Complete Recordings Featuring Sonny Clark

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A great overview of work by west coast trombonist Frank Rosolino – easily the best player on his instrument in the LA scene of the 50s, heard here on an assortment of tunes recorded for the Bethlehem and Capitol labels at the time! The first 6 tracks on the set are from the album I Play Trombone – recorded by Rosolino for Bethlehem with the legendary Sonny Clark on piano – a player who provides a soulful accompaniment that brings out the best in Rosolino – and gives the album a sense of depth that makes it one of Rosolino's best sessions as a leader ever! 4 of the album's 6 tracks are around 7 minutes long – unusual for Bethlehem – and titles include "Doxy", "My Delux", "Flamingo", "I May Be Wrong", and "Frieda". Next up are a variety of tracks recorded for Capitol records in 1953, 1955, and 1957 – issued under the title Frank Rosolino and Frankly Speaking, both as part of the Kenton Presents series. None of these sessions feature Sonny Clark, but that's fine with us, as his presence is more than made up for by a batch of small group players that include Max Bennett, Conte Candoli, Bill Holman, Stan Levey, Charlie Mariano, and Claude Williamson – all coming together in tight Betlehem/Mode small group formation! Mariano's horn is always a treat in such a setting, and he gets in some wonderfully soulful moments that really make the albums sparkle. Titles include "It Had To Be You", "Chloe", "S Nice", "I'll Never Smile Again", "Wigwam", and "Rubberneck".  © 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc.