Four Freshmen And 5 Tombones

Love

Four Freshmen And 5 Trombones
Capitol Records T683
1956

Pete Rugolo, a dynamic force in contemporary music, wrote all the arrangements in this album, providing vocal setting for the Freshmen, and backing the group with a trombone quintet and rhythm section. Here's the who's who of instrumental personnel: trombones, Frank Rosolino, Harry Betts Jr., Milt Bernhart, Tommy Pederson, George Roberts; piano, Claude Williamson; guitar, Barney Kessel; drums, Shelly Manne; bass, Joe Mondragon.

Barney Kessel and Shelly Manne perform in this album by arrangement with Contemporary Records. Milt Bernhart performs in this album by arrangement with RCA Victor Records.

From the back cover: Discovered by Stan Kenton shortly after they had begun their professional careers, the Four Freshmen soon found themselves touring the country as one of the most popular singing groups in recent years, and making records for Capitol that were not only gaining critical acclaim, but were selling well besides.

The sudden and solid success was in large part due to their distinctive vocal blend, which they get by combining good singing with the fresh ideas that reflect the group's active participation in the modern jazz movement.

In this album it is also apparent that the group has an ear for good songs. Here are tunes by some of America's greatest song writers – George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Kurt Weil and Richard Whiting. The list of lyricists includes Johnny Mercer, Gus Kahn, Leo Robin, Ogden Nash and Oscar Hammerstein II.

The songs are all treated handsomely, though not always predictably. Love Is Just Around The Corner bounces along in a familiar tempo, while Speak Low emerges with a rhythmic Latin flavor. I Remember You is the slow sweet ballad it was meant to be, but You Stepped Out Of A Dream goes into a brighter beat than you'd expect. So it is with The Last Time I Saw Paris, You Made Me Love You, Somebody Loves Me, and the other songs in this album: each one has a pleasant surprise in tempo, color, or interpretation, and each is sung with an unmistakably modern accent.

The Four Freshmen are (left to right in photo) Ross Barbour, Bob Flanigan, Ken Errair and Don Barbour. They are enthusiastic, devoted to their work, surprised and pleased by their quick rise to fame. This surprise and pleasure stems primarily from the fact that they have been uncompromising in their musical approach, have fought off attempts to make them change their style, and have now proved to the doubters that a singing group can be both musical and commercial.

Angel Eyes
Love Is Just Around The Corner
Mam'selle
Speak Low
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Somebody Love Me
You Stepped Out Of A Dream
I Remember You
Love
Love Is Here To Stay
You Made Me Love You
Guilt