A Taste Of Pourcel

 

You Only Live Twice

A Taste Of Pourcel

Front Cover Photo: Rayment Kirby

Cover Design: Ferret

One Up OU 2101

EMI Records Ltd.

1975

A Man And A Woman (Un Hommeunefemme)

Love Walked In

Mariachi

El Condor Pasa

Snowbird

Goodbye

Delilah

Love Theme (from "The Godfather)

High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me - from the film "High Noon)

You Only Live Twice (from the film "You Only Live Twice)

Forever And Ever (And Ever)

C'est Magnifique

She

Blue Moon

Jubilee Surprise Party Vol. 1

 

Mondongo

Jubilee Surprise Party

Volume 1

Cover Design: Harry Farmlett

Jubilee 1007

A Product of Jay-Gee Recording, Co., Inc.

A Division of The Cosnat Corp.

1959

One O'Clock Jump - Sy Oliver and His Orchestra

Song From "The Geisha Boy" - Don Rondo

C'est Se Bon - Frankie Ortega Trio

Cuddle Up A Little Closer - The Ambassadors

There Will Never Be Another You - Lu Ann Simms

Mondongo - Mark Monte and His Continentals

The Lady Is A Tramp - Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra

I'll See You In My Dreams - Lois Kahn

Party For Marty - Marty Holmes Oclet

When I Grow Too Old To Dream - Della Reese and Kirk Stuart

Tango Of Fire - Walter Scharf

One More Time - Sy Oliver and His Orchestra

Michelle - David & Jonathan

 

I Know

Michelle

David & Jonathan

Produced by George Martin

Capitol Records T 2473

1966

From the back cover: David and Jonathan have a hit version of 1966's top ballad, Michelle... but everyone with a radio or a photograph already knows that. But what everyone may not know is that David Roger Greenway and Jonathan Roger Cook (their harmonious middle names accurately suggesting their harmonious vocal sound) are not strictly ballad singers. As you'll hear, they are equally adept at pouring on that driving rhythm that's so important to today's smash sound. And furthermore, they're not just singers.

Both boys are favorite sons of Bristol, England's western industrial center, and personal friends of long standing. This friendship has gradually blossomed into one of popular music's most rewarding and diversified professional partnerships... rewarding for their appreciative audiences as well as for themselves. First off, they tried their hands at songwriting and were greeted by such immediate successes as This Golden Ring and You've got Your Troubles, both songs already made famous by The Fortunes. Secondly, British producer George Martin accidentally overheard one of D&J's demonstration discs and concluded that the prides of Bristol had the qualifications to become hit singers as well as hit composers. (Coincidentally, George Martin first heard the Beatles under similar circumstances and has been producing and backing their records ever since.) This event occurred just over a year ago and already Michelle has proven Martin's D&J judgement correct. Third, and quite unique, David and Jonathan have also made a name for themselves by providing great vocal backing for many of Britain's other hit artists.

Michelle

Laughing Fit To Cry

I Know

Bye Bye Brown Eyes

A Must To Avoid

Every Now And Then

Let's Hang On

Yesterday

'Bye Now

This Golden Ring

You've Got Your Troubles

The End Is Beginning

Along Comes Cal - Cal Tjader

 

Los Bandidos

Along Comes Cal

Cal Tjader

Compositions Arranged and Conducted by Chico O'Farrill

Produced by Creed Taylor

Cover Design: Any R. Lehman

Cover Art: Jo Grey/Marvin Hayes

Director of Engineering: Val Valentine

Recorded March 28 and 29, 1967 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Los Bandidos only – recorded live at El Matador, S.F. January 1967

Verve V-8671

From the back cover: Whether or not the Alliance for Progress ever becomes anything more than a phrase of political rhetoric, the music world at least has long been aware of the value of our distant neighbors to the south. Cultural exchange (without the help of the State Department) has been going on between us for years.

Along Come Cal, represents the collaboration of a North American jazzman who became interested in Latin music, and a Latin American musician who became interest in jazz.

Cal is an unlikely candidate for expertise in Latin music, having been born in St. Louis, Mo., of Scandinavian background. His mother was a pianist, however, and his father a vaudevillian, so the music began early. Cal majored in music at San Francisco State College and, when he wasn't attending classes, he was playing drums and bongos with the Dave Burbeck Trio (ultimately to achieve fame as a quartet). From 1953 to '54 Tjader worked with the George Shearing Quintet.

