Here's To The Losers - Georgie Auld

 

One For My Baby

Here's To The Losers

Georgie Auld Sextet

Produced by Jack Tracy

Cover Photo Courtesy Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas

Recorded in July, 1963, in Hollywood

Philips Records STEREO PHS 600-116

1963

Personnel:

Georgie Auld - Tenor Saxophone

Larry Bunker - Vibes

Johnny Gray - Guitar

Leroy Vinnegar - Bass

Mel Lewis - Drums

From the back cover: A veteran of the big band days whose apprenticeship was served with such luminaries as Bunny Berigan, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, Auld has led his own group for a good many years now, off and on, with the "off" periods consisting of such varying ventures as running his own night clubs, working as a staff musician for MGM film studios, and serving for a time as assistant to the president of the American Federation of Musicians.

Here's To The Losers

In The Wee Small Hours

That Old Feeling

Everything Happens To Me

Drinking Again

Blue And Sentimental

Learnin' The Blues

For Losers And Boozers

One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

The Jazz Workshop - Manny Albam

Ferris Wheel

The Jazz Workshop

Manny Albam

Photo: Lee Friedlander

RCA Victor LPM 1211

1956

From the back cover: This is Manny Albam

For the past few years the figure of Emmanuel Albam has lurked behind the scenes story of a number of great jazz figures. As a dance band arranger, he spent five years putting talented pen to paper for Charlie Spivak; as a jazz writer he contributed to the libraries of Count Basie, Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. In the area of combo writing – the kind of work for which he expresses a special predilection – he has written for recording dates led by some of the same musicians who play under his direction in this, his own first session.

Manny Albam was born June 24, 1922, in Samana, in the Dominican Republic, where his mother was visiting. While still in his teens, he made an early big-time debut playing saxophone in Bob Chester's band. During the next few years, before and after his 1945-46 Army service, he built up a jazz reputation, playing baritone sax and arranging in big bands led by Georgie Auld, Charlie Barnet and Charlie Ventura.

Five years ago Manny virtually stopped playing, since that time the calls for his contributions as an arranger had necessitated complete concentration on writing.

Manny feels that the influence of Duke Ellington's approach to small-band recordings, such as the date by Duke's Johnny Hodges contingent, had some bearing on his feeling about the present album.

"I never forget," he says, "that in this kind of jazz the soloists are at least as important as the writing, if not more important.

"As for the type of music we feature here, I have what might be called a traditional approach to the idea of swinging. I wanted to use some of my favorite soloists in a compatible group, and incidentally, in order to let the horns be heard to full advantage, I didn't use any piano. A piano can tend to make a group sound smaller, by covering up some of the figures you write, or interfering with the horns. Besides, Osie Johnson and Milt Hinton were on all three sessions for this album, and what rhythm section could be more complete?

Each of the sessions features an octet with slightly varying personnel: two trumpeters, two trombones, two saxophones and two rhythm. The opener, Anything Goes, goes like anything, with Nick Travis' open trumpet, Jimmy Notthingham muted, Al Cohn's tenor and Bobby Brookmeyer's bristling valve trombone.

Headstrong, an up-tempo original, is noteworthy for the unique feel of Brookmeyer's solo, the opening eight bars of which are based on two notes. Sol Schlinger's baritone and Milt Hinton's bass are solo features too. Black Bottom rocks the standard tune more gently than you might have expected, with Schlinger, trombonist Billy Byers, Cohn and Hinton spotlighted. The Changing Scene is a short and prettily melancholy Albam piece, featuring Ha McKusick's graceful alto and some Byers trombone that recalls Bill Harris' best ballad moments.

Albam makes the band sound like much more than an octet with his ingenious interplay of trumpets, reeds, trombones and rhythm on The Turning Point, a swinging original featuring McKusick, Travis and Byers. The side closes with Charmaine, in which Cohn, Travis and Urbie Green decorate Albam's refurbishing job on the 1927 standard.

