Jazz At Monterey - Virgil Gonsalves

 

Steresis

Jazz At Monterey

Virgil Gonsalves 

Big Band Plus Six

Produced by David Hubert and Virgil Gonsalves

Cover Photo by Eugene Anthony/American

Omega OSL-47

1959

Personnel:

Virgil Gonsalves, Jerry Cournoyer Big Band

Bob Davidson - Alto Saxophone

Lew Wright - Alto Saxophone 

Danny Patiris - Tenor Saxophone

Chuck Peterson - Tenor Saxophone 

Virgil Gonsalves - Baritone Saxophone

John Coppola, Billy Catalano, Dick Mills, Mike Downs, Jerry Cournoyer - Trumpets

Junior Mance - Piano

Merrill Hoover - Piano (A Sunday Kind Of Love)

Eddie Kahn - Bass

Benny Barth - Drums

Virgil Gonsalves Six

Virgil Gonsalves - Baritone Saxophone

Mike Downs - Trumpet

Dan Patiris - Tenor Saxophone

Merrill Hoover - Piano

Eddie Kahn - Bass

Al Randall - Drums

From the back cover: This then, is a man with a musical profession, and these are musicians in constant search for new ideas to explore in an art form known as Jazz Virgil Gonsalves' music upbringing for instance, boasts a wealth of musical education. Born and brought up in Monterey, California, home of the annual west coast Monterey Jazz Festival, of which Virgil was a part, last year, the first. After attending high school and junior college, his studies were continued at San Francisco State, and on to one of the finest music colleges on the west coast, College of the Pacific, as did Dave Brubeck, and other. He as worked with well known bistros such as the Blackhawk, Jazz-Workshop, both in San Francisco, and has already completed two tours with Johnny Mathis. But perhaps more important in that the Virgil Gonsalves conveyance of jazz has not only entertained, but educated at high schools and junior colleges. As Virgil once put it to me, "if jazz is to survive the ensuing years, we must enroll the youth." – Johnny Adams, Jazz D.J. - Radio Station KIDD - Monterey, California

Stablemates

A Sunday Kind Of Love

Moment's Notice

Steresis

Blue Bird

Little Mellonae

Sharon

Oasis

Lover Man

Ralph Gari

 

Nocturne

Ralph Gari

EmArcy MG-36019

A Product of Mercury Record Corporation

1955

Featuring:

Ralph Gari

Clarence Shank - Piano

Edward Julian - Drums

Daniel Sherrett Bass

From the back cover: Exciting, exotic, experimental – these are among the many adjectives that are bound to be applied to the work of the Ralph Gari Quartet, one of the most unusual instrumental combinations of recent years, which makes its record debut with this collection of eleven performances – five original compositions and six standard tunes, all played in a style the clearly owes nothing to any accepted traditional or modern jazz form, and demonstrating the originality and resourcefulness of the unit's amazing young leader.

Ralph Gari (born Garofalo) is a native son of New Castle, Pa., where he was born July 15, 1927. Beginning his musical tuition in his home town on September 10, 1936 (he recalls the exact date), he continued his studies in Pittsburgh and New York. His tutors included Max Adkins, Joe Allard and Vic Goldring.

Ralph was a musical prodigy from an early age. Beginning in 1929, when he was just twelve, he played solo clarinet with an Italian concert band in the Pittsburgh area for four years, encouraged by the enthusiastic predictions of the musical conductor, Victorio Gasper.

In New York Ralph undertook a series of jobs that passed the time away and earned him a steady salary, but were scarcely conducive to any great inspiration. With the Eddie Rogers orchestra he plays for an ice show in 1945. He worked with such bands as those of Vincent Lopez, Reggie Childs and Frankie Carle, joining the last named in 1949. At one time, too, he performed under the direction of Paul Whiteman, and since 1950 he has worked extensively in both concert and jazz ensembles, mostly in Las Vegas, where he settled down in June, 1950. Now living there with his wife and two sons, he has been featured lately at El Rancho Vegas with his own quartet, which he organized in 1954. 

Though Ralph's talents are numerous, as you will clearly hear, on an aural examination of this LP, the quartet owed not a little of its success to the manner in which his teammates cooperate to display his unique talents to the fullest advantage.

Clarence "Hank" Shank, the pianist, was born April 24, 1921 in Steubenville, Ohio. After studying at Chicago Musical College, he did solo and combo work in many Chicago theaters and night clubs before joining Ralph.

