Latin Dance Party - Al Stefano

Nightingale

Latin Dance Party
Al Stefano and His Orchestra
Decca Records DL 8646
1958

From the back cover: Al Stefano is a musician who from the onset of his career has had a strong belief in quality. He has expressed this belief by being a tremendous admirer of the one and only Perez Prado.

Beginning as a drummer, Al formed his own orchestra but three years ago, and is already firmly established as one of the leading Latin American dance bands.

Mi Cha Cha Cha
Besame Mucho
Que Rico Es
Tomcat Mambo
El Meme Mene
Rumba Rica
I Can't Get Started
Mambo At The Zenda
Ay! Mamita
Nightingale
Suby Del Poli
Mambo En Trompeta

The Swingin'st Vivo Musso

Sherry Pink

The Swingin'st
Featuring Vido Musso
Photography: Burden-Walker, Beverly Hills
Art Direction & Production: Florette Bihari
Crown Records CLP 5007
1956

The Vido Musso organization is composed of:

Jackie Mills, Drums; Maynard Ferguson, Trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Trombone; Chico Alvarez, Trumpet; Willard McDaniel, Piano & Bobby White, Drums

From Billboard - September 22, 1956: Musso, one-time tenor sax star with several big bands in the Swing Era, plays here like an inferior rhythm and blues honker. Customers attracted by nostalgia will be disappointed by the coarse, uninventive blowing. They will be intrigued by some amazing double-talk in the liner notes, however.

From the back cover: Introducing the great Vido Musso – one of the all time greats of the tenor sax – a title which has taken many years of hard work to earn.

Vido came to America from Sicily when he was 17 years old, a young immigrant who had heard American Jazz only by record, but believed in it fervently. Musicians in this country were amazed when they heard the youthful Italian blow with such excitement on his worn tenor sax. He has a natural talent with stems from within, and is one of the most eminent in his field.

In 1936, Vido realized one of his wildest dreams when Benny Goodman, the 'King Of Swing' himself, asked him to become a member of the Goodman Orchestra. It was during the time with Goodman that Musso began in earnest to attain his reputation as one of the all-time greats of the tenor sax. Some of the reviews of that era recall Vido as 'Playing with that power that drifts off into a wisp of tenderness, fragile and lovely, a forceful, dynamic musician... the flash and color that marks the topnotcher. While with Goodman, Vido recorded the unforgettable Sing, Sing, Sing from which his solo work has become a Jazz Classic.

During the next few years he was featured with Harry James, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, and back again with Goodman. In 1941, when Bunny Berigan organized his band, Vido immediately joined him. Bunny's health began to fail; one night Bunny took ill and asked Vido to front his band for him. That same night Bunny died. In the meantime, Stan Kenton had formed his first band; Vido jumped at the opportunity to join him. The 'Artistry In Rhythm' of Stan Kenton skyrocketed to fame, due in no small way to the potent tenor sax of Vido Musso. Out of this association came one of Kenton's most popular records, 'Come Back To Sorrento' with Vida's dynamic solo the high spot of the disc.

Video is credited with winning the Down Beat Poll Award in 1943, 1946 and 1947.

Sing, Sing, Sing
Back Street Boogie
Jersey Bounce
Movin' On
Emaline
Rockin' Time
Vido's Boogie
Sherry Pink
On Stage
Rollin'
Rock House Blues
Russian Lullabye

Floating On A Cloud - Dolf Van Der Linden

Dream For Two

Floating On A Cloud
Dolf Van Der Linden and his Orchestra
RCA Camden CAL-258

Dream For Two
Smiling
Love Affair
Meditation
Stormy Heart
Nostalgia
Forgotten Dream
Little Romance
Voices From Home
Inconsolable
For Us No Moon Is Shinning
My Mother's Singing
Keep Pretending

My Kind Of Girl - Matt Monro

Mirage

My Kind Of Girl
Matt Monro
Warwick Records W 2045
1961

From Billboard - October 16, 1961: Matt Monroe a highly personable young Britisher, opened his initial American club engagement at the Roundtable here Monday (2), to the accompaniment of an augmented 12-piece band and considerable enthused reaction from the customers.

Monro, who has often been compared to Sinatra, Darin, Damone etc., particularly due to his performance on his recent disk hit on Warwick, "My Kind Of Girl," reveals a pleasant singing personality of his own.

His repertoire consists mainly of nice, memorable standards like "Let's Face The Music And Dance," "Like Someone In Love," "It's All Right With Me," "Like Someone In Love," and "The Party's Over," and he turns these in polished fashion. The chanter also does a neat turn with "My Kind Of Girl," and his newest disk "Why Not Now," which is already getting good action in some territories.

