long before the entire dancing public had taken the tango to its heart. Soon the tango had become an established favourite in ballrooms all over the world.

The origins of the tango go back a long way. How the rural peace of seventeenth century England joined with the dark forests and sunbaked hills of equatorial Africa to create this most cosmopolitan of dances makes a fascinating story.

An English country dance, popular in the days of Cromwell and the Stuart kings, crossed the Channel into France, where it became the contredanse. Another fifty years and it had penetrated the Pyrenees, the Spanish calling it the contradanza.

The Conquistadors took the dance to Cuba, its name changing to the Danza Habanera, or 'Dance of Havana'. Reintroduced into Spain halfway through the 19th century, it became popular as the Habanera.

Most famous of habaneras is El Areglito, written by a Spaniard, Sebastian Yradier, who published it in Madrid in 1840. There it was heard by the composer Bizet, who borrowed it to use in his opera Carmen.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, slave-traders made huge profits out of shipping Negroes from the West Coast of Africa to the new colonies in the Americas. These Negroes took with them their own cultural traditions, notably those of music and the dance. Vicente Rossi, in his book 'Coasas de Negros', has suggested that a Negro onomatope for drum-beat (tan-gó) gave a name to the dance which later emerged among the migrants in cities at the mouth of the Rio Plata. Certainly a dance called the tangano was popu- lar among Negroes in the West Indies and Haiti during the 18th century.

The tango first seems to have been danced in the cafés and dance-halls of the "Barrio de las Ranas' – a district lying close to the docks of Buenos Aires. An earlier dance, the habanera del café, at its height during the Spanish-American war, provides a link be- tween the Cuban Habanera and the Argentine Tango. The milonga, another Argentine dance, was also absorbed into the tango around 1900; the quicker variety of tango is in fact an adaptation of the milonga.

The swaying rhythm of the habanera is shared by both the Argentine and Spanish tangos, although as dances they have nothing in common. The Spanish tango is a spirited solo dance for a woman, nearer the gipsy flamenco tradition than that of the Spaniards.

In Buenos Aires, Montevideo and other great cities of the Argentine and Uruguay, the tango was being danced at the beginning of this century. Dark-haired girls in wide skirts, vividly beautiful, moved to its exotic rhythms, partnered by men dressed as gauchos, wearing spurs on their high riding-boots.

Such a powerful, exciting dance could not long be contained within the land which gave it birth. Soon the whole world went tango-mad. There have been plenty of modern dance-crazes-the Turkey Trot, the Charleston, the Bunny-Hug, the Big Apple-but most now exist only as a page in ballroom history. The vitality of the tango made it more than a nine-days wonder. Today its graceful movements and buoyant, captivating rhythms are as popular as they have ever been.

Enchantment is what both dancers and listeners experience as they respond to the magic spell of the tango. In this selection of your favourite tangos, Bela Sanders and his orchestra bring you this fascin- ating dance-music at its gayest and most colourful.

Donato's well-known A media luz makes a stirring beginning, pizzicato strings alternating with gentle woodwinds, while underneath surges the dark rhythm of the habanera.

Tango espagnole conjures up a vision of lovers dancing in moonlight under the white walls of a legendary Spanish city, castanets purring above the low song of the cicada.

Drum-beats usher in Malando's ever-popular Olé Guapa. An intricate flourish of violins, a subtle rhythmic balance between the strings, the jaunty voice of the accordion-all these make up a vivid, unique performance.

Orchestral richness is the outstanding quality in Bela Sanders' interpretation of Filiberto's sensual tango, Caminito. Once again violins swirl in an exciting crescendo as the orchestra plays La Palomita.

Tango reni, brisk and lively, has muted trumpets answered by soaring strings, in contrast to the tran- quillity of Luna Rossa, where flute and woodwinds evoke the dreamy Mediterranean scene.

Few melodies are better loved than the familiar Hear my song, Violetta. Violins hold sustained chords in a dynamic orchestration of this tender, romantic tune.

Soulful yet dramatic, there is a hint of wistful mel- ancholy as accordions play the moving theme of Plegaria. In Donne vatra the strings are finely balanced, unusual voicing and contrasts heightening their purity of tone and phrasing. Violins pursue the haunt- ing melody of Poesie, cellos providing a rich counterpoint.

Few tangos are better-known than Gade's poignant Jalousie. A warm yet sparkling performance by Bela Sanders' orchestra makes a fitting climax to his se- lection of 'Enchanted Tangos'. – CHARLES FOX


A Media Luz
Tango Espagnole
Ole Gupa
Caminito
La Palomita
Tango Reni
Luna Rossa
Hear My Song, Violetta
Plegaria
Donna Vatra
Poesie
Jealousy

Friday, January 30, 2026

Harold Betters Takes Off

 




Just For A Thrill

Harold Betters Takes Off
Photo: JohnWhited
Cover Design: Ken Moore
Gateway Records, Inc. GLP 7004
1963

From the back cover: This album opens with a driving number, You Can't Sit Down, that creates a lot of emotion and should make feel like clapping your hands, patting your feet or snapping your fingers. I think the song was properly named as it makes me feel, when I play it, that I, "Can't Sit Down.

Now And Forever is a change of pace – a well constructed tune with a flowing melody line – one that gives even the most inexperienced listener the feeling he knows what's coming next.

In Other Words is a favorite of mine. The melody and lyrics are so beautiful that I had to sing it as well as play it. For a second vocal I picked, Work Song. This turn depicts work on a chain gang.

Baby Cake creates a lot of drive and excitement – I wrote it for the "Twisters." Another tune for fast dancing is Last Night.

