LP-645

An Hour With The Ramsey Lewis Trio

Released 1959

Recording and Session Information

Ramsey Lewis, pianoi; Eldee young, bass; Redd Holt, drums
Chicago, April 22 1959

9275 C. C. Rider [See See Rider]
9276 Blues for the night owl unissued
9277 Chant x
9278 Don't blame me unissued
9279 Softly, as in a morning sunrise
I had the craziest dream
I know why
9282 It ain't necessarily so
9283 The more I see you unissued
9284 Summertime unissued 9285 Pug's delight unissued 9286 Angel eyes
9287 The ruby and the pearl
9288 Love for sale
9289 Little Liza Jane unissued
9290 The way you look tonight
9291 The other maras unissued
9402 Song of India
9403 I love Paris
9404 Consider the source x
9408 The walls of Jericho
9409 Jumpin' Jaque unissued
9410 The run unissued

Track Listing

Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise	Romberg, Hammerstein III	April 22 1959
C. C. Rider	Arr. Lewis, Young, Holt	April 22 1959
Love For Sale	Cole Porter	April 22 1959
I Had The Craziest Dream / I Know Why	Warren, Gordon/Morgan, Davis	April 22 1959
It Ain't Necessarily So	George and Ira Gershwin	April 22 1959
I Love Paris	Cole Porter	April 22 1959
The Way You Look Tonight	Ker, Fields	April 22 1959
Song Of India	Arr. Lewis, Young, Holt	April 22 1959
Consider The Source	Arr. Lewis, Young, Holt	April 22 1959
The Ruby And The Pearl	Evans, Linvingstone	April 22 1959
Walls Of Jericho	Arr. Lewis, Young, Holt	April 22 1959
Angel Eyes	Dennis	April 22 1959

Liner Notes

This album was recorded under the most ideal studio conditions imaginable.

The engineer got a good balance on the trio, then just sat back while we played. Occasionally he'd leave the control booth and let the tape run.
There was no one else in the studio or the booth. We were free to play as long (and whatever) we wished.

And so this entire hour of music resulted from one five-hour recording session. (Ed. Note: It customarily takes nine hours of recording time to get in the usual half-hour album.)

The fact that we knew a one-hour LP was to result from the date gave us a chance to stretch out when we felt like it and freed us from being conscious of any time limits.

It closely approached the atmosphere of a club, except there was no audience present, and no one to shout, "Play Melancholy Baby.

And just as you often find yourself going onstage at a club without having planned anything to play but the first tune, so did we do this date. We wanted to record Ruby And The Pearl because we get a lot of requests for it, but other than that we thought we'd let the session take shape naturally.

And it did — sometimes so much so that we painted ourselves into musical corners that were hard to get out of.

Take Consider The Source, for example. It is a mixture of an eight-bar blues pattern commonly heard in jazz and a similar eight-bar chordal pattern used for many years in the type of church music I have heard since I was a child. The trouble was, when w€ started it I didn't tell El Dee Young, the bassist, the chords we'd be playing or anything. As a result, you might notice a few places where we clash a little, but I'm pleased with the overall feeling we got on it.

C. C. Rider is an old folk blues that we had all heard before, but never played. And because we had never played Walls Of Jericho, Ain't Necessarily So, and Source before as a group, no one had any idea of what was going to happen on the Spontaneous cadenzas at the end of those things.

Because the recording studio atmosphere was so informal, we played everything just once, then went on to something else. A few days later we listened to it all and began selecting the things we were happiest with for this album.

We think it comes closer than anything we've yet done to give an idea of how the group sounds in person at a jazz club.

Ramsey Lewis

This record is, in many ways, an experiment. For one thing, we've put about twice the usual amount of material on the disc. For another, we have abandoned several of the conventional steps in record making which we feel interfere with the musical values Of the material. Since most of these things are involved in the mastering of the record, perhaps some explanation is in order.

There are many ways to cut a master disc. There are fast ways, slow ways, easy ways, and hard ways of doing what would seem to be a simple task — transferring sound from a master tape to a master laquer disc from which recordings will be made.

It is not, however, simple. There are rules to be observed. Not too loud, or the pickup cartridge will distort. Not too soft, or the record noise will be louder than the music. Not too many grooves per inch, or the pickup arm will skip grooves. Not too few, either, or you won't get enough time on the record.

