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Jimmy Giuffre 
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Exact matches: 11
1
Choice/
Overlooked 70s work from Jimmy Giuffre – a hip trio session that has all the free elements of his earlier recordings, but possibly an even greater focus on tone! Jimmy plays a range of reeds here – tenor, clarinet, and flute – and he works with bass and drum accompaniment, but often in a really gentle way that allows his own solo energy to dictate the tunes – coming out in space that's boldly soulful on the tenor, yet more fragile and intimate on the flute – kind of a cross between more expressive avant work and some of the more spiritual tones of the time. The tenor tunes are especially great – kind of opening a new chapter for Giuffre's career – and the group features Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on percussion. Titles include "The Bird", "Mosquito Dance", "The Chanting", "The Butterfly", "Dervish", "Phoenix", and "Night Dance". CD
Also available Music For People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes ... LP 25.992
Paul Bley/Owl/
With players like these, the life of a trio must be a great one – and the album's one part of a two-day recording session done by pianist Paul Bley, bassist Steve Swallow, and saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre! The "trio" tag is somewhat misleading at times – because the album's often a gathering of all three players in the studio, rather than a continuous collaborative effort. Some tracks have a single player, working alone – while others sneak in a duet, and others then follow a trio format – and the album's a great illustration of the sharp talents that all players still had at this point in their career! Giuffre's especially great – and works here on both clarinet and soprano sax – and given that Swallow had been a key part of Jim's trio in years back, many moments often sound like a revival of the more "out" Giuffre trio sides, with the addition of Bley's great tones on piano. This first volume features the "Saturday" recordings – with 12 titles that include "Endless Melody", "Foreplay", "Black Ivory", "Owl Eyes", "Clarinet Zone", and "By The Way". CD
(Out of print.)
3
Paul Bley/Owl/
With players like these, the life of a trio must be a great one – and the album's one part of a two-day recording session done by pianist Paul Bley, bassist Steve Swallow, and saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre! The "trio" tag is somewhat misleading at times – because the album's often a gathering of all three players in the studio, rather than a continuous collaborative effort. Some tracks have a single player, working alone – while others sneak in a duet, and others then follow a trio format – and the album's a great illustration of the sharp talents that all players still had at this point in their career! Giuffre's especially great – and works here on both clarinet and soprano sax – and given that Swallow had been a key part of Jim's trio in years back, many moments often sound like a revival of the more "out" Giuffre trio sides, with the addition of Bley's great tones on piano. This second volume features the "Sunday" session – with titles that include "Things", "Fallen Statue", "Play Ball", "Scrambled Legs", "Where Were We", "Mephisto", and "Tango Del Mar". CD
(Out of print.)
4
Jimmy Giuffre/Steeplechase (Denmark), 1959. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Two very different groups – both presented in unissued performances recorded on the same day in Copenhagen during the spring of 1959! First up is the Jimmy Giuffre trio with some tremendous guitar from Jim Hall – a key player who really helped Jimmy find that airy, open approach on his Atlantic Records gems at the end of the 50s – working here with just the bass of Buddy Clark for accompaniment. Giuffre mostly plays modern clarinet, in that famous style of his, but also handles a bit of tenor – on titles that include "Time Machine", "Careful", "The Little Melody", and "Song Of The Wind". And speaking of clarinet, that instrument gets a nice workout on the Gene Krupa tracks – as does tenor and flute, all handled by Ed Wasserman – who plays in a Krupa quartet that also includes Ronnie Ball on piano and Jimmy Gannon on bass. The music has that open, lively small combo vibe that marked some of Gene's best 50s sessions for Verve – and titles include long takes on "Undecided" and "Flamingo" – plus a 25 minute reading of "Sing Sing Sing". CD
5
Jimmy Giuffre —
Jimmy Giuffre 3/Atlantic/
Groundbreaking trio work from the great Jimmy Giuffre – an album that cut loose both the piano and the drums – in a way that took Gerry Mulligan's earlier rhythm-less experiments with jazz, and pushed them one degree further! The group on the session features Giuffre on clarinet, tenor, and baritone sax – alongside the guitar of Jim Hall and bass of Ralph Pena – all working together with no other accompaniment, but in a way that's as swinging as it is airy – an amazing exercise in tone, color, and control! The sound is out of this world, and the notes just hang lightly in air – beautifully dancing around one another. Titles include "Voodoo", "Train & The River", "My All", "Crawdad Suite", and "Two Kinds Of Blues". Travelin' Light is one of the most sublime Jimmy Giuffre albums of all time – and a perfect realization of his piano-less/
6
Jimmy Giuffre —
Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet ... CD Atlantic/
Beautiful work from Jimmy Giuffre – and a key album in the development of his spare sound of the late 50s! The record features Jimmy on clarinet – as you'd guess by the title – but this is no hokey set of Benny Goodman or Buddy DeFranco-type tunes. Instead, Giuffre's using the clarinet in a way that predates 70s modernist styles – working in washes of sound and color that explore the instrument like few other players had even imagined at the time. The backing differs from track to track – as "So Low" features only a tapping foot behind Giuffre's clarinet, "Deep Purple" has backing on piano, and others like "The Sheeherder", "Quiet Cook", and "The Side Pipers" feature some lrger group backing, often with no piano. CD
(Barcode has a cutout hole.)