It was while Cal was playing drums for Shearing that the changeover took place. He began listening with an intrigued ear to the propulsively rhythmic, oddly-accented music of Latin America. Later, as vibrant-harpist and leader of his own group, he began to explore the possibilities for mixing jazz improvisation with Latin rhythm. The results were vastly satisfying, both to himself and the public, and he continued in this direction until today he has one of the most successful Latin groups in America. It is also the most musical of Latin groups.

Cal's arranger, Chico O'Farrill was born in Cuba and first came to this country in the 1940s to play trumpet and write for the Benny Goodman band. (He subsequently wrote for San Kenton as well.) In the late '50s he moved to Mexico City where he wrote his First Symphony for performance by the Havana Philharmonic. He returned to New York in 1965. 

Chico scored all but one of the tunes in this album – Samba do Suenho.

Personnel on Bandidos and Suenho is Armando Peraza, conga drum; Al Zulaica, piano; Stan Gilbert, bass and Carl Burnett, drums. The eight other tracks are played by Armando Peraza and Ray Barretto, Latin percussion; Grady Tate, drums; Bobby Rodriguez, bass; Chick Correa, piano and Derel Smith, organ.

Most of the material, with the conspicuous exception of Round Midnight, the arrangement for which, O'Farrill admits, was written tongue-in-cheeck, is Latin in origin. "Everybody approaches Round Midnight so seriously, we decided to have a little fun with it."

Of Cal's own work on the dates, Chico said, "He's a marvelous musician, not in any way flashy. Taste is his big quality. Like Count Basie, he gets his message across without pyrotechnics, and he has a great sense of responsibility. For example, before each date he took the parts home and studied them. A lot more musicians should do that before they record!" – Gene Lees

Quando Quando Que Sera

Round Midnight

Trick Or Treat

Yellow Days

Our Day Will Come

Along Comes Mary

Los Bandidos

Similar

Green Peppers

Samba Do Suenho

The Divine One - Sarah Vaughan

 

Gloomy Sunday

The Divine One

Sarah Vaughan

Produced by Teddy Reig

Photo: Arnold Meyers

Roulette Birdland SR 52060

1961

From the back cover: Reader of the dictionary define the adjective di-viné as pertaining to a deity; heavenly or supremely admirable. Listeners of music however, define the word in far more effective terms. To them its meaning is simply – Miss Sarah Vaughan. The title "The Divine One" is an appellation Sarah Vaughan as carried with unpretentious distinction. She does not claim the name, but her thrilling talent does. She is an uncommon song stylist and in her voice there is magic. In this new outing "Sassy" sheds the large orchestra, the overloaded addition of voices, the cluttered arrangements. Instead, with the aid of Jimmy Jones' arrangements she dramatically turns in a stunning "flat-footed" singing performance of some superb songs. Four of the songs are rendered with just a rhythm section plus the muted trumpet of Harry "Sweets" Edison. Another four feature the soft caress of woodwinds while the remainder of the numbers rely on the backing of a small band sound. For most singers, vocalizing without the heavy-handed force of a big arrangement is the "acid test." For Sarah Vaughan it's really no test, it is something that comes effortlessly, naturally. Here then is the pure sound of Sarah Vaughan, a sound that convinces us that the readers of Webster are wrong about the word devine. They can keep their meaning... we'll stick with ours...

Have You Met Miss Jones?

Ain't No Use

Every Time I See You

You Stepped Out Of A Dream

Gloomy Sunday

What Do You See In Her

Jump For Joy

When Your Lover Has Gone

I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My

Xavier Cugat

 

Donde Estabas Tu

Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra

The Band With The Latin Beat

Mercury Records MG 20065

1955

From the back cover: Latin American music and the name Xavier Cugat have become synonymous over the years as the perfect solution to dancing and listening pleasure in the South American way. Cugat is well known for his distinctive interpretations of both the old and the new favorites of Latin American music.

Cugat's career has had many facets, from culture to cartooning, from Barcelona, Spain, one of the oldest cities in the old world, where he was born into a family who patronized art and music, to some of the finest musical conservatories in Europe, where his grooming for a musical career took place. Cugat's studies in Rome led to what we call "The Big Break", for it was here that he was heard by the great Enrico Caruso, who asked him to go on tour to America with him. This tour turned into five years of working with the greatest tenor of all time, but proved to Xavier that although he was a good violinist he would not be a great artist that he had studied to be. For most men, this would seem failure, but not Cugat, for he turned to a love of his childhood and took a job as cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times. Although he was very successful as a cartoonist, deadlines and the daily routine soon drove him back to his first love – music.

He formed an orchestra in California, featuring the then unheard-of Latin American music. But his unique treatment of it soon "educated" the public and became widely accepted. Cugat's music not only popularized, but also influenced the dance rhythms of the Rhumba, Tango, Conga and Mambo.

