Conception - John La Porta

 

Perdido

Conceptions

John La Porta - Septet, Quartet and Duo

Fantasy 3-228

1956

From the back cover: John La Porta, as one of the important figures in the jazz world, has had a career filled with the experience necessary for the development of a complete jazz musician.

Born in Philadelphia in 1920, he took up the clarinet when he was nine and studied with Ernest Toch, Alexis Haieff and others. Prior to his dance band experience, he played in the Youth Symphony conducted by Stokowski.

Beginning in 1940, La Porta played with dance bands, Bob Chester, Ray McKinley and Woody Herman, mostly as section man and rarely soloing. While he was with Woody Herman's Band, he composed "Non-Alcoholic." La Porta was one of the first musicians attracted to the talent of Lennie Tristano and studied and also recorded with him. He was one of the Metronome All-Stars in 1951 and 1952 and during recent years he was concentrated on teaching in Long Island. During the late 40s, when the radio program "Modern Jazz vs Figs" was broadcast, La Porta was one of the featured musicians along with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Lennie Tristano. He plays both clarinet and alto on this LP and has been featured as a composer and performer in the Composers' Workshop Series in New York in 1954-55. Aside from his recording activity with Kenny Clarke, Lennie Tristano and Woody Herman, he can be heard on Fantasy's record "Modern Music From Philadelphia" by the Sandole Brothers' orchestra. John has played with Claude Thornhill, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Red Norvo and has also been featured in the Composer's Workshop Series.

Sonny Russo, trombone, is a veteran of the Artie Shaw, Dorsey Brothers, Sam Donohue, Stan Kenton and Sauter-Finegan orchestra and was featured in the latter group's album, "Inside Sauter-Finegan." He also has recorded with Neal Hefti.

Sol Schlinger, bariton saxophone, is another big band veteran, having served with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and also with Benny Goodman. He has recorded with Al Cohn, Phil Woods and Gene Quill.

Wally Cirillo, piano, like La Porta and Mucci, is one of the musicians who participated in the Composer's Workshop Series. His experience with jazz groups includes time spent with Chubby Jackson-Bill Harris small band and groups led by Charles Mingus and Two Macero. He has also recorded with his own group.

Clem De Rosa, drums, is also a graduate of the Chubby Jackson-Bill Harris group and has recorded with Charles Mingus and the Sandole Brothers. He is a graduate of the Manhattan School Of Music.

Wendell Marshall, bass, is one of the best known of the modern bassists. A veteran of the Duke Ellington orchestra, he is also a first cousin of the great Ellington bassist, Jimmy Blanton. He has played with Lionel Hampton, Stuff Smith and Mercer Ellington and has recorded extensively.

From Billboard - September 22, 1956: The modernist clarinet-alto sax man plays mainly his own compositions. As a writer or as a soloist, he's interested in small doses, but interest wanes with over exposure as he never catches fire. Avant-garde followers will support this favorite of the clique, but the market is limited to the cognoscenti.

Concertina For Clarinet

Nightly Vigil

Perdido

Triplets, You Say?

Small Blue Opus

Little Fantasy

Absentee

Washday

En Rapport

Lou's Tune

Ferme La Porta