7
Jimmy Giuffre —
1961 (Fusion/ECM (Germany), 1961. Used 2CD ... Out Of Stock
2 amazing albums from the 2nd version of the Jimmy Giuffre 3! After working with his first combo of Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall during the late 50s, Giuffre hooked up with a pair of younger modernists – Paul Bley and Steve Swallow – reintroducing the piano and bass to his trio format, instruments that had been previously missing because Giuffre wanted to explore the possibilities of melodic composition freed from rhythmic constraints. With this trio, Giuffre was still working in that mode – as you'll hear on Bley and Swallow's incredibly free playing. The group's performances are not free jazz by any means, but they're a key link in that tradition – as Giuffre and crew do an excellent job of creating unconventional compositions, most of which feel like little sculptures in sound. There's a total of 20 tracks on 2CDs – and titles include "Cry, Want", "Trudgin", "Jesus Maria", "Ictus", "Sonic", "Whirrrrr", "The Gamut", "Herb & Ictus", and "Flight". Both records originally available on Verve, now repackaged by ECM. CD
8
Jimmy Giuffre —
New York Concerts – The Jimmy Giuffre 3 & 4 ... CD Elemental, 1965. New Copy 2CD ... Out Of Stock
Amazing music from Jimmy Giuffre – and a much-needed document of this under-recorded time in his career! The 2CD set brings together two different live performances – each done two years after his groundbreaking Free Fall album for Columbia, and with a sound that's even more far-reaching than that classic set! The Giuffre heard here is extremely free on his reeds – especially clarinet, which is blown at a level that prefaces countless European free jazz work to come – with an incredible range of sounds, colors, and tones. Giuffre also plays tenor – with more bite and soul than ever before – almost at an ESP sort of level – and the accompaniment on both sessions is very loose and free, too – with Joe Chambers on drums on both concerts – working with Richard Davis on bass on a trio set, and with a quartet that includes Don Friedman on piano and Barre Phillips on bass. The whole thing is mindblowing – a chapter of this amazing musician's career that demands to be heard – and stands as even more of a revelation than other Giuffre releases in recent years. Titles include "Cry Want", "Syncopate", "Drive", "Angles", "Quadrangle", "Crossroads", and "Three Bars In One". CD
9
Jimmy Giuffre —
Train & The River ... CD Candid (UK), 1975. Used ... Out Of Stock
The album's titled after an old Jimmy Giuffre song from the 50s, but the sound is very much in his best mode of the 70s – a much freer exploration of earlier ideas, still very rich in tone, but put together quite differently in terms of rhythm! The album's got Jimmy working in a trio with Kiyoshi Tokunaga on bass and Randy Kaye on drums – both players who make things swing, albeit in an offbeat way – so that Giuffre's work on reeds almost has a bit more melodic approach here – strong and soulful on numbers that have him using tenor, more carefully creative on flute or clarinet selections. Titles include "Tree People", "The Tide Is In", "River Chant", "Elephant", "Tibetan Sun", and "Celebration". CD
10
Jimmy Giuffre 3 —
Easy Way ... CD Verve, 1959. Used ... Out Of Stock
The Easy Way? Jimmy Giuffre never did anything the easy way – and his classic albums from the late 50s, some of the strongest modern jazz sides of the time, are a great testament to that fact! This album's one of the most obscure – and features Jimmy in his groundbreaking percussion-less trio mode – blowing tenor, clarinet, and baritone in a group with Jim Hall on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. The notes hang magically in air – still quite rhythmic, despite the freedom of the setting, but also stretching forth in an unfettered style that set the stage for countless jazz experiments to come. Titles include "Montage", "Time Enough", "Off Center", "A Dream", "Ray's Time", and "Careful". CD
11
Avid (UK), 1955/
Includes performances by Stan Getz, Jimmy Giuffre, Art Pepper, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller and many more! CD
(Out of print.)