Green Eyes

Linda Mujer

Walter Winchell Rhumba

Brazil

A Gay Ranchero

Cucaracha Mambo

Yours

Blue Tango

Siboney

Miami Beach Rhumba

Chiu Chiu

Donde Estabas Tu

Cortijo En New York - Cortijo y su Combo

 

Cuembé

Cortijo en New York

Cortijo y su Combo

Con Ismael Rivera

Photo: Salas

Gema L.P.G. 1115

Son Grabados y Distribuidos en Cuba Por Alvarez Guedes y Cia

1959

La Critica - Plena

Chambelequé - Guaracha

Ton Ton Canelo - Bomba

Bella Mujer - Bolero

Cuembé - Bomba

Mi Caballito - Guaracha

La Caleza - Plena

Cúcala - Bomba

El Negrito Galembo - Bomba

La Chatarra - Plena

A Bailar Bambulé - Bomba

La Calabacita - Bomba

Jazz For Playboys

 

Blues For A Playmate

Jazz For Playboys

Supervision: Ozzie Cadena

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Notes by Jack McKinney

Savoy Record Co. MG-12095

1957

From the back cover: Our exciting cover and feature theme was furnished by Ernie Wilkins, who writes scores as earthy as Hemingway, but with more of a beat. This tale is told in the first person by Joe Newman, trumpet; Frank Wess, flute; Kenny Burrell, solo guitar; Freddie Green, rhythm guitar; Ed Jones, bass and Ed Thigpen, drums. Not cuddling-up music by any means, this is cutting-up stuff which sets the feet a-tapping, featuring solo embellishments by Newman's muted trumpet, Wess's flute and Burrell's throbbing guitar statement, perhaps the finest solo of the entire date.

From Billboard - May 13, 1957: One of the better Basie-oriented sets, of which there are dozens available. It's jazz with broad appeal, with such good names as J. Newman, Freddie Green, Frank Wess – but, most important for this set – Kenny Burrell on solo guitar (there's no piano). Burrell shows that he's the real comet on the instrument. Wess, on flute and tenor, also turns in some of his best work to date. Plenty of happy happenings hereon. Also Savoy's best over in a long time.

Playboy

Miss Blues

Baubles, Bangles And Beads

Low Life

Pin Up

Blues For A Playmate

Famous Monsters Speak

 

Famous Monsters Speak

Famous Monsters Speak

Written by Cherney Berg

The Voices of Gabriel Dell

Wonderland Records AR-3

Division of A.A. Records, Inc.

1979

Meet Dolores Hawkins

 

The Anything Can Happen Mambo

Meet Dolores Hawkins

Epic LN 1119

10" 33 RPM

1954

Anything Can Happen Mambo

No Such Luck

Smoky Morning

Hernando's Hideaway

Hey There

I'm A Rhymer

The Beetle Beat - The Buggs

 

She Loves You

The Beetle Beat

Featuring I Want To Hold Your Hand/The Buggs

The Original Liverpool Sound

Recorded In England

Coronet Records CX-212

A Division of Premier Albums, Inc.

1964

I Want To Hold Your Hand

Mersey Mercy

Soho Mash

East End

London Town Swings

She Loves You Swinging' Thames

Big Ben Hop

Teddy 'Boy Stomp

Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book

 

Too Darn Hot

Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book

Verve Records MG V-4001-2

1956

From the inside cover: The road to the championship was not necessarily an easy one. Miss Fitzgerald was turned to singing by her innate shyness. As a slender, bewildered girl of 14, in 1934, she entered an amateur contest as a dancer but when the time came to dance she glanced down uncertainly at her spindly legs and announced she would sing instead, which she did. She sang a now-forgotten song entitled "Judy," winning not only the top prize of $25 but three encores as well. In the years that followed she earned her reputation, a nimble-voiced, imperturbable singer gifted with grace, precision and an immaculateness of tone along with the surest sense ever of what is, beyond question, right.

Also from the inside cover: Buddy Bergman, who conducted the orchestra, and wrote the arrangements for this album, has had a profitable association with the works of Cole Porter. Young Mr. Bregman – he is 25 – orchestrated the television version of Mr. Porter's "Anything Goes", starring Ethel Merman, in 1954 and for this – his first major TV assignment – he was nominated for an Emmy by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Later, also on TV, Bergman arranged the music for still another Merman appearance, this one in "Panama Hattie," and later he handled similar duties for "Let's Face It," starring Vivian Blaine. Both "Panama Hattie" and "Let's Face It" are, of course, two of Mr. Porter's more eminent works. It was Mr. Bergman's aim to capture a Broadway flavor in this album – these being, after all, largely show tunes – but theatrically, in its best sense, was not his sole aim; basically he wanted to present Mr. Porter and Miss Fitzgerald at their best and to give each the very best background possible. In some instances, a full 35-piece band was employed, in others, merely a small unit or even a piano, all of this contributing to variety and interest and to a luminous showcasing of both the singer and her songs.

