JO ACHIM E. BERENDT tenonsts), Goodman (fully active [German Jan Critic and Author) agam, and still unrivaled at his best). I ta Band—Count Basie . . . Combo— Mulligan (whose, sympathic astuteness 10 Modern Jazz quartet. continues to develop), Powell (I felt 10 Trumpet — Dizzy Gillespie (Thad guilty all year about omitting him 10 Join s) . • . Trombone—J. J. Johnson before), Pettiford and Blakey (both 10 (Bob Brookmeyer) . . . Alto sax— totally impressive on their newer Sonny Stitt (Julian Adderly) . . . records), Williams (whom I hadn’t Tenor sax -Stan Getz (Hank Mobley) heard last year), Miss Holiday (back Baritone sax — Serge Chaloff to unrivaled form on her Torching LP) 30 (Jimmy Giuffre) . . . Clarinet—Benny and Duke’s reincarnated band (poten­ 25 Goodman (No choice) . . . Piano- tially as great as Count’s). 20 Eri'll Garner (Hampton Hawes) . . . New stars Farmer and Jones combine 20 Ba."—Charlie Mingus (George Duvi- intelligence with feeling, Rehak blows 20 viei) . . . Guitar—Jiminj- Raney (No commandingly relaxed trombone, and 10 choice) . . . Drums- -Art Blakey (Chico Morgan has spirited individuality with­ 10 Hamilton) . . . Vibes—Milt Jackson in the Bird-inspired idiom. Collette and 10 (Bill Grah). Jaspar display exemplary musicianship 10 Male singer—Louis Armstrong (No on tenor and (in Buddy’s case) promise 10 choice) . . . Female singer — Billie on clarinet. Schlinger snorts engaginglj io Holiday (Caterina Valente). on some of Al Cohn’s Victor dates. 10 Basie and the MJQ are so far ahead Urtreger remains the most righteous­ Couni Basie 5 that is seems more interesting to find ly wailing jazzman in Europe but I A Winner’s Too out who is second. I guess Duke or also enjoy the scope and feel of Red —Earl Hines (Sir Charles Thompson) Woody among the big bands, Art’s Garland with Miles. Hall sounds fine on . . . Bass—Milt Hinton (George Du- Messengers, Gerry’s sextet, or Chico the first Hamilton quintet LP, while vivier) . Guitar—Freddie Green Hamilton’s quintet among combos. Diz­ Chambers patently has the makings of (No choice) . . . Drums—Jo Jones zy and That! are my trumpet choices a great bassist. Kay and Lewis know (Sam Woodyard, Sonny Payne) . . . of because they fit into Barry Ulanov’s how to shade and swing in the right Vibes—Lionel Hampton (No choice). variations on Gertrude Stein’s “a rose environment. Male singer — Joe Williams (No )mbo— is a rose is a rose.” The alto decisions, Of Feldman, I’ll just say that we choice) . . . Female singer—Ella Fitz­ still, are difficult. Sonny Stitt is one of never stop missing him in England. gerald (No choice). the most underrated musicians today. Torme, though not a newcomer, puts Voting in the new- star- division is Of course, he comes from Bird, but down some unprecedentedly adult, mas­ extremely difficult for anyone domiciled ) • - • coming from Bird is right. Cannonball Jicken- terly vocalizing in his latest albums, outside the U. S., since one’s choices IX—No was chosen not only as an alto player and Miss Lea emotes with warm sensi­ tend to be anticipated by American Sax— but also as the most vital new person­ tivity on her Riverside LP. critics with greater opportunities foi Lucky ality in jazz. Chaloff. still, and again, forming an opinion. Thus I find that . Bari- is Bird on baritone. And clarinet and BILL COSS Ruby Braff, Frank Wess, Osie Johnson, y Mul- swing style, seem synonymous to me— (Editor, Metronome} Joe Williams, and Carmen McRae, for rinet— hence Goodman. I’d like to be happy, Band — Count Basie . . . Combo — whom I would have voted, have all Charlie Mingus. ’iano— hence Garner. Hampton Hawes was previously received awards in this Jones) chosen on behalf of his swing and his Trumpet — Thad Jones (Don Fer­ category. Charlie fluent style of improvisation. But rara) . . . Trombone—No choice (Willie This isn’t the place to argue an in­ Guitar Herbie Nichols’ vital jazz abstractions, Dennis) . . . Alto sax —John LaPorta dividual conception of what constitutes (Jim too, are important—or at least seem (Ernie Henry) . . . Tenor sax—Zoot a star in jazz, but I don’t think new Shelly important to me. Sims (Jimmy Giuffre) . . . Baritone stars appear very frequently, and espe­ /ibes— I again took Bill Grah as new