Reqisites
The Blues Book was released in 1964 on the Prestige record label. As one of his series of Books, Booker Ervin and his quintet, trumpeter Carmell Jones, pianist Gildo Mahones, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Alan Dawson perform four very different blues. They open with the minor-toned Eerie Dearie, the speedy One for Mort, followed by a low-down No Booze Blooze, and close with the modal True Blue.
The four tunes ran a total of 41.18 and was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder on June 30, 1964 at the Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The producer, cover design and photography were by Don Schlitten and Ira Gitler wrote the liner notes.
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Requisites
The first release of the album Afro-Cuban dates back to 1955 on 10″ Vinyl, featuring only four tracks by trumpeter Kenny Dorham. However, some time later, Blue Note decided to add three tracks, issuing what they felt was a more complete LP by the end of May 1957.
The original four tracks totalled 18 minutes and 53 seconds, with the first three composed by Dorham, the fourth a Gigi Gryce composition and were ordered as Afrodisia, Lotus Flower, Minor’s Holiday and Basheer’s Dream.
The musicians on the session were Kenny Dorham – trumpet, J. J. Johnson – trombone, Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone, Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone, Horace Silver – piano, Oscar Pettiford – bass, Art Blakey – drums, Carlos “Patato” Valdes – conga and Richie Goldberg – cowbell.
Gil Melle designed the cover and the photo was taken by Francis Wolff.
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In Town is the 1965 release by Romanian-German pianist and vocalist Eugen Cicero. Recorded for the MPS label, the cover design was by Grafisches Atelier C. Revellio and the photograph was taken by Sepp Werkmeister.
Three songs made up Side A: It’s De-Lovely, Autumn Leaves and Und Bach?. Side B has Hello Dolly, Little Niles and Por Favor. The album is 29:36 long and gives a great representation of his talent.
The trio was comprised of Eugen Cicero on piano, Peter Witte on bass and drummer Charly Antolini. The session was produced by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer.
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Requisites
Chet Baker & Strings is an album recorded In Los Angeles, California by trumpeter Chet Baker in late December 30 & 31, 1953 and February 20, 1954 and released on the Columbia label. This quintet setting was augmented with a nine-piece string section and the easygoing strings support the cool bop giving it a light, airy though sometimes a melancholy film noir feel.
The 15 original track listing includes You Don’t Know What Love Is, I’m Thru With Love, Love Walked In, You Better Go Now, I Married An Angel, Love, I Love You, What a Diff’rence a Day Made, Why Shouldn’t I?, A Little Duet for Zoot and Chet, The Wind, Trickleydidlier, You Don’t Know What Love Is, You Better Go Now. A bonus track, an alternate take of A Little Duet for Zoot and Chet was reissued on the compact disc.
Joining the sessions were Bud Shank on alto saxophone and flute, Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone, pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Joe Mondragon, Shelly Manne on drums, Sam Cytron, Jack Gasselin, George Kast, Eudice Shapiro, Paul Shure and Felix Slatkin playing violin, Lou Kievman and Paul Robyn on viola and Victor Gottlieb on cello.
The four arrangers for the sessions were Jack Montrose, Johnny Mandel, Marty Paich and Shorty Rogers.
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Alexandria The Great was recorded in 1964 by vocalist Lorez Alexandria and released and distributed on the MCA Impulse! label. Emerging from the Los Angeles, California studio, this now classic recording sessions, three, each with a different group of musicians, rendered ten songs for a total time of 36:25, proving that greatness does not require length.
The compositions are a group of standards that we’ve heard time and again but not in the emotive manner that Lorez relates. This album reflects her soulful, playful and swinging sides with a hint of her gospel roots. Her ballads remind of us how good love is as she speaks to our hearts of relationships new and old.
The songs are listed as: Show Me, I’ve Never Been in Love Before, Satin Doll, My One and Only Love, Over the Rainbow, Get Me to the Church On Time, The Best Is Yet to Come, I’ve Grown Accustomed to His Face, Give Me the Simple Life and I’m Through With Love.
Along with vocals added finger snaps and contributing to the liner notes, her musical colleagues included Paul Chambers on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, Ray Crawford on guitar, Victor Feldman on piano and vibraphone, Paul Horn on flute and alto saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Al McKibbon on bass and Bud Shank on flute.
Session and design personnel were Tutti Camarata/producer and original recording producer, Bill Marx/arranger, Ken Druker/executive producer, Mark Cooper Smith/production assistant, Sherniece Smith/art producer, Bob Thiele/producer & liner notes, Joe Lebow/liner design, Hideaki Nishimura/mastering, Hollis King/art direction, Bryan Koniarz/producer, Roger Marshutz/photography and cover photo, and Robert Flynn did the cover design.
Though Lorez Alexandria never received her due as a jazz singer, probably due in part to her long layoff from recording for 11 years. This, however, is an excellent introduction to a fine vocalist worthy of much wider recognition.
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