For all his youth, Mr. Bergman is recognized as one of the topflight men in his profession. A native of Chicago who moved on to California. Bergman has arranged and conducted the nation's foremost entertainers, including – to cite only a few – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Dinah Shore. He was musical director of the "Gary Crosby Show" on CBS and a number of others both on radio and TV. His most recent motion picture credit was "The Wild Party." – Don Freeman

From Billboard - June 2, 1956: Norman Granz's young Verve label should have its first real smash with this monumental issue. Thirty-two songs, the real cream of Porter, are done here as they never have been done before. The great thrush outdoes herself in every department – diction, phrasing and communication of lyrics. It's her best sound on disks, and quite possibly the best song selection she has had. The backing, arranged and conducted by Buddy Bergman, is varied but always simple, and swinging when it should be. It's a bonanza for jocks, for jazz fans and for the sophisticates to whom this Cole is "King." In other words, jazz shops, "class" shops, and plain record shops – stock up! Almost any track will serve as a demo, but for a swinger, try "It's Delovely." Heavy national promotion has been scheduled for this $9.00 seller.

Songs From Stage Shows

Ace In The Hole (Let's Face It - 1941)

All Of You (Silk Stockings - 1954)

All Through The Night (Anything Goes - 1934)

Always True To You In My Fashion (Kiss Me Kate - 1948)

Anything Goes (Anything Goes - 1934)

Begin The Beguine (Jubilee - 1935)

Do I Love You (DuBarry Was A Lady - 1939)

Ev'ry Time We Say Good-Bye (Seven Lively Arts - 1944)

From This Moment On (Out Of This World - 1951)

Get Out Of Town (Leave It To Me - 1938)

I Am In Love (Can Can - 1953)

I Get A Kick Out Of You (Anything Goes - 1934)

I Love Paris (Can Can - 1953)

It's All Right With Me (Can Can - 1953)

It's Delovely (Red, Hot And Blue - 1936)

Just One OF Those Things (Jubilee - 1935)

Let's Do It (Paris - 1928)

Love For Sale (The New Yorkers - 1930)

Night And Day (The Gay Divorce - 1932)

Ridin' High (Red, Hot And Blue - 1936)

So In Love (Kiss Me Kate - 1948)

Too Darn Hot (Kiss Me Kate - 1948)

What Is This Thing Called Love (Wake Up And Dream - 1929)

Why Can't You Behave (Kiss Me Kate - 1948)

You Do Something To Me (Fifty Million Frenchmen - 1929)

You're The Top (Anything Goes - 1943)

Songs From Motion Pictures

Don't Fence Me In (Hollywood Canteen - 1934)

Easy To Love (Born To Dance - 1936)

I Concentrate On You (Broadway Melody of 1940)

In The Still Of The Night (Rosalie - 1937)

I've Got You Under My Skin (Born To Dance - 1936)

Songs Not From Stage or Screen

Miss Otis Regrets (1934)

Beat That #?!* Drum - Sandy Nelson

Over Under Sideways Down

Beat That #?!* Drum

Sandy Nelson

Producer: Dave Pell and Lee Young**

Arranger: Don Peake* - Arthur Wright

Engineers: Rudy Hill and Dave Weichman

Art Direction: Woody Woodward

Cover Illustration and Design: Bernard Yeszin

Imperial LP-12329

A Division of Liberty Records

1966

Sunshine Superman*

Hanky Lanky

The Work Song*

The Change**

Wild Thing 

Sock It To 'Em J.B.**

Wipeout*

Over Under Sideways Down

Ain't Too Proud To Beg*

Sunny*

Beat That #?!* Drum

Summer In The City

The Blues Message - Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant

 

Goin' Down, Catch Me A Woman

The Blues Message

Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant

Cover Design and Photographs by Woody Woodward

Pacific Jazz Records PJ-9

A Subsidiary of World-Pacific Records

1960

From the back cover: It is becoming an apparent truth to jazz musicians, critics, and enthusiasts that Los Angeles is outgrowing its 'growing pains' and reaching maturity as a jazz mecca. This rise to prominence is attributed primarily to two important and fairly new conditions: the influx of well known eastern jazz performers, who have found their engagements in LA very  lucrative and the natives to  be well mannered and receptive to their talents, and the development of exciting new talent at the small clubs around town. The latter is a condition that has always existed, but because of the lack of recognition accord to local products, musicians wandered east in search of opportunity and fame. This condition had been rectified.

