Johnny Mandell - I Want To Live

I've really been digging into some soundtracks lately so when I came across this in the collection I was psyched. I had completely forgotten that I owned it. It's one of those damn sleeves with no spine.
 Cool west coast jazz just seems to work for this crazy little film and the best part is it works as well without the visuals. It's unfortunate that some of the pieces couldn't stretch out a bit more.
 Dig that groovy cover, cats and kittens.

1. Main Theme
2. Poker Game
3. San Diego Party
4. Henry Leaves
5. Stakeout
6. Barbara Surrenders
7. Trio Convicted
8. Trip To Corona
9. Peg's Visit
10. Gas Chamber Unveiling
11. Nightmare Sequence
12. Preparations For Execution
13. Letter Writing Sequence
14. The Last Mile
15. Death Scene
16. End Title

Jack Sheldon, Al Porcino, Ed Leddy - trumpets
Frank Rosolino, Milt Bernhart, Dave Wells - trombones
Dave Wells - bass trumpet
Vince de Rosa, Sinclair Lott, John Cave, Dick Parisi - french horns
Harry Klee - picolo and flutes
Abe Most, Bill Holman - clarinets
Joe Maini, Marty Berman - bass clarinets
Joe Maini, Bill Holman, Chuck Gentry - saxes
Red Mitchell - bass
Pete Jolly - piano
Al Hendrickson - guitar
Shelly Manne, Larry Bunker, Mel Leweis, Milt Holland, Mike Pacvhenco - percussion
Kathryne Julye - harp

Arrangement by Johnny Mandell

taken from imported lp London SAH-T 6024

Linda Lawson - Introducing

 Tonight is the occasional vocal offering. Not much out there to be found about Miss Lawson. This is a pretty decent record that was never destined to set the world on fire.
 Here's the rub. The backing band was put together by Marty Paitch. We know that Paitch used Art Pepper whenever he could. This would have been recorded during Pepper's break from incarceration. Even though he is not listed in the personnel, some of the solos are his without a shred of doubt. Now I'm not a research guy (Straight Life is 3 ft, away) so maybe this is common knowledge and I just don't remember it.
 Either way this is an opportunity to offer up a nice record on a Saturday evening. A nice mix of enjoyable covers of evergreens and a few oddballs thrown in for good measure.
 Best part is, it was offered to me by a friend who digs the blog.

1. Are You With Me

2. Where Flamingos Fly

3. But Beautiful

4. Me and My Shadow

5. You Don't Know What Love Is

6. Easy To Love

7.Meaning Of The Blues

8. Mood Indigo

9. Like Young

10. Hi-Lilli-Hi-Lo

Jimmy Rowles (piano);
Bud Shank (alto, sometimes);
Art Pepper - alto
Med Flory (baritone sax);
Bill Perkins (tenor sax);
Al Porcino, Stu Williamson, Jack Sheldon (trumpets);
Frank Rosolino (trombone);
 Bill Pitman (guitar);
Joe Modragon (bass);
 Mel Lewis (drums)

Jack Sheldon Big Band - Jack's Groove

Shit photo, I know. Sorry. (Actually thanks to Old Hippie Rick for supplying a better cover. The shit one is reproduced below.) Great record. And one I don't see around much.
Serious West Coast cool in a large band format. There is a small window of time when these dudes were awesome at this.

Sheldon was a veteran of the scene and assembled a crack crew for these sessions.

Recorded at two different sessions, I have no idea why the latter date is presented first.

Jack Sheldon and his Exciting All-Star Big Band
Jack's Groove

1. Green Dolphin Street
2. I'm Also A Person
3. I Had The Craziest Dream
4. Arrivederci
5. Brown Cow
6. Anyhow
7. Julie Is Her Name
8. Aplomb
9. Sunset Eyes
10. J.S.

1 - 5
Jack Sheldon, Conte Candoli - trumpets
Stu Williamson - valve trombone
Vince DeRosa - french horn
Lennie Niehaus - alto sax
Billy Root - baritone sax
Pete Jolly - piano
Red Callender - tuba
Buddy Clark - bass
Mel Lewis - drums

recorded LA, 12/58

6-10
Sheldon and Chet Baker - trumpet
Art Pepper, Herb Geller - alto sax
Harold Land - tenor sax
Paul Moer - piano, arrangements
Buddy Clark - bass
Mel Lewis - drums

recorded LA 8/57


Fresh Sounds cd FSR-CD 70

Shit cover...

