Chicago Jazz Reborn - Dave Remington

 

Love Is Just Around The Corner

Chicago Jazz Reborn

Dave Remington and The Chicago Jazz Band

Photography and Cover Design by Burt Goldblatt

Jubilee JGM 1017

1955

Piano and Leader - Dave Remington (Age 29)

Cornet - Jim Cunningham (Age 21)

Guitar - Marty Grosz (Age 25)

Bass and Violin - Johnny Frigo (Age 37)

Trombone - Sid Dawson (Age 26)

Clarinet -Frank Chace (Age 26)

Drums - Robert V. M. Cousins (Age 25)

From the back cover: There has been much talk about the various schools of American Jazz. Geographically it has been broken down into the West Coast School, the eastern College Jazz Bands, the various and continuing development in and around New York City. But, for many years now, one of the greatest centers of Jazz has produced nothing but a thunderous silence. If one can look back a few decades it will be remembered that Louis, Bix, the Austin High Gang and countless others experienced a truly golden period in the maturation of Jazz in Chicago, for it was in Chicago that the Mississippi Riverboat Jazz and the New Orleans tradition were blended with the new rhythmic concepts of the white jazz musicians. The result was the swinging, ageless good music of the Twenties and Thirties; music that soon left Chicago for the more lucrative draw of New York City and the Hollywood studios.

Many of the Chicago stalwarts remained behind. Art Codes, George Brunis, Bud Jacobson, and Floyd O'Brien struggled and are still struggling in their desire to keep Chicago Jazz alive. This concept of Jazz has assumed the stature of American Folklore, and anywhere that Jazz lovers gather a heated discussion regarding Chicago Jazz is sure to arise.

Chicago Jazz, as I write about it, was growing before most of the musicians on this record were born, and yet, to a man, these musicians were drawn to Chicago by Chicago Jazz. They had heard so mushy about the tradition, and in actuality had heard the wonderful things recorded by Bi, the Summa Cum Laude Band, Brad Gowans, Condon and countless others. Yet nowhere in Chicago was there a truly "Chicago-style" band working. Most clubs couldn't afford the four-man rhythm section, and besides, the good musicians were scattered sparingly throughout the good bands which were working.

Recently Dave Remington, like many other musicians, was drawn to Chicago for various reasons including the desire to see if Chicago was really swinging in the old tradition. A graduate of St. Lawrence University and former law student, Dave had gigged with Joe Marsala, Serge Chaloff and  Rex Stewart. Long with Dave came Bob Cousins, former leader of the Slat City Five and exciting New York drummer. For some six months these new comers were faced with the disheartening knowledge that for all practical purposed Chicao Jazz had been dead for twenty years with no immediate prospects for revitalization.

A few weeks ago I received a letter from Dave outlining this situation suggesting that we release an album of the new Chicago Jazz. Dave was so enthusiastic about the band that I assigned him the pleasant tasks of organizing the date and left the choice of tunes and the musicians entirely to his discretion. The results can be heard on this album and we at Jubilee think that  a startlingly important division of the American Jazz world can now be heard again. Not to music of the twenties and thirties but Chicago Jazz 1955.

We think that October 13, 1955 will be remembered for some time. For on that date at Universal Recording Corporation and under the engineering genius of owner Bill Putnam, the Chicago Jazz Band brought back to life Chicago Jazz. The music speaks for itself, and I think quite eloquently.

Johnny Frigo, THE bass player of Chicago can be heard sparking the rhythm section along with some Jazz fiddle on Honeysuckle Rose. John can be heard in Chicago along with very talented pianist Dick Marx at one of Chicago's "hipper" clubs. Jim Cunningham from Winnetka and a veteran of the road since his fifteenth birthday is the cornetist and one of American's biggest Jazz talents. An alumnus of the Wild Bill Division bands, Frank Chace, can be heard wailing on clarinet. Frank is one of the few musicians around who won't compromise his musical tastes for the nightly dollar, hence he is without work much of the time. The guitarist who lent so much to the date is Marty Grosz, forced by the nature of his instrument to spend much of this time as an advertising man in one of Chicago's largest mail order houses. Marty is no newcomer or part-time Jazz tradesman, having extensive experience and a fine reputation with the Condon men in New York. Sid Dawson is the trombonist... sort of a Chicago out of St. Louis out of Kansas City Jazz man and former leader of the Riverboat Ramblers. Completing the band along with Remington is Bob Cousins. His drum work speaks better than a verbal description; let it be said that he is never out of work!

These musicians were assembled under the leadership of pianist Dave Remington and for five hours all of them experience that seldom found pasture that eludes mist of mankind. They were doing what they loved, blowing the tunes that they lied and, we think, recording ab time of Jazz History. – Herb Dexter - October 13, 1955

From Billboard - January 7, 1956: Most of the cats who blow on this disk were in knee pants or less when Chicago Jazz was a flourishing form, yet as a unit they give an acceptable enough revival. Organizer of the group is 29-year-old pianist Dave Remington. Such classics as "Jazzband Ball," "Royal  Garden Blues," etc., are played by the seven-man outfit, which includes, in addition to the standard instrumental line-up, some swinging fiddle work by bassist Johnny Frigo. Tho less inspired than the real thing, it has a pleasant enough sound.

Royal Garden Blues

How Come You Do Me Like You Do

At The Jazzband Ball

Love Is Just Around The Corner

Jeepers Creepers

Sleepy Time Down South

Honey Suckle Rose

China Boy

Mandy

Sunday

There'll Be Some Changes Made

The Lady Is A Tramp