The small clubs around LA are producing a continuous flow of rising young jazz stars and veterans as well. Realizing this, Richard Bock, President of Pacific Jazz, has showcased some of the better ones to the jazz world on his label. This album exemplifies Bock's foresight – for the performers gathered for this record date had previously played at various clubs around town. After recording this album, they found much to their delight, that they functioned well as a quintet – will stay together as a quintet and call 'Dynamite Jackson's' their home.

Dynamite Jackson's, on Adams Blvd., in the heart of the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles is a small, intimate club which caters to a predominately Negro clientele – and is a summit meeting ground for some of the top jazz combos in this town, or any town of that matter. It was at Dynamite's that Bock first came in contact with Curtis Amy, one of the leaders on this record date. Also playing with Curtis was Roy Brewester, who is at the valve trombonist. Out of this causal meeting developed an idea, which when it materialized became the foundation for this album, and a 'cooking' new group destined for great things.

Curtis, a wailing tenor saxophonist, was born October 11, 1929 in Houston, Texas. He started his musical training at the tender age of four with clarinet lessons. After picking up a degree in music from Kentucky State College he journeyed to Louisville, Kentucky to a club named the Top Hat. The 'gig' at the Top Hat is what Curtis considers his first big break. From there he toured the mid-west circuit for a couple of years. And then comes an interruption in his musical career – when he turned his talents to a more scholarly endeavor – joining the ranks of the educators for a couple of years – teaching school in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1955 Curtis came to LA where he has since remained. Although he lists most of LA's top clubs in his credits, as well as recording sessions with the jazz 'giant' Dizzy Gillespie and Perry Lee, this is Curtis' first LP as a leader.

Curtis carries himself very well in his first effort as a leader. He is a hard driving tenor saxophonist who plays jazz in a bluesy and very funky vein. There is tenacity in his musical range – although you are always aware of a hard-driving message – which is evident in his ballad renditions, which remind you sometimes of a man walking on a tightrope. This Is The Blues, Going Down And Catch Me A Woman, Blues Message, are original tunes written by Curtis.

Roy Brewster has also been a fixture on the scene at Dynamite's. Roy was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, March 17, 1934. Although he is now a very accomplished valve trombonist, Roy started his musical training at fifteen years old with the trumpet. He came to Los Angeles at a very early age, and finished his schooling at Jefferson High School. After graduation Roy toured on the road with various rock 'n roll groups, before joining forces with Curtis in 1959. This is his first recording session.

Bock, the imaginative idea man, kept thinking of possible combinations that would click on this record date, and hit up on the idea of Paul Bryant, who was putting in his work at Mardi's – a top flight LA jazz club. Paul was selected as co-leader for the session, a capacity which he ably fills. The twenty-seven year old native of New Jersey has been in show business most of his life. Paul started taking piano lessons at the age of four. Most of his younger years were devoted to motion pictures, TV and stage work. In 1958, while working with the Claude McLin Trio at Dynamite's, Paul switched from piano to organ. The reason for the switch, 'better expression.' When asked to clarify that statement, the hard-driving Paul, who's every statement on organ is clarity at first hearing – stated: "there is just so much you can do on piano, but so much more you can do on organ."

James 'Jimmy' Miller was timekeeping on the drums at Mardi's for Paul when discovered. Jimmy has worked in the LA area since 1947, and was in the rhythm section when Curtis was picking up his paycheck at Mardi's. He was born May 15, 1930 in Akron, Ohio. At sixteen years old he started playing drums. T-Bone Walker gave him his first big break, and the young drummer toured the country with the famous blues guitarist. Record sessions are not new to Jimmy, having worked with such well known names as 'Wild' Bill Davis, Jimmy Witherspoon, Ernie Freeman, et al.

Clarence S. Jones is the bassist. Clarence was born December 27, 1926, in Los Angeles. He graduated from Jefferson High School (Roy's alma mater), and studied music at Westlake College of Music (Hollywood). Clarence is a veteran sideman who had played most of the LA clubs at one time or another. At various times he has put in stints with such west coast 'giants' as Shorty Rogers, Harold Land, Art Pepper, et. al. Just prior to this recording session, Clarence returned from New York where he worked with a group led by Shorty Rogers and Harold Land. Also among the bassist's credits is a LP done with Kenny Durham.

