Requisites

You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce! is a studio album by bassist Curtis Counce recorded on October 8 & 15, 1956, April 27, May 13 and September 3, 1957, at Contemporary Studios in Los Angeles, California and subsequently released on the Contemporary Records label. The music falls somewhere between hard bop and cool jazz and Counce contributed two original compositions to the recording, Complete and Counceltation. The producer for the sessions was Lester Koenig.

Track Listing | 44:39 All compositions by Curtis Counce except as indicated

1. Complete ~ 5:51
2. How Deep Is the Ocean? (Irving Berlin) ~ 6:35
3. Too Close for Comfort (Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener, George David Weiss) ~ 5:36
4. Mean to Me (Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) ~ 4:31
5. Stranger in Paradise (Alexander Borodin, George Forrest, Robert Wright) ~ 7:03
6. Counceltation ~ 6:01
7. Big Foot (Charlie Parker) ~ 9:02

• Curtis Counce ~ bass
• Jack Sheldon ~ trumpet
• Harold Land ~ tenor saxophone
• Carl Perkins ~ piano
• Frank Butler ~ drums

You Get More Bounce With Curtis Counce | by Eddie Carter

Simply stated, this is a superb album by bassist Curtis Counce and his quintet. Counce’s group was one of the better and more resilient bands on the West Coast during the late fifties. As a cohesive unit, the quintet’s interaction throughout the album delivers handsomely on the seven selections that make up this enjoyable set. The album opener is Counce’s Complete which begins with an impressive discussion between the rhythm section ahead of the melody. How Deep Is The Ocean? Is the ageless 1932 standard by Irving Berlin is a perfect vehicle for an affectionate performance by Land who adapts the song as easily as if it was originally created for jazz with a breathtakingly beautiful tenor sax reading of the melody and lead solo, anchored by Sheldon’s imaginative lyricism in support. Too Close For Comfort, the 1956 popular song by Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener and George Weiss began life on Broadway in the musical production of Mr. Wonderful that year and has been recorded by an A-list of musicians and vocalists too numerous to mention. The 1929 popular song, Mean To Me by Fred Ahlert and Roy Turk has long been praised by critics as a “head of the class” standard for jazz musicians and vocalists to improvise.

Side Two opens with a bop-flavored midtempo rendition of Stranger In Paradise, the popular song from the 1953 musical, Kismet, written by Alexander Borodin, George Forrest, and Robert Wright. Counceltation, the second original by Counce and the title of the 1972 reissue of this album, due in part to the “original cheesecake cover” which enough people found offensive enough for Contemporary Records to replace it with a photo of the artist and his bass in an outdoor setting. The quintet returns to hard-bop on the album’s closer, Big Foot by Charlie Parker which gives everyone a chance to speak their piece on a lively joyride.

If you already own this album you know what to do. If you’re adding it to your collection, place the record on the turntable, drop the stylus, or slide the cd in the drive, crack open your favorite beverage, sit back and settle in to enjoy seven of the best sounding jazz cuts by The Curtis Counce Group that are spontaneous, soulful swinging at its best!

Source: Jazztracks by Eddie Carter | Excerpt: 1/2019 | atlantaaudioclub.org

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Requisites

Another Git Together is a studio album by the Jazztet, led by trumpeter and flugelhorn player Art Farmer and tenor saxophonist Benny Golson. It features performances recorded in 1962 and originally released on the Mercury label. It was the band’s last recording for 20 years. Kay Norton was the producer and Tommy Nola was the recording engineer for the studio session recorded on May 28 (tracks: B2, B3) and June 21, (tracks: A1-A3, B1) 1962 at Nola’s Penthouse Sound Studios, New York City.