Danny Sherrett, the bassist, was born July 13, 1921 in Mulnomah, Oregon and has played with the bands of Louis Prima and Al Donohue.

Eddie Johnson, the drummer, is a native of New Rochelle, New York, where he was born January 8, 1918. He has worked with Les Brown, Alvino Rey and Vaughn Monroe.

Happy Daze

Kali

Fourth Dimension

Nocturne

Transition

Fine And Dandy

Dancing In The Dark

The Way You Look Tonight

I've Got You Under My Skin

That Old Black Magic

Thou Swell

There Is Nothing Like A Dame - Pete & Conte Candoli

 

Margie

There Is Nothing Like A Dame

Much Ado About The Ladies By Two Who Do Much With Jazz!

Pete & Conte Candoli

Cover Photo by Sid Avery

Warner Bros. W1462

1962

Personnel:

Recorded in Hollywood

Georgia, Allouette, Dinah and Ida recorded March 20, 1962 with Pete Candoli, trumpets; Shelly Mann, drums; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Howard Robert, guitar and Gary Peacock, bass.

Gigi, Candy, Anna and Margie recorded March 21, 1962, with same personnel 

Mary Lou, Valentine, Diane and Nothing Like A Dame recorded March 22, 1962, with John Williams substituting for Jimmy Rowles.

Shelly Mann appears courtesy of Contemporary Records; John Williams courtesy Columbia Records.

From the back cover: Brother act are pretty much unknown in jazz. This album should correct that, and quick. Pete and Conte Candoli are not only brothers, but also brother trumpet players. This album brings the two together as soloists, and it's an album that the vast fraternity of jazz connoisseurs should welcome with open hi-fi's.

Pete Candoli, perhaps the better known of the two brothers, has been featured trumpet man on countless jazz albums. Both he and Conte belong to that group of richly-talented musicians residing in Hollywood who literally haven't enough hours in the day to fulfill all the recording dates requested of them. Joining them in this set are equally in-demand musicians: the consistent poll-winner, Shelly Manne on drums; Howard Roberts, outstanding on guitar; John Williams, alternations with Jimmy Rowles, on piano. No greater praise can be given these men in this rhythm section than to say that they were personally selected by Pete and Conte, who have played with all the best.

This album might properly by subtitled "Dialogue for Trumpets," for Pete and Conte talk back and forth with their trumpets with the ease and interest of two men who have  been in fact, they have. Pete, four years Conte's senior, was responsible for giving Conte his first lessons on trumpet back in their Mishawaka, Ind., homeland. After an apprenticeship around South Bend, both were able to start out by joining name bands.

Older brother Pete began playing trumpet professionally in 1940, launching his career with the Sonny Dunham band, and following with memberships in the orchestra of Will Bradley, Benny Goodman, Ray McKinley, Tommy Dorsey, Freddy Slack, Alvino Rey, Charlie Barnet, Teddy Powell, Woody Herman, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, and Stan Kenton... quite a line-up. A powerful section man, Pete is celebrated for his wide range and responsible for the tweeter-testing trumpet work on many jazz albums recorded on the West Coast.

Conte began his trumpet lessons while only 13, and after trial gigs around Indiana, he left high school (he was 16 at the time) to join the Woody Herman Herd, making him one of the  youngest members ever to play in a top band. Subsequently, he's played with Chubby Jackson, the U.S. Army, Stan Kenton, Charlie Ventura, and made a return trip to the Herman Herd. Locating with his brother in Hollywood, he has since played countless recording and radio-TV-film studio dates. Recognized as one of the world's foremost modern trumpeters, he is known for his incisive, fleet, and clean tone.

From Billboard - August 11, 1962: The popular jazz trumpets of Pete and Conte Candoli are featured here with a group made up of such other jazz names as Shelly Manne, Howard Roberts, Gary Peacock, John Williams and Jimmy Rowles. Selections all have a girl in the title and the cover has seven lively ones jumping around. Tunes include "There's Nothing Like A Dame (Amen)," "Diane," "Gigi," "Margie," "Candy" and "Georgia On My Mind."