Now Bock had the ingredients for the first rank 'cooking' session. So now you can hear what I heard – and felt – and knew – that this quintet has what it takes. The tunes are mostly blues, with a soul-searching message that is evident throughout. But listen, and dig. And when you do I know you will want to drop by Dynamit's and hear some of this 'blues preaching.' So without further ado, may I have the pleasure of introducing to you what I know you will term a revelation – A funky, hard-driving quintet led by Curtis Amy and Paul Bryant. – Earl Anthony, Los Angeles Columnist

Searchin'

Goin' Down, Catch Me A Woman

The Blues Message 

Come Rain Or Come Shine

This Is The Blues

Reminiscin' - Gigi Gryce

 

Caravan

Reminiscin'

Gigi Gryce Orch-Tette

Mercury Records SR 60628

1961

 

Reminsicin', Caravan, Yesterdays and Take The A Train - Gig Gryce, alto; Richard Williams, trumpet; Eddie Costa, vibes; Richard Wyands, piano; George Duvivier, bass and Bob Thomas, drums

Reginald Workman replaces Duvivier on A Night In Tunisia

On Gee Blues Gee, Blue Lights and Dearly Beloved, Gryce, Williams and Wyands are joined by Julian Euell, bass and Walter Perkins, drums

From the back cover: This is not a soul session – full of currently fashionable figures and gospel cliches. This fact should please all but the insatiable funk seekers.

Gigi Gryce, at the age of 33, knows what he wants. And what he wants is to probe the roots of jazz simply and directly. In Gryce's Orch-Tette, the emphasis is on beauty, whether it be expressed in an imaginative, moving version of a neglected ballad or in the intense exploration of a rhythmic original taken at fleet tempo. Gryce is concerned with sound and swing. His aim: to build the Orch-Tette into a group skilled enough – as he states it – "to fulfill any musical assignment of taste."

Gryce is dedicated to the basics of jazz and his concern for them springs from a career that has had a multitude of achievements. Born in Florida (Pensacola, to be exact), he was first schooled in music in Hartford, Conn., where his family had settled. He went on to major in composition at the Boston Conservatory, but managed to find time to master the clarinet, flute, alto and piano. His band experience began in the middle Forties and included the leadership of his own 23-piece band (with Horace on piano). In 1952, he studied in Paris on a Fullbright scholarship, returning to plunge into the New York jazz scene: contributing his impressive alto sound to the groups of Max Roach, Howard McGhee, Tadd Damernon and Lionel Hampton's orchestra. For several years, he was a stalwart with the Jazz Lab Quintet, a notable group that included trumpeter Donald Byrd. Throughout the Fities, Gryce composed and arranged, for the groups to which he belonged and for a host of other groups. Since 1959, he's headed his own combos, populating them with the best young musicians he could find.

A batch of them – all Gryce cohorts at in-person jobs – are vividly and impressively present here. Trumpeter Richard Williams, a 30-year-old Texan, has been attending the Manhattan School of Music for more than two years. A graduate of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas – where he majored in music – Williams is one of the most fluent and accurate of young brass men in jazz. Arriving in New York after working in San Francisco, Buffalo and Toronto, he's gigged with Gryce, John Handy, Yusef Lateef, Charlie Mingus and others.

Eddie Costa, the 30-year-old pianist-vibist from Atlas, Pa., has worked with as string of first-rate groups, including those of Joe Venuti, Sal Salvador, Tal Farlow, Kai Winding and Don Elliott. He's headed his own trio, as well.

Richard Wyands, who plays piano throughout, is a 32-year-old California. During the early Fifties his activities were largely confined to the San Francisco area; he worked frequently at the Black Hawk. After a sojourn in Canada, he became Carmen McRae's accompanist in late '56, made it to New York and decided to stay. Since then, he's fronted his own combo and jammed with Gryce, Mingus, Roy Haynes, Kenny Burrell and others.

Drummer Bob Thomas, 28, hails from Newark. His music-oriented family urged him to play when he was 12 and he's been at it ever since. Walter Perkins, a young, inventive drummer from Chicago (he heads the MJT+3, a vigorously cooking quintet), replaces Thomas on three tunes.