Tracks | 34:28

1. Space Station (Grachan Moncur III) ~ 5:10
2. Domino (Don Raye, Jacques Plante, Louis Ferrari) ~ 6:58
3. Another Git Together (Jon Hendricks, Pony Poindexter) ~ 6:12
4. Along Came Betty (Benny Golson) ~ 5:24
5. This Nearly Was Mine (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) ~ 6:20
6. Reggie (Golson) ~ 4:24

• Art Farmer – trumpet, flugelhorn
• Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
• Grachan Moncur III – trombone
• Harold Mabern – piano
• Herbie Lewis – bass
• Roy McCurdy – drums

Led by two titans of jazz, Another Git Together is their second album for Mercury Records and sixth as a group. The album takes flight with a trip to the Space Station by Grachan Moncur III, an uptempo burner with a scintillating melody by the sextet. The pace slows to mid~tempo for Domino, a French composition which was written in 1950 by Don Raye, Jacques Plante, and Louis Ferrari. The title track, Another Git Together is a soulful midtempo blues by Jon Hendricks and Pony Poindexter which comes to life and ends with a dialogue between the trio which slowly fades into oblivion to end the first side. Along Came Betty opens the second side and is one of Benny Golson’s timeless jazz standards. The Jazztet delivers the melody at a leisurely easy pace (that’s slightly faster than the original recording), stepping aside for the lead solo by Mabern who rolls with relaxing verses that are well matched to the gorgeous groundwork of Lewis and McCurdy. This Nearly Was Mine was written in 1949 by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, making its debut in their Broadway musical, South Pacific which premiered that year and later reappears in the 1958 film version as well. Farmer is back on flugelhorn and leads the ensemble through the melody of this pretty waltz at a livelier pace than normally heard. The last track is Reggie, a cheerful original by Benny that’s named for his second son and a perfect vehicle for improvisation as the sextet illustrates in unison on the opening chorus.

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Requisites

Lighthouse ’68 is a live album by The Jazz Crusaders recorded on November 10-13, 1967 at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California and released the following year on the Pacific Jazz label. Lighthouse ’68 documents the group performing live at one of the premier West Coast clubs, The Lighthouse Café, opened in 1949.

The producer on the date was Richard Bock. The cover design was created by Gabor Halmos, the engineer was Dino Lappas, the liner notes were written by Howard Rumsey, and the liner photography was taken by Fred Seligo.

1. Ooga-Boo-Ga-Loo (Stix Hooper) – 6:39
2. Eleanor Rigby (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 7:32
3. Native Dancer (Buster Williams) – 8:52
4. Never Had It So Good (Joe Sample) – 7:15
5. The Emperor (Buster Williams) – 8:50
6. Impressions (John Coltrane) – 6:12

• Wayne Henderson – trombone
• Wilton Felder – tenor saxophone
• Joe Sample – piano
• Buster Williams – bass
• Stix Hooper – drums

Review by Eddie Carter

Four friends from Houston, Texas who began performing locally in 1956 were Wayne Henderson, Wilton Felder, Joe Sample, and Stix Hooper. They were originally known as The Swingsters, then The Nite Hawks, but after moving to Los Angeles, California in 1961, they changed their name and became one of the best West Coast ensembles of the sixties, The Jazz Crusaders.

The set opens with Oogo-Boo-Ga-Loo, an infectiously danceable audience grabber by Stix Hooper which begins with a lovely introduction by the trio, then blossoms into a sanctified styled theme treatment. John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s Eleanor Rigby allows their midtempo rendition to explore the melody collectively. The tempo moves up for Native Dancer, the first of two contributions by Buster Williams which gets off to a roaring start with an aggressive opening statement and nimble melodic presentation.

Sample’s Never Had It So Good starts the second side with an easy spirited beat that leads us back to church with a bit of boogaloo in the imaginative display of harmony during the group’s opening melody. The Emperor, is Williams’ second offering to the session that takes us back to straightforward bop with the solos in the same order as the previous tune.

The album ends with John Coltrane’s Impressions, takes an invigorating introduction by the trio and theme statement led by the horns followed with a jet-propelled interpretation infused with searing fire for an energetic workout and effervescent ending.