If there's a drawback to Monro's performance it's in his lack of a prepared act. He gives the impression of doing the songs off the top of his head. What the act needs is more pacing and perhaps more drive. A good special material bit, "I'm A Limey," done with bowler hat is not a suitable opener and a reprise of the disk hit, "My Kind Of Girl," doesn't come off as a curtain call windup. But these are slight matters that can be ironed out. The basic talent and personality are both there. – Red Grevatt

From the back cover: Glancing at Matt's background it is almost inconceivable to visualize how he was able to elevate himself to a top position in the musical world. He enlisted in the army at 17 and this was when he first became interested in singing. With the exception of a few talent contests, however, his time in the service was spent as an instructor on tanks. While posted in Hong Kong he entered a talent contest which he proceeded to win six weeks consecutively at which time he was barred – in order to give the other competitors a fair chance.

After having his own radio show briefly Matt was discharged from the service and became a truck driver, on the London to Glasgow run. While in Scotland he cut a demonstration record for personal use only and then returned to London to become a bus driver. After a while he received an encouraging offer of a recording contract and things seemed to finally be falling into place. He was offered a radio series in Luxembourg, was featured with the well known Cyril Stapleton Band on BBC and did many major television shows. But once again fate stepped in and Matt seemed to lapse into obscurity, despite this spurt of popularity.

Then a man named George Martin stepped into Matt's life. Mr. Martin, the recording manager of Parlophone and the producer of this album, employed Matt to do an impersonation of Frank Sinatra on a new LP. So perfect was his recording that it was decided to include him in the album, however, he was not allowed to be identified as Matt Monro and instead was given the name of Fred Flange, rising to fame as the man who fooled the experts into thinking this was really Sinatra in action. Eventually the secret leaked out and Matt finally regained his stature as an artist and became in great demand for night clubs, television, and guest appearances. These appearances even included a personal invitation from President Eisenhower's air crew to sing for them at the Pentagon... this was a first!

At the end of 1960 success surrounded Matt and his second record "Portrait of My Love" soared to the top ten on the English hit parade. Early in 1961 Warwick Records president Morty Craft paid a visit to George Martin of Parlolphone and the fate of Matt Monro was once again altered. These two top record producers from different continents banded together for one common cause... to make the voice of Matt Monro number one throughout the world and success has been their reward. After months of hard work Morty Craft was able to bring his discovery to the top of the hit parade here in the United States with Matt's "My Kind Of Girl" and George Martin has continued keeping Matt in the top ten in England. – Notes by Lois G. Van Duyne

Let's Face The Music And Dance
Portrait Of My Love
Love Is The Same Anywhere
No One Will Ever Know
I'll Dream Of You
My Kind Of Girl
Come Sta
Cheek To Cheek
Mirage
April Fool
There Are No Words For Love

Love Dances Of Brazil - Emanuel Vardi & Bernardo Segall

Ninguem Na Rua

Love Dances Of Brazil
Emanuel Vardi And His Orchestra
Bernardo Segall At The Piano
Decca Records DL 8764
1958

Simple, classy "continental" sounding arrangements.

From the back cover: Bernardo Segall, a native Brazilian, has enjoyed a career so active that his energy must certainly equal his unusual talent. He has to date made several extensive tours of the United States, South America and Europe, and appeared with most of the major orchestras under such famous conductors as Toscanini and Klemperer. He has also found time to compose scores for the theater and motion pictures. What Say (Que Gal), one of the melodies heard in this album was written my Mr. Segall.

Capturing the romance and color of Latin American music is not a new achievement for Emanuel Vardi, although his most recent activities center around concerts of music by modern composers in New York. The permanent conductor of the fast-growing West Hempstead Symphony Orchestra on Long Island, Mr. Vardi has also conducted at Carnegie Hall, in Europe, and, as conductor of The Concert Masters Of New York, has recorded a brilliant series of string concerts for Decca. In addition to conducting, he is a well-known viola virtuoso and an accomplished arranger – having done all the arrangements for this album.