Three bass men saw service during the recording of this album. On four tunes George Duvivier is heard. A 40-year-old, extremely reliable bassist. Duvivier brings to jazz a background that includes studies at the Conservatory of Music and Art (in New York, where he was born) and New York University. A respected veteran, Duvivier has worked with Coleman Hawkins, Lucky Millinder, Gibbs, Don Rodman, Bud Powell and others.Reginald Workman, who mans the bass on A Night Own Tunisia, is a 23-year-old Philadelphian who's largely taught. For several years, he's made New York his headquarters, working with Nat Cole's brother, Freddie, Jackie McLean, Bennie Green and, in recent months, with Gryce. The third in the series of bassists, Julian Euell, is a 32-year-old New Yorker whose artistry often is underrated. The probable cause of this is the fact that Euell has been in and out of jazz activity in recent years. He's worked in a post office, spent a year at Columbia and studied at NYU. On the jazz side, he's contributed forcefully to the groups of Mingus, Freddie Redd, Phineas Newborn, Mal Waldron, Randy Weston and Gryce. – Don Gold, Associate Editor, Playboy Magazine

Blue Light

Caravan

Reminiscing 

Yesterdays

Gee Blues Gee

A Night In Tunisia

Dearly Beloved

Take The "A" Train

Kenny Clarke Plays Andre Hodeir

 

Blue Serge

Kenny Clarke Plays Andre Hodeir

A collection of modern jazz arrangements by the celebrated French author and composer

The Kenny Clarke Sextet

Epic LN 3376

1956

'Round Midnight and When Lights Are Low - Kenny Clarke, drums; Roger Guéruin, trumpet; Billy Buyers, Nat Peck, trombones; René Urteger, piano; Pierre Michelot, bass

On A Riff - Martial Solal, piano replaces Urtreger

Cadenze, Blue Serge, Bemsha Swing, The Squirrel and Swing Spring - Kenny Clarke, drums; Roger Guérin, trumpet; Billy Byers, trombone; Martial Solal, piano; Armand Migiani, baritone sax; Jean Warland, bass

Oblique, Tahiti, Jeru and Eronel - Robert Gunsmith, alto sax, replaces Guérin

Kenny Clarke and Jean Warland appear by courtesy of Jacques Hélian; Billy Byers and Roger Guérin by courtesy of Versailles Records; René Urtreger by courtesy of Barclay Records and Martial Solal by courtesy of Vogue Records

From the back cover: Until the last few years, that stowaway aboard jazz called the arranger had limited his activities to the big band. In recent years, however, his attention has turned to smaller and small jazz groups, down to quartets consisting, in addition to drums and bass, of piano and vibraphone or of saxophone and trumpet. In this way there gradually emerged, alongside purely different from the one that had produced some of jazz's most deservedly famous works, from the Hot Five recordings on 1926 to Parker's unforgettable ones in 1947.

What we have attempted here is a step forward in this new approach to small-group jazz. The most important thing, we believe, is to re-examine the problems presented by the soloist himself and by his relations with the other musicians as well as to give concrete expression in actual pieces to the enlarged forms that might result from this re-examination. Was it possible for new ways of combining sounds to give birth to a new kind of musical sensitivity? The listener will be the judge of that.

In the small group as we see it, the soloist (in this case almost invariably the piano) should be, as it were, propelled toward his solo by the arrangement. We try to surround him, before he takes off, with a musical background sufficiently dense to constitute a challenge that he must at any price respond to when the band finally leaves him on his own. In this respect, it seems that the challenge has been met, since Martial Solal has never played better; in fact, he proves himself here to be one of today's greatest jazz pianists.

For the drums and bass, the problem was different. It was not a question of freeing them but of leaving them space in the arrangement so that they could become more integral part of the piece than they usually are.

Finally, throughout one whole group of arrangements, we have experimented more completely than ever before with writing out solos and duets in a style of free improvisation. We shall refer to this as "written improvisation."

The compositions included in this group of arrangements are Gerry Mulligan's Jeru, Milt Jackson's Tahiti, Benny Carter's When Lights Are Low and Thelonius Monk's Round Midnight. – Notes by André Hodeir

Bemsha Swing - Denzil Best and Thelonisu Monk

Oblique - André Hodeir

Blue Serge - Duke Ellington

Swing Spring - Miles Davis

On A Riff - André Hodeir

Jeru - Gerry Mulligan

The Squirrel - Todd Dameron

Eronel - Thelonius Monk

'Round Midnight - Thelonius Monk

When Lights Are Low - Benny Carter

Cadenze - André Hodeir

Tahiti - Milt Jackson

The Jazz Workshop - Billy Byers

 

Chinese Water Torture

The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop

Billy Byers

RCA Victor LPM-1269

1956

Trumpet - Nick Travis & Bernie Glow

Trombone - Urbie Green, Fred Ohms & Chauncy Welch

Clarinet, Tenor & Baritone Sax - Al Cohn

Clarinet & Alto Sax - Phil Funk

Flute & Alto Sax - Jerry Sanfino

Bass - Milt Hinton

Drums - Osie Johnson

Piano & Celeste - Moe Wechsler

Vibes - Joe Venuto

Violin - Gene Orloff

Cello - Alan Schulman, Lucien Schmit & Bernie Greenhouse

From the back cover: In Greek mythology there was a remarkable marine deity in the service of Poseidon, the god of the sea. His name was Proteus, and when seized he would assume different shapes.