A similar operation is performed on Diga Diga Doo, a 1928 "Blackbirds" hit, with McKusick, Brookmeyer and the superb Basie trumpet star Joe Newman up front. The 1919 Royal Garden Blues has never sounded less antique than in the hands of Manny and the solos of McKusick, Hinton and Travis. Swingin' On A Star, medium-paced, high-lights Schlinger, Newman and Brookmeyer, Intermezzo (an original, not the standard) features Al Cohn, Nick Travis in Harmon mute, and Jimmy Nottingham with cup mute.

Ferris Wheel is an happy, bouncing original with Nick Travis, Al Cohn and Brookmeyer all at their jumping best. Manny wrote Urbanity, as you might expect, to feature Urban (Urbie) Green; Newman and McKusick also contributed to the mood of this slow, soulful melody.

I suspect that you who listen to it will be no less happy about Albam's Album than was Manny himself, or Jack Lewis, who produced it, or this writer, who had the larcenous assignment of being hired to hear it. – Leonard Feather - Leonard Feather is the author of The Encyclopedia Of Jazz, and featured writer for Down Beat, Esquire and other publications, as well as moderator of his own music panel show, "Platterbrains," over a major radio network.

From Billboard - June 9, 1956: Albam is a jazz writer who has contributed conspicuously to the libraries of Basie, Herman, Kenton and lesser lights. His experience with top dance bands makes natural the aim at a swinging, virile, full-voiced sound that make two saxes, two trumpets, two trombones and two rhythm instruments (no piano) sound like a band twice the size. His approach in this session is to create solid ensemble blowing with soloists subordinated to the group. A bit conservative perhaps, but relaxed and swinging all the way.

Anything Goes

Headstrong

Black Bottom

The Changing Scene

The Turing Point

Charmaine

Diga Diga Doo

Royal Garden Blues

Swingin' On A Star

Intermezzo

Ferris Wheel

Unbanity

Rolf Ericson And His All American Stars

 

Visby Groove Alley

Rolf Ericson

And His All American Stars

EmArcy - Mercury Records MG 36106

1958

From the back cover: About The Musicians 

The personnel of the Rolf Ericson Combo certainly reads like a Who's Who at Birdland. To give the front line that vital strength, so typical of today's New York jazz, Rolf sought the services of Cecil Payne and his powerful baritone. Cecil, of course, became widely known during the later forties as a prominent anchor in the Dizzy Gillespie sax section and has lately been active around New York doing several record dates and nightclub gigs with different star combinations.

Being a Charlie Parker disciple Cecil Payne shares this source of inspiration with pianist Duke Jordan, a steady member of different combos under the late great "Bird". Duke is undoubtedly one of the most original keyboard minds in modern jazz and his capacity both as a soloist and writer of catchy jazz themes has been truly appreciated.

Together with Duke Jordan drummer Art Taylor and bassist John Simmons form one of the greatest rhythm sections ever heard in Sweden. A highly sensitive and inventive drummer Art Taylor has already shown his remarkable talent working with Bud Powell and the Gigi Gryce-Art Farmer Quintet, John Simmons, a veteran in the jazz field since 20 years back, has always held a reputation for being one of the most driving bass men around and his work in the Rolf Ericson group certainly offers convincing proof.

About The Leader

Rolf Ericson made his first trip to the States in 1947. At first located on the west coast he soon made the big band circuit touring with Benny Carter, Charlie Barnet, Elliott Lawrence and Woody Herman. Upon his return to Sweden in 1950 he formed an excellent band with alto player Arne Domnerus but again left for the U.S.A. two years later. During 1955 he mainly worked with Harry James and shortly before the Swedish tour Rolf held the solo choir in Les Brown's trumpet section.

Forecast

Vacker Flicka

Visby Groove Alley

Flight To Jordan

Medley: I Cover The Waterfront, Laura, Everything Happens To Me

This Time The Dream's On Me

Cootie & Rex In The Big Challenge

 

When Your Lover Has Gone

Cootie & Rex 

In The Big Challenge

Producer: George T. Simon

Recording Engineer: Ernie Delrich

Photographer: Kal Weyner

Jazztone Society J1268

1957

Personnel:

Cootie Williams - Trumpet

Rex Stewart - Cornet

Coleman Hawkins and Bud Freeman - Tenor Saxes

Lawrence Brown and J. C. Higginbotham - Trombones

Hank Jones - Piano

Billy Bauer - Guitar

Milton Hinton - Bass

Gus Johnson - Drums

From the back cover: The Big Challenge is both a challenge and a reunion. It pits against one another some of the greatest swingers in the history of jazz. It also brings back together two of the foremost trumpeters of all time.

