LP-748

Budd Johnson with Joe Newman - Off The Wall

Released 1965

Recording and Session Information

Joe Newman, trumpet; Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; Albert Dailey, piano; Richard Davis, bass; Grady Tate, drums
RCA Recording Studios, New York, December 3 1964

13602 Off the wall
13603 Ill wind
13604 The folks who live on the hill
13605 Playing my hunch

Joe Newman, trumpet; Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; Albert Dailey, piano; George Duvivier, bass; Grady Tate, drums

13606 Strange music
13607 Love is the sweetest thing
13608 Baubles, bangles and beads

Track Listing

Off The Wall	Budd Johnson	December 3 1964
The Folks Who Live On The Hill	Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II	December 3 1964
Love Is The Sweetest Thing	Ray Noble	December 3 1964
Strange Music	Robert Wright / George Forrest	December 3 1964
Baubles, Bangles And Beads	Borodine/Forrest/Wright	December 3 1964
Ill Wind	Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler	December 3 1964
Playin' My Hunch	Budd Johsnson	December 3 1964

Liner Notes

JAZZ, native American Music not quite seventy years old in any Of the forms familiar to our ears, has developed fairly rapidly and in many diverse styles during its relatively short existence. Because of the short time it took to develop today's Jazz Music, there are still with us a great number of players representing all the various styles involved.

One of the more durable of these master musicians is Albert "Budd" Johnson from Dallas, Texas. Although Budd doesn't go back quite as far as Jazz' beginnings (he's only 55), he has, and still does encompass, all of the fully-developed styles. His experience has covered New Orleans, Swing, BeBop, and the contemporary amalgamation of these forms which is called many things: post-Bop, Mainstream, Modern Jazz, etc. Whatever you may call it, and however you may prefer it, Budd Johnson can play it. In one of his previous ARGO albums, "Ya! Ya (Argo LP-736), he even successfully ventured into the musical world of the "free form" with a tune aptly titled "The Revolution"

A listing of some of Budd's bosses and fellow sidemen throughout the years makes for impressive reading: Teddy Wilson, Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, all with varied approaches to Jazz, and all who featured Budd's tenor saxophone and arranging talents. Yes, Budd Johnson is a prolific composer and arranger, and it was mainly he who shaped the sound of the "new" Earl Hines big band in the early '40s that gave rise to the fabulous Billy Eckstine all-star aggregation and later the original Dizzy Gillespie big band of the middle and late '40s. It was Budd who arranged for Charlie Parker to take his 'tenor chair' when he left Hines and he was largely responsible for bringing into the band such luminaries as trombonist Bennie Green and trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Bennie Harris and Gail Brockman. His personal style is closely related to that of the late great Lester Young. Budd's approach, however, is harder with more pronounced vibrato, and at times the tenor world's other great influence, Coleman Hawkins, shows through.

Budd's team-mate on this relaxed outing, Joe Newman, is a trumpeter of great taste whose style also fits into most any category you would care to hear. Since leaving the big Count Basie band, Joe has concentrated on small combo gigs in and around New York, with much studio and recording work as a supplement. He obviously prefers small band work, and it is in that context that he first became well-known to the Jazz world. Joe worked with Illinois Jacquet's fine band of the mid '40s, which featured Russell Jacquet on trumpet also, as well as such fine innovators as J. J. Johnson and Leo Parker. Joe's style has influenced a number of trumpeters, including Leonard Hawkins (who was heard with Dexter Gordon), Jesse Drakes (who played with Lester young), and the very fine musician who passed away recently, Nick Travis.

The two bass players who split this album are the same Budd used on the "Ya! Ya!" album: Richard Davis and George Duvivier. Grady Tate is the drummer. Throughout, they all display a creative professionalism that is joyful to hear, and which undoubtedly was a determining factor in their selection as rhythm accompanists, Pianist Al Dailey, Jr. is a new name to me, but acquits himself with the same aplomb as his cohorts.

Although the selections in this album are varied, there is a similarity of approach that makes them palatable for listening or dancing — that lost art among Jazz enthusiasts. The rhythmical accents and beats as used to propel the album's opener, "Off The Wall" indicate the origins of what is today known as the Twist. The neglected ballad, "The Folks Who Live On The Hill". follows, with Budd's "Prez-ishness" building to beautiful heights and an intense swing, without getting loud or screechy. Budd's arranging ability shines on "Love Is The Sweetest Thing" with his immense talent making five pieces sound an entire band through his use of harmonics and space. There is always a shape and a form to things musical when Budd Johnson puts his hand to them, as this cut demonstrates.

