Higjh Fidelity Magazine August 1958
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phone lines be offers on Jimmy Raney of Paris in The Paris Scene ( Savoy early Canadian recordings on Great Jazz Visits Paris ( Dawn 1120, $4.98). How- 12113, $4.98). Pianists, RCA Camden 328, $1.98), he ever, on another French recording, Bobby Jean "Toots" Thielmans, a Reinhardt- has developed -since moving to the U.S. Jasper and His All Stars (EmArcy 36105, inspired guitarist and occasional harmon- in 1940 -into a musician of great range, $3.98) his saxophoning slips to aimless ica virtuoso, a member of George Shear - potential resource, and superb technique. noodling at times. Both his saxophone ing's Quintet since 1953, has played a His playing, however, has a glib, chilly and flute were happily at home when he generally modest role in Shearing's re- quality which no amount of foot pound- was part of the J. J. Jnhnson Quintet- cordings. He shows an unusual ability to ing, grunting, or furious fingering seems ) Is for Jazz (Columbia CL 935, $3.98), play unpretentiously swinging jazz on the able to transmute to warm- blooded jazz. Dial J.J. 5 (Columbia CL 1084, $3.98), harmonica on The Sound (Columbia CL As house pianist for Vcrvc Records, ac- single selections in Jay and Kai (Colum- 658, $3.98) and, in more diluted form, companying Lionel Hampton, Ben Web- bia CL 937, $3.98), anti The Playboy on Time Out for Toots ( Decca 9204, ster, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Edison, Stuff Jazz Allstars ( Playboy 1957, $9.00 ) -and $3.98). His best opportunity with Shear- Smith, Lester Young, and others, and his saxophone shines through wannly on ing, also on harmonica, has been n bril- leading his own trio, he is one of the Interplay for Two Trumpets and Two liant Body and Snal, included in both most frequently recorded of today's jazz Tenors (Prestige 7112, $4.98) and Night Shearing in iii -Fi (M -G -M 3293, $3.98) musicians, yet he has produced hardly People (Savoy 12073, $4.98). But his and An Evening with Shearing (M -G -M anything that either catches or lingers in flute is too fragile to carry him through 3122, $3.98). the ear. Of the discs on which he is fea- Hank Jones Quartet ( Savoy 12087, tured, he communicates most readily on $4.98), Flute Souffle (Prestige 7101, Recital (Verve 2044, $4.08). Both Oscar $4.9S), or Flute Flight (Prestige 7124, CANADA Peterson Plays Count Basie ( Verve 8092, $4.98). He is also heard on Tenor and $4.98) and his share of Peterson, El- Flute (Riverside 12 -240, $4.98), André Peter Appleyard, a vibraphonist with a dridge, Stitt, Jo Jones at Newport (Verve Hodeir's Essais (Savoy 12104, $4.98), sharp, clean, imaginative attack, has a 8239, $4.98) are diluted by his blandly The Beat of Mt Heart (Columbia CL swinging validity that helps to offset the glib surface, while Oscar Peterson Trio at 1079, $3.98), and Blues for Tomorrow self -conscious piano work of Calvin Jack- the Stratford Shakespearean Festival (Riverside 12- 243, $4.98). son on Calvin Jackson Quartet (Columbia (Verve 8024, $4.98) is dominated by Django Reinhardt, a gypsy guitarist CL 756, $3.98) and Race Notice (Co- Peterson's keening and foot flailing. He with a fascinating gift for melodic inven- lumbia CL 824, $3.98). turns to straight interpretations of ballads tion, made his reputation in the latter Paul Bley, an unusually articulate pian- on In Ronwntic Mood (Verve 2002, Thirties when he was the lodestar of the ist with a Clark, tweedy vigor, moves in $4.98), Pastel Meads (Verve 2004, Quintet of the Hot Club of France, an a direction decidedly his own through $4.98), and Soft Sand (Verve 2079, unusual all -string group (three guitars, Solemn Meditation (GNP 31, $3.98) $4.98). On this last disc and on Romance violin, string bass). The original Quintet supported by vibes, bass, and drums. A (Verve 2012, $4.98) he sings in a man- broke up when World War II started and striking and promising jazz performer. ner that is, superficially, like that of Nat from then until his death in 1953 Rein- Maynard Ferguson's ability to blast his King Cole, but without the strength of hardt worked with various groups, most way around the upper reaches of the Cole's projection. approximating the