Requisites
In Action ~ J.R. Monterose and The Joe Abodeely Trio | By Eddie Carter
My next record from the library up for discussion is a little-known but highly sought-after 1964 studio album by tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and The Joe Abodeely Trio. In Action (Studio 4 SS 100) was recorded during a ten-month engagement at Iowa’s only jazz club at the time, The Tender Trap, which Abodeely owned. This album, with its historical significance in Monterose’s discography, is a unique release. There were only two hundred fifty original LPs made; fans could only purchase them at the cloakroom of the Cedar Rapids Jazz Club, and an original Mint pressing would cost a collector four figures or more. He was born Frank Anthony Peter Vincent Monterose, Jr. and the initials J.R. come from Jr.
Monterose began playing the clarinet at age thirteen, then took up the tenor sax two years later after hearing tenor man Tex Beneke, who was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. The trio consists of Dale Oehler on the piano, Gary Allen on bass, and Joe Abodeely on drums. My copy is the 1983 U.S. Mono reissue (V.S.O.P. Records V.S.O.P. #1), a small record label known for its high-quality reissues of jazz LPs from the fifties and sixties. Waltz For Claire is a very pretty tune by J.R., starting with a cheerful theme. He continues with a blissful opening statement by the saxophonist, who communicates his feelings about the young lady with a charming performance. Dale takes the listener on a relaxing joyride in the closing solo ahead of the theme’s restatement and close.
I Should Care by Alex Stordahl, Paul Weston and Sammy Cahn premiered in the 1945 film Thrill of a Romance. The quartet begins with Monterose’s sensual sound of his tenor sax, delivering a delicate melody and then handling each note of the opening statement with tender, loving care. Oehler follows with a passionate performance packed with plenty of feeling before J.R. repeats the theme. That You Are, Monterose’s next tune, is a creative reimagining of All The Things You Are, a popular jazz standard. Monterose builds on the changes of the original with an upbeat, bright, bouncy theme. J.R. puts his thoughts into expressive verses first. Dave provides the exclamation point in an energetic solo, leading to the ending theme and fadeout.
The tempo moves upward to kick off the second side with Red Devil by Monterose, beginning at a brisk beat for the quartet’s theme. The saxophonist leads off with a flawless opening solo, and then Oehler dazzles on the finale with an imaginative flair. Lover Man by Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez, and James Sherman begins with a pensive melody by the foursome, segueing to J.R.s intimately warm interpretation. Dave responds with a delicately elegant and beautiful presentation. Monterose closes with a few final comments of exquisite softness anchored by Gary and Joe’s subtle supplement ahead of the tender close.
The final track is Monterose’s Herky Hawks, an uptempo tune that deceptively starts with a two-instrument conversation between the saxophonist and pianist at a slow tempo. This musical dialogue sets the stage for the rest of the piece. The discussion gradually builds in intensity, leading to a swift-moving speedy theme. This tune is a scorcher from the start, and the saxophonist turns the heat way up in the first of two solos. Dave attacks the next reading with aggressive fierceness, and then J.R. ends the album with a blistering final performance preceding the climax.
The recording engineers on this reissue are Dimitri Sotirakis and Myron Schiebel. Although there’s no information on either engineer, their work speaks volumes. They’ve done an excellent job with the sound quality of this album, bringing out the richness and depth of the music. The excellent sonics throughout the treble, midrange and bass complement the inspired performances by J.R. Monterose and The Joe Abodeely Trio, making In Action an underrated release deserving a spot in your jazz library!
~ Lover Man – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ I Should Care – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jay Cameron was born in New York City on September 14, 1928. He began as an alto saxophonist but later recorded with bass clarinet, B-flat clarinet, and baritone saxophone. His career began in the early 1940s in Hollywood, California with Isaac M. Carpenter’s band, with whom he played until 1947.
Moving to Europe near the end of the decade he played with Rex Stewart, Bill Coleman, Roy Haynes and Henri Renaud in France and Italy. By the early 1950s Cameron was gigging around Belgium, Germany, and Scandinavia. Returning to Paris, France in 1955 he played steadily with a band that included Bobby Jaspar, Barney Wilen and Jean-Louis Chautemps.
Back in the United States in the mid-Fifties Jay played in the bands of Woody Herman, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, Freddie Hubbard, Candido Camero, Bill Barron, André Hodeir, Hal McKusick, and Les and Larry Elgart. In 1960 he played with Slide Hampton, also led the International Sax Band and the Third Herdsmen, and late in the decade, he toured with Paul Winter.
Bass and B-flat clarinetist and baritone saxophonist Jay Cameron died in San Diego, California on March 20, 2001.
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The Jazz Voyager
The Jazz Voyager is flying out of Detroit and heading to where the home of country music is located, Tennessee. However, most don’t know that the very same city is vibrant with jazz. To that end, the venue to be visited this week is Rudy’s Jazz Room. The club, intimate and eclectic, is a listening room built with great attention to acoustics, combined with a beautiful Steinway Model B grand piano.
On tap for the entertainment is Cliff Richmond and the CliffNotes will be performing his unique blend of soulful, swinging & funky jazz. He incorporates a wide range of styles from mainstream jazz, to rhythm & blues, Latin to reggae. Founded by the guitarist & vocalist, the CliffNotes always features some of Nashville’s most accomplished and versatile musicians and vocalists.
