LP-616

Chet Roble - Chet Chats

Released 1958

Recording and Session Information

Chicago, December 10 1957
Chet Roble, vocals, piano; Joe Hazdra, guitar; Sid Thai, bass; Wally Gordon, drums

Sugar
I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
I'm In The Market For You
The First Baseball Game
Easy Living
Have Another One, Not Me
Lil' Augie Is A Natural One Man
Memphis In June
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Judy
Lazy River

Track Listing

Sugar	Mitchell, Packard	December 10 1957
I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me	McHugh, Gaskill	December 10 1957
I'm In The Market For You	Hanley, McCarthy Sr	December 10 1957
The First Baseball Game	Raye, DePaul	December 10 1957
Easy Living	Robin, Rainger	December 10 1957
Have Another One, Not Me	Mooney	December 10 1957
Lil' Augie Is A Natural One Man	Mercer, Arlen	December 10 1957
Memphis In June	Webster, Carmichael	December 10 1957
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans	Alter, Delange	December 10 1957
Judy	Carmichael, Lerner	December 10 1957
Lazy River	Carrie Bond	December 10 1957

Liner Notes

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST

Chet Roble is an animate Chicago landmark.

He is as much a part of the city as the Merchandise Mart or the White Sox. This is not surprising, since he has been active on many fronts in Chicago since he was born there 45 years ago.

Educated in Chicago schools, Chet studied at the University of Illinois, too. In 1932, a professional career as a band pianist beckoned; he joined Ace Brigode's band and remained with it for 18 months. After the Brigode tour of duty, he returned to Chicago to stay.

He worked with a variety of local groups. In the '40s, after a stint at a cafe owned by Mike Todd, he began a two-week booking at Helsing's Vodvil lounge on Chicago's north side. He remained as chief custodian of the piano for four years.

Throughout this period, he worked exclusively as a pianist. When he formed a trio with Boyce Brown and Sammy Aron, however, he decided to supplement the group's instrumental efforts with a chorus or two of lyric-exploring singing.

He's been singing ever since.

Beginning in 1950, he participated in many Chicago television shows. This was a flourishing period for Chicago TV and Roble assisted in making it a living thing. He worked on shows at ABC and NBC, including The Little Review (ABC), Studs Place (NBC and ABC), and Garrotvay-at-large (NBC).

Since 1951, he's been the figure behind the piano at the Sherman Hotel's College Inn cocktail lounge. For several years, he's made the inn's 6:30 to 12:30 evening shift a delight for countless visitors.

Chet is not competing with Caruso, Joe Williams, or Frank Sinatra. He doesn't pretend to be more than he is. It is this unpretentious, honest, warm approach to interpreting songs that has kept his unofficial fan club in action for years.

This LP was Jack Tracy's idea. Jack, former editor of Down Beat magazine, has turned from judging LPs to producing them, in his present capacity at EmArcy Records. Jack and Chet are old friends and the former felt that the time had come for Chet to be decently represented in LP form.

"I have always admired Chet as a singer whose personality comes through in his singing," Jack told me. "He is friendly, warm-hearted, and loves the good life," he added.

It is this warm appeal inherent in Chet's approach that makes this LP more than listenable without slugging the listener with special effects, Chet manages to communicate pointedly.

All the tunes included here are tunes Chet performs currently. To complete the "at home" atmosphere, he is supported by musicians he's known and worked with for years. Joe Hazdra on guitar is working with another group at the Sherman hotel. Bassist Sid Thal has worked with Chet on many occasions. Chet and drummer Wally Gordon have been close friends and musical associates since they were together in a band Gordon headed at Schurz high school in Chicago.

The tunes included were selected with infinite care and considerable love, because Chet doesn't sing a tune unless he can make it a part of himself. These are tunes he "feels" strongly. Among them are several gems, including the almost-forgotten (except by Chet) I'm In The Market For You, Joe Mooney's Have Another One, Not Me, Hoagy Carmichael's lovely Memphis In June and Judy, and the delicate Easy Living. And there's a story behind Chet's The First Baseball Game.

In his effort to ascertain that the tune would not prove offensive, Chet turned to the Rev. John S. Banahan, secretary of the Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and the Bishop's censor on audio-visual material.

The Rev. Banahan wrote Chet, "I read over the lyrics to The First Baseball Game quite carefully. If I were you, I would include it in the album. The question of flippancy about religious subjects is relative. It depends upon the taste and training of the audience. I know several communities of nuns who would enjoy hearing this..." This is the way Chet behaves. He finds a tune, explores it privately, and makes it a part of his repertoire only after he knows it well. There's no effort made to create "hits". Rather, Chet collects songs that speak with sincere sophistication about life's weighted moments.

