Jazz For Young Moderns - Tony Ortega

 

Patting

Jazz For Young Moderns

(And Old Buzzards, Too)

Tony Ortega Plays Modern Alto Jazz

Cover: Record Design Studios

Bethlehem Records BCP-79

1959

From the back cover: I was born June 7, 1928 in Los Angeles, California. When I was 15 years old I stared playing the Alto-Saxophone and a year later the clarinet. For three years I studied with Lloyd Reese. After I finished high school I worked a while with Earl Spencer's Band. In 1948 I went into the Army and played with a band for three years. During this time I also started playing the Flute and the Tenor-Saxophone.

In 1951, after discharge from the Army, I joined Lionel Hampton's Band. During that time also with Lionel were the late Cliffords Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland and Gigi Gryce. In November 1953 after Hamp's first European Tour I left the band and worked around the Eastern United States with Organist Milt Buckner.

In early '54 I traveled to Norway and toured Scandinavia with my own group, which were Norwegian Musicians. "Estrad," the Swedish Jazz Magazine, credited me for giving new impetus to the Jazz Movement in Norway. Upon returning to Los Angeles, I formed a Quartet, comprised of the last Carl Perkins, Monk Montgomery and Chuck Thomson.

In late 1955 I toured the East with Organist Louis Rivera. Afterwards I settled in New York City. I did at that time quite a few recording dates, with musicians like Billy Taylor, Herbie Mann, Quincy Jones, Nat Pierce, Maynard Ferguson, Ernie Wilkins, Dinah Washington an Johnny Hartman.

Also I worked with the bands of Claude Thornhill, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Elliot Lawrence. Now I am again on the west coast, working this time with Howard Romsey's Lighthouse All Stars. I strive after an overall Jazz sound not patterned after any one particular musical, although my biggest influence was Charlie Parker. Of contemporary Musicians I like Art Farmer, Walter Benton, Paul Bley and Slide Hampton.

On side A of this album I try to bring to the listener straight-forward Jazz and on side B a form of chamber-music-styled Jazz. I hope to prove that both forms have their merits.  – Anthony Ortega

Just One Of Those Things - Cole Porter

Bat Man's Blues - Tony Ortega

These Foolish Things - Link-Strachey-Maschwitz

Tune For Mona - Tony Ortega

No Fi - Tony Ortega

Four To Four - Robert Zieff

I Can't Get Started - Duke-Gershwin

Cinderella's Curfew - Robert Ziff

I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You - Young-Washington-Crosby

Patting - Robert Ziff