8 Ways to Jazz the music of Cole Porter

Absolutely dig Cole Porter. Probably my greatest, (not so) secret indulgence.

And damn if he didn't translate well to the jazz idiom.

This is one of my favorites and honestly, I'm gonna let the tunes speak for themselves without my purple prose.

1. Looking At You
2. Easy To love
3. I Love You
4. Love For Sale
5. Everytime We Say Goodbye
6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
7. Get Out Of Town
8. All Of You

1. - Trigger Alpert All Star Seven: Joe Wilder - trumpet; Urbie Green - trombone; Tony Scott - clarinet and tenor sax; Zoot Sims - tenor sax; Al Cohn - baritone sax; Albert - bass; Ed Shaughnessy - drums.
Arrangement - Marty Paitch.
Nov. 1956

2. Mundell Lowe Quartet; Lowe - guitar; Billy taylor - piano; Les Grinage - bass; Ed Thigpen - drums
March 1957

3. Bill Evans Trio: Evans - piano; Teddy Kotick - bass; Paul Motian - drums
Sept. 1956

4. Bobby Jaspar Quintet; Jaspar - tenor sax; George Wallington - piano; Wilbur Little - bass; Elvin Jones - drums
May, 1957

5. Sonny Rollins Quartet: Rollins - tenor sax; Sonny Clark - piano; Percy Heath - bass; Roy Haynes - drums
June, 1957

6. Ernie Henry Quartet: Henry - alto sax; Wynton Kelly - piano; Wilbur ware - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums
Sept. 1957

7. Herbie Mann's Californians: Mann - bass clarinet; Jack Sheldon - trumpet; Jimmy Rowles - piano; Buddy Clark - bass; Mel Lewis - drums
Arrangement by Herbie Mann
July, 1957

8. Gigi Gryce Jazz Lab Quintet: Gryce - alto sax; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Wade Legge - piano; Wendell Marshall - bass; Art Taylor - drums
Arrangement by Donald Byrd
Feb. 1957


Riverside RLP 12-272

Showcase For Modern Jazz

Here's one that I surprisingly have no recollection of where I picked it up.

A reissue, this has one track that was not on the original release, Lady Like. I'll take it... a John Graas tune featuring perennial favorite Art Pepper.

Pepper features prominently on several tunes as well as other West Coasters as indicated in the lp's subtitle. As far as Lucraft goes, I know very little other than the purple prose of the liner notes but he seems to be relegated to a footnote in jazz history, (much like the very blog you are reading if I were to reach such dizzying heights.)

Do not be fooled, these are inspired tracks. I'm betting that if I had been more than a glimmer in my mama's eye at the time I would have been floored by this new "West Coast" thing.

I don't know how this dude assembled this cast for this session but he deserves to be showered with love.

Showcase For Modern Jazz
Featuring Outstanding west Coast Jazz Men - directed by Howard Lucraft

1. Blue Moon
2. I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again
3. California Zephyr (Howard Lucraft)
4. I May Be Wrong
5. Larissa (Howard Lucraft)
6. Lady Like (John Grass)
   
7. Midnight Sun (Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton)
8. Smog a la Mode (Howard Lucraft)
9. Jazz for Gene (Howard Lucraft)
10. Two Part Contention (Dave Brubeck)

Personnel:

• Bud Shank – flute (1,8), alto saxophone (4,8)
• Buddy Collette – clarinet (1), baritone saxophone (4,8)
• Conte Candoli – trumpet (2,5,9)
• Stu Williamson – trumpet (2,5,9)
• Frank Rosolino – trombone (2,5,9)
• Charlie Mariano – tenor & alto saxophones (2,5,9), baritone saxophone (5,9)
• Bob Cooper – oboe (3,7), tenor saxophone (3,6,7,10)
• Art Pepper – alto saxophone (3,6,7,10), tenor saxophone (7)
• Pete Jolly – piano (2,9), accordion (2,5,9)
• Claude Williamson – piano (3,6,7,9)
• John Doe – guitar (1,4,8)
• Howard Lucraft – guitar (5,9)
• Red Mitchell – bass (1,4,7)
• Leroy Vinegar – bass (2,5,9)
• Monty Budwig – bass (3,6,7,9)
• Mel Lewis – drums (1,4,8)
• Shelly Manne – drums (2,5,9)
• Stan Levey – drums (3,6,7,10)

Recorded June 8, 1957 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Decca DL 8679 (WEA 1986 vinyl reissue)