Song For Swingers - Buck Clayton

 

Moon Glow

Songs For Swingers
Buck Clayton With His All-Stars
Columbia CL 1320
1959

From the back cover: Buck Clayton, in his long career, has never chosen any of these roads to success. His artistic integrity remains as unquestioned by his fellow musicians as by the critics. He has won an almost unanimous and unqualified professional respect by remaining true to himself. During the '50s, particularly, he has also won the admiration of a discriminating and constantly growing public. In the course of a 1958 broadcast entirely devoted to Buck's recordings, the French critic, Hugues Panassie, cited him as one of the finest jazz artists of this era. It is an opinion widely shared in Europe, where Buck is certainly as honored as he is in his own land.

Buck first came into prominence when he joined Count Basie's orchestra in 1936. His sensitive solos made an immediate and important contribution to the triumphs of that spirited ensemble. After two years in the Army, and two seasons with Jazz at the Philharmonic, he free-lanced in and around New York, where he was much in demand for recording sessions. In 1949, he made the first of several trips to Europe when he toured France with a small band.

Throughout this period, his story is one of constant growth as a musician. Already renowned for his work with a cup mute while with Basie, he showed considerable creative development, as well as an extension of power and range, when he returned to civilian life in 1946. Today, his handsome open tone, delicate muted sound, expressive vibrato and exemplary instrumental command, are impressive in themselves, but they are all at the service of a very fertile musical imagination. The warmth and lyrical quality of his phrases, and the flowing continuity of his solos, give an unusual impression of grace and ease in a period when speed and complexity often seem to be the major objectives. In short, Buck's trumpet style is synonymous with good taste.

Also from the back cover: His band's personnel is an unusually homogenous one. All of the horns are veterans of the Count Basie orchestra. Dickie Wells was a member for ten years between 1938 and 1950. His imaginative style, and formidable range and control, remain altogether outstanding. Buddy Tate took Herschel Evan's place with Basie in 1939 and stayed until 1949 – far longer than any other tenor sax player. In view of Basie's discerning taste in tenor players, this should be recommendation enough, but since that period Buddy has developed an even more distinctive style. Earl Warren was also with Basie for nearly ten years between 1937 and 1950, as lead alto. Because of the leader's predilection for tenor, Earl was seldom heard as a soloist, but on this record he is featured on both alto and clarinet. A versatile musician, he also plays oboe, flute and tenor. Emmett Berry, an accomplished trumpet player, was with Basie from 1945 to 1950. He is the ideal complement for Buck and shares solo work equally with him. Buck takes the last trumpet solo on each number, as well as those in the first choruses of Night Train and Sunday.

Al Williams who plays piano in the well-integrated rhythm section, came from Chicago to New York, where he has free-lanced from some years. Quickly adaptable to any jazz environment, he has previously recorded with Jimmy Rushing, Cozy Cole and Vic Dickenson. Gene Ramey arrived in New York with Jay McShann's Kansas City Group. Experienced in a wide variety of jazz combinations, including Basie's, he is a bassist as much admired by musicians as he is underrated by the audience. Herbie Lovelle, on drums, is the youngest member of the octet and the nephew of Arthur Herbert, himself a well-known drummer. During his nine years of professional activity, Herbie has worked with Lips Page, Lucky Millinder, Teddy Wilson, Earl Hines, Jimmy Rushing and Sam Taylor.

From Billboard - May 25, 1959: Buck Clayton and such wonderful mainstreamers as E. Berry, B. Tate, E Warren, D. Wells, A. Williams, H. Lavelle, and G. Raymond have put together an exciting LP that has a chance for solid sales. Clayton is his usual outstanding self of trumpet, and the other men help him tremendously. Some of the tunes are standards, such as "Mean To Me" and "Moonglow," and there are other items of interest to jazz fans like "Night Train" and "Swingin' At The Copper Rail."

I'm not sure why the review includes a title (Swingin' At The Copper Rail) that is not listed on this album.

Swinging At The Copper Ball
Outer Drive
Swingin' Along On Broadway
Night Train
Mean To Me
Buckini
Moonglow
Sunday