Smith arc two survivors of the New York Gildo Mahones (piano), Martin Riviera For or Harlem piano style of 50 years ago. (bass), Ron Jefferson or Jimmy Wormworth Only Smith has been on the scene continuously (drums), Sahib Shibab (baritone sax), Chino since then and has recorded numerous Pozo (bongos), Eileen Gilbert (vocalist). The tunes. Roberts has been relatively obscure." Oblong; Blue Flame; Kniftin'; Princess & 4 $495 others. Atlantic SD 1306 $5.98 How So it is that his work comes through with much more impact-probably because of Interest: Pleasant jazz the unexpectedness of its source. Both Performance: Slick players have that bright floridity that have Recording: Excellent characterized this school of jazz pianism. Stereo Directionality: OK -TRACK Stereo Depth: OK 4 is flourishes and Smith capable of embel- STEREO TAPE lishments that are almost rococo. Roberts This group gets a nice tight sound in has magnificent technical command, a its playing. Rouse's tenor is the best sharp flashing style, and a total impact solo instrument and the arrangements are that puts Smith at a disadvantage. Al- always pretty. The band sounds kind of though this piano style is relatively limited, Duke Ellington-ish, especially when the it did provide the roots for such as James voice of Eileen Gilbert is used a la Kay FROM P. Johnson and Duke Ellington, and it has Davis. The best tracks are the bluesy not lost interest today, especially in such numbers on Side 2, where a little more superior recordings as this one. R. J. G. digging resulted in some good, firm -swing- ing jazz. I do not care for Miss Gilbert's LIKE SOUL! Gloria Smyth (vocals) sound at all; it makes the net result a with Teddy Edwards (tenor saxophone), Les bit too arty. R. J. G. McCann (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), etc. I'll Remember April; Imagination; Motherless A BEN WEBSTER MEETS OSCAR Child & 10 others. World Pacific 1293 $4.98 RICHMOND PETERSON. Ben Webster (tenor sax), Interest: Moderate Oscar Peterson (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Performance: Unremarkable Ed Thigpen (drums). The Touch Of Your Lips; Very good Recording: How Deep Is The Ocean; Sunday; This Can't Stereo Directionality: Tasteful Be Love & 3 others. Verve MG VS 6114 $5.98 Stereo Depth: Well-balanced Gloria Smyth has been its show business Interest: Beautiful jazz Recording: Excellent for several years, yet this is her first al- Performance: Con amore Miss Smyth's voice is sensuous bum. but Stereo Directionality: OK JjivDOiv she lacks a secure sense of time. kccord- Stereo Depth: OK ingly, she is more relaxed with ballads. Webster is an interpreter of ballads QUALITY However, she becomes brittle in sound and with- out peer in jazz. He makes rhythm on medium and up -tempo num- it seem as if he is actually telling you the the bers. She does come through strongly on story of lyrics on his tenor saxophone. His the gospel -flavored rocker, I'll Be Over, but inter- V polations the melody are the neo -gospel background in lVhen You're of beautiful in form and content and the total effect of The Million Sellers e Smiling is annoyingly contrived. I suspect his choruses, which build to dramatic Frank Chacksfield ikt/,'i/iee. e that Miss Smyth is more effective visually cli- a maxes, is one high RH 45007 Ñ - than on records. N. H. of emotional tension. - The Oscar Peterson Trio, a first-rate group A SONNY STITT BLOWS THE BLUES. of jazzmen, gives him sympathetic accom- Sonny Stitt (alto saxophone), Lou Levy (pi- paniment and contributes several excellent ano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Mel Lewis bits. The solos of bassist Ray Brown are (drums). Home Free Blues; Hymnal Blues & outstanding. This album, like several oth- 6 others. Verve MG VS 6149 $5.98 ers by Webster, is timeless and will bear Rachmaninoff Interest: Solid blues endless repetition at any hour of the day Piano Concerto No. 2 Performance: Authoritative or night. There are few such albums, even Katin Recording: Good in the jazz world where creativity seems RH 40002 Stereo Directionality: OK to Stereo Depth: Very good be thriving these days. R.J. G. Before joining the Miles Davis unit, Sonny , WITHERSPOON-MULLIGAN-WEB- Stitt barnstormed throughout the country STER AT THE RENAISSANCE. Jimmy for years as a loner. is This the most Witherspoon (vocals), Gerry Mulligan (bari- *eMA C.o` challenging-and wearying-route for so- tone saxophone), Ben Webster (tenor saxo- loists. The rhythm sections from city to Oklahoma/Carousel o4~ E 4 phone), Mel Lewis (drums), Leroy Vinnegar city arc uneven and there isn't to London Theatre Co. time (bass) Jimmy Rowles (piano). How Long: RH 45001 develop with each one the necessary group Every Day Trouble In Mind & 7 others. HiFi cohesiveness. Yet Stitt has always come Jazz J 426 $4.95 p-- , -x through in live performances and on rec- Interest: Meat -and -potatoes blues ords as a vigorous soloist who can hold an Performance: After-hours kicks audience by the sheer commanding force Recording: Good location work his of emotional expression. Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon was re- Stitt does again here, it and this time corded with this impressive lineup its late he also has a first-rate rhythm section. Five Imo 1959 at the Renaissance, a Ilollywood cof- the numbers arc of idiomatic blues by Stitt. fee -wine -and -beer oasis. The horn men, He is especially striking in slower tempos. particularly Ben \\ ebster, are enthusiasti- Valir Stitt by now has earned the right to he cally at ease. The rhythm section is su- freed from being called a copy of Charlie perb; and again, the underappreciated pi- Parker. To be sure, he is firmly planted anoman Jimmy Rowlcs is tasteful and eco- AND THERE'S MORE MUSIC in the modern jazz tradition and is no ex- nomics'. Richmond on 4 -track perimenter; but he is now very much his stereo tape. For com- Witherspoon himself is a robust city SOUNDS own man, with secure technique, a sinewy plete 4 -track catalog blues shouter, but he should rely less on write: 1024 Kiter Rd., tone, and personal conception. N. H. Sunnyvale, Calif. BEST over -familiar standards. There are many other blues from the recorded heritage of UNITED STEREO A THE JAZZ MODES-JULIUS WAT- ON TAPE KINS & CHARLIE ROUSE. Julius Watkins the Twenties and Thirties that deserve TAPES S (French horn), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), reviving. N.H. 98 HiFi/STEREO