Argo recordings are mastered by Douglas Brand. Doug is an engineer who knows the methods and rules so well he doesn't believe all of them anymore. This is important.

It is more important to know that Doug Brand is a musician. He plays no instrument, he holds no union card, but he is a musician nonetheless. He plays knobs. When the accepted methods and rules interfere with what he wants as a musician, he goes over, under, around, or through them. This record is an example of circumvented rules.

There is a rule that says you must limit. Limiting makes loud notes softer and soft notes louder. The music on this record is not limited. Limiting takes punch out of recorded music, and we don't think that's good.

Another rule says rhat if you put more than 22 minutes of music side you must cut a very low level master to keep the grooves from touching at the loud passages. Doug made a 30-minute side by skillful use of variable pitch mastering, made possible by the fact the Ramsey Lewis trio plays softly more often than it does loudly. On soft passages Doug cut 340 grooves per inch, on loud passages, 160. The average is 290, as compared to the standard 240. To our knowledge, this is the first time AVP mastering has been carried this far on a jazz record.

A third unusual thing about this LP is that it was "cut flat." It is standard practice to boost bass or midrange, or cut down on some of the highs when making masters. This process goes by the misleading name of "equalization." No "equalisation" was used here.

The tape is as close to the sound of the trio in the studio as I could get it, and the pressings are very nearly indistinguishable from the tape.

In short, this LP is an hour of music, presented as naturally as possible.

Malcolm Chisholm
Chief Engineer

LP-644

The Barry Harris Trio – Breakin' It Up

Released 1958

Recording and Session Information

Barry Harris, piano; William Austin, bass; Frank Gant, drums
Chicago, July 31 1958

8934 Stranger in paradise
8935 Embraceable you
8936 Bluesy
8937 S.R.O.
8938 Ornithology
8939 All the things you are
8940 Allen's Alley [Wee]
8941 Passport

Track Listing

All The Things You Are	Kern, Hammerstein	July 31 1958
Ornithology	Charlie Parker	July 31 1958
Bluesy	Barry Harris	July 31 1958
Passport	Charlie Parker	July 31 1958
Allen's Alley	D. Best	July 31 1958
Embraceable You	Gershwin, Gershwin	July 31 1958
S R O	Barry Harris	July 31 1958
Stranger In Paradise	Wright, Forrest	July 31 1958

Liner Notes

IF ALL THE good jazz musicians from across the nation were to converge on New York City at one time, there would be enough musical manpower there for a thousand all-star bands.

But in every corner of these United States there are first rate jazz artists who have no desire to make the trek to "The Apple." They prefer to remain in their own territories and make music in more familiar and less hectic surroundings.

Many of these musicians are strong influences in their respective localities. A great factor in the important Detroit jazz scene is Barry Harris. He has been to New York several times to play engagements and make records, but considers his home town to be a more likeable base of operations. Barry has influenced countless musicians and is currently the moving force behind a group Of talented youngsters who no doubt Will emerge as jazz stars in their own right in the near future. Though still a young man himself, Barry, because of his great stature as a jazz performer, is sought after for counsel, inspiration, and instruction by these up and coming artists.

Harris has recorded with Hank Mobley, Thad Jones, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, and others. He has seen many of his contemporaries leave the Motor City and move into the winner's circle of jazz — musicians such as Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, Doug Watkins, Paul Chambers, Pepper Adams, Don Byrd, and Curtis Fuller, to name just a few.

And though Harris may not be quite as well-known to the general public as the aforementioned Detroiters, he is nonetheless equally as talented and equipped.

Barry has a sound musical mind. He knows at all times in which direction he is heading. His piano work in this album speaks for itself. Ordinarily, I'm not a wagering man, but I'd be willing to bet my whole record collection on this — you'll love the Barry Harris trio.

About The Music

Listen carefully to All The Things You Are and note the subtle manner in which Barry states the theme. There's beautiful work throughout this tune from Harris and accompanists, ihcluding the Latin-favored rhythm pattern on the bridge.

It is good to hear Ornithology again. Here's a romping version of the Charlie Parker jazz classic with a fine walking bass chorus and tasteful drum work, too.

Bluesy is the soul of Barry! It is one of his own compositions done in a style that shows his allegiance to the roots of jazz. The stop time makes it doubly effective. This kind of performance makes you thankful that there are still modern musicians around who respect and continue to capture the real meaning of jazz. Listen while the boys tell the truth!.