"Strange Music" is bossa nova'd in with trumpet and tenor reversing top positions on the bndge. Joe plays one of his few open trumpet solos here and Budd's tenor gives an urgent but unstrained feeling. Pianist Dailey plays a very pretty solo. "Baubles", I suppose, has been played more ways than most any other tune. Budd's arrangement gives it a strong, muscular feeling by use of alternating rhythms during the theme statement and behind the solos. His tenor solo does get loud on this one, and really is exciting. Newman elicits memories of the famous trumpet break on Basie's "April In Paris" and with tongue in cheek, the Count is again referred to with his famous three note ending. Why more musicians don't record or even play the beautiful "Ill Wind" is beyond me. It certainly lends itself to Jazz very well. Budd and friends evoke the feeling of a cozy night by an embered fireplace with the lightly played bossa nova rhythm matching perfectly the unhurried horn solos. Dig the lovely bass notes behind the piano solo and on into the out-chorus and fade-away.

"Playin' My Hunch" is as hard a swinger as five pieces can play. Evidently Budd's hunch was that a real 'down", swinging blues would be a good way to close this set of interpretations. Here comes that dance beat again with both horns roaring open and bright. Joe tells his tale in "wa-wa" fashion for two hip choruses, then Budd jumps in playing some hard harmonics with all Of the vigor and authority he can muster. Joe riffs behind Budd urging him on and after a short bass solo, the entire band shouts out the end of Budd's hunch, and the album.

Budd Johnson is one of my favorite tenor men, and if you're a reader of liner notes, I hope you'll let these influence you to become a Budd Johnson fan. If you've listened to the music already, my words are not needed to convince you, for the performances speak for themselves! Pick up on Budd Johnson for listening or dancing, or just plain relaxing. He'll fit your every mood with tasteful current sounds that excite but never bore or offend.

- Joe Segal

LP-736

Budd Johnson – Ya! Ya!

Released 1964

Recording and Session Information

Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; Al Williams, organ; Richard Davis, bass; Belton Evans, drums
Sound Makers Studio, New York, January 20 1964

12933 When hearts are young
12934 The revolution
12935 Big Al
12936 Exotique
12937 Where it's at

Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; Al Williams, organ; George Duvivier, bass; Belton Evans, drums

12938 Come rain or come shine
12939 Ya ya
12940 Tag along with me
12941 Chloe [Song of the swamp]

Track Listing

Ya! Ya!	Budd Johnson	January 20, 21 1964
Come Rain Or Come Shine	Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen	January 20, 21 1964
Big Al	Budd Johnson	January 20, 21 1964
Exotique	Esmond Edmonds	January 20, 21 1964
The Revolution	Budd Johnson	January 20, 21 1964
Tag Along With Me	Budd Johnson	January 20, 21 1964
Chloe	N. Moret & Gus Kahn	January 20, 21 1964
When Hearts Are Young	Romberg, Goodman, Wood	January 20, 21 1964
Where It's At	E. Herbert	January 20, 21 1964

Liner Notes

THE music we today call JAZZ has many facets, many styles, many young striving blowers and fortunately, quite a large corp of creative unhampered instrumental giants.

The featured tenor saxophonist of this album is one of these creative giants. Budd Johnson's career has spanned virtually all of the many styles that have controlled Jazz for one period or another. He has been and is still master of them all. Up till now, the most important segment of the medium that had Budd Johnson as an active practitioner was the pre and early Bebop era. His playing and arranging helped the big swing-entrapped Earl Hines band to begin an important musical change — a change that has never been improved upon (because everything that came after it was based upon it)!

Much of the frantic "free form bag" now extant is merely another feverish attempt to get away from the Bebop forms. The most successful ventures in this direction are being accomplished by the more mature players. Budd Johnson is one of these.

His previous Argo album, "French Cookin'", (721), had him backed by a conventional bass, piano, guitar, drums, plus an augmented Latin percussion section. This album gives Budd a little more blowing room with less of an arranged framework. Here he is accompanied and aided by Al Williams, organ; Belton Evans, drums; and alternating bassists George Duvivier and Richard Davis.

From the opening "work song" type bass figure followed by the squiggly-wiggly type organ figure you can readily feel the non-frantic blues-walking groove on the album's opening title tune, "Ya! Ya After stating the captivating theme Budd lays out till the organ solo swings him in with his own intense message.

"Come Rain Or Come Shine", has always been a beautiful blowing ballad. Budd treats the first chorus tenderly, then doubles it up for his 'blowing' segment. The bridge of the initial chorus is played especially pretty, theatre organ style, by Al Williams.

Bass and drum set the tempo for "Big Al" with Budd coming in blowing with no apparent theme in front. As the tune moves along, however, a very definite set of chord patterns assert themselves until the organ and tenor are playing a two-part invention.

The final selection on Side 1, "Exotique", is just that. Its unhurried theme and feeling remind me of Illinois Jacquet's Argo hit, "Bonita". Budd's style here is sort of "hot, clipped and urgent". Richard Davis' 'orientale' bowed solo in quarter tones is certainly a shocker the first time you hear the record. But as you listen to it repeatedly, it grows into an irresistible statement of great beauty.

Undoubtedly a paraphrase on the "free form bag" mentioned earlier, side two's opening tune is titled, "The Revolution". And also, as we said before, it seems that the most successful ventures into this type of playing are being executed by the more mature musicians. This tune is written utilizing the general interval sounds made by most of those involved with the form. How can you have written free form? I suppose the same way we've evolved "written jazz". Anyhow, Budd jumps into his free solo with a groan and proceeds to develop within the tune's structure, a fine feeling and meaning. All revolutions should be as painless!

"Tag Along With Me", is just that, a series of tags used as the central sounding board for the improvisations, instead of as an ending to a tune. This device lends itself most happily to bouyant type ideas and has been made most famous by the tandem team of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt. Lester Young, in the '40's began using this style for endings in a more restrained manner, and Budd Johnson on this one really evokes the "Prez" image.

"Chloe", is given a slow bongo beat treatment in a sort of bounce style, with Budd making the major call for this lost swamp girl.

A bright and happy coutrast to the preceding tune follows, "by the name of" "When Hearts Are Young". Al Williams' organ is thoughtfully restrained as Budd builds in a flowing singing manner a solo that sounds as if it should go on forever. It almost does, but is finally faded out with the band still playing.

The closer is a statement of definiteness with no argument permitted, "Where It's At". It's just a strong moving blues in a gutter groove. Like here's the whole message right now!

I don't really believe this is the most important Jazz album ever made. Nor do I believe Budd Johnson thinks this. The claim here is that it is the latest recorded example of the continuing creativeness and melodic inventiveness of one of the under-rated saxophone giants of yesterday, TODAY, and undoubtedly, tomorrow. Those who have been championing the talents of Budd Johnson for quite a while are singularly impressed with his current work and are convinced that the greatest part of his career is only now just beginning.

It's all right here in the grooves of this album for you to hear and appreciate. Don't disappoint your inner ear.

JOE SEGAL

LP-721

Budd Johnson - French Cookin'

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone; Joe Venuto, marimba, ,vibes; Hank Jones, piano; Kenny Burrell, Everett Barksdale, guitar; Milt Hinton, bass; Osie Johnson, drums; Willie Rodriguez, latin percussion
RVG, Englewood, New York, January 30 1963

12148 La petite valse
12149 Le Grisbi
12150 I can live with the blues
12151 Hugues' blues
12152 Under Paris skies
12153 Darling, je vous aime beaucoup
12154 Je t'aime
12155 Je vous aime

Track Listing

La Petite Valse	E. Ellington-Claire-Heyer	January 30 1963
Le Grisbi	Gimbel-Lanjeab-Weiner	January 30 1963
I Can Live With The Blues	Budd Johnson	January 30 1963
Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup	Anna Sosenko	January 30 1963
Under Paris Skies	Gannon-Drejac-Giraud	January 30 1963
Hugues' Blues	Budd Johnson	January 30 1963
Je Vous Aime	Sam Coslow	January 30 1963
Je T'aime	H. Archer	January 30 1963

Liner Notes

BUDD JOHNSON is a jazz musician. He plays tenor saxophone, composes and arranges. He has been an important contributor to jazz for more than thirty years, and has been a professional musician for almost forty of his fifty- two years. Most important of all the hard facts about Budd Johnson, however, is that he is a catalyst.