The idea for this record came about when a friend of mine mentioned that Cootie Williams, once my favorite of all trumpeters, was still blowing great horn with his rock-and-roll type band at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. This was great news! I hadn't Cootie, nor even much of him, for almost ten years. But I knew that if he were playing even only half as well as he used to, when he was a star with Ellington and Goodman, he'd still make an exceptional disc.

I phoned Cootie at home. Much to my dismay, he wasn't overly enthusiastic. "I made some of those jazz dates nine years ago," he explained, "and I didn't like the way they were run. They did me more harm than good."

So the next thing to do was to organize a session that would be attractive to Cootie and could do him some good. I contacted Rex Stewart, his friend and trumpet partner with Ellington and before that with Fletcher Henderson. Rex, intensely enthusiastic and cooperative, just as he'd been a couple of years ago when we'd organized his first jazz date in eight years, dropped by the Savoy to talk with Cootie. Meanwhile, I'd contacted Coleman Hawkins, whom I knew Cootie idolized (and vice versa). "Count me in," said Hawk.

Cootie warmed up. The prospects of playing with Hawk and of challenges with Rex appealed to him. Soon the challenge idea spread to the other horns. The date was on!

(For the sake of the less initiated, a challenge is a sort of friendly competition that breeds inspiration. It's been a part of many a dance act and has been used in jazz mostly on informal jam sessions, with musicians exchanging anything from two bar phrases to entire choruses.)

And who would challenge Hawkins, long the recognized king of the big blowing, full-bodied tenor style? None other than the originator of the light, harmonically inventive tenor style, from which has since emerged the Lester Young and Stan Getz schools, the imaginative Bud Freeman. Except for a brief appearance on a record many years ago, they'd never been recorded together, and certainly had never been pitted against one another. The idea was most intriguing to everyone – including Bud.

As for the trombonists, it was only natural to ask Lawrence Brown, a warm, personal friend and former fellow-Ellingtonian, to rejoin Cootie and Rex. Larry has also once been a member of Louis Armstrong's band, so it seemed most appropriate to call in another ex-Satchmo trombonist, who, like Cootie, had been absent from the jazz recording scene for much too long, the wonderful J. C. Higginbotham.

The contrast in the styles of all six soloists is most attracting. Cooties' trumpet is strong, vital, forceful, and highly emotional. Rex's horn (he actually blows a cornet) is cuter, more coy, humorous, but still extremely feelingful. The Hawkins sax is powerful, majestic, sonorous; the Freeman tenor is witty, imaginative and extremely rhythmic. Brown's trombone is mellow, moody and lush; Higginbotham's is brittle, driving and intensely exciting.

One important request from Cootie: a steady, swinging rhythm section, including a guitarist with a loose, strong beat – precisely what Bill Bauer has, and has always had ever since his Woody Herman days. For an intelligent, tasty, swinging pianist, Hank Jones was the ideal choice. Few, if any drummers today, lay down such a sure, steady, swinging beat as does Gus Johnson, the mammoth of a man who used to rock Count Basie's band. And of course, for sheer, swinging, enthusiastic bass playing – the ever-present Milt Hinton.

One final plea from Cootie: "Don't just put us in the studio and tell everyone to blow – please!" So Ernie Wilkins, who's written such swinging things for Basie, sketched five sets of opening and closing choruses, between which all the men could blow solos, and that experienced recording arranger, Joe Thomas, who has written for Cootie of late, worked out the backgrounds for the two numbers that spotlight Williams.