Billy Byers' music has nothing to do with Greek mythology, except to the extent that from Proteus' name the adjective "protean" was derived to denote anything or anybody very changeable or versatile, able to alter in shape, principle or style as desired; and by all odds Billy Byers, when seized, is as protean a cat as you will find in or out of jazz today.

If the exigency of the moment calls for a movie background score, don't forget that after he came out of the Army in 1945 Billy Byers was busy writing for the film studios for three years. If it's TV music that's needed, he can point to the several seasons he dedicated to the scoring of "Your Show Of Shows" and of numerous Spectaculars for Max Liebman. Or if big-band jazz orchestrations are required, he can duplicate his success with the bands of Benny Goodman and Charlie Ventura.

On the other hand, when the situation simply requires a capable trombonist, remember that this was how Billy  got his start, playing with the Hollywood Canteen Kids at the age of fifteen (he was born in Los Angeles in 1927); and much of his early experience was gained on the road with Georgie Auld and Buddy Rich. His playing and writing have contributed already to a number of successful RCA Victor jazz albums, among them LPM-1107 (Basses Loaded), LJM-1024 by Al Cohn, and LPM-1146 (the fabulous Lullaby Of Birdland set, including Billy's own big-band treatment of the tune).

Furthermore, in case you wondered whether a man burdened down with so many heavy responsibilities might be capable of going back home to reunite with the origins, let us recall, too, the evenings he spent getting his kicks in the Dixieland bands at Eddie Condon's and the Stuyvesant Casino.

As you are beginning to observe, Proteus had nothing on Mr. Byers.

When Jack Lewis assigned Billy an album in the RCA Victor Jazz Workshop series, it was to be expected that operating within this challenging framework Billy would again show his ability to assume various guises. Accordingly, he is presented here in three provocatively contrasted settings: one featuring four strings, another in which he's part of a trombone quartet along with trumpet, saxophone, bass and drums; and a third in which the instrumentation is more conventional – three horns and three rhythm.

Alone Together, Billy's arrangement of the 1932 Dietz-Schwartz hit, makes attractive use of Je Venuto's marimba and of the handsome blend of three cellos. The Tickler features the muted moods of Nick Travis' trumpet, Phil Funk's chalumeau-register clarinet and Billy's bone in some deft exchanges, with Moe Wechsler cushioning the gentle groove on celeste while Osie Johnson and Milt Hinton sustain the rhythm. The only forte passages, in the first half of the last chorus, are that much more effective by virtue of the contrast they provide. The next two items, Billy Bones and Chinese Water Torture (the latter named for the drip-drip effect of the groups of notes at intervals of a second) provide a dual surprise in that Al Cohn, best known as a stalwart of the tenor sax, is heard in solos on baritone sax and clarinet respectively. I See A Million People, which singer-pianist Ana Mae Carlisle wrote and introduced in 1941, is another fine vehicle for the string group and for Billy's ballad style. Back In Your Own Back Yard, a 1928 pop, is unpretentiously scored for three horns – Nick, altoist Phil, and Billy – who thereafter take off on their own.

The Funky Music Box is very short and succinct, with canonic touches and Moe Wechsler's celeste to bring the title to nostalgic life. The Great Rationalization is one of Billy's most melodic and swinging  originals with great, rational solos by Billy and Milt Hinton. Sunday is packed with surprises, from its Sunday-like string-suspended opening through its Saturday-night swinging midway to the pensive Monday-morning end. Misty Osie has a funky, two-beat, semi-Dixieland quality, with Milt's bass, Al's baritone and B.B.'s horn to the fore. Thou Swell, a hardy Rodgers and Hart relic from 1927, moves fast enough to allow plenty of solo latitude to Billy, Phil's alto, Nick's trumpet and Moe's piano.You're Mine You, a beautiful Johnny Green composition, has the strings and Jerry Sanfino's flute backing Billy in a superb example of his ballad technique both as arranger and smooth-toned soloist.

At this writing Billy Byers is taking French leave from the U.S. scene, composing and arranging for Ray Ventura in Paris. After hearing his own first album I'm sure you will join me in hoping he'll soon become homesick – Leonard Feather

Alone Together

The Tickler

Billy Bones

Chinese Water Torture

I See A Million People

Back In Your Own Back Yard

The Funky Music Box

The Great Rationalization 

Sunday

Misty Osie

Thou Swell

You're Mine You