Ralph Gari

 

Nocturne

Ralph Gari

EmArcy MG-36019

A Product of Mercury Record Corporation

1955

Featuring:

Ralph Gari

Clarence Shank - Piano

Edward Julian - Drums

Daniel Sherrett Bass

From the back cover: Exciting, exotic, experimental – these are among the many adjectives that are bound to be applied to the work of the Ralph Gari Quartet, one of the most unusual instrumental combinations of recent years, which makes its record debut with this collection of eleven performances – five original compositions and six standard tunes, all played in a style the clearly owes nothing to any accepted traditional or modern jazz form, and demonstrating the originality and resourcefulness of the unit's amazing young leader.

Ralph Gari (born Garofalo) is a native son of New Castle, Pa., where he was born July 15, 1927. Beginning his musical tuition in his home town on September 10, 1936 (he recalls the exact date), he continued his studies in Pittsburgh and New York. His tutors included Max Adkins, Joe Allard and Vic Goldring.

Ralph was a musical prodigy from an early age. Beginning in 1929, when he was just twelve, he played solo clarinet with an Italian concert band in the Pittsburgh area for four years, encouraged by the enthusiastic predictions of the musical conductor, Victorio Gasper.

In New York Ralph undertook a series of jobs that passed the time away and earned him a steady salary, but were scarcely conducive to any great inspiration. With the Eddie Rogers orchestra he plays for an ice show in 1945. He worked with such bands as those of Vincent Lopez, Reggie Childs and Frankie Carle, joining the last named in 1949. At one time, too, he performed under the direction of Paul Whiteman, and since 1950 he has worked extensively in both concert and jazz ensembles, mostly in Las Vegas, where he settled down in June, 1950. Now living there with his wife and two sons, he has been featured lately at El Rancho Vegas with his own quartet, which he organized in 1954. 

Though Ralph's talents are numerous, as you will clearly hear, on an aural examination of this LP, the quartet owed not a little of its success to the manner in which his teammates cooperate to display his unique talents to the fullest advantage.

Clarence "Hank" Shank, the pianist, was born April 24, 1921 in Steubenville, Ohio. After studying at Chicago Musical College, he did solo and combo work in many Chicago theaters and night clubs before joining Ralph.

Danny Sherrett, the bassist, was born July 13, 1921 in Mulnomah, Oregon and has played with the bands of Louis Prima and Al Donohue.

Eddie Johnson, the drummer, is a native of New Rochelle, New York, where he was born January 8, 1918. He has worked with Les Brown, Alvino Rey and Vaughn Monroe.

Happy Daze

Kali

Fourth Dimension

Nocturne

Transition

Fine And Dandy

Dancing In The Dark

The Way You Look Tonight

I've Got You Under My Skin

That Old Black Magic

Thou Swell