original Quintet but trumpet helped him gain attention when often with clarinet in place of violin. he came to the United States in 1948 CUBA The most representative LP sampling after leading his own hand in Canada. of Reinhardt's good work (he was often But spearing high notes for Stan Kenton, Candido, bongo and conga drums, has badly recorded and his switch to an am- Charlie Barnet, and Jimmy Dorsey did proved a worthy successor to the late plified guitar late in his career was not a not help him develop as a jazz musician. Charm Pozo, who first gave the conga very happy one) was a 10 -inch Angel Recordings macle with his own large and thrum an individual jazz voice during the dise, 60003, now unavailable. Swing from small groups since 1954 show he has been Afro-Cuban invasion of the late 1940s. Paris (London LL 1349, $3.98) and slowly moving in this direction. He still Playing with The Billy Taylor Trio (Pres- Django Reinhardt (RCA Victor L1'M has difficulty resolving a trumpet solo tige 7051, $4.98) he takes full advantage 1100, $3.98) concentrate on his most as- without reaching for dogs' cars; but in of an excellent opportunity to show how sured and creative period, the clays be- the naturally lower tones of valve trom- well the conga can be used as an im- fore the war when most of his work was bone, bass trumpet, and even muted provisatory solo instrument rather than an trumpet he is becoming a balanced and ensemble percussive element. 1-ic has less pleasantly earthy jazz performer. At best, freedom on Candido the Volcanic ( ABC- Ferguson is erratic, inconsistent but full Paramount 180, 83.98); and he is little of fire -on Around the Horn (EmArcy more than a section hand on Druni Suite 36076, $3.98 ), Maynard Ferguson Octet (Columbia CL 1002, $3.98), The Beat of (EmArcv 36021, $3.98), Boy with Lots My Heart (Columbia CL 1079, $3.98), of Brass (EmArcy 36114, $3.98), Bird - and Jamaica Jazz ( ABC- Paramount 228, land Dream Band, Vol. 1 (Vik LX 1070, $3.98). He sings and drums on Calypso $3.98) and Vol. 2 (Vik LX 1077, $3.98). Dance Party ( ABC -Paramount 178, He is the empty high -voter on Dinah $3.98), but this is calypso, not jazz. Jams (EmArcy 36000, $3.98), lain Ses- Cuban Jam Session (Panart CLP 8000, sion (EmArcy 36002, $3.98), Jam Ses- $9.98) is an apparently casual, conic -one sion (EmArcy 36009, $3.98), Dimen- come -all affair that develops an appro- with the Quintet. A series of three clises sions (EmArcy 36044, $3.98), Hollywood priate feeling of abandon, spurred on by on Period -Memorial Albion, Vol. 1 (Pe- Party (EmArcy 36046, $3.98), and Skin an efficient rhythm section and the hot, riod SPL 1201, $4.98), Vol. 2 (Period Deep ( Verve 8137, 84.98). piping flute of Juan Pablo Miranda. SPL 1202, $4.98), Vol. 3 (Period SPL Moe Koffman's Septet plays an able Machito, a singer, leads a band that 1203, $4.98 )-arc postwar work ranging brand of loose, swinging but quite anony- is primarily the creation of trumpeter from very pleasant to quite dreadful. The mous modem jazz on Cool and !lot Sax Mario Hauza. On the foundation of a only consistent element is the recording: (Jubilee 1037, $3.98). magnificently complex and rocking Afro - poor. Jazz from Paris (Verve 8015, $4.98) Phil Nimmons, a fluent clarinetist, leads Cuban rhythm section, Hauza has built -one side only, the other by Dizzy Gil- a largish band that shows commendably a band with brilliantly biting brass and lespie-shows Reinhardt trying to adapt enthusiastic drive in its ensemble work languorous reeds that lias produced the himself to modern jazz surroundings, on The Canadian Scene (Verve 8025, most potent mixtures of Afro -Cuban none too successfully. $4.98). rhythm and jazz. Saxophonists Charlie Fats Sadi, an enlivening and rhythmic Oscar Peterson is one of the more puz- Parker anti Flip Phillips arc featured with vibraphonist, brings a badly needed zling musical personalities in current jazz. the band in some particularly effective spark of life to the arid André Hodeir Starting with a tradition -based, sledge- numbers on A Potpourri of Jazz arrangements (Verve played by the Jazz Group hammer drive (exhibited in one of his 2032, $4.98), The Jazz Scene (Verve 66 HIGH FIDELITY MAGAZINE www.americanradiohistory.com.