The Music Of Quincy Jones - Benny Bailey, Ake Persson & Joe Harris

Jones Beach

The Music Of Quincy Jones
As Played By Benny Bailey, Joe Harris, Ake Persson and The Quincetet
Recorded at Millessalen Recording Studios, Stockholm Sweden
Argo LP 668
Chess Producing Corp. - Chicago
1961

Personnel
Benny Bailey - Trumpet
Ake Persson - Trombone
Joe Harris - Drums

All members of the original Quincy Jones orchestra that toured Europe in 1960. Other soloist on the various tracks are listed in the accompanying liner notes

From the back cover: Quincy Jones wears many hats. He is an arranger of brilliance. He plays trumpet passably. He leads his own large orchestra, a feat that requires more than conducting, in that a leader also has to be father, mother, wife, and psychiatrist to some 16 musicians. But, most of all, he is a composer who writes with delicate melodic sense and rhythmic vigor.

He is a budding Duke Ellington, and there are many who will tell you that his orchestra will be the band of the 1960s.

He already has given impressive indication of the road he intends to take. The recent trip he made with his band revealed to listeners what his first two albums had led them to suspect – that his orchestra is precise, joyously swinging, and interested in exploring arrangements that show thought in their preparation and are written expressly for the musicians in that band, utilizing their individual capabilities.

One of those individuals created a good deal of attention on his own. That would be Benny Bailey, the trumpeter with huge tone and broad attack who went to Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton and stayed there until Quincy called Benny back from Sweden to join him.

Bailey's performances herein show you why Jones was so eager to get him on the band. This LP was cut in Sweden last year in the company of another American, drummer Joe Harris, and the light-quick Swedish trombonist Ake Perrson, another member of the Jones band. Several combinations of Swedish all-stars make up the backing.

The Golden Touch was arranged by pianist Gunnar Svensson and features solos by Persson, followed by Bailey, baritone saxist Lennart Jansson and Svensson.

I'm Gone is a medium blues that spots muted Benny Bailey over an ensemble background. Persson, tenor saxist Bjarne Nerem, and pianist Gosta Theselius who plays marvelously in all his appearances here.

Jones Beach, another easy blues, follows. It's in quintet format, with Bailey and alto saxist Arne Domnerus at the horns. They start with a double-time introduction. Theselius picks up with a funky lead-in to the ensemble and later plays a nicely-built solo.

Quincy's best-known composition to date may well be The Midnight Sun Never Sets. A hauntingly pretty ballad, it has been recorded several times, but never any better than on this album as it becomes a solo vehicle for Persson. Theselius also contributes some lovely piano.

Theselius arranged Meet Benny Bailey, which again shows why Benny is meeting with such approval.

Plenty, Plenty Soul, written by Quincy especially for Milt Jackson, is treated somewhat faster here than Milt did it, and highlights Bailey and Theselius.

Fallen Feathers, Quincy's moving tribute to Charlie Parker, is all Benny Bailey save for a short intro by Theselius.

Count'Em, an easy blues, winds everything up, and the horns of Persson and Nerd take the solo spots.

We think you'll find this combination of Quincy Jones' music and the resounding horns of Benny Bailey and Ake Perrson to be a stirring mixture and one that points out yet one more facet of Quincy's talent. He has an unerring sense of taste when it comes to picking the right chairs. Quincy Delight Jones is something else! – Al Porch

The Golden Touch
I'm Gone
Jones Beach
The Midnight Sun Never Sets
Meet Benny Bailey
Plenty, Plenty Soul
Fallen Feathers
Count'Em