0 / / y n> o o Calif VinHERSPOOK gaps with piano commentary as the horns riff on to the final chorus. A slow roll from Mel and ’Spoon launches into the classic C. C. Rider with Webster in background first, then Mulligan murmuring on the second chorus. “Shoot that man, Catch that cannon-ball,” ’Spoon exhorts. Then Mulligan enters to play a thoughtful and meaningful solo that must be considered by many his best blues playing on record. After a throbbing Witherspoon cries, “Where did you stay last night?” both IHt RtSMSSWtt horns ride on to the coda. the club, Hifijazz’ artists and repertoire director Roll ’Em Pete is up tempo and jumping. Webster riffs H Dave Axelrod flipped, it is rumored. Actually, Lewerke was behind the vocal, then embarks on his solo with ’Spoon urging one step ahead of Axelrod. He had already spoken to Mulli¬ him on. Another vocal, then Jimmy announces “Leroy Vinne¬ gan about such an undertaking and the baritonist assuredly gar,” and the bassist takes a solo. The Tailor takes two solo dug the idea. choruses with Witherspoon announcing his name and after a In recent years the growth of the coffee-wine-and-beer From that point there was no further difficulty. The choice final vocal it’s “Bye, bye.” houses in Hollywood and environs has become a marked of Ben Webster as balancing horn man was really a foregone Side two kicks off in walking tempo with Rowles bringing phenomenon. Several years ago at a jazz concert I attended, conclusion. Axelrod had used Webster in Witherspoon’s in ’Spoon with an oddly happy lament, belting out Every the master of ceremonies remarked there were some 32 such accompanying group on the highly successful date recorded Day. Webster’s fine gutty solo concludes with a funky trill to establishments in Los Angeles. By the close of 1959 (for at the Monterey Jazz Festival the previous October, and the bring in the next vocal chorus. one inclined toward such statistics) the number may have tenor man’s contribution to the musical value of that album As both horns ride along behind the singer, it’s another doubled, even tripled. And a cheerful subsidiary fact is that was quite inestimable. Happiness became Witherspoon’s rideout ending. a great many coffee-beer-and-wineries maintain a steady jazz middle name. On the Outskirts of Town finds Witherspoon soulful and entertainment policy. In these days of painstaking preparation for albums rang¬ down. Webster comes in behind him to commiserate, then is Possibly the word entertainment is not apposite here. Cer¬ ing from The Chipmunks to Emil Gilels, it would seem appro¬ joined by Mulligan’s second voice and both horns moan in tainly at Ben Shapiro’s Renaissance (opposite Ciro’s on the priate at this point to mention the “long hours of planning sympathy. Ben now breathes the blues all alone before ’Spoon Sunset Strip) a majority of the customers come not so much and thought” that went into recording ’Spoon and company re-enters to enunciate the risque but probably realistic lyric for entertainment but to enjoy the lively arts—of which jazz at the Renaissance. Forget it. The bare bones of organization before concluding. music surely is the liveliest. on which this date was built were completed on a Thursday Goin To Kansas City is a jumpin’, walkin’ reminiscence Shapiro’s policy of booking good jazz instrumental groups evening, the following morning Axelrod and Shapiro huddled about “standin’ on the corner 12th street and Vine.” Mulligan and vocalists reached an apogee of sorts when he had the at the club and agreed to do the date following the a&r man’s double-times his solo for two choruses, then straight-times his inspired notion late in 1959 to combine the music of Gerry inspection and okay-for-sound. By 8:00 that night Hifijazz third. ’Spoon speaks out again with the rhythm section belting Mulligan and company with the virile and potent blues sing¬ had set up the necessary equipment; by 9:30 p.m. the tapes him on in a real KayCee groove. ing of Jimmy Witherspoon. As an attraction the owner figured began to roll on the first take. Here is the result of these two Trouble In Mind, yet another classic, is lamented by the the combination couldn’t miss. He was so right. During that wailing evenings at the Renaissance. singer with Webster telling his own story in background. memorable engagement the cash register swung so hard it * * -55- Mulligan solos in almost lyric vein, and ’Spoon calls his name. loosened the modern canvases from their wall-moorings and Following the master of ceremonies’ introductory remarks, The singer sums up the message by almost groaning, “Gonna Shapiro was reported seriously considering tossing out the Witherspoon kicks off the medium up Time’s Gettin Tougher lay my head on some lonesome railroad track ...” arts-and-crafts shop which occupies the forepart of the Than Tough as drummer Lewis lays down a solid foundation Witherspoon’s fervent “Ahh-men” brings in W. C. Handy’s premises in order to enlarge the club’s seating capacity. beneath him. Webster solos with Lewis’ booting phrases back¬ St. Louis Blues with Webster blowing strongly behind him. For the booking, Mulligan brought in with him the same ing him. ’Spoon comes in once more for a second vocal, then, The Tailor slides into fast tango rhythm on the verse before personnel with whom he had already recorded an album for after a series of stop-time breaks, winds things up. Ben comes back with a preacher almost guttural in character. Verve Records—the great tenor sax giant, Ben Webster, and Jimmy Rowles’ soulful introduction catches the spirit of Leroy walks a chorus before ’Spoon returns for a final outing an indubitably ideal rhythm section of pianist Jimmy Rowles, the slow, mournful How Long blues. Mulligan moves in be¬ with Webster’s tenor rooting him home. bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Mel “The Tailor” hind Witherspoon’s vocal then goes for himself, his big horn Notes by John Tynan Lewis. The clean, sure and happy way they worked together digging deep into the blues. When ’Spoon takes the mike West Coast Editor DOWN BEAT Magazine is plainly manifest in this album. again, Webster noodles in the background until all concerned The sessions from which the record was born resulted front take it out. Time’s Gettin’ Tougher a wild and left-field speculation spawned in the mind of Jack Corina-Corina finds The Tailor laying out the time on top Than Tough . 3:20 Every Day. 2:36 Lewerke, one of the hippest record distributors ever to okay a cymbal, riding along behind the vocal, then digging in behind How Long . Outskirts of Town ... 2:58 Corina-Corina . 3:05 Goin' To Kansas City . , . 3:15 disc shipment. When Lewerke broached the subject of record¬ Webster’s romping, barking and grunting solo with a rolling C. C. Rider . 4:15 Trouble In Mind . , . 3:15 ing Jimmy Witherspoon with the Mulligan-Webster group on eight-beat. As Witherspoon resumes, Jimmy Rowles fills the Roll ’Em Pete . St. Louis Blues . , . 3:35 Produced by Dave Axelrod, artist and repertoire director WITHERSPOON AT THE RENAISSANCE TIME'S gM t. " TOUGHER | GORINA Jj£8&»i | ‘t}. THAN TOUGH M| —JLM w • ,-p- m 2. HOW LONG 1 Jxi H (Turner, Johnson, bmi) JIMMY WITHERSPOON- ^ (with Gerry Mulligan, Ben Webster, Mel Lewis, 2. OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN JIMMY WITHERSPOON .