The record was made at two different sessions in RCA Victor's Webster Hall studio. Side One was cut on April 30th, 1957; Side Two just one week later. So that the music could be issued on stereophonic tapes, the horns were divided into two trio sections (note photo on front cover), with Rex, Bud and J.C. at the left and Cootie, Hawk and Larry at the right.

I'm Beginning To See The Light

Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

Alphonse And Gaston

I Got A Right To Sing The Blues

Walkin' My Baby Back Home

When Your Lover Has Gone

I Knew You When

Come On-A Stan's Houser

 

September Song

Come On-A Stan's House

He Give-A You Harpsichord

Stan Freeman at The Harpsichord

Al Caiola - Guitar

Frank Carroll - Bass

Terry Synder - Drums

Columbia Record CL 6193 (10-inch disc)

1951

From the back cover: The harpsichord being what it is – something we come to in a moment – there has always been a stodgy body of opinion that its curiously agreeable sound should be reserved for something of the noble stature of, say, the Goldberg Variations, or at most in moments of wild (and rather precious) abandon a daintily syncopated presentation of a refined popular song.

Alec Wilder, of course, used the harpsichord prominently in his arrangements for his Octet and two or three years ago, in an entertaining mystery called Blue Harpsichord, David Keith envisioned a time when a lady harpsichordist would attain an enviable degree of success in night-clubs, but no one appears to have thought, until recently, of the wonderful things that could happen when Stan Freeman brought some fine, low-down thought to his playing and momentarily left his famous piano for the plucking of the harpsichord.

All this happened in the Spring of 1951 when, under the directions of Mitch Miller, Rosemary Clooney applied a spurious Armenian accent to an earthy fancy by William Saroyan and Ross Bagdasarian, with an accompaniment consisting  of guitar, bass, drums and harpsichord. This mixture turned out to be the fabulous successful Come On-A My House, which put Miss Clooney securely in the stellar bracket where everyone had long felt she belonged, and focused attention on her fascinating sounds that Mr. Freeman coaxed out his eighteen-century music box. As a result, this collection has been recorded further to show what the harpsichord, in the right hands, can do for popular music, and to show what Stan Freeman can do with any instrument that has a keyboard.

Also from the back cover: Since he (Freeman) arrived on the New York musical scene, his piano work has consistently evoked the most laudatory comments from the critics, his fellow musicians and the public, a parlay not often achieved. Born in Waterbury, Conn., in 1920, he studies piano from the age of eight, and earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Julius Hartt School of Music. He has also studied with Harold Bauer and Moshe Paranov, and in 1941 won the Mac Dowell Club Award as the outstanding young American pianist of that year. Once in New York, he allowed the popular idiom to take precedence over his classical studies, and in no time at all had a solid reputation in recording studios, in radio studios and in night clubs. After three years in the AAF, he returned to re-establish himself swift as one of the most imaginative young pianists in town, and appearances with the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York, the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra and the Hartford Symphony added to his reputation.

From Billboard - November 17, 195: As of the moment with "Come On-A My House" still fresh in the minds of disk customers, there should be a fairly good market for this collection or eight instrumentals played by Stan Freeman on harpsichord with rhythm accompaniment. Freeman's barrel house keyboard playing is most effective on the up tempo tunes; his musically style on the slower ditties will have limited appeal. Several items sound like good bets as singles; the title song "Jeeper's Creeper," "St. Louis Blues," "Peridio" and"Just One Of Those Things,"

Come On-A My House

Who Can I Turn To?

Jeepers Creepers

The St. Louis Blues

Just One Of Those Things

September Song

The Blue Room (with a Bow to Scarlatti)

Perdido

Introducing Gus Mancuso

 

Brother Aintz

Introducing Gus Mancuso

Fantasy 3233

1957

Featuring Bill Douglass, Eddie Duran, Vince Guaraidi, Richie Kamuca, Cal Tjader, Gerry Riggings & Eugene Wright

I'm Glad There Is You," "The Ruble And The Yen," "Goody Goody" recorded in Hollywood in June 1956. Personnel: Gus Mancuso, Baritone Horn; Gerald Wiggins, Piano; Gene Wright, Bass and Bill Douglass, Drums.

