Requisites
With Sweet Smell Of Success drummer Chico Hamilton got his first brush (no pun intended) with Hollywood in 1957. Riding high on the popularity of his adventurous quintet of the time – reed/flutist Paul Horn, bassist Carson Smith, cellist Fred Katz, guitarist John Pisano, he and the band were cast in the film after being watched around the country for six months to insure they were drug free, on the heels of Gerry Mulligan’s recent release from jail on similar charges.
This gritty black-and-white film about a ruthless Walter Winchell-style, New York City tabloid-gossip columnist, J.J. Hunsecker, played by a dour Burt Lancaster, who wields his power like a club from Club 21. The plot of this sharp-edged media satire thickens when J.J.’s younger sister, played by Susan Harrison, begins dating the clean-cut young jazz guitarist in the Chico Hamilton Quintet, Steve Dallas, played by Martin Milner. Tony Curtis turns in a brilliant performance as the unctuous Broadway press agent Sidney Falco, who would sell his own mother to get an item in J.J.’s column. It’s your basic “guitarist finds girl, guitarist loses girl, guitarist loses gig but ends up with girl” story.
The music composed by Elmer Bernstein, Fred Katz and Chico Hamilton and performed by Elmer Bernstein Orchestra and the Chico Hamilton Quintet. The personnel in the group are Chico Hamilton – drums, Paul Horn – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, Fred Katz – cello, John Pisano – guitar and Carson Smith on bass. They appear on the soundtrack on compositions by Hamilton and Katz: Hot Dogs and Juice (Goodbye Baby), Hunsecker Operates (Goodbye Baby), Goodbye Baby Blues and Love Scene (Susan – The Sage).
The group also performed Jazz Themes composed by Hamilton and Katz: Goodbye Baby, Cheek to Chico, Susan (The Sage), Sidney’s Theme, Jam, Night Beat and Concerto of Jazz Themes from the Soundtrack of “Sweet Smell of Success.
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P. J. Perry CM was born Paul John Guloien to saxophonist Paul Guloien, who performed under the name Paul Perry and Margaret Yeo, on December 2, 1941 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Early in life they moved around Canada between Medicine Hat, Regina, Sylvan Lake and Vancouver. He learned to play the clarinet and piano before becoming a saxophonist for his father’s band when he was 14.
Spending most of his time in Canada, as a young man, Perry played at Sylvan Lake and in various Vancouver night clubs. Her recorded and released his debut album My Ideal on the Unity label in 1989, following with his sophomore project Worth Waiting For on Jazz Alliance. He has gone on to record for Unity/Page, Cellar Live, Royalty record labels, and for Justin Time Records he has twice recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
He has received several accolades and honors among others, two Juno awards, an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Alberta and is a member of the Order of Canada. Alto saxophonist P. J. Perry continues to perform, record and tour.
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William Frank Reichenbach Jr. was born November 30, 1949 in Takoma Park, Maryland, the son of Bill Reichenbach, drummer for Charlie Byrd. He began playing in high school bands in the Washington, D.C. area, sat in with his father’s group, and played with Milt Jackson, Zoot Sims, and others.
Reichenbach went on to study at the Eastman School of Music and after graduating joined the Buddy Rich band. He would also work in the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band in Los Angeles, California during the mid to late Seventies. After that move to the West Coast, he became known for music for television and film.
Not limiting himself to jazz, Bill played trombone on The Wiz and, with the Seawind Horns including Jerry Hey on Michael Jackson’s albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and HIStory. He was also the composer for Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
Trombonist and composer Bill Reichenbach is best known in jazz circles as a session musician for television, films, cartoons, and commercials. He recorded a solo album, Special Edition, where he is featured on tenor as well as bass trombone. He continues to compose, record and perform.
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Richard Tee was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 24, 1943 where he spent most of his life and lived with his mother in a brownstone apartment building. Graduating from The High School of Music & Art in New York City, he attended the Manhattan School of Music.
Tee went on to lead a jazz ensemble, the Richard Tee Committee and in 1981 he played the piano and Fender Rhodes for Simon and Garfunkel’s Concert In Central Park. Over the course of his prolific career he played with Quincy Jones, Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Stanley Turrentine, Rahsaan Roland Kirk,Chuck Mangione, Grover Washington Jr., George Benson, Herbie Mann, Doc Severinsen, Patti Austin, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Barbra Streisand, Lou Rawls, Etta James.
Not limiting himself to jazz and blues, Richard also performed and recorded with Carly Simon, The Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, Peter Allen, George Harrison, Diana Ross, Duane Allman, Bill Withers, Nina Simone, Juice Newton, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Kenny Loggins, David Ruffin, Peter Gabriel, Joe Cocker, Tim Finn, Peabo Bryson, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, Phoebe Snow, Leo Sayer and countless others.
He was a founding member of the band Stuff, ed by bassist Gordon Edwards and included guitarist Cornell Dupree, drummer Chris Parker and later adding guitarist Eric Gale and drummer Steve Gadd to the line up. Pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger Richard Tee, better known as a studio and session musician, passed away from prostate cancer on July 21, 1993 in Cold Spring, New York at the age of 49.
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Ron McClure was born November 22, 1941 in New Haven, Connecticut and started on piano at age five, later played accordion and bass. He studied privately with Joseph Ladone and, later, with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky. He attended and graduated from the Hartt School of Music in 1963.
McClure worked in the Buddy Rich Sextet the year he graduated, then joined Maynard Ferguson’s big band. This was followed by a stint with Herbie Mann in 1964; and then he assumed the bass chair in the Wynton Kelly Trio that was vacated by Paul Chambers in 1965.
From 1966 to 1969 Ron was a member of Charles Lloyd’s classic quartet alongside pianist Keith Jarrett and drummer Jack DeJohnette, which was voted Group of the Year in 1967 by Downbeat magazine.
In 1970, with pianist-composer Mike Nock, drummer Eddie Marshall and violinist Michael White, McCkure co-founded the jazz-rock group The Fourth Way. He also recorded on Carla Bley’s album Escalator over the Hill and worked with saxophonist Joe Henderson.
In 1974, h joined Blood, Sweat & Tears, staying through 1975 and performing on three albums: Mirror Image, New City and In Concert. The Eighties saw Ron joining Quest, led by saxophonist Dave Liebman, and included drummer Billy Hart and pianist Richie Beirach. He recorded a duo album with pianist Michel Petrucciani. He would go on to record and/or perform with Lee Konitz, the reassembled Quest, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Vic Juris, Paul Bley, Richie Beirach, Paul Bley, George Cables, Julian Priester, George Russell, Don Friedman, Stanley Cowell and Randy Brecker among others. Bassist Ron McClure, who has taught at New York University, continues to compose, perform, record and tour.
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