Just For A Thrill speaks for itself – its another of my favor- ites. I am partial to ballads. You can hear air projecting through the horn which is sometimes called an airy or "cool" sound. While I am on the subject of my favorite numbers I might point out, With The Wind And Rain In Your Hair. This tune gives me an opportunity to show the brilliant sound of the trombone in the higher register.

After Supper is very beautifully done by John Huges. He tries to create the feeling of listening to jazz as you would in the 40's. The setting is a club filled with smoke, the smell of booze and the customers that want to sit back and relax after a hard days work.

A favorite of small jazz groups is the Preacher. It has a simple melody line that moves along smoothly. Although my group is small we try to get the effect of a large band with David Rose's composition "Our Waltz. I play the first part only as a waltz and then go into six-eight time. I want to create the feeling, with this piece of music, of two armies approaching each other for battle. the fight and then the ruins.

I would like to sum up what I have written about the tunes on this album by saying: I felt every number I played. I believe every artist should – only that way can he give his best. I am very thankful to Gateway for giving me complete freedom in choosing my numbers and executing them the way I felt they should be played. Making this album was lots of kicks. – Harold J. Betters

"a jazz that is creative and yet can be understood by every- one"-those were my closing words in the notes of Harold Betters' first album, Harold Betters At The Encore. Judging from the wide acceptance of the album, a great many people must agree with me.

The success of an artist, in any field, is based on sincerity, creativity, and skill. Harold Betters has all these in abundance.

Harold is sincere about his work and what is more important about his emotions. With this quality he is able to reach out to his audience and make them apart of his music.

Harold Betters is creative! He makes his chosen form of expression interesting to the listener-thereby capturing and holding their interest. While being sincere and creative he has mastered the art of his instrument to its fullest. His skill with the trombone is hard to match.

With the qualities I have mentioned it is easy to see why Harold has enjoyed the success he has as a performer and musician. I can predict a very long and fruitful career for Harold Betters. – Robert W. Schachner (April 15, 1963) Gateway Recordings, Inc.

You Can't Sit Down
Now And Forever
In Other Words
Baby Cake
The Preacher
Our Waltz
Last Night
After Supper
The Work Song
With The Wind And The Rain In Your Hair
Just For A Thrill

Music From Peter Gunn - Arron Bell

 




Music From Peter Gunn

Music From The Television Show Peter Gunn
Composed by Henry Mancini
Arron Bell and His Orchestra
Featuring Arron Bell on bass
Produced by Eddie Heller
Lion L70112
1959

From the back cover: For a good two years up until the fall of 1958, you had to rely on six-shooters and stallions almost exclusively if you wanted action on your television set. Westerns dominated the networks and the ratings. Then, like a refreshing breeze, along came a great new detective series – an adult one, too: "PETER GUNN". Gunn (played by Craig Stevens) can handle a gun, but it's mainly his brain that's for hire to people in trouble. He's a new kind of private investigator – urbane, cultured, a bit cynical, with a touch of the "beat generation" about him. Sometimes, he seems almost to wander into a case out of curiosity or just plain boredom. But, there's nothing boring about his cases and the characters that come his way. Many of the latter are colorful denizens of a nightclub run by a lady known as Mother (Hope Emerson), where entertainment is served up by Gunn's singer-girl friend Edie (Lola Albright). Gunn's adventures are neatly varied in plot, usually spiced entertainingly with sharp humor even when the action is running high. Like we said, the series is "adult" in concept and execution—and its record-shattering climb in the popularity ratings shows that the formula is tasty to millions of video viewers.One of the outstanding features of "PETER GUNN" is its music-pulsating, compelling, spell-binding jazz that fuses with the action in brilliant fashion. When the first show in the series was telecast, NBC- TV was flooded with inquiries about the source of this music. Within a few weeks, the name of its composer, Henry Mancini, was a familiar one to TV fans. Mancini, in his work had come up with an exciting television "first": the first modern jazz back- grounds for the sound track of a filmed TV series. Top-drawer jazz, too-as attested to by the acceptance of even the most jaded of jazz experts.

Mancini, Cleveland-born and 34 years old, is no new-comer to background scoring. He has dozens of movies to his credit, including "The Glenn Miller Story", for which he received an Academy Award nomination. His educational background in music is very impressive, including study at Carnegie Tech Music School and the Juilliard School of Music, work with com- posers Ernst Krenek and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. After three years in the Infantry during the war, his career got into full swing. Soon, he found himself with something like a waiting list of clients set to tap his talents: record companies, the movies, radio shows. And, he became a specialist in penning the backings for night club acts, working with such stars as Betty Hutton, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Gloria DeHaven, Marilyn Maxwell, Bob Crosby, Kathryn Grayson, Jane Powell, Dinah Shore, Toni Arden, Kitty Kallen, Polly Bergen, Billy Eckstine and Edie Adams. "PETER GUNN" represents Mancini's first work for a TV series.

The present album offers ten dramatic themes from the music for "PETER GUNN", including the hit "Dreamsville". Here, the popular jazz specialist Aaron Bell And his orchestra use them as departure points for some of the most listenable music-making you'll hear in many a moon!

ABOUT AARON BELL The "most" on a bass, Aaron is known in the jazz field as a dedicated perfectionist. His playing and arranging have always been characterized by good taste and its quality of being able to reach everybody. A veteran of such top American combos as those of Teddy Wilson, Andy Kirk, and Lester Young, he recently appeared at The Embers and The Left Bank in New York City, drawing ratings by fans and musicians as one of the top bass men around today. He also appeared on Broadway in the stage version of "Compulsion". The musicians Aaron chose to appear with him in this album were chosen for their flexibility and inventiveness and are considered to be among America's top musicians.


Dreamsville
Peter Gunn
Fallout!
A Profound Gass
The Brothers Go To Mother's
Session At Pete's Pad
The Floater
Brief And Breezy
Sorta Blue
Soft Sounds