"Ev'ry Time," "By The Way," "How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning," "Every Time We Say Goodbye," recorded in San Francisco in November 1956. Personnel: Gus Mancuso, Baritone Horn; Eddie Duran, Guitar; Gene Wright, Bass and Cal Tjader, Drums.

"Brother Aintz," "And Baby Makes Three," "Hatful Of Dandruff," recorded in San Francisco, November 1956. Personnel: Gus Mancuso, Baritone Horn; Vince Guaraldi, Piano; Gene Wright, Bass, Cal Tjader, drums and Rickie Kamuca, Tenor Sax.

From the back cover: Ronald Bernard "Gus" Mancuso is a 23 year old Rochester, N.Y. musician who make his solo debut on this album. Gus (and no reader of the Sporting News will have to be told why Ronald Bernard became Gus) has chosen the grave, mellow-tone baritone horn for his major instrument despite the fact that he also plays divers instruments including the piano, bass, trumpet, trombone and vibes. He also sings (baritone). To the best of my knowledge he is the first jazz musician to specialize in the baritone horn and I must say the results are impressive.

It's not at all surprising that Gus doubles on so many instruments. The Mancusos are a musical (and large) family and al the six brothers have been musicians. Gus himself began as a drummer when he was only 11 and then switched to trombone. He actually picked up on the baritone horn in the Army when he played it in a Army Band.

Aside from his multiple-playing ability (just consider the possibility of a multiple tape recording of Gus playing all his instruments accompanying himself singing!) he also arranges and composes, and one of his own tunes is in this album.

Cal Tjader, the young San Francisco bandleader whose mambo jazz group has become one of the most successful in the country, plays drums on this album. Tjader, a Down Beat New Star Award winner on vibes is usually known for his work on that instrument and his earlier efforts in the rhythm section have been forgotten (though such diverse musicians as Andre Previn and Charlie Mingus still number him among their favorite drummers). 

When the Tjader group was playing at Las Vegas, Cal encountered Gus "playing piano on night, bass the next and then baritone horn." Cal recalls, "Then, while he was with a vocal group at the New Frontier where we were appearing he used to jam with us from 4 to 6 in the morning and it was great.

On his return to San Francisco, Tjader told Fantasy about Gus and the result was the series of three sessions, one in Los Angeles and two in San Francisco, which display Mancuso's outstanding wailing ability on this unusual horn. – Ralph J. Gleason

From Billboard - March 20, 1957: Jazz via baritone horn as played by newcomer Gus Mancuso is an interesting adventure into the remarkable avenues taken by indie Fantasy. It's good jazz too, beyond the commendation for lack of conformity, with a stellar group of sidemen accompanying Mancuso with equal inventiveness and imagination. Tracks are standard and should get good disk jockey play.

I'm Glad There Is You

Brother Aintz (Mancuso)

Ev'ry Time

The Ruble And The Yen

By The Way

And Baby Makes Three

How Do You Like Your Eggs In The Morning?

A Hatful Of Dandruff

Every Time We Say Goodbye

Send For Me - Julie London

 

What's Your Story Morning Glory

Send For Me

Julie London

Orchestra and Chorus Conducted by Jimmy Rowles

Producer: Si Waronker

Photography: Garrett-Howard

Cover Design: Pate/Franics & Associates

Liberty Records LRP 3171

1961

Evenin' 

What's Your Story Morning Glory

Get On The Right Track

I Must Have That Man

Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It)

Baby Come Home

Everyday (I Have The Blues)

Yes Indeed

Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You

Cheatin' On Me

Trav'lin Light

Send For Me

Music For Relaxation - The Melachrino Stings

 

Autumn Leaves

Mood In Music

Music For Relaxation

The Melachrino Strings and Orchestra

Conducted by George Melachrino

Photo by D. L. Burkett

RCA Victor LPM-1001 RE

1958

Berceuse de Jocelyn 

Autumn Leaves

While We're Young

Star Dust

Portrait Of A Lady

Valse Bluette

By The Sleepy Lagoon

La Golondrina (The Swallow)

La Serenata

Moonlight Serenade

Vision d' Amour

Estrellita

Concert By The Sea - Erroll Garner

 

Mambo Carmel

Concert By The Sea

Erroll Garner

Columbia Records CL 883

1956

From the back cover: In a time when jazz artists are turning increasingly to the concert stage, it may seem surprising that this album is the first to be released (in 1956) by Erroll Garner playing before a concert audience. The reason for this delay is simple. No one ever thought of recording a Garner concert before, although Erroll is an artist who is keenly receptive to the interchange of stimulation between audience and artist.

