The record changer (Jan 1955-Dec 1957)

18 Records Noted Chet Baker's "voice" can be offered in all seriousness on professional recordings, it even becomes pointless to ask "What next?" (Bethlehem BCP-64) PUENTE GOES JAZZ Tito Puente & His Orchestra: Puente, vb & timbales; Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Francis Williams, Frank LoPinto, Gene Rapetti, Vincent Frisaura, tps; Gene Quill, Dave Schildkraut, Allen Lehrfeld, Dave Kurtzer, Marty Holmes, Gerald Sanfino, ss; Alvin Gellers, p; Barry Galbraith, g; Robert Rodriguez, b; Ted Sommer, d; William Correa, Ramon Santamaria, bongos & claves. 1: What is This Thing Called Love/ Tiny Not Ghengis/What Are You Doin', Honey /Lotus Land/Lucky Dog 2: Birdland After Dark/That's a Puente / Yesterdays / Terry Cloth / Tito In A highly satisfactory blending of jazz and Afro-Cuban idiom, with the jazz about 90% dominant. The "Latin" ingredient is restricted almost entirely to the rhythmic matrix, and does nothing but good to the hot, driving, biting modern conception laid down by the rest of the lineup, which fortunately includes some of the most brilliant younger musicians around town, and utilizes solid, swinging arrangements by Gigi Gryce, Ted Sommer, Marty Holmes, and Tito himself. Most of this date is hard and funky; the slow and hauntingly lyrical treatment of Cyril Scott's Lotus Land is a notable contrast, but equally successful. No moments here of immortal genius, but a consistent pleasure from start to finish. (RCA Victor LPM-1312) STU WILLIAMSON PLAYS Stu Williamson, tp; Charlie Mariano, as; Claude Williamson, p; Max Bennett, b; Stan Levey, d. 1: Slugger/There'll Never Be Another You/Autumn In New York/ Sunday/The Lady is a Tramp/ Yardbird Suite 2: Sapphire/The Things We Did Last Summer/Strike Up the Band/Don't Get Around Much Any More/Stu's Dues Blues CLAUDE WILLIAMSON Claude Williamson Trio: Williamson, p; Don Prell, b; Chuck Flores, d. 1: June Bug/Jersey Bounce/Moonlight In Vermont/I'll Remember April 2: The Last Time I Saw Paris/Blue Notoriety/Embraceable You/Have You Met Miss Jones/Hallelujah CHARLIE MARIANO PLAYS Mariano, as & ts; Stu Williamson, tp; Frank Rosolino, tb; Claude Williamson or John Williams, p; Max Bennett, b; Stan Levey or Mel Lewis, d. 1: Chloe/You Go to My Head/S'nice/ Manteca/It's You Or No One 2: Three Litde Words/Green Walls/ Give a Little Whistle/I Should Care /My Melancholy Baby These three Bethlehems will be excellent additions to your library of sound, coherent modern jazz, small-combo style. Stu's consistent good taste and witty invention are a joy; ditto Charlie Mariano and all the others on these dates. Mariano is strictly School of Charlie Parker, and extremely good in his own right; but if you don't dig the Bird, you won't dig Mariano — your loss. The Bennett-LeveyC. Williamson rhythm section is, as the jacket claims, "one of the more felicitous . . . from the West Coast." My sole dissent was with the Mariano date's coy treatment of Whistle. If you have a flggy friend who complains of contemporary jazz, "But it doesn't swing!" you might do worse than lay these three albums on him. (Bethlehem BCP-31, 54, 49) JACK SHELDON, THE QUARTET* & QUINTET Sheldon, tp; Walter Norris, p; Ralph Pena*, b; Gene Gammage*, d; or Zoot Sims, ts; Bob Whitlock, b; Lawrence Marable, d. 1: Groovus Mentus/*Ahmoore/*Dozo /Beach-wise/Palermo Walk/*Get Out of Town/Blues 2: Mad About the Boy/What is There to Say/Irresistible You/Guatemala/ *Toot Sweet/Getting Sentimental Over You/* Jack Departs For me, one of the more reliable thrills in modern jazz always comes at the end of an opening ensemble chorus on any swinging or up-tempo tune when, fj an instant's pregnant silence or pica tory drum-shot, the quiet, deadlynl of Mr. Zoot Sims announces, alm'Lt] if in so many words: "I've got it." It again, in this disc, is an excellent c tunity to ponder the elusive diffi between competence and genius, one of Zoot's fellow workers is as oi petent as one could wish — but it is . to blowing that tightens your viscera, oi miss Zoot's moments on the two tracks (Groovus Mentus and Blues open and close Side 1 ; but the whol I is a worthwhile one for the moder \ Note: All these tracks were ? ously issued on JWLP-1 and -2. (Jazz: West JWLP f COOL GABRIELS Conte Candoli, Nick Travis, \ Sherman, Bernie Glow, Phil kel, Don Stratton, Al De Risi, Elliott Lawrence, p; Burgher J b; Sol Gubin, d. Five O'clock Shadow/Cup Mostly Latin/Something Blui Swingin' Scot (1 & 2)/Love i Around the Corner Elevation/Spooky/Happy Ho /Each Other's Arms/Nick With such an array of talent — so the best trumpet players in the <i and a fine rhythm section to back up — I expected great things fron recording; but very little happens that would cause me to go back am it again. I'm not sure just what the ble is. Possibly the music is overv tt and/or over-arranged; maybe the just failed to inspire these particula on these particular days; or maybe ■ a kind of music that simply fails to 4 a responsive chord in me persona recognize it as ingenious, coherent put together, competent and even ( in every way; but aside from a fetf! moments of promise — mostly, I ; add, provided by the solid drummi Sol Gubin and tuneful bass-playii Buddy Jones — in Lore, Elevaiio blues, natch), and Nick, and a glimmers of jazz feeling in Scot, I my mind wandering and listenir effort. In all fairness to the albi hasten to confess that my preferenc for hot rather than cool jazz; ar, there is a great deal of music cons; "cool," from Bird to Miles Davis I dig very much indeed. My suspic that what is mostly lacking here is taneity, and that (apparently) jaz not yet reached the phase of develo] where writing can successfully r> improvisation; that it can, at most