Daily Dose Of Jazz…

John Fedchock was born on September 18, 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio and earned his degree in music education from Ohio State University. He holds a master’s degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music.

Fedchock began his career as a trombonist in 1980 working for several years in the  Woody Herman  Orchestra, becoming noted for his arrangements. He has worked and toured with T.S. Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Louie Bellson, Bob Belden, Rosemary Clooney, and Susannah McCorkle among others. He has also been a part of the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band.

An avid educator, he is in demand as a clinician at colleges and universities, was the trombone chair for the IAJE Resource Team, a board member of the International Trombone Association and is a trombone instructor at Purchase College and Temple University. As a leader John recorded his first album in 1992 with the New York Big Band, which remains active to the present.

Trombonist John Fedchock has followed with eight more recordings, his latest being Justifiably J.J.: A Centennial Tribute (Live at the Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis) and continues to perform, record and tour.

 

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Gene M. Roland was born September 15, 1921 in Dallas, Texas and learned to play several instruments, such as trumpet and piano. He received a degree in music from the University of North Texas College of Music, first hooked up with Stan Kenton  in 1944, playing fifth trumpet and contributing arrangements. He worked briefly with Lionel Hampton and Lucky Millinder, and then rejoined Kenton in 1945 as a trombonist and writer, arranging the hit “Tampico”.

In 1946 Roland played piano and wrote for a group that included Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Jimmy Giuffre and Herbie Steward , and would lead Woody Herman‘s Four Brothers Second Herd. By the late 40s, he played trombone with Georgie Auld, trumpet with Count Basie, Charlie Barnet and Lucky Millinder and contributed charts for the big bands of Claude Thornhill and Artie Shaw. He led a giant rehearsal band in 1950 that included Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, wrote for Kenton in 1951, Dan Terry in 1954, and Woody Herman from 1956-58, for whom he contributed 65 arrangements.

Gene was a major force in Kenton’s mellophonium band of the early 1960s, not only writing for the ensemble, but also performing as one of the mellophoniums, occasionally doubling on soprano sax with the orchestra. He provided the robust vocal on “Hawaiian Teenage Girl”, and remained active as a writer in the 1960s and 70s, working with Copenhagen’s Radiohus Orchestra and playing trumpet, piano and tenor with his own groups.

Arranger, composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Gene Roland, who was the only arranger to write for Kenton in all four decades of the band’s existence, passed away on August 11, 1982 in New York City.

 

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FRANK LACY

Trombonist Frank Lacy brings his talent to the stage at Smalls. He has spent over two decades as a member of the Mingus Big Band. An alumni of Texas Southern University and Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying trombone and composition. His classmates included Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby, and Marvin Smith.

He played with Illinois Jacquet’s big band, and a couple years later he was musical director for Art Blakey. He released his first album as a band leader in 1991 with his father on guitar.[3] He has also worked with Lester Bowie, Marty Ehrlich, Michael Formanek, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Rufus Reid, Henry Threadgill, Steve Turre, McCoy Tyner, and Bobby Watson.

Cover: $35.00

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Thurman Green was born on August 12, 1940 in Texas.  A jazz trombonist, who primary performed in the bebop orientation, spent time playing in Los Angeles with swinging big bands, such as, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He an occasional member of the Horace Tapscott Quintet, one of many groups headed by the late pianist that no one bothered to record. Thurman was open-eared enough to play quite credibly in free settings now and then.

Thurman recorded as a sideman with Willie Bobo, Donald Byrd and Bobby Hutcherson on the Blue Note label. In 1962, Green and baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett were jamming buddies at the Navy School of Music in Washington D.C. They soon went their separate ways but hoped to team up again some day.

It was thirty-two years later, in 1994, that Bluiett was able to give his old friend his first opportunity to lead his own record date with Dance of the Night Creatures that had pianist John Hicks, bassist Walter Booker or Steve Novosel and drummer Steve Williams. It is a shame that it took over four years for the music to finally come out because Green suddenly died at age 57 on June 19, 1997.

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Requisites

Another Monday Night at Birdland ~ Hank Mobley, Billy Root, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s choice from the library brings us back to The Jazz Corner of The World for another live set by Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller (tracks: A2, B1, B2) on trombone, Hank Mobley, Billy Root on tenor sax. Another Monday Night at Birdland (Roulette R 52022/SR 52022) is the companion album to Monday Night at Birdland. Rounding out the septet is Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and “Specs” Wright on drums. “Symphony Syd” Torin is the Master of Ceremonies, and my copy used in this report is the 1988 Spanish Mono reissue (Fresh Sound Records FSR-632).

Side One starts with an exhilarating rendition of It’s You Or No One, written in 1948 by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.  Lee leads the ensemble on the melody before Hank opens the solos energetically.  Lee lays down some spirited energy on the second statement, then Billy states his case with a vigorous finale leading to the climax and Syd’s introduction of the next tune. Jamph was written by Curtis Fuller, and I first heard it on the album, Big Six (1958). The septet begins the theme at mid~tempo collectively, then Mobley soars into the lead solo with some energetic blowing. Fuller greets the next statement enthusiastically, followed by Morgan who wails mightily on a vigorous reading. Root keeps the beat on the fourth interpretation with a scene-stealing performance. Bryant takes care of business on the closer with an aggressive solo into the out chorus.

Side Two starts with Syd’s announcement of the next tune, Nutville by Lee Morgan with inspired playing by the septet on the infectious melody. Hank launches into a swinging improvisation that’s a delight. Lee exhibits his skills on a joyful excursion next. Billy comes after him with a stellar statement that made me sit up and take notice. Curtis wraps up the solos with a delightful interpretation that brings so much pleasure ahead of the ensemble’s exit and group introductions. Wee by Denzil Best is an uptempo cooker that flies out of the gate with a high-voltage melody in unison. Mobley steps into the spotlight first with a heated solo. Morgan uses a mute for the second statement and attacks with the speed of a whirlwind. Root displays some lightning-fast chops on the third presentation, and Bryant covers plenty of ground motoring in rapid-fire fashion on the next reading. Wright gets a concise comment during the theme’s reprise into the septet’s lively finale.

Another Monday Night at Birdland was produced by Rudy Taylor and like the first album, the soundstage is excellent for a live recording. This is a four-star blowing session that I’m sure any fan of Hank Mobley, Billy Root, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller would dig. If you’re a fan of Hard-Bop, this album is a terrific addition to any jazz library and one of the best in the Birdland Series!

~ Big Six (Riverside Records RLP12-273), Monday Night at Birdland (Roulette R-52015/SR-52015) – Source: Discogs.com © 2021 by Edward Thomas Carter

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