Possible matches: 35
12
Contemporary/
Chet Baker and Rolf Ericson on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto and baritone saxophone, Bob Cooper and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone, Claude Williamson and Russ Freeman on piano, Howard Rumsey on bass, and Max Roach and Shelly Manne on drums. CD
(1991 OJC pressing.)
13
Blue Note/
An incredible collection of work from Bob Brookmeyer – tracing the development of his sound in the 50s through a variety of different settings! The package begins with material from an original 10" LP session in 1954 – featuring Brookmeyer on trombone with backing by the John Williams trio. The set then expands to feature tracks recorded by Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, and Jimmy Giuffre as material that was originally issued on the album Traditionalism Revisited, but which also features tracks from that session that came out on other more obscure sources, including a Playboy jazz album and a Brookmeyer LP on Crown. The set then follows with a beautiful guitar/
(Limited and numbered copy. Slipcover has some wear.)
14
Verve, 1956. Used ... $6.99
Really unusual large group work from bassist Ray Brown – already a key small combo player in the Verve Records universe, and here exploring some of the larger ideas in his music! The set features arrangements from Marty Paich – and players include Herb Geller on alto, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, Pete Candoli on trumpet, and Herb Ellis on guitar – all working in a way that still allows Brown to get plenty of exposure, right up front in the mix! Brown is totally exposed on the haunting "Solo For Unaccompanied Bass" – and other titles include "Little Toe", "Alone Together", "Blues for Sylvia", and "All Of You". CD
(Out of print, Verve elite edition.)
15
Brunswick/
Some of the earliest work we've ever heard from German tenorist Joki Freund – a player who'd trip out a bit more in later years, but who blows here with a sound that's sharp, modern, and very swinging throughout! The group features trombone from Albert Mangelsdorff, who's also on the straighter side of the spectrum here – plus alto from Emil Mangelsdorff, sounding a lot more modern than on other recordings – really matching the energy of both hornmen, as they all step out in a piano-less group that only features the bass of Harry Schell and drums of Rudi Sehring on rhythm! The music has echoes of better-known 50s modernists – like Lee Konitz or Jimmy Giuffre on our side of the Atlantic, or Hans Koller in Freund's German scene – and the package features live material from a 1957 album, plus additional studio tracks from the rare Joki's Sparkle EP. Titles include "Nico", "Freund Point", "Vie La France", "Swinging Pigeons", "Domicile", "Rudy's Theme", and "From Lighthouse To Frankfurt". CD
16
Hal McKusick —
Jazz At The Academy (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD Coral (Japan), 1956. Used ... $24.99
A sweet set of modernist chamber jazz from Hal McKusick, and one of his rarest albums of the 50s! The set's got Hal blowing on alto, in a group with guitar by Barry Galbraith, bass by Milt Hinton, and drums by Osie Johnson – all grooving in style that's cool, mellow, and almost has the open touches of some of Jimmy Giuffre's work from the same period. George Russell wrote arrangements for 6 of the 10 tunes on the album, and tracks include "Give Em Hal", "Serenade In Blue", "Out Of This World", "When The Sun Comes Out", and "This Is New". CD
(Out of print 2003 Japanese pressing.)