Wherever Budd is a participant in any sort of musical activity, from jam session to conducting a full orchestra, the sparks seem to fly. Other musicians are inspired to extend themselves and the results are most often exciting and memorable. This collection of French Cookin' is an excellent example of Johnson the catalyst in action, as well as Johnson the hard swinging and Johnson the tender tenor man. In addition, all the arrangements are his and he has contributed two originals, French drenched blues, dedicated to a long time friend, jazz critic Hugues Panassie.

Down through his career, Budd Johnson has had a catalytic effect almost everywhere he played. He first left his Dallas home at 14 as a drummer and soon wound up stranded in Oklahoma City. There, a rotund short order cook-cum-blues shouter named Jimmy Rushing fed the band for a week and then organized a battle of the bands with a local outfit, turning over all the receipts to the youngsters to get them home.

In 1926, Budd was back on the road as a saxophone player, but this time to stay. Incidently, although he concentrates on tenor, he plays all the reed instruments well. By the early '30s, he was co-leading a combo with Teddy Wilson in Chicago until they both joined Louis Armstrong in '33. From '34 to '42, our man in motion was featured with and wrote for Earl Hines' big band.

During the latter part of this period, a number of the young sidemen in the big bands were coming under the influence of a new movement in jazz playing which centered around Minton's Playhouse in New York's Harlem. Any night when they were not on the road, Budd, Dizzy Gillespie, Howard McGhee, Fats Navarro, Charlie Christian, Thelonius Monk and of course, Charlie Parker, could be found crowding each other the tiny bandstand to have a go at what later came to be called Bea»op or modern jazz.

Of all the figures involved in this evolutionary period Budd remains today the least publicized and most underrated, although he is constantly in demand in New York by other jazzmen for one or another of his talents.

During the first half of the forties, only a handful of big bands were associated with the new music and Budd Johnson was the most common denominator. He wrote for Earl Hines and Boyd Raeburn from '42 to '44, Billy Eskstine and Woody Herman in '44 and '45, and Dizzy Gillespie in '45 and '46, while playing in all but the Raeburn crew. He was also one of the chief talent scouts for all these bands, bringing in many of the new young players who achieved their own measure of fame through the association.

In the past decade, Budd was featured with Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman most recently with Count Basie, whom he left a year ago to concentrate on writing. playing around New York with his own combo, and golf. He still keeps his finger on the big band pulse by playing with and contributing arrangemeats to a new rehearsal orchestra organized in New York by Voice of America's Willis Conover and pianist-composer Lalo Shifrin.

The enclosed recording is the first in many years under Budd's own leadership. Even when he was a catalyst in the bop era, organizing the first such recording date for Apollo early in 1944, it featured Coleman Hawkins and Dizzy Gillespie and nowhere was his name mentioned. In choosing a group of French songs, Budd had two things in mind, first he wanted fresh material on which to improvise, since the date was designed as a showcase for his tenor talents. Second, he loves to play ballads and there are two unquestionably ballad melodies here, in Le Grisbi and Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup, both on side one.

Petite Valse, Je T' Aime, Under Paris Skies and Je Vous Aime are all familiar to most listeners, but listen to the unusual orchestral devices Budd employs to set up the proper mood for himself. All the numbers are scored for eight pieces, and the musicians were carefully selected by Budd for their empathy with one another. The entire recording was done in just over five hours one afternoon at Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio.

In addition to Johnson, the personnel reads like The Encyclopedia of Jazz, with Hank Jones, piano; Milt Hinton, bass; Osie Johnson, drums; Willie Rodrieaez, latin percussion; Kenny Burrell and Everett Barksdale, guitars and Joe Venuto, marimba, vibes and percussion.

Whether your tastes run to French Cookin', French songs, hard-swinging tender ballad improvisations, skillful orchestrating or just plain old-fashioned good listening, you'll find it here. This disc brings back to the leader's spotlight a vastly underrated and immensely talented giant of jazz. We welcome you to the rapidly expanding circle of his admirers!

—BOB MESSINGER