Rudy’s Jazz Room is located at 809 Gleaves Street, Nashville, 37203. For more information visit https://www.rudysjazzroom.com.
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Requisites
The Final Tour: Copenhagen, March 24, 1960 ~ Miles Davis and John Coltrane | By Eddie Carter
In this morning’s discussion, I’m presenting an album by Miles Davis and John Coltrane from the library for your consideration. The Miles Davis Quintet performed at the distinguished Denmark venue, Tivolis Koncertsal, for the first time as part of The Spring 1960 Jazz at The Philharmonic European Tour. However, changes were on the way, as the album’s title suggests, The Final Tour: Copenhagen, March 24, 1960 (Columbia Legacy 88985498741). It would mark the end of an era as tenor saxophonist John Coltrane was looking to leave and start his group. The rhythm section, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums, would also leave to become The Wynton Kelly Trio.
Despite the underlying questions facing the trumpeter, the quintet’s three performances for the capacity audience that evening were brilliant and a highlight of the tour. To kick things off, Norman Granz, the master of ceremonies, introduced each man individually, with the crowd’s largest ovations reserved for Paul, John, and Miles. My copy is the 2018 European Mono Limited Edition reissue. With a few snaps of the leader’s fingers, the trio kicks off So What by Miles Davis with a short introduction segueing into Miles’ and John’s infectious melody, a captivating tune that immediately draws you in. Davis ignites the first solo with intense heat. John comes in next to dispense a bit of rhythmic fury, and then Wynton infuses the finale with jubilant enthusiasm ahead of the closing chorus and climax.
The pace slows to mid-tempo as the ensemble begins On Green Dolphin Street by Bronislaw Kaper and Ned Washington from the 1947 film Green Dolphin Street. The first part of this standard opens with the theme unfolding at a leisurely pace and Miles, on the muted horn, leading the way into a delightful opening statement. John soars cheerfully into a captivating, well-behaved performance. Part Two of On Green Dolphin Street starts on the second side, with Wynton cruising at a comfortable speed behind both horns in the following interpretation, as smooth as silk. Paul takes his first opportunity to solo with a brisk footnote on the closing statement that swings masterfully into the theme’s return and finale.
All Blues by Miles Davis affords the leader, John, and Wynton ample solo space. Paul gets things off to a good start with a concise introduction, leading to Miles’s carefree theme back on the muted horn. He removes it to begin the opening statement. John follows him with a relaxing interpretation that is as enjoyable as a day at the beach. Wynton sustains the easygoing pace with a gorgeous performance into the ending theme and soft summation. The closer is an incomplete take of Miles’ The Theme, a deliberate choice that signals the end of the set and album, lasting only thirty seconds until it fades to nothingness. The mastering of The Final Tour: Copenhagen, March 24, 1960, by Mark Wilder is a demonstration class and a great way to show off a mid-level or high-end audio system.
The vinyl is exceptionally quiet until the music starts, and the instruments have outstanding detail. This reveals an incredible soundstage with superbly presented music, thanks to jazz producer George Wein, Danish Radio and the Danish Programming Company, who originally recorded the shows for broadcast. This is my first LP from the We Are Vinyl series from Columbia-Legacy, and judging by its superb sound quality, it won’t be the last. If you’re a fan of either of these giants and are looking for a live jazz album where each musician is at the peak of their creativity. In that case, I enthusiastically invite you to check out The Final Tour: Copenhagen, March 24, 1960, by Miles Davis and John Coltrane. It’s an LP that merits serious consideration for any jazz fan’s library, and I am sure you’ll enjoy it!
~ On Green Dolphin Street – Source: JazzStandards.com
© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Sol Schlinger was born on September 6, 1926 in the Bronx, New York. His father was an unsuccessful entrepreneur who booked concerts in Europe, his mother a successful cook who earned the family money. He grew up with Stan Getz, Bernie Glow and Lenny Hambro. His first instrument was the tenor saxophone and took lessons from the saxophonist in the band at a small resort in the Catskill Mountains north of New York City. His dedication did not go unnoticed and his father got him a C-melody saxophone and began lessons with Bill Sheiner on a tenor that he sold him for $75.
He began his professional career at the age of sixteen with Henry Jerome & His Stepping Stones at the Pelham Heath Inn. World War II saw Sol touring wit.h Shep Fields, including a trip to Europe to play for the troops. After the war ended he took up the baritone saxophone and went out on the road with Charlie Barnett’s band. He then joined Buddy Rich’s outfit.
The late Forties saw Schlinger with Tommy Dorsey, recording with Sauter-Finegan, and became a member of the East Coast sax section with Hal McKusick, Gene Quill, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn and sometimes Phil Woods. He often recorded with trombonist-arranger Billy Byers, who was also a ghostwriter for Quincy Jones. Following this he joined Benny Goodman for a period. He would go on to work with Tony Bennett, Carmen McRae and others.
Baritone saxophonist Sol Schlinger, who was a first call and solid anchor in the reed section, died at 91 years old on November 1, 2017.
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