There's nothing ostentatious about this album. It's simply a collection of worthwhile songs, presented warmly by a guy who knows what they're all about. It's comforting to know that there are a few such guys around.
Don Gold
Managing Editor
Down Beat Magazine

DON BRONSTEIN—COVER PHOTO & DESIGN
JACK WIENER—RECORDING ENGINEER
RECORDED DEC. 10, 1957
JACK TRACY—RECORDING DIRECTOR
DAVE USHER—PRODUCER

LP-615

Dick Lane Quartet – Swingin' Down The Lane

Released 1958

Recording and Session Information

San Francisco, January 15, 1958
Dick Lane, clarinet, vocals; Jim West, bas, vocals; Don Luciani, accordian, vocals; Patti Richards, cocktail drums, vocals; unknown guitar, drums; Cy Touff, horn arrangement

8403 I married an angel
8404 A-tisket, a-tasket
8405 Stormy weather
8406 Singin' in the rain
8407 Lazy river
8413 Why did you leave me ?
8414 Makin' whoopee
8415 People will say we're in love
8416 Back in your own backyard
8417 Winter wonderland
Swingin' down the lane

Track Listing

Back In Your Own Backyard	Rose. Jolson, Dryer	January 15 1958
I Married An Angel	Rogers, Hart	January 15 1958
Making Whoopee	Donaldson, Kahn	January 15 1958
People Will Say We're In Love	Rogers, Hammerstein	January 15 1958
Winter Wonderland	Bernard, Smith	January 15 1958
Why Did You Leave Me	Kaye	January 15 1958
A-Tisket A-Tasket	Fitzgerland, Alexander	January 15 1958
Stormy Weather	Arlen, Koehler	January 15 1958
Up A Lazy River	David, Dubin, Raskin	January 15 1958

Liner Notes

...AN OPEN LETTER

U.S.A.
1958

Dear Listener:
The Dick lane Quartet is back with our second album, "Swingin' Down the Lane." Our first album, "Without Sauce, " while well received throughout the country (for which we 're so grateful) was recorded early in our life, only five months after we were organized. We're a year older now and in "Swingin' Down the Lane, " we feel that we offer a much better group, based on greater maturity and conception in our efforts.

We've been on tour this past year, singing and playing for many types of audiences. Our road trips took us to the Sands and New Frontier Hotels in Las Vegas, the Chase Hotel in St. Louis, the Olympic Hotel in Seattle and the Riverside Hotel in Reno, as well as countless supper clubs and show bars throughout the Midwest and East.

We've done a few television shows, both national and local, and are currently appearing in the Cirque Room of the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco.

We've tried to present an album that will give you, the listener, variety and color. An album utilizing a greater scope of the group's talent. Again, we're presenting almost entirely the standard tunes that, through the years, have proven to be the best and most popular songs.

To individualize the group for you, we present three solo voices in "Swingin' Down the Lane." Patti Richards, our female lead voice (and easily the prettiest member of the group) does "Stormy Weather, the beautiful ballad of the early '30 's.

The only new song on the album - featuring Dick lane, our leader - is "Why Did You leave Me?" The tune was written (the lyrics, too) by Norman Kaye, of the very famous Mary Kaye Trio, and we feel it's a standard of the future.

"Up a lazy River" is soloed by Jim West, our bass player.

The fourth member of our group, while not featured as a solo voice, is easily our most important member and demonstrates his talents throughout the album - for without Don Lusiani, we would have no group. All of our vocal and musical arrangements are his creations. We feel that Don is one of the best young arrangers in the country (although we may be a bit prejudiced, we hope you'll agree'.) and we hope you listen for his use of chords and passing tones, and his clever and original handling of lyrics. (By the way, he does have one dramatic solo - as the intellect in the introduction to "A Tisket, A Tasket.")

As in our first album, we provide our own musical background - Dick on clarinet, Don on accordion, Jim on bass and Patti on cocktail drums - but augmented on this album by a guitar and full drum set. Arrangements for the tunes featuring horns in the background were scored by the very talented and capable Cy Touffs. And so, listeners, we hope we've achieved our goal: to present an album that will please any discriminating person - and especially you!

Thank you,
The Dick Lane Quartet

LP-614

Chubby Jackson's Big Band - Chubby's Back

Released 1957

Recording and Session Information

Chicago, Illinois, March 31 1957
Don Geraci, John Howell, Don Jacoby, John Silva, trumpet; Cy Touff, bass trumpet; Bill Harris, Tom Shepard, trombone; Howard Davis, alto saxophone; Sandy Mosse, Vito Price, tenor saxophone; Bill Calkins, baritone saxophone; Marty Rubenstein, piano; Ray "Remo" Biondi, Jimmy Gourley, guitar; Chubby Jackson, bass; Don Lamond, drums

8460 Tiny's blues
8461 Raffles
8462 Mother knickerbopper
8463 Keester parade
8464 Give me another chance
8465 Plymouth rock
8466 Flying the coop
8467 Let's talk
8468 Sax appeal
8469 New York

Track Listing

Tiny's Blues	Tiny Kahn	March 31 1957
Raffles	Remo Biondi	March 31 1957
Let's Talk	Chubby Jackson	March 31 1957
Mother Knickerbopper	Tiny Kahn	March 31 1957
Keister Parade	Johnny Mandel	March 31 1957
Flying' The Coop	Tiny Kahn	March 31 1957
Plymouth Rock	Neal Hefti	March 31 1957

Liner Notes

"Chubby's back," it says here.
To some people, he was nevér gone.
The ebullient spirit that heiped to instill in a couple or more of the various Woody Herman Herds, plus the various small groups he worked with after leaving Woody, remains a happy segment in the memories of those who recall the awesome sweep and charge of some of them.
A couple of years ago, however (this being written in the spring of 1957), Chub decided he'd pretty well had it, what with the jazz world being in a state where work was scarce even for the bright lights of the moment.
So he utilized his always-he's-had-it talent for being able to entertain people, and he pushed an opening into the TV field. Not musically. He conducted a kids' show in Chicago called Chubby's Rascals, And not badly, either. The show was named by TV Guide as the most popular children's show of the year.
But the itch always remained. And the knowledge. The knowledge that he is best qualified to say his piece via jazz.
So, to make a long story short, as the saying goes, this album resulted.
You are the customer. You happen to have the final say as to whether the product is worthy or not. I happen to think it is.
Maybe it's because I was there throughout the long evening that produced these tracks. I was there when the last musician arrived — 15 minutes, ahead of time — and got dirty looks from the rest of the men assembled because they were on hand to prove that the only good big band dates do not come from New York or Los Angeles, and they wanted nothing to go wrong.
I was there while the men pleaded, "Let's do one more take; we can do it better."
I was there while everyone involved hung around for more than an hour after the date to hear the playbacks instead of going home to families, or out for a drink.
I was there when the entire group broke into applause at the finish of Bill Harris' solo on Let's Talk.
I was there when Don Jacoby looked at the rest of the band and exulted, "You know, this is the first time I've hit a high F in years. And it came easy."
I was there. And I'm happy, because seldom have I seen as pleased and satisfied group of musicians. This may not be fhe greatest big band ever recorded, but you'd have a difficult time telling that to the guys who played on it.
It was a trial date, and they came through with flying colors.
To those who have watched the jazz scene with interest for some years, it is needless to say that Chubby Jackson has long been noted as a talent scout extraordinary. He brought into the Herman band, among others, the brothers Candoli, Sonny Berman, Shorty Rogers, Ralph Burns, and many, many more.
In this album, he keeps the record up to date. You may not previously have heard of Sandy Mosse, Jim Gourley, or Vito Price. Maybe even of Cy Touff. But you will. Along with Bill Harris, they provide some drivingly vital solo moments.
When this date was being set up, no other drummer than Don Lamond was ever considered. He was a section-mate in the Herman Herd with Jackson, and they find more than considerable mutual satisfaction working together. Their camaraderie is readily apparent from the first bars of Tiny's Blues, which kicks off the first side. It's probably the best-known of the late Tiny Kahn's compositions, and gets a roaring sound. Solos are by Gourley, Mosse, Price, and Harris.
Raffles was written by guitarist Remo Biondi, and features the saxes, lead by Howard Davis' alto, plus solos from Mosse and Touff.
Let's Talk is all Harris', and it is a credit to his musicianship that only two takes were needed, despite the fact that he saw the music for the first time at the date.
Mother Knickerbopper which used to be played at a fantastic tempo by Chubby's 1949 big band, when it was a Father, is slowed down considerably here, with Gourley easing in as first soloist, followed by Mosse and Price again on tenors. Harris winds it up wailingly, refusing to quit.
Keester Parade is the Johnny Mandel composition played originally by an octet Cy Touff led on a Pacific Jazz Recording date. Expanded to big band size, it still fits beautifully as Cy and Sandy state the theme before taking solos, abetted in that department by Harris, Price, and Jacoby.
Flyin' the Coop is all Gourley and band. "He sounds like a reincarnated Charlie Christian," insists Chubby.
Plymouth Rock is the most uninhibited and powerfully raw side on the date, yet it is a pleasing rawness, one composed of sheer eagerness to play. Adapted by Frank Wess from the Neal Hefti arrangement that's played by Count Basie, it contains an ensemble recreation of Joe Newman's recorded solo wiggles in. Succeeding solos are by Mosse, Price, Harris, and Touff.The bands closing statements verge on the orgiastic.
Marty Rubenstein's three notes at the end are neat tribute to Count Basie. Fitting, too, because that's the sort of band this is.
See if you don't agree.

Jack Tracy
Editor, Down Beat Magazine

PERSONNEL:
Trumpets—Don Jacoby, Johnny Howell, Don Geraci, and Joe Silria;
Trombones—Bill Harris, and Tommy Shepard;
Bass Trumpet—Cy Touff;
Reeds—Howard Davis, Sandy Mosse, Vito Price, and Bill Calkins, baritone;
Rhythm—Marty Rubenstein, Piano; Chubby Jackson, Bass; Remo Biondi,
Rhythm Guitar; Jim Gourley, Solo Guitar; Don Lamond, Drums.