Brazil
Diario Secreto
What Say?
Arnaud No Choro
Ninguem Na Rua
El Bion
Anna (El Negro Zumba)
Aye Breve
De Cigarro Em Cigarro
West Wind
Um Grande Amor
Tico-Tico

Walk Softly Run Wild - Johnny Richards

Lara

Walk Softly/Run Wild!
Johnny Richards And His Orchestra
Coral Records CRL 57304
1960

Personnel on You Go To My Head, Sunday's Child, Run Wild, Yemaya, Tempest and Alone Together:
Trumpets - Burt Collins, Clyde Reasinger, Ray Copeland, Jerry Kail
Trombones - Billy Byers, Jim Cleveland, Jim Dahl
French Horn - Joe Singer
Tuba - Jay McAllister
Reeds - Dave Schildkraut (alto sax), Frank Socolow (tenor sax), Bill Slapin (bariton & piccolo), Shelly Russell (bass sax)
Rhythm - John Knapp (piano), Chet Amsterdam (bass), Ed Shaughnessy (drums), Ted Sommer (percussion)

Personnel on Walk Softly, The Way You Look Tonight
Same as above, with the exceptions of:
Trumpet - John Bello for Clyde Reasinger
French Horn - Julius Watkins for Joe Singer
Alto Sax - Gene Quill for Dave Schildkraut

Personnel on Laura, Three Cornered Cat
Same as on Walk Softly and The Way You Look Tonight with the exception of:
Percussion - Warren Smith, Jr. for Ted Sommer

From Billboard - February 1, 1960: Richards is both smooth and dynamic in this fine offering of the big band brand of jazz. The arrangements are interesting and thoughtful, and they are well executed. The set has been well-recorded. Tunes include a few Richard's originals and some standards. Set is an excellent item for both pop and jazz jocks, and it should move for coin in both markets.

From the back cover: Johnny Richards is a man of convictions. Though calm, polite and soft-spoken, he is a leader. In 1957, he organized an orchestra because he had to. "As long as I can remember, I have been a frustrated jazz musician," Johnny told critic Bill Boss shortly after his orchestra came into being.

"I'd wanted to have an orchestra for some time," he informed me. "But I have been burned before, and it never seemed like the right time... It was Stan Kenton who gave me the final push. One day, he came up to see me a CBS and said:'John, you're a coward! Get a band. I know you want one. Why should I play your music when you can play it better yourself!'... That's all I needed... And by the way, Stan helped us get started. He's a wonderful man and so busy helping others. It's amazing that he has time for himself."

The Richards orchestra broke in at the Red Hill in New Jersey. Dom Cerulli, then Down Beat's New York editor, praised it to the skies. Favorable and unfavorable comment followed in other publications. But it was Down Beat editor Don Gold who hit the nail on the head in a discussion of Richards and his music.

"Composer/arranger Johnny Richards, it seems to me, is one of the ablest men to serve as a leader. He manifests a creative discipline and integrity so essential to accomplishment."

"Fronting a band of competent musicians," Gold continued, "musicians with definite solo potential, he manages to create an individualistic sound. It is a sound reflecting Richards' desires and musical aims..."

Richards' desires and musical aims out of an eventful, unclosed existence.

The Richards family was tremendously musical; Johnny's older brother was a symphony bassist; his mother, a pupil of Paderewski. After studying at the Troy (New York) Conservatory for a short while, young John hit the road at eight and a half with a vaudeville show, playing banjo, trumpet, and violin. Back from the vaudeville wars, he devoted himself to study in upstate New York, (he later studied in New York and Chicago) and began orchestrating professionally at 14. Johnny literally bicycled through the so-called "tender years."

In 1932, at 21, motion picture moguls in England showed a decided interest in the young composer/arranger. John accepted an offer from Gaumont Films and spent a year scoring their pictures. Returning to the U. S. in 1933, Richards went out to Hollywood to work at Paramount Pictures, serving as Victor Young's assistant. He stayed on to lot until 1940.

Then the band bug hit him and John had a scalding experience. Five years were spent and much money lost. "One day in Chicago, in 1945, I broke up the band; I had had it!" he explained.

Other mediums of expression were sought and found. In 1946, he became a contributor to the personality of the Boyd Raeburn orchestra. "This was a marvelous orchestra, a truly experimental unit," Johnny recalls. "I am especially partial to the edition that Boyd brought to New York to play at the Vanity Fair. Such great musicians sat in that band... Buddy DeFranco, Conrad Gozzo, Wes Hensel, Irv Kluger, etc..."

Putting to work his then budding "orchestra concept," employing many instruments indigenous to the symphony orchestra, Johnny wrote a number of memorable, full-sounding, impressionistic scores o which Prelude To The Dawn and Man With A Horn are among the most valuable.

"Around the time," Johnny went on, "I wrote some movie scores for pictures made in Mexico City and South America. The time spent in those places, and in Cuba later on, had a profound effect on me."