17
Contemporary/
A unique large group session from Art Pepper – one of his few this way as a leader, despite constant 50s presence as a sideman in big ensembles! Arrangements are by Marty Paich, who more than makes things swing – and there's a nice rhythm section dancing underneath a larger group – with Russ Freeman on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. Players in the fuller lineup include Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Herb Geller on alto, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Bob Enevoldsen on trombone and tenor – and titles are mostly modern numbers written by other jazzmen like Horace Silver, Denzil Best, Jimmy Giuffre, and Sonny Rollins. Titles include "Groovin High", "Move", "Four Brothers", "Anthropology", and "Airegin". CD
Also available Art Pepper + Eleven ... LP 24.9918
Art Pepper —
Art Pepper + Eleven (Original Master Recording) ... CD Contemporary/
A unique large group session from Art Pepper – one of his few this way as a leader, despite constant 50s presence as a sideman in big ensembles! Arrangements are by Marty Paich, who more than makes things swing – and there's a nice rhythm section dancing underneath a larger group – with Russ Freeman on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. Players in the fuller lineup include Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Herb Geller on alto, Bill Perkins on tenor, and Bob Enevoldsen on trombone and tenor – and titles are mostly modern numbers written by other jazzmen like Horace Silver, Denzil Best, Jimmy Giuffre, and Sonny Rollins. Titles include "Groovin High", "Move", "Four Brothers", "Anthropology", and "Airegin". CD
(Out of print MoFi pressing – disc manufactured by Sanyo, Japan.)
19
Columbia, 1957. Used ... $4.99
A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD
(2000 pressing.)
20
Barry Altschul/No Business (Lithuania), 1978. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A never-issued live performance from a really incredible trio – and a set that has reedman Perry Robinson coming across with some of the bold energy he brought to his important avant recordings on the New York scene of the 60s! The pairing of Barry Altschul's drums and David Izenson's bass is wonderful – as they work with that freewheeling sense of rhythm learned from their earliest experiences with important avant players a decade before, and Izenson's especially great here, as he moves between plucked and bowed passages that remind us just how great he can be in the right setting! Robinson is a delight throughout, and his use of clarinet continues to be a next step past the work of Jimmy Giuffre in terms of free, avant expression on the instrument – much sharper here than on some of his more common European recordings from the period. The set features four long improvisations – and is a revelation throughout! CD
21
Conte Candoli —
Modern Sounds From The West (Best From The West Vols 1 & 2) ... CD Blue Note/
A real rarity in West Coast jazz – originally issued as a very obscure Blue Note session recorded on the west coast in the mid 50s – released as 2 10" LPs, and billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, but featuring some of Blue Note's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". CD
(Out of print.)
22
Bill Evans/Columbia/
A key set of modern jazz from the late 50s – not so much a Bill Evans album, as it is a collection of larger group recordings that feature his piano. The first 6 tracks on the set are from the 1957 Columbia album Modern Jazz Six – a series of recordings at the Brandeis Festival arranged and conducted by Gunther Schuller and George Russell – and about as hip as you can get for modern jazz from the 50s! Sure, Gunther and George can have their sleepy moments on wax, but this set's great – thanks to a very hip lineup that includes Hal McKusick, John La Porta, Teddy Charles, Bill Evans, Jimmy Knepper, and Louis Mucci. The tunes aren't in that stodgy "classical meets jazz mode", but more in a swinging larger group style – featuring tunes by Jimmy Giuffre, Charles Mingus, Russell, and Schuller – as well as more serious numbers by Harold Shapero and Milton Babbitt. Titles include "All Set", "Revelations", "All About Rosie", and "Suspensions". Added to these are 3 more live tracks from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival – featuring a group led by Don Elliott on vibes and bongos, plus Evans on piano – on titles that include "Dancing In The Dark", "I Love You", and "S Wonderful". CD
23
Quincy Jones —
Jazz Manifesto (Go West Man/ABC/
Great early work from Quincy Jones – 2 ABC big band sessions, back to back on one CD! First up is This Is How I Feel About Jazz – a set that has Jones working in some of his hippest settings of the 50s – scoring longish versions of jazz tunes for groups that include players like Lucky Thompson, Art Farmer, Gene Quill, Charles Mingus, Phil Woods, and Hank Jones. There's a sublime 10 minute version of "Walkin" that kicks off the album with a great soulful groove – plus original tunes "Evening In Paris", "Stockholm Sweetnin", and "Boo's Blues", as well as a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette". Next up is Go West – a set in which Quincy turns his arranging style to a band filled with West Coast players – getting them to groove a lot more than you'd expect! Players include Herb Geller, Art Pepper, Charlie Mariano, Bill Perkins, and Walter Benton. The tracks are short, with tight solo space, and most of them were written and arranged by West Coasters like Jimmy Giuffre, Lennie Niehaus, and Johnny Mandel. Titles include "Be My Guest", "London Derriere", "Kings Road Blues", "The Oom Is Blues", and "Bright Moon". CD
(Includes slipcase.)