Erroll was one of the first jazz instrumentalists to give a full evening's recital in a concert hall, in the Music Hall in Cleveland on March 27, 1950. Martha Glaser, who presented that concert, also produced and staged the one at which the present recording was made, in Carmel, California. Jimmy Lyons, the disc jockey (now with KDON in Monterey) whose knowledgeable programming of jazz and assistance to west coast musicians is a legend in the northern California area, was the promoter of the concert.

Erroll has often told interviewers that his music reflects everything around him; as he puts it, "I play all the sounds I hear." The conditions preceding this concert were ideal, and Erroll's playing attest to this. He arrived in Carmel at sundown, after driving, with his accompanists, from San Francisco along the Pacific Coast – one of the most beautiful roadways in the United States. The moods of San Francisco, Carmel, the ocean, the traffic, and the good humor of his sidemen during the trip are all wrapped up in Erroll's performance.

Garner was in championship form in this concert. Performing with a sense of building which few musicians can match, he played a program that was impeccably paced, stimulatingly developed, and blazing with enthusiasm. At 33, he has been an established giant of the piano for so many years that he is often take for granted. This album is a great introduction to those who have not yet become Garner fans, and especially exciting to those in his loyal coterie who say "Erroll's our man – he always great," but who haven't really stopped to take note of his continued development within his own unique structural style.

The Carmel concert was staged under ideal conditions. The auditorium, which used to be a Gothic-style church, was perfect acoustically. The audience was completely responsive to every nuance of Erroll's performance.

The contents of this album were pretty much determined by what Erroll hadn't recorded for Columbia. Everything he played was of extraordinary quality, which is usual with Erroll's one-shot performances, so we simply left out the record tunes which he plays in response to requests.

With Erroll on this recording are his fine accompanists, Denzil Best on drums and Eddie Calhoun on bass. The voice you hear occasionally, in the manner of Toscanini exhorting his musicians, is Erroll, actively conducting with head, hands, shoulders and vocal cords. As always, Erroll gave everything he had; there were two intermissions, and Erroll was drenched at the end of each of the three sections of the concert. Fortunately, he had the foresight to bring four complete changes of clothes – and he used them!

As these notes are written, Erroll is preparing for still another solo recital at Town Hall in New York, where he first appeared in December, 1950. More concerts appearances, in programs, entitled "Evening With Erroll Garner", are to follow, and shortly after this album is released Erroll will be off on his firsts full-scale concert tour of Europe – George Avakian

From Billboard - August 18, 1956: This package is the first Columbia LP recorded while he was playing before a concert audience (at Carmel, Calif.). The pianist's brilliant jazz technique and tender touch are showcased on a group of standards and originals – "I'll Remember April," "Teach Me Tonight," "Mambo Carmel," etc. Cover, an eye-catching photo of a Carmel seascape, is perfectly keyed to the title theme. Excellent for jazz jocks and romantic sets on pop shows.

I'll Remember April

Teach Me Tonight

Mambo Carmel

Autumn Leaves

It's All Right With Me

Red Top

April In Paris

They Can't Take That Away From Me

How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me

Where Or When 

Erroll's Theme

I Feel So Spanish! - Eydie Gorme

 

Beseme Mucho

I Feel So Spanish!

Eydie Gorme

Orchestra Conducted by Don Costa

United Artist UAL 3152

1961

Granada

Te Quiero Así

Beseme Mucho

My Heart

Come Closer To Me

Un Telegrama

Adios

La Puerta

Frenesi

Quien Sera

Perfidia

I Feel So Spanish