However, it was not until Richards came into the Stan Kenton organization in 1952, after more notable writing for Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Barnet, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald, that the effect began to tell. His interest in Afro-Cuban rhythms culminated in the writing of Cuban Fire for Kenton in 1955, juxtaposing authentic Afro-Cuban rhythm against what Kenton has described as "North American music."

For Johnny, it was another beginning. His "orchestra" concept and what is best explained as an "out of the cubby-hole into the open attitude" had become defined. A coalescence of the two was apparent; a completely compatible marriage, a matter of time...

Walk Softly
The Way You Look Tonight
Laura
Sunday's Child
Alone Together
You Go To My Head
Run Wild
Tempest On The Charles
Three Cornered Cat
Yemaya

Once Upon A Theme - Meg Welles

Dance Of Death

Once Upon A Theme
The Meg Welles Quintet
Arranged and Conducted by Fred Karlin
Produced by Frank Driggs
Cover photo by Lee Friedlander
Columbia Records CS 8689
1962

Personnel: Meg Welles, voice; Fred Karlin, trumpet; Howie Collins, guitar; Dick Wellstood, piano and harpsichord; Leroy Parkins, winds; John Beal, bass; Maurice Mark, percussion and timpani; Everett Gordon, conductor of the Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5

This is a follow-up to another delightful Welles 1962 Columbia release titled Something Else, Songs Of Maids, Knaves and Other Swingers.  Both sets feature the group's engaging conceptual  blend of "Medieval Folk" and modern Jazz sensibilities.

Well May The Keel Row
Night Beat
By The Fountain
Ode To A Gray Flannel Rectangle
Good Day My Heart
Echoes Of Eden
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5
He Pressed Me
Hurrah! For The Suffragettes
Fie, Nay, Prithee, John
Dance Of Death

Anatomy Of A Murder - Bob Friedman

Midnight Indigo H A U P E

Anatomy Of A Murder
Music From The Duke Ellington Score
Bob Friedman Orchestra
Coronet Records CX 99
1959

Main Title - Anatomy Of A Murder
Flirtbird Almost Cried
Happy Anatomy Pt. I
Midnight Indigo H A U P E
Sunset Sunday
Grace Valse
Happy Anatomy Pt. II

Strictly From Dixie

Dippermouth Blues

Strictly From Dixie
Hollywood Records
A Blue Ribbon Product
LPH-3
1956

From The Hollywood Album Discography: Strictly from Dixie [aka Dixieland Jazz] - Hot Rod Six Plus Two/Dixieland Five Plus Two [1956] Album cover gives the group as the Dixieland Five Plus Two, while the label credits the Hot Rod Six Plus Two. Either way, the real band was The Cy Laurie Jazz Band. Because the label also has the working title, "Dixieland Jazz," even though the actual title of this album is "Strictly from Dixie," this album is sometimes listed as "Dixieland Jazz". (This album may have originally been issued with a different cover showing the Firehouse Five Plus Two.) It was also issued as Westchester LPH-3. These songs were originally issued in 1955 on four four-song EPs by the Hot Rod Six Plus Two on the Gateway label (Gateway 9008-9011).

That's The Way I Want It
Snake Rag
Careless Love Blues
Millenberg Joys
St. Louis Blues
Just Go On
Willie The Weeper
Dippermouth Blues
When The Saints Go Marching In
St. James Infirmary
When You And I Were Young Maggie
Tiger Rag
The Way I Ride
Weary Blues
Dixieland Rag
Royal Canadian Blues

Tea And Trumpets - Stanley Applewaite & Roy Freeman

If I Had A Love That Loved Me

Stanley Applewaite Plays
Tea And Trumpets
Featuring Roy Freeman, trumpet
Cover Photo by Philip Lustig
Design Records DLP 40
1957

From the back cover: A student of Maurice Fitzwarren of the Royal Farnsworth Orchestra School, Roy Freeman has received recognition from all of England's music critics for the fine mellow tone he achieves on his instrument. Notice the control on the unusual opening passages of Moritat. The ethereal qualities of the low register vibrato. Shades of Bobby Hackett. This is an album to be played and relaxed to.

From Billboard - October 7, 1957: Routine pop item by English work with trumpet featured throughout. Program includes items possibly more familiar to English audiences than ours. The sound inclines toward an unpleasant "boominess" in spots but bargain-hunters won't wince. At the $1.49 price, it should have more than a few takers.

Moritat
(Medley) Darling My Heart, Its Yours, Standing In The Rain, Sing Nightingale Sing
(Medley) You Make The World Beautiful, Virginia Blues, Two Hearts In May
If I Had A Love That Loved Me
Please
(Medley) Love Is A Story, Missouri, Two Blue Eyes
John And Julie