24
Franz Koglmann & Lee Konitz —
We Thought About Duke ... CD Hatology (Switzerland), 1994. Used ... Out Of Stock
One of the most compelling tributes to Duke Ellington we've ever heard – a performance of his music that really deviates from the sound of the original, yet which also keeps all the complicated spirit of Duke intact! Trumpeter Franz Koglmann is really at the helm of the core groups on the set – leading the Monoblue Quartet on some tracks, an ensemble that features Tony Coe on clarinet and tenor, Burkhard Stangl on guitar, and Klaus Koch on bass – and the Pipe Trio on others, with Rudolf Ruschel on trombone and Raoul Herget on tuba. Lee Konitz joins in on alto with both ensembles, save for one track – and the whole record is a brilliant piano-less and drum-less outing that has the horns coming together in ways that are almost inspired by Jimmy Giuffre, but which take on some richer chromatic tones in their exploration of Ellington themes. The whole record really opens up the Ellington concept tremendously – and titles include "Love Is In My Heart", "Lament For Javanette", "Ko Ko", "Zweet Zurzday", "Pyramid", and "The Mooche" – plus a few variations on "Thoughts About Duke", an original by Koglmann. CD
25
Shelly Manne —
Shelly Manne & His Men Vol 1 – The West Coast Sound ... CD Contemporary/
A pretty darn great record – the first full length LP cut by Shelly, issued by Contemporary in the mid 50s, and pulling together side from sessions in 1953, some of which were issued previously, others of which appear for the first time here. The tracks are short and playful – very much in the "west coast sound" noted in the title, with Shelly playing the kit in a creative and lyrical way, joined by horn work by players that include Joe Maini, Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Enevoldsen, Art Pepper, and Bob Cooper. Titles include "Gazelle", "Sweets", "Mallets", "Fugue", "Grasshopper", and "Afrodesia". CD
(Out of print OJC pressing.)
26
Shelly Manne —
Three/Contemporary/
A full length album that brings together 2 different earlier 10" sessions by Manne – groundbreaking work in a freer mode than most of what was going on in LA during the mid 50s! Side one features material from The Three – a 10" session that featured Manne on drums, Shorty Rogers on trumpet, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, and baritone. The trio work their way – bass and piano-less – through tunes that include "Pas De Trois", "Flip", "Abstract No 1", and "Steeplechase". Side two features material from The Two – an even freer session, with Manne on drums and Russ Freeman on piano – no other accompaniment, and sounding quite revolutionary for the time! Titles include "Billie's Bounce", "The Sound Effects Manne", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Speak Easy". CD
(Out of print.)
27
Helen Merrill —
Artistry Of Helen Merrill ... CD Mainstream/
A really fantastic album from singer Helen Merrill – and quite an obscure one as well! The set was recorded after Helen's initial burst to fame on the Mercury label in the 50s – and has her taking on a more laidback, more open-minded approach here in a very hip setting that includes a fair bit of work from guitarist Charlie Byrd – fresh off his fame of recording with Stan Getz, and able to bring some of his unique phrasing to the record in a really great way! The material is nicely varied – different than what Merrill would have recorded in the previous decade – and definitely indicates the step into hipper territory that some of the rising vocalists of the 60s, such as Nina Simone or Oscar Brown Jr, were taking at the time. Other musicians include Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, Hal McKusick on flute, and Jimmy Raney on second guitar – and titles include "The River", "Minha Rocca", "Forbidden Games", "John Anderson My Love", "Cannetella", "Itsuki No Komoriuta", "Quiet Nights", and "Careless Love". (Vocalists, Jazz) CD
(Sealed 2017 Japanese pressing.)
28
Lennie Niehaus —
Lennie Niehaus Vol 5 – The Sextet ... CD Contemporary/
A gem of a session from Lennie Niehaus – one of his best 50s albums for Contemporary, and one of his most obscure too! The album features Lennie's alto in the company of a group that includes Bill Perkins on tenor and flute, Jimmy Giuffre on baritone, and Stu Williamson on trumpet. There's no piano at all in the group, and the four horns come together magically – with a well-composed sound that's got all the tightness of LA in the 50s, but with more than enough solo room ot let Lennie and the others sparklet. Titles include "Belle Of The Ball", "Fond Memories", "Knee Deep", "Take It From Me", and "Elbow Room". CD
(OJC pressing.)