There Is Nothing Like A Dame

Diane

Gigi

Dinah

Georgia On My Mind

Allouette

Candy

Valentine

Mary Lou

Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider

Margie 

Anna

Alto Altitude - Various

 

Minor Blues

Alto Altitude

Featuring: Pete Brown, Johnny Hodges, Hilton Jefferson, Murray McEachern, Marshall Royal & Willie Smith

EmArcy Records MG 36018

A Product of Mercury Record Corporation

1955

From the back cover: For some reason, no doubt connected with the tonal quality of the instrument, the alto saxophone has produced a far gentler generation of exponents, a more orderly and sedate crowd than the relatively roughhouse gang generated by the tenor sax. Beauty of tone, smoothness of melodic line and care of style seem to be the outstanding characteristics of the alto men.

Nevertheless, a rhythmic beat and a basic jazz feeling are just as clearly audible in some of the alto performances heard on these two exciting sides. The alto and tenor saxes have most of the same qualities in common; it's all a matter of degree, and we feel you'll go along with our theory that the mild outweighs the wild on alto more often than it does on tenor.

Most of the performances on this record have never been released before. (To be specific, the following titles are all previously unissued: Sam-Pan, Passing Me By, S'Wonderful, Funky Feelin' Blues, She Didn't Say Yes, That's My Weakness Now and It's The Talk Of The Town. And even the other five had a very limited distribution at the time of their original 78-speed release on Keynote.)

The man many people consider the greatest alto star of all time, Johnny Hodges, opens the first side with three tunes he cut while taking time out from the Ellington band. Heard with him are Emmett Berry, trumpet; Vernon Brown, trombone; Harry Carney, baritone sax; Johnny Guarnieri, piano; Billy Taylor, leader, bass and composer of Night Wind and Passing Me By; Brick Fleagle, arranger, guitar, and composer of Sam-Pan; Cozy Cole, drums. The session took place in New York on August 1, 1944, and for our money Night Wind will always rank as one of the prettiest Hodges sides ever.

Marshall Royal, leader on the next three numbers, comes as a surprise, since he's been best known as lead alto man and conductor with the Count Basie orchestra for the past four years, and is rarely thought of as an improvising jazzman. To think of Marshall playing "funky" is rather comparable with the thought of watching Porfiro Rubirosa dig a ditch; yet, amazing though it may seem, swinging solos he is aided by pianist Bobby Tucker, best known as Billy Eckstine's accompanist. Jo Jones is on drums, and the man who takes the terrific tenor on chorus on S'Wonderful is the fabulous Ben Webster. These sides were made in 1953 in New York City.

Willie Smith, the buoyant-style alto man whom you may remember from his work with the Jimmie Lunceford, Harry James and Duke Ellington bands or from his tours with JATP, takes a superb solo on Minor Blues. An exciting record from start to finish, this side was made at a session under the direction of Corky Corcoran, Willie's tenor-playing colleague in the James band. Allan Reuss plays the lovely guitar introduction. The elegant piano and muted trumpet solos are by Dodo Marmarosa and Emmett Berry respectively. Bassist Ed Mihelich and drummer Nick Fatool complete the band on this date, recorded in Los Angeles, May 15, 1945.

The next alto soloist may surprise you. He is Murray McEachern, who was originally prominent in the Benny Goodman band – as a trombonist! The Toronto-born MeEachern won medals and scholarships as a violinist, then took up clarinet, later working jobs in Canada on tenor sax, trumpet, tuba and bass. After working with Goodman, Glen Gray and Paul Whiteman he settled in California, where for the past decade he has been a high-priced studio musician. Leader Clyde Hurley on trumpet, and Tommy Todd on piano, share the solo honors with him on Out Of Nowhere, which has Babe Russin on tenor, Dave Babour on guitar, Artie Bernstein on bass and Nick Fatool on drums. This was recorded in Hollywood, April 3, 1946.

Hilton Jefferson, whose fine alto chorus in a feature of She Didn't Say Yes, comes from Danbury, Conn. and was well known in the 1930s with Chick Webb, McKinney's Cotton Pickers and Fletcher Henderson and throughout the 1940s with Cab Calloway; he was with Duke Ellington from 1952-3. Hilton is one of the finest melodic-swing alto men of the Johnny Hodges-Benny Carter school. In addition to his chorus there are solos by trumpeter Joe Thomas, who was the leader on this date; Tyree Glenn, trombone; Jerry Jerome, tenor sax and Bernie Leighton, piano. Hy White on guitar, Lee Abrams on drums and Billy Taylor on bass compete the combo, which made this date August 16, 1946 in New York.

Possibly the most infectious, humorously rhythmic alto style ever belongs to James Ostend "Pete" Brown, a mighty man in both size and repute, who offers three top-notch performances made under his own direction in New York, July 11, 1944. Joe Thomas's trumpet, Kenny Kersey's piano, Minton Hinton's bass and J. C. Heard's drums are all heard to individual advantage but it is Pete's work that stands out as his staccato, peppery assaults on these three standard tunes help to remind us that there is one of the truly great artists of the alto.

Night Wind - Billy Taylor's Big Eight with Johnny Hodges

Sam-Pam - Billy Taylor's Big Eight with Johnny Hodges

Passing Me By - Billy Taylor's Big Eight with Johnny Hodges

S'Wonderful - Marshall Royal & His Orchestra

Funky Feelin' Blues - Marshall Royal & His Orchestra

I Wanna Get Nasty - Marshall Royal & His Orchestra

Minor Blues - Corky Corcoran & His Orchestra with Willie Smith

She Didn't Say Yes - Joe Thomas & His Orchestra with Murray McEachern

It All Depends On You - Pete Brown Quintet

That's My Weakness Now - Pete Brown Quintet

It's The Talk Of The Town - Pete Brown Quintet

Kwamina - Billy Taylor

 

Ordinary People

The Original Jazz Score Of Kwamina

As Played by The Billy Taylor Orchestra

Arrangements by Jimmy Jones

Music By Richard Adler

Mercury Records SR 60654

From the back cover: Early this past August I received the score to Kwamina, music and lyrics by Richard Adler, a show scheduled for October 20 opening on Broadway. It struck me as being only only as the best score I had heard since My Fair Lady, but as music which begged for jazz treatment. It would fit Billy Taylor like a glove.

A quick telephone call ascertained Taylor's availability and willingness to record it, dependent on whether or not he liked it. His reaction was as instantaneous as mine. "When do we cut?" he wanted to know.

We would cut as soon as we had it planned. First, an arranger, Jimmy Jones was our prime choice, and he said he could start writing at the beginning of September, after finishing some charts for Dinah Washington. Immediately, however, the three of us got together for two days to decide how the tunes should be treated, the size of the orchestra, and the men we wanted. September 12, 13 and 14 were set as session days – the latest dates we could record and still have the finished record ready for release coincidental with the Broadway opening.

Then we talked about the men. There was no question about Clark Terry. He'll do anything you ask of a trumpet player, and also will contribute the ultimate in enthusiasm and professionalism to any session. Jimmy Cleveland's trombone sound is like Clark's trumpet-tone – warm, a little furry, pungent. They would blend perfectly.

Julius Watkins, French horn, and Jay McAllister, tuba were quickly decided upon. They are exceedingly fine musicians.

Saxes? Jerome Richardson on baritone – probably the most underrated man now playing that instrument. Phil Woods on alto because he knows how to lead a section and plays exciting, imaginative solos. Frank Wess on tenor because he can play, and not enough people know about it.

The rhythm section next. Start with George Duvivier, because you can't find them any better, and pray he isn't already booked for the days you want him. Then Osie Johnson on drums, a pro among pros. Add Les Spann, to our ears the best young guitarist on the scene, and that takes care of that.

From Billboard - October 30, 1961: Billy Taylor and Mercury Jazz a&r man Jack Tracy have lined up a group of top-flight New York jazzmen for this reading of the score from the Broadway production "Kwamina." The interpretations of the music are light, airy and tuneful, and Richard Adler should be delighted with the tasteful, swingy readings. Solos, by Taylor at the piano, Phil Woods, alto sax, and Clark Terry, trumpet, have punch and humor. Of the tracks, "Coca Bean Song," "Ordinary People" and "Nothing To Look Forward Too" are standouts.

Something Big

I'm Seeing Rainbows

Ordinary People

The Cocoa Bean Song

What's Wrong With Me

Nothing More To Look Forward To

Another Time, Another Place

Happy Is The Cricket

Sun Is Beginning To Crow

Smilin' Through - Jeanette MacDonald

 

Smilin' Through

Smilin' Through

Jeanette MacDonald

RCA Camden CAL 325

I'll See You Again

Indian Street Song

Vilia

Songs My Mother Taught Me

Lover, Come Back To Me

One Kiss

Zigeuner

Drink To Me Only Wish Thine Eyes

Parlez Moi d' Amour

Ciribiribin

Smilin' Through

Ave Maria

Elgar Enigma Variations Op. 36 - Purcell Suite For Strings - Sir John Barbirolli

 