vibes sax—Gerry Mulligan (Jimmy Giuffre) cially not at a time like the present ■hoice). player. He was the sensation of this . . . Clarinet--Tony Scott, John La­ when there is so much misguided effort year’s German jazz festival. It is a pity Porta (No choice) . . . Piano—George and confusion. A new style or phrase, ig, Joe that there are no jazz records of Wallington (Phineas Newborn, Mal : singer in my opinion, does not automatically Caterina Valente (except one with Chet Waldron) . . . Bass—Charlie Mingus invalidate the preceding one, and my Baker in Germany). You should hear (Leroy Vinnegar) . . . Guitar—Tai votes are, therefore, cast for those y other her sing jazz! Farlow (Dick Garcia) . . . Drums— whose music is unmistakably jazz and : while Shelly Manne (Elvin Jones) . . . Vibes not for those at present effecting a demna- MIKE BUTCHER —Teddy Charles (No choice). watery synthesis between jazz and 'i their (Reviewer, The New Musical Express, Male singer—Frank Sinatra (Jackie straight music. when, England) Paris) . . . Female singer—Billie Holi­ Emmett Berry, Britt W’oodman, Sir ifoolery Band—Count Basie, Duke Ellington day (Lucy Reed). Charles Thompson, and George Duvi- jir egos . . . Combo--Modern Jazz quartet. This is my time each year to be sym­ vivier are no newcomers, but they de­ ley can Tiumpet—Miles Davis (Art Farmer, pathetic with those who cast ballots- serve more recognition, hence their mt old Thad Jones) . . . Trombone—J. J. John­ this one as inexpressive of my full inclusion in the new category. In voting hom-st, son, Bob Brookmeyer (Frank Rehak) feelings as are those which I usually for musicians like Hines and Hawkins, iveil as . . . Alto sax—Benny Carter (Frank receive. Most of the choices seem ob­ I am not just voting for past perform tall, but Morgan) . . . Tenor sax—Lester Young, vious to me, but I was still forced to ances or potential For instance, I in. It is Sonny Rollins (Buddy Collette, Bobby list two ties and I could easily have recently heard Earl on a radio tape ntric. Jaspar) . . Baritone sax—Gerry Mui added even more in several categories. playing with such constant swing, in­ ;s quite hgan, Lars Gullin (Sol Schlinger) . . . Nevertheless, there are no excuses. vention, and good development as I hear obvious, Clarinet—Benny Goodman (Buddy Col­ There should be none—these are repre­ from no one else today. ie noise lette) . . . Piano—Art Tatum, Bud sentative of my likes in jazz, the musi I hate not voting for the magnificent ans has Powell (Rene Urtreger, Red Garland) cians who consistently play what I Basie, but the sounds of new animation cted in Bass — Oscar Pettiford (Paul like to hear and, not so incidentally, a from the Ellington camp are boundless­ ds that Chambers) . . . Guitar—-Jimmy Raney double baker’s dozen of enormous real ly exciting and must be saluted. Final­ adpoles, (Jim Hall) . . . Dnims—Max Roach, or potential worth. ly, having again heard Louis in person usicians Art Blakey (Connie Kay, Mel Lewis) recently, and what he can do with new rs” are . . . Vibes— Milt Jackson (ATictor Feld­ STANLEY DANCE material, I have no doubts at all about J Os, and man). (Rovi^wer, Jan Journal, England) the trumpet ppot. musical Male singer—Frank Sinatra, Joe Band—Duke Ellington . . • Combo— nd jazz, Williams (Mel Torme) . . . Female Louis Armstrong. CHARLES SELAUNAY so seem singer—Billie Holiday (Barbara Lea). Trumpet — Louis Armstrong (Em­ (Editor, Le Jan Hot, France) ablishfd Eleven of my established choices are mett Berry) . . . Trombone—Trummy Band—Count Basie . . . Combo— ingm«n; held over from 1955, so I’ll only com- Young (Britt Woodman) . Alto sax Modern Jazz quartet. central nt on the additions and amendments —Johnny Hodges (No choice) . . . Trumpet—Miles Davis (Thad Jones) Johnson (No he men —Johnson (a fully mature soloist now), Tenor sax — Coleman Hawkins (Sam . . Trombone—J. J. ble, and Carter (the most important living Margolis) . . . Baritone sax—Harry choice) Alto sax—No choice^ (No । matter altoist), Rollins (one of today’s most Carney (No choice) . . . Clarinet— choice) Tenor sax—Lester Young powerfully emotional and influential Barney Bigard (No choice) . . . Piano (Bobby Jaspar) . . . Baritone sax- 13 HU Brut August R. 1956