29
Michel Petrucciani/Blue Note, 1986. Used ... Out Of Stock
A key moment in the career of pianist Michel Petrucciani – and a set that features an amazing collaboration with guitarist Jim Hall, and a fair bit of great tenor and soprano sax from Wayne Shorter too! Hall's guitar is heard on every track on the set – ringing out in those wonderfully spare, openly flowing notes he first started crafting in the 50s – a surprisingly wonderful counterpart to the piano of Petrucciani, which seems to take on an even more sensitive and evocative feel for the date. Shorter comes in on a few of the album's tracks – arcing great lines over the colors of the pair, in a way that's a bit like some of the Jimmy Giuffre experiments with Hall in the 50s – but more tuned towards Shorter's own sense of tone and timing. Titles include "Careful", "Bimini", "Morning Blues", "Limbo", and "Waltz New". CD
30
Shorty Rogers —
Shorty Rogers & His Giants ... CD RCA (Spain), 1953/
Shorty Rogers on trumpet with Art Pepper on alto sax, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor sax, Hampton Hawes and Pete Jolly on piano, Joe Mondragon and Curtis Counce on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. CD
(1998 pressing.)
31
Atomic —
Pet Variations ... CD Odin (Norway), 2018. Used ... Out Of Stock
Magnificent music from Atomic – a set that begins with a set of variations on the "Pet Sounds" theme from Brian Wilson – then takes off into some great directions inspired by the music of Steve Lacy, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, and Edgar Varese! Atomic are always fantastic – way more than the sum of their parts, which is a top-shelf quintet lineup that includes Fredrik Ljungkvist on saxes and clarinet, Magnus Broo on trumpet, Havard Wilk on piano, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass, and Hans Hulbaekmo on drums – mostly players you'll know from our rave reviews of their other music here on these pages, but who always seem to really reach new heights together as a group! There's a sense of energy here that's wonderful – structure balanced with freedom, group performance balanced with individualism – spread out over inventive performances of "Pet Sounds", "Karin's Mode", "Art", "Walking Woman", "Cry Want", "Un Grand Sommeil Noir", and "Inri". CD
32
Conte Candoli, Shorty Rogers, Bob Cooper, et al —
Modern Sounds From California – Historic Recordings 1954-1957 ... CD Fresh Sound (Spain), Mid 50s. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
A treasure trove of west coast jazz work from the mid 50s – one that features a number of unusual sessions! First off, the set includes 4 tracks that were initially recorded under the leadership of Shorty Rogers, most likely for RCA – and featuring players that include Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre, and Pete Jolly – on titles that include the Giuffre originals "Safari", "Ballade", and "Scarf Dance". Next up are 15 tracks from the rare Best From The West 10" jazz LPs for Blue Note – originally billed as a "blindfold test" under the supervision of Leonard Feather, and some of the label's only west coast jazz sessions of the 50s! The musicians on the original record were not named – probably because of contractual reasons – but artists include Conte Candoli, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, Howard Roberts, Marty Paich, and others – all coming together with a fresh, clean sound that's very much in the spirit of some of the best west coast work for labels like Pacific Jazz or Capitol at the time! This CD reissue includes both of the original 10" albums on one set – along with much-needed notes on the players. Titles include "Santa Anita", "Culver City", "Burbank Bounce", "Arcadia", "Here's Pete", "Santa Monica", and "Blindfold Test No 1". The set then features 9 more tracks from sine 1957 sessions produced by Howard Lucraft, also done as a study in West Coast jazz – featuring compositions by Lucraft that include "Smog A La Mode", "Jazz For Gene", "Larrisa", and "California Zephyr – played by 3 different groups of players that include Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, Frank Rosolino, Charlie Mariano, and Buddy Collette. Last up are 4 more tunes from a 1955 session that features Stu Williamson, Herb Geller, Jack Montrose, and Bob Gordon – on tracks that include "Id", "I'm Forever Counting Geigers", and "Skip To Me Loot". 38 tracks in all – with full notes on the sessions and players! CD
33
Chico Hamilton —
Chico Hamilton With Paul Horn ... CD Crown/
Unusual material from Chico Hamilton – recorded around the same time as his groundbreaking work for Pacific Jazz – but for the smaller Crown/
34
Lee Konitz —
Rhapsody ... CD Paddle Wheel/
Alto genius Lee Konitz blows a bit of tenor and soprano here – working in a variety of groups, with help from Bill Frisell on guitar, Peggy Stern on piano, Gerry Mulligan on baritone, Helen Merrill on vocals, Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, and Clark Terry on trumpet! CD
35
Rolf & Joachim Kuhn —