Purcell - Suite For Strings

Elgar - Enigma Variations

Purcell - Suite For Stings (Arr. Barbirolli)

The Halle Orchestra

Conducted by Sir John Barbirolli

Cover Photo by Radford Bascome

Back cover photo of Sir John Barbirolli

High Fidelity Olympian Living Presence

Mercury Records MG 50125

Released in cooperation with The Pye Group Of Companies

From the back cover: Notes and Hi-Fi Facts About This Recording

Hans Richter, who led the premiere of Enigma Variations, was one of the first conductors of the Halle Orchestra. Under his direction (1900 - 1911) Richter not only enhanced the technique of orchestral performance, and left his fingerprints on the classical tradition, but also commanded respect for Elgar and Richard Strauss. Apart from the uncertain World War II days, the stature of the Halle Orchestra has grown steadily and now ranks with the world's greatest musical organization.

In 1943 Sir John Barbirolli accepted the post of permanent conductor of the Halle Orchestra and is currently engaged in the continuing project of new exclusive Mercury Living Presence recordings.

For this recording, as for Vanughan Williams's Symphony No. 8 (MG50115), a special recording truck, complete with Fairchild tape machines, was brought to Manchester, England. The recordings were made at the Free Trade Hall in June 1956. The Enigma Variations, with their full exploitation of all the various instrumental choirs, and the delightful Purcell Suite – both contrasting pieces – provide an impressive demonstration of the versatility of the single microphone Living Presence recording technique.

From Billboard - December 15, 1956: The presence of a sensuous-faced young lady on the cover is somewhat enigmatic in its own right, but certainly an attention-getter. There are several good versions of the reasonably popular Elgar work, with Toscanini the name-leader. Barbirolli's is elegant, with excellent sound. To many connoisseurs, however, the flip will be the attraction, especially to those who recall his 1939 Philharmonic. Oddly, this side is ever more hi-fi-genic than the more modern Elgar work.

Daffy Dances - 20 Original Hits - 20 Original Stars

 

Cool Jerk

Daffy Dances

20 Original Hits

20 Original Stars

Chubby Checker Dances The Twist To "Daffy Dances"

K-tel NC 442

1975

The Twist - Chubby Checker

Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp

Bristol Stomp - Dovells

Bunny Hop - Bugs Bower

Hucklebuck - Chubby Checker

Cool Jerk - Capitols

The Stroll - Diamonds

Harlem Shuffle - Bob & Earl

Do The Freddie - Freddie & The Dreamers

The Loco-Motion - Little Eva

Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker

Let's Dance - Chris Montez

Hully Gully - Olympics

The Freeze - Tony & Joe

Pony Time - Chubby Checker

The Climb - Kingsmen

The Bounce - Olympics

The Duck - Jackie Lee

The Fly - Chubby Checker

Land Of 1,000 Dances - Cannibal & The Headhunters

Prokofieff Piano Concerto No. 2 - Nicole Henriot

 

Prokofieff Concerto No. 2

Prokofieff Concerto No. 2, In G Minor, Op. 16

Nicole Henriot, Pianist

Barber Medea's Meditation And Dance Of Vengeance

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Charles Munch, Conductor

RCA Victor LM-2197

1958

From Billboard - April 7, 1958: A clean-cut first performance by a major orchestra and soloist of the tricky, expressive Prokofieff piano work. Pianist Henriot's performance is often technically brilliant. Barber's "Medea" on the reverse side is the 1955 version, which is the composer rescored. It's handled with fire and passion by conductor Munch. A Victor "Save On Records" special.

Samson And Delilah - Rise Stevens - Jan Peerce - Robert Merrill - Leopold Stokowski

 

Aria: Printemps qui commence

Highlights From Saint-Saens'

Samson And Delilah

Leopold Stokowski Conducting Members of The NBC Symphony Orchestra

Rise Stevens - Soprano

Jan Peerce - Tenor

Robert Merrill - Baritone (as High Priest)

The Robert Shaw Chorale - Robert Shaw, Conductor

Cover Photography: Alexander Bender

RCA Victor LM-1848

1955

Aria: Arretez o mes frères!

Aria: Printemps qui commence

Aria Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!

Recit: Se pourrait-il?

Love Duet: C'est toi! (Part 1)

Love Duet (Concluded)

Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix

Aria: Vois ma misere Bacchanale

Finale: Gloire a Dagon