All Categories — All Formats  

Very strange record that's made up of excerpts of Marsh's solos from a live set recorded by Peter Ind at the Half Note. Ind somehow felt that Marsh's solos were the only thing worth saving from a huge set of tapes that he made of the show, so he edited down the tapes to these 2 minute segments, that have Marsh blowing on titles like "Out Of Nowhere", "Fishin' Around", "Lennie's Pennies", and a number of unnamed titles.

A killer set of 50s modern jazz – a bridge between the east coast small combo style of New York, and the cooler sound of the west in LA – hence the two cities in the title! The album's one of the best early moments from tenorist Warne Marsh – a set that ranks right up there with his best Atlantic material from the same stretch – and which has him blowing alongside additional tenor from Ted Brown – in a manner that's a lot like Ted's classic album on Vanguard! The rhythm section has a nice sense of space and modern charm – with Ronnie Ball on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Jeff Morton on drums – but the real star is Marsh out front – blowing in a mode that's clear, clean, and simple, but with an edge that was missing from most of his contemporaries! Titles include "Smog Eyes", "Quintessence", "Jazz Of Two Cities", "I Never Knew", and "Lover Man".

70s issue of a great little live set – recorded in LA in 1951, one of those private recordings from the time that saw brief release on the Xanadu label. Tracks are long, and Warne's playing in a much more open-ended mode with a quartet that features Hampton Hawes, Joe Mondragon, and Shelly Manne. Tracks include "Fine & Dandy", "You Go To My Head", "Buzzy", and "I Got Rhythm".

Genius, pure genius – and one of the few key sides by Warne Marsh as a leader! The album follows on Marsh's appearance with Lee Konitz on an earlier Atlantic album, but it really breaks free from the Konitz mode – and has an open, laidback sound that is instantly captivating – still modern, to be sure, but also done in a way that has some of the soulfulness of a Hank Mobley albums at times. Part of the reason for this is the group's rhythm section – which features Ronnie Ball on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and either Philly Joe Jones or Paul Motian on drums. And on the Motian numbers, Marsh is playing without piano – making for a coolly evocative style that really has the tenor dominating the sound. Titles include "My Melancholy Baby", "Excerpt", "Too Close For Comfort", "Yardbird Suite", and "Just Squeeze Me".

One of the greatest 50s showcases for the tenor talents of Warne Marsh – a deceptively understated album that captures Warne at his most fluid and creative point! The setting is a quartet – with Ronnie Ball on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Marsh is magnificent throughout, really blowing with a tone that is fresh and filled with modern ideas – yet never overdone, nor too willfully complex to lose the train of the tunes. The approach is almost Konitz-soulful – a wonderful distillation of ideas in the hands of one magical talent – and titles include "Ad Libido", "It's All Right With Me", "Playa Del Ray", "Autumn In New York", and "You Are Too Beautiful".

One of the few sessions ever cut by tenorist Ted Brown – working here with a group that features Warne Marsh and Art Pepper in the frontline, with rhythm by Ronnie Ball on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Jeff Morton on drums. The session's got the outward appearance of a west coast session, but has much more soul overall – the kind of Back Bay Boston sound you'd hear in 50s sessions by Charlie Mariano or Dick Johnson – with plenty of rasp on Pepper's horn, and some nice edges on Brown's as well! Tracks are short, and often with ensemble heads – but the production is beautiful, and the interplay between the three saxophonists comes through with amazing quality! Titles include "Crazy She Calls Me", "Arrival", "Once We Were Young", "Avalon", "Foolin Myself", "Aretha", and "Long Gone".

A masterpiece by Warne Marsh – and proof that there was always a committed modernist lurking behind some of his more straightforward playing! The session has sort of a post-Tristano underground west coast feel (if we can make up such a heavy handed term!), and it features a piano-less quartet with Marsh on tenor, Gary Foster on alto, Dave Parlato on bass, and Terry Tirabasso on drums. Foster's playing at this point in his career is wonderful, with lots of crisy icy tones that remind us of the best Konitz recordings of the mid 50s. Tracks are long and introspective, and titles include Tristano's "Lennies Pennies" and "317 E 32nd", Konitz's "Subconscious-Lee", and the original improvisation "Touch & Go".

One of those great records that really reminds us that Anthony Braxton's roots in jazz run plenty plenty deep – despite his longstanding reputation as an individual! This set of Lennie Tristano compositions offers up some great old school blowing from Braxton – alto that's as sharp and fresh as Lee Konitz back in the day, but rearranged with even more intensity in some special arrangements for this set – and served up in a group that also features Jon Raskin on baritone sax, Dred Scot on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The approach is wonderful – still filled with the brand new quality of 50s modern jazz – yet also a bit more vibrant than some other albums that have Braxton working in an old school mode. Titles include "Lennie Bird", "Two Not One", "Dreams", "Lennie's Pennies", "Victory Ball", and "April".

