for You, and Dinah, along with the rela- trouble. Arranger Jack Marshall seems tively dismal Georgia on My Minci and happier when he is reflecting Wilbur De /HI-FI NOTES Bessie Couldn't Help lt. Paris than in trying to revive Crosby ÁZZ Four of these five discs are an invalu- items (Skater's Waltz, Surokey ,\fart). CONTEMPORARY RECORDS, INC. from able supplement to the Columbia set. Gene Bolen plays some pleasant low - For those who do not have the Colum- register clarinet in an orchestration of Producers of Wang Nang Blues based on the De CONTEMPORARV RECORDS bias, any one of the Odeons- starting COOD TIME JAZZ with the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens -be- Paris version of The Pearls. The main CR COMPOSERS SERIES grace of the group, however, is CALIFORNIA RECORDS longs in a balanced iazz collection. saving REM (Society for Forgotten Jackie Coons, who hulls and puffs an Mu.i4) STERRO RECORDS Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald: elegantly bumptious mellophone. "Porgy and Bess." Verve 4011/12, Barney Kessel has an exciting Wizard of the Rag- new album -music from "SOME $11.96 (two LI'). Eubie Blake: "The and Bess and Louis Armstrong and Piano." 20th- Century Fox 3003, LIKE IT HOT " Prohibition Era Porgy time - Ella Fitzgerald seem to have been made $3.98 (LP). tunes featured in. Billy Wilder's smash film starring Marilyn for each other. For both Armstrong and Blake was one of the great pianists of the Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Miss Fitzgerald, the Gershwin score pro- ragtime era; and later, in partnership Lemmon.. vides the most felicitous material either with Noble Sissle, a successful song The stars of Barney's album has had in a long time. This is certainly writer and vaudevillian. At seventy -five, are Shelly Manne, Art Pepper - more in Miss Fitzgerald' line than Cole he is remarkably nimble -fingered as he CR's newest exclusive recording Porter, Rodgers and flart, or Irving Ber- romps through a set of hues taken from in artist on alto, tenor and clarinet; lin, and she responds to it warily and both these backgrounds. Sissle joins the sensational young trumpeter readily. Armstrong, for his part, plays and vocally a few times; on some selections Joe Gordon, who just joined Shelly sings with an entluisiasm and an inven- Buster Bailey's jaunty clarinet is added and Manne & His Men; pianist Jim- tive vitality rare in most of lois recent to the rhythm accompaniment, mie Rowles and bassist Monty work (to find out bow well he can still throughout the disc a happy spirit reigns, Budwig. Tunes are a delight in play his trumpet when he wants to, the heightened by Blake's unaffected shouts modern jazz. reference point is his bristling opening of joy and encouragement. We're proud of André Previn and solo on It Ain't Necessarily Si, ). his winning an Academy Award Unlike the other jazz versions of Porgy Ruby Braff: "You're Getting to Be a Oscar for scoring GIGI. André's and Bess that have tumbled onto the Habit with Me." Stcre -O -Craft 507, jazz version merits some sort of market lately, there is little overt effort S5.98 (SD). an award too for being one of the to translate the Gershwin songs into jazz One of Braff's finest collections, a group happiest in the "Broadway Goes terms it this collection. Russell Garcia of very easy, relaxed, rhythmic perform- to Jazz" series on Contemporary. has written and conducted arrangements ances in which Ruby is an unending joy. Most everyone has the jazz MY that ate appropriate to the tunes, and the There are samples of the artistry with FAIR LADY album played by jazz interpretation -which is definitely which he flows effortlessly through the André and Shelly Manne -it's present -emerges in the natural course of lower register, the little runs and accents been on best -seller charts for over events from the way Armstrong and Miss that accumulate casually into his pat- two years! Their versions of Fitzgerald sing and play even in basically terns, his clean selective mobility at fast LI'L ABNER and PAL JOEY are nonjazz surroundings. It is an unusually tempos, his sly humorous use of <lark, necessary to round out your col- successful set which manages to set off drawling tones and, always, the singing lection of these Previn / Manne two distinctive performers extremely well lyricism of everything he plays. Under his collaborations. and to retain and occasionally intensify benign influence, Don Elliott swings eas- Speaking of Shdly-his PETER the feeling of the original score. ily on vibes and Mundell Lowe positively GUNN album on Contemporary, blossoms on guitar. another best-seller, received 5 Count Basic: "One More Tinte." Roulette stars in Down Beat. Moreover, 52024, $3.98 (LP); "Basic /Bennett," many thousands of our friends Roulette 35072, $3.98 (LP); "In Per- Cy Coleman: "Why Try to Change Mc who bought the album consider it son." Columbia CL 1294, $3.98 (LP). Now." West stcr 6105, $3.98 (LP); one of the very best in their collec- The on- again, off -again Basie band is 15037, $5.98 (SD). tions. Shelly's other new album is definitely, "on' on Roulette 52024, which Coleman's development as a jazz pianist THE GAMBIT -and like GUNN is made up of Quincy Joncs arrange- proceeds encouragingly on this disc. With it has had great reviews. ments. Jones has written a set of pieces excellent rhythm support ( Aaron Bell, So much is going on at cll. accentuating the best aspects of the pres- bass, and Ed Thigpen, drums), he con- there's not space enough to write ent Basic band- insinuating, lazy blues; centrates on a heavy, stark style built on of it here in detail. Drop us a nonchalant walkers; crisp. jumping fast phrases that are often fiercely jagged. if card, or letter; and we'll send you selections -all focused to show off the anything, he overemphasizes the use of our bi- monthly GTJ & CR NEWS, smooth Basic ensembles. Trombonist Al strong, almost clobbering chords, possibly plus catalogs -all free. You'll dis- Cray is developing an imaginative and to accentuate his desire to get away from cover a number of wonderful humorous muted style which Gives the his familiar cocktail style. It's a valid albums you'll want to own. band at least one soloist of merit to go jazz piano approach but it would he The sound on all but certain of along with Basic's twinkling piano. On more effective serving as one of a num- our historic catalog items -re- the two discs with Tony Bennett (Rou- ber of methods of attack rather than as corded before the advent of hi -fi, lette 2507'2 and Columbia the entire arsenal. absolutely CL 1294), is sensational! And all the Basic band is completely subordinate recent records are to be had in stereo to boot. to the singer. The Columbia disc, record- Champion Jack Dupree: "Blues from the ed at a night club performance, catches Gutter." Atlantic 8019, $3.98 (LP). Our records are available at the feeling of Bennett energetic, theat- record stores everywhere. Nation- As pianist and blues singer, Dupree bas advertised rical projection much better than the an easy, knowing tray with urbanized ally manufacturer's list studio -recorded Roulette set. prices are $4.98 for all our 12" country blues. He is in the tradition of long- playing albums, and $5.98 for Big Bill Broonzy although he is some- all our stereo albums. Ray Bauduc -Nappy Lamare: "Two -Beat times inure self -conscious than Broonzy Generation." Capitol T 1198, $3.98 and rarely as deeply moving. He knows rsi 91) (LP); ST 1198, $4.98 (SD). the phrasing and inflection, however, Editor. C7.7 C CR NEWS A dilution of the old Bob Crosby Bob and many of his songs have the topicality Cats PUBLISHED BY CONTEMPORARY RECORDS. INC. style by a band led by two Bob expected of this idiom. As any good 8481 Melrose Place. los Angeles 46. California Cat alumni. Believe it or not, they use collection of contemporary blues should arrangements, which may be part of their be, this is something of a social document. 74 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE www.americanradiohistory.com.