Source: Jazztracks by Eddie Carter | Excerpt: 12/2018 | atlantaaudioclub.org

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Requisites

The Yuko Mabuchi Trio, Volume 1 is a 2017 live recording by the trio at The Brain and Creativity Institute’s Cammilleri Hall in Los Angeles, California on March 31, 2017. It was recorded in honor of the 25th Anniversary of The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, and their President, Bob Levi who was celebrating his 70th Birthday and released on the Yarlung Records label. The executive producer was Randy Bellous.

1. What Is This Thing Called Love?
2. Valse Noire
3. On Green Dolphin Street
4. Seriously

• Yuko Mabuchi ~ piano
• Del Atkins ~ bass
• Bobby Breton ~ drums

Review by Eddie Carter

On the stage, a beautiful young woman sits at a baby grand piano unleashing an aggressive flood of sound into the audience. Behind her are two elegantly dressed gentlemen, Del Atkins on bass and Bobby Breton on drums, who match her creativity, precise timing, and articulation with their own musical artistry note-for-note. Her name is Yuko Mabuchi.

The four-song album opens with one of Cole Porter’s most recorded compositions, the 1929 classic, What Is This Thing Called Love?, composed for the Broadway musical, Wake Up and Dream. It is followed by the very pretty ballad Valse Noire by Cincinnati, Ohio composer Mark Lehman who originally wrote the tune for solo piano. The pace slows down as the second side begins with the 1947 popular song On Green Dolphin Street by Bronislaw Kaper and Ned Washington. It was composed for the film Green Dolphin Street released that year and became a jazz standard after Miles Davis recorded it on his 1958 Columbia album, Jazz Track. The album closes with Seriously by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles who wrote it for fellow singer Leslie Odom, Jr., who appeared on the weekly public radio program and podcast, This American Life.

Source: Jazztracks by Eddie Carter | Excerpt: 12/2018 | atlantaaudioclub.org

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Requisites

Jam Session is the first of two albums that comprised a two-part EmArcy Jazz Series recorded in front of a live audience on August 14, 1954, in Los Angeles, California.

1. What Is This Thing Called Love? (Cole Porter) – 14:56
2. Darn That Dream (Eddie DeLange, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 5:16
3. Move (Denzil Best) – 14:28
4. My Funny Valentine/Don’t Worry ’bout Me/Bess, You Is My Woman Now/It Might as Well Be Spring (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers/Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler/George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin/Oscar Hammerstein II, Rogers) – 11:29

• Clifford Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry ~ trumpet Herb Geller ~ alto saxophone (1,3,4)
• Harold Land ~ tenor saxophone
• Junior Mance (1,3,4), Richie Powell (2) ~ piano
• Keter Betts, George Morrow ~ bass
• Max Roach ~ drums
• Dinah Washington ~ vocal (2)

The album is opened with a spirited introduction by Roach preceding the ensemble presenting the melody collectively of Cole Porter’s 1929 classic What Is This Thing Called Love? written for the Broadway musical, Wake Up and Dream. Clifford is up first, revealing a musical maturity far beyond his years on the opening statement with a solo of dynamic energy. Land endows the next solo with long, flowing lines as Terry strolls in with his third performance for an impressive and entertaining interpretation.

Geller demonstrates the smooth, melodic quality of his playing with a light, fluid tone on the fourth reading and Morrow takes over illustrating his agility and potent endurance. Ferguson maintains the interpretative intensity and fullness of tone with Roach’s tower of strength swinging relentlessly. Powell takes the final bow hitting a perfect groove with plenty of incandescent heat. This is how the album flows.

Dinah Washington makes her only appearance on the album with the 1939 Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie DeLange popular ballad, Darn That Dream. The song was introduced in the Broadway musical, Swingin’ The Dream, also released in 1939. Dinah’s luscious lyric delivery is with exquisite softness and elegant phrasing into a gorgeous finale to end the first side. Though only appearing once on this album, Washington recorded its companion Dinah Jams the following night as part of the same series. Both are enjoyable at any time of the day or evening with something to offer most jazz tastes.

Source: Jazztracks by Eddie Carter | Excerpt: 12/2018 | atlantaaudioclub.org

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