An unusual session from the great Clare Fischer – although probably his best-known record as well! Clare cut many other jazz sides in a smaller, more intimate setting – but this album features his full talents as a larger arranger – working with a hip ensemble, and turning in some great charts that really keep things on edge! Fischer plays both Fender Rhodes and piano – and the group's got some great west coast help from Bill Perkins and Warne Marsh on tenors, Gary Foster on alto, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all playing with a bit more sharpness here than usual. There's a nicely off-kilter edge – similar to that which you might hear in some of Clare's work with Cal Tjader – or some of his larger arranging projects for labels like MPS. Solos are out front on all tracks, and titles include "In Memoriam", "Bitter Leaf", "Calamus", and "Miles Behind".

One of THE key records in the Konitz school – a full length Prestige album that brings together important material from sessions originally issued on 10" LPs! The lineup here is virtually the Konitz school – with shifting lineups that include Billy Bauer on guitar, Lenny Tristano or Sal Mosca on piano, and Warne Marsh on tenor – all working as airily and fluidly as Konitz himself! How Lee managed to achieve such unity with his groups here will forever be a mystery to us – as will the freshness of the work at the end of the 40s, especially given that it's still arguably more "modern" than much of the jazz it inspired in years to come! Titles include "Progression", "Subconscious-Lee", "Rebecca", "Sound-Lee", "Fishin Around", "Palo Alto", "Ice Cream Konitz", "You Go To My Head", and "Tautology".

One of our favorite albums ever by Art Pepper – even if it isn't a proper album! The set features material recorded in the late 50s, pulled together to form an album in the early 70s – and overall, it's some of the best Art Pepper work on record we can think of. Pepper plays beautifully on 4 tracks with tenorist Warne Marsh, and the rest of the cuts features equally great accompaniment from the likes of Jimmy Bond, Dolo Coker, Philly Joe Jones, and Red Garland. The material on the album is far fresher than most of Pepper's so-called "classic" sessions, and it shows the edge and creativity of his alto playing in a way that few other albums ever do. We really recommend this one if you've ever been disappointed by another Pepper album – because there's a sharpness here that really comes through. Titles include "All the Things You Are", "What's New", "Autumn Leaves", and "The Man I Love".

The Supersax ensemble takes on the classic concept of Charlie Parker with strings – really sticking true to the groundbreaking spirit of the original experiments, while also bringing things forward a bit with their wonderful multi-horn approach! The group features lead alto from Med Flory, plus tenor from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori, additional alto from Joe Lopes, trumpet from Conte Candoli, and trombone from Frank Rosolino – the latter two of whom really get in some nice solos of their own! Strings are well-scored – with the kind of subtle swing of the old days, and an occasional solo from Bobby Bruce on violin – and titles include "April In Paris", "All The Things You Are", "Cool Blues", "Kim", "Ornithology", "If I Should Lose You", and "Sign Off".

A stone classic from Supersax – a record with plenty of classic bop elements, despite a very 70s-styled group name and cover! The combo's a large one, and features tight horn formation deftly cutting through a host of bop classics – lots of ensemble passages at the start, then breakout solos that really get things going! Horn players include Conte Candoli on trumpet, Carl Fontana on trombone, and supersax players Med Flory and Joe Lopes on alto, Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, and Jack Nimitz on baritone. Ronnell Bright, Lou Levy, and Walter Bishop Jr handle the piano – and titles include "Confirmation", "Lover Man", "Salt Peanuts", "The Bird", "Groovin High", and "Yardbird Suite".

A completely fresh take on the Charlie Parker aesthetic of the bop generation – updated for the 70s, but in ways that are still pretty classic overall! The group's a large one, but plays with a tightness that goes way past their gimmicky name – thanks to players who include Med Flory and Joe Lopes on alto, Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and Conte Candoli on trumpet – all of whom get in some great licks! Tunes are all short bop classics, played with very tight head arrangements, and some searing breakout solos. Titles include "Ko Ko", "Be Bop", "Repetition", "Night In Tunisia", "Hot House", "Star Eyes", and "Parker's Mood".

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You". Dynamite is a looser, more free-swinging album than usual for Supersax – one that still has the group working with some key contributions from west coast jazz luminaries, but in a vibe that's almost more small combo than larger ensemble! The tracks here include a fair bit of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker numbers, but the arrangements are mighty fresh – open, and swinging with some hipper 70s touches, thanks to rhythms from a trio that features Lou Levy on piano, Fred Atwood on bass, and John Dentz on drums – players that are never locked into a strict bop mode. As with other Supersax albums, there's a brace of reed players working together at the front – Lanny Morgan on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and both Jay Migliori and Don Menza on tenors – coming together as one voice on the solos, and getting some key help from Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Titles include "The Fruit", "Bambu", "Blues For Alice", "Tempus Fugit", "Parker's Mood", and a surprising, but great take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave".

A beautiful little soundtrack for this late John Wayne western – scored by Elmer Bernstein in a wonderfully expressive way – with a quality that goes way past the usual entries in the genre! There's almost a slight undercurrent of sentimentality to the music – not in a cloying way, but with a quality that seems to reference the entire history of the western with sensitive ears – in a way that the film almost seems to do with its story, as well – carrying things forward without too much drama, but this subtle depth that really makes the music special! The recording quality is excellent, and Bernstein's scoring shows some instrumental modernity he wouldn't have had a few years before – complex use of subtle elements that really comes through in the production. Titles include "Born To Hang", "Necktie Party", "Smoke", "New Money", "Surrounded", "Thickening Plot", "Billy Joe", "Train", and "Venture".