Next. Barry has chosen to interpret a Charlie Parker vehicle titled PassPort. A happy, cohesive sound is evident throughout this one.

Side two opens with Allen's Alley and we find Barry comfortably ensconced in an up-tempo rendition of this famous song. Every 32-bar chorus is sheer delight. Sparks fly as the trio cooks!

Embraceable You is taken at a meditative pace with the full beauty of this great standard presented in top form.

SRO is another Harris original which employs an engaging melodic line. William Austin follows Barry's solo with a fine bass solo before Harris reenters to set the stage for an exchange of four-bar phrases before the tune is taken out.

The group's interpretation of Stranger In Paradise is a joy to behold.

There is no pretentiousness in Barry's presentation of this song, which has been annoyingly overdone by many artists. Here the group gives it a straightforward, swinging treatment. The end result is pleasant listening!

As long as there are musicians of the caliber of Barry Harris, I don't think we need worry about the future course of jazz.

George White
Radio Station WCHB

Recorded - July 31, 1958
Recording Engineer - Malcolm Chisholm
Producer - Dave Usher

LP-643

Red Rodney - Red Rodney Returns

Released 1959

Recording and Session Information

Red Rodney, trumpet; Billy Root, tenor saxophone; Danny Kent, piano; Jay Cave, bass; Frank Young, drums
February 16/17 1959

9177 5709
9178 Red hot and blue
9179 Whirlwind
9180 Two by two
9181 Shelley
9182 I remember you
9183 Shaw 'nuff
9184 Jordu

Track Listing

Shaw Nuff	Dizzy Gillespie	February 16/17 1959
Red Hot And Blue	Danny Kent	February 16/17 1959
I Remember You	Mercer, Schertinger	February 16/17 1959
5709	Danny Kent	February 16/17 1959
Whirlwind	Danny Kent	February 16/17 1959
Jordu	Duke Jordan	February 16/17 1959
Shelley	Danny Kent	February 16/17 1959
Two By Two	Jay Cave	February 16/17 1959

Liner Notes

The late Harvey Husten once said, "Some day some bright-eyed historian is going to write a definitive work on the music and musicians of our time. I hope he has enough savvy to include a generous chapter paying tribute to the people who made it commercially, and then found they couldn't stomach it, and began the long. tedious, and sometimes painful struggle to make it all over again — but this time playing, or singing, or writing the things they sincerely believed in; things that were inspired from the heart rather than the bank balance."

Although Harvey Husten never met Red Rodney, I am sure he had the "Red Rodneys" in mind when writing the above. I had the pleasure to see and hear the birth of this quintet in the winter of '58 at the Philadelphia area's leading jazz room (The Red Hill Inn); first heard as a replacement for an ailing Oscar Peterson — then by overwhelming demand heard at "the Hill" for as many as ten consecutive weeks.

This is the first the record world has heard from Red Rodney in some time, hence the title, "Red Rodney Returns." It does not mean a return to the jazz scene, as Red has been quite involved in the jazz scene for the past sixteen years.

Just a brief resume: At the age of 16, Red worked with Benny Goodman, his first professional job. He also spent much time with the big bands of Artie Shaw, Gene Krupa, Elliot lÄwrcncc. Woody Herman (during the Four Brothers era) and the avant guard Claude Thornhill band during the time that Gil Evans was contributing greatly to the book—

And of course three years with Charlie Parker.

About the music and the musicians: Billy Root (tenor) calls Philadelphia his home, as do all the men on this date. Billy had a wealth of experience with the big bands Of Stan Kenton (with whom he is currently on the road) and Dizzy Gillespie, prior to his association with Red.

Jay Cave (bass) played oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphonic Orchestra, and has played bass for Chris Connor and Terry Morrel among others.

On this set "Two by Two" is a Cave Original.

Danny Kent (piano) is originally from Boston, where, for three years, he played house piano at Storyville. He also did many arrangements for the Herb Pomeroy Band. "5709"..."Red Hot & Blue"..."Everything Good"...and "Whirlwind" are all Kent compositions.

Frank Young (drummer) has played with the late Herbie Fields and Jimmy Dorsey, but for Frank, this is his first recording session.

SID MARK
Radio WHAT-FM, Pbildelphia, Pa.