Essence - John Lewis

Another Encounter

Essence

John Lewis Plays The Compositions And Arrangements Of Gary McFarland

Arrranger-Conductor: Gary McFarland

Recording Engineers: Tom Dowd & Phil Iehle

Cover: Stranislaw Zagorski

Supervision: Nesuhi Ertegun & Tom Dowd

Atlantic 1425

1964

From the back cover: John Lewis is a creator of sounds. His aural sensitivity, which reaches us through The Modern Jazz Quartet of which he is musical director, may be likened to the personalized sound of the inimitable Duke Ellington orchestra. Just as Ellington utilizes the colorful sonorities of Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges and other distinguished jazzmen, John Lewis weaves the MJQ's unique sound around the genius of Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Connie Kay. Today, the unmistakeable timbre of the MJQ is a household word in jazz and pianist-composer John Lewis is responsible for this remarkable aural refinement. Lewis' musical activities are not confined to the MJQ alone. Besides making numerous recordings composing for film and the ballet, and founding "Orchestra USA", whose repertoire ranges from the blues and baroque music to avant-garde jazz and serial music, John Lewis also encourages talent. When Gary McFarland was a newcomer to the jazz world in 1959, one of the few people who encouraged him was John Lewis.

West Coast-born vibraphonist Gary McFarland came to New York by way of Boston, where he studied at the Berlee School Of Music and wrote his first big band arrangements for the Herb Pomeroy Orchestra. He also attended the School Of Jazz in Lenox, Mass. of which John Lewis was director. Now an established young composer-arranger living in New York, Gary McFarland has had his works performed and recorded by large and small groups under his direction as well as such stars as Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz and Johnny Hodges, to name a few.

All six selections in this album were composed and arranged by Gary McFarland, and they feature the sensitive piano playing of John Lewis all the way. However, it is interesting to note that the orchestra is not used to provide simple accompaniments. On the contrary, the soloist and the orchestra are fused together in one over-all tonal landscape. Gary McFarland is extremely conscious of tone colors. The varied textures he utilizes provide an underlying blanket to the flowing melodic lines which are usually tinged with a little sadness and nostalgia. – Arif Mardin

From Billboard - January 23, 1965: This is the stuff that fine jazz is made of: the compositions and arrangements of Gary McFarland and the piano delineation of John Lewis. McFarland's work helps bring out the best in Lewis and the pianist with the aid of an understanding orchestra bring out the best in McFarland.

Hopeful Encounter

Tillamook Two

Night Float

Notions

Another Encounter

Wish Me Well

On Hopefull Encounter, Notions & Wish Me Well, the personnel is" John Lewis - piano, Nick Travis, Lewis Mucci and Freddie Hubbard - Trumpets; Mike Zwerin - Trombone; Bob Swisshelm and Bob Northern - French Horns; Don Butterfield - Tuba; Billy Bean - Guitar; Richard Davis - Bass and Connie Kay - Drums

On Tilliamook Two and Another Encounter, the personnel is: John Lewis - Piano; Harold Jones - Flute; Eric Dolphy - Alto Flute; Phil Woods - Clarinet; William Arrowsmith - Oboe; Loren Glickman - Bassoon; Don Stewart - Bassett Horn; Gene Allen - Baritone Sax; Jim Hall - Guitar; Richard Davis - Bass and Connie Kay - Drums

On Night Float, the personnel is: John Lewis - Piano; Eric Dolphy - Alto Sax; Benny Golson - Tenor Sax; Jimmy Giuffre - Baritone Sax; Herb Pomeroy - Trumpet; Gunther Schuller - French Horn; Jim Hall - Guitar; Gorge Duvivier - Bass and Connie Kay - Drums

The trumpet solo on Notions is by Freddie Hubbard