East Berlin 1966 (Japanese paper sleeve edition) ... CD Polystar (Japan), 1966. Used Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
A rare early slice of work by the quartet of Rolf & Joachim Kuhn – a set originally intended for release on Atlantic Records in the 60s, but unissued until now! The album's far more modern than most of the group's other work from the time – very angular and exploratory – with tracks that have a stop/
36
Hal McKusick —
Jazz Workshop ... CD RCA (Spain), 1957. Used ... Out Of Stock
Sublime work from Hal McKusick – one of those mid 50s modernists who offered up such hope for new ideas at the time, and who seemed to all but disappear by the middle of the next decade! This album's one of Hal's finest – an optimistically crafted batch of tunes written by many of the 50s best modernists: Gil Evans, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, and others – played by a group that includes Art Farmer, Barry Galbraith, Jimmy Cleveland, and Milt Hinton. The approach is east coast chamber jazz – a refreshing change from the west coast version, made all the better by McKusick's crisp tone and precise blowing. Titles include "Alto Cumulus", "Tommy Hawk", "Lydian Lullaby", "One Score & Eight Horns Ago", "Jambangle", and "Just Leave It Alone". CD
37
Modern Jazz Quartet —
Third Stream Music ... CD Atlantic/
A seminal album that defined the fresh sound of a whole new generation in jazz – that "third stream" movement that was different from the cool jazz of the west coast, and the fire of New York! The style here follows that same mix of jazz and higher-concept elements you'd hear on other Modern Jazz Quartet albums for Atlantic – but the music is expanded here with some great help from outside parties too. The Jimmy Giuffre trio join the quartet on most of side one – adding in Jimmy's snakey clarinet and Jim Hall's fluid guitar lines for a really fresh take on the MJQ groove. The remainder of the album brings in the Beaux Arts String Quartet – who shade in the mix of vibes and piano with these dark strains that are really beautiful – and bring even more drama than usual to the music. Titles include "Da Capo", "Fine", "Exposure", "Sketch", and "Conversation". CD
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Lennie Niehaus —
Complete 50s Recordings Vol 1 – Quintet & Octet ... CD Contemporary/
Quintet and Octet recordings by saxophonist/
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Sandole Brothers/Fantasy, 1955/
Stunning 50s modern jazz – long overdue for reissue! The CD features 2 long-lost albums – Modern Music From Philadelphia by The Brothers Sandole, and The Clarinet Artistry of John La Porta. The Sandoles were one of the least-known and least-appreciated groups working on the east coast during the 50s. Dennis and Adolphe Sandole had an incredible talent for writing – and in the short time they recorded together, they served up some amazing tracks with a wonderful group sound that recalls some of the Mingus Jazz Workshop recordings with John La Porta. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Drums", "Wings Over Persia", "Grenadine", "Boys From Istanbul", "Arabu", "The Tamaret", and "Magic Carpet". The second set of material on the CD features clarinet tracks by John LaPorta – an important east coast modernist who was a key part of Charles Mingus' mid-50s recordings, and who was as important to east coast modernization of the clarinet as Jimmy Giuffre was to the west coast scene. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Dirge For Dorsey", and "Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea". CD
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Attila Zoller with Hans Koller —
K&K 3 In New York ... CD L+R Records/
A wonderful record, and one that reunites two famous modernists from the German scene – guitarist Attila Zoller and saxophonist Hans Koller – both recording here in New York with just the bass of George Mraz for accompaniment! The approach is great – almost like some of the vintage Jimmy Giuffre trio material, but sharper overall and with qualities that really resonate with both players – that sense of open sound on the strings that we in Zoller, and those raspy lines that Koller can deliver so well in a spare setting – blowing here on both tenor and soprano. Mraz brings just the right amount of warmth to the proceedings – and titles include "Puszta Feuer", "East River Reflections", "K&K Three In New York", and "The Clown Down & Upstairs". CD
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Rudiger Carl/Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2021. New Copy Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
A great live set by an incredibly dynamic trio – Rudiger Carl on clarinet and Sven-Ake Johansson on drums – both older improvisers, joined here by the well-matched bass of the younger Joel Grip! If you've not heard Carl before, you're in for a treat – as his sounds on his instrument are incredible – far past Jimmy Giuffre, but with a bit more of a sense of structure than Anthony Braxton on the instrument – something we might also well say for Johansson's drums, maybe in part because the basswork of Grip is such a key part of the puzzle here as the three players spontaneously create together. The set features one long live performance, divided into three movements – "Inflow", "Inflect", and "Inflict". CD
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Herb Ellis —
Ellis In Wonderland ... CD Norgran/
Herb Ellis gets a hearty helping of horns on this set – working with key performances from Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Mariano, and Harry Edison – all of whom really round out the sound of the record! Herb's guitar is certainly at the forefront of the record, but it's sitting nicely in a lineup that features Harry Edison on trumpet and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor sax, baritone, and clarinet – plus the alto of Charlie Mariano for all of side two of the record – and rhythm by Oscar Peterson on piano and Ray Brown on bass (with whom Ellis was then working in the Peterson Trio), plus Alvin Soller on drums. Ellis' solos dominate most of the record, but they're often set in some slightly tight, freshly modern, and unfortunately uncredited arrangements that have lots of Giuffre touches – warmed up considerably by Edison's trumpet. Titles include "Pogo", "Detour Ahead", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "A Simple Tune", "It Could Happen To You", and "Ellis In Wonderland". CD
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Bill Evans with George Russell —
Living Time ... CD Columbia (Japan), 1972. Used ... Out Of Stock
One of the most compelling Bill Evans albums of the 70s – a set that has him teaming up with arranger George Russell in a unique 8 part "Living Time" suite – on which Evans plays both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes! The sound is complex, with distinct modern tones – more in the spirit of his Symbiosis album for MPS, which would be a very good partner to this one – although Russell's vision is even more farther-reaching, and the set list here includes work by Richard Williams on trumpet, Webster Lewis on additional keyboards, and Jimmy Giuffre, Sam Rivers, and Joe Henderson on reeds! Russell composed and conducted the whole session – and this unique paring makes for a very memorable record, and one that sounds unlike any of Bill's other work. CD
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Four Brothers (Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, etc) —
Together Again ... CD RCA, 1957. Used ... Out Of Stock
How many different iterations of the "Four Brothers" were there? We don't know, but as near as we can tell, this grouping might most resemble the "original", with four West coast heavies joining forces for a swinging side. Originally making up the sax section of Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Herbie Steward and Serge Chaloff are the brothers, and they're joined by fellow Herman alum Buddy Jones, plus Elliot Lawrence and Don Lamond in the rhythm section on this side for Vik. As you'd expect, the numbers are all West coast gems, by the likes of Cohn, Sims, Jimmy Giuffre, Gerry Mulligan and Manny Albam amongst others, and featuring the brothers blowing in a remarkably spry manner for such a heavyweight lineup. 10 tracks in all: "Four And One More", "So Blue", "The Swinging Door", 'Four In Hand", "A Quick One", 'Four Brothers", "Ten Years Later", "The Pretty One", "Aged In Wood" and "Here We Go Again". CD
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Various —
Sound Of Jazz – The Memorable 57 Broadcast (Columbia Jazz Masterpiece pressing) ... CD Columbia, 1957. Used ... Out Of Stock
A classic album featuring music from The Sound Of Jazz – the legendary 1957 TV show that brought together some of the greatest talents then working in jazz! Unusual for TV, the show really seemed to capture the players at their best – and recorded some tremendous live performances that were among the most moving ever filmed by the artists involved. Highlights include "The Train & The River" played by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio, "Fine & Mellow" sung by Billie Holiday, "Rosetta" and "Wild Man Blues" by the Red Allen All-Stars, "Blues" by Jimmy Giuffre & Pee Wee Russell, "I Left My Baby" by Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, "Dickie's Dream" by Count Basie, and "Nervous", a solo piano number by Mal Waldron. CD
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Various —
Verve Story – 1944 to 1994 (4CD set) ... CD Verve, Mid 40s/
Music from Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Machito, Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter, Flip Phillips, Anita O'Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Blossom Dearie, Mel Torme, Jimmy Giuffre, Lee Konitz, and more. CD
Partial matches: 1
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Great Movie Themes (Italy), 1958. Used ... $5.99
Music from Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Chuck Berry, Anita O' Day, Jimmy Giuffree, Thelonious Monk, Big Maybelle, Mahalia Jackson, Gerry Mulligan, and more. CD
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