LP-714

Sam Lazar - Soul Merchant

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

Miller Brisker, tenor saxophone; Sam Lazar, organ; George Eskridge, guitar; Philip Thomas, drums
Ter Mar, Chicago, November 21 1962

12027 Smooth casting
12028 See see rider
12029 High noon
12030 Sam's jams
12031 Happy bossa nova
12032 Soul merchant

Track Listing

High Noon	Tiomkone, Washington	November 21 1962
Happy Bossa Nova	Sam Lazar	November 21 1962
Sam's Jams	Sam Lazar	November 21 1962
C C Rider	Arr. Sam Lazar	November 21 1962
Smooth Coasting	Sam Lazar	November 21 1962
Soul Merchant	Sam Lazar	November 21 1962

Liner Notes

FATS WALLER cut a few sides on the organ back in the thirties. To my tender young ears, these were the first recordings of jazz played on the instrument. Around the same time, there must have been theatre organists with strong jazz inclinations, pure jazz souls pedaling away during the intermissions. The phenomenon of the jazz organ's rise in popularity and acceptance is a comparatively recent event. There are still those "moldy figs" who resent the use of the organ as a jazz instrument and present arguments about "jazz purism." It is strange to realize that the saxophone, guitar and flute were once considered non jazz instruments. Anyhow, I trust the "figs" enjoy their dissertations...and Edison cylinders and banjos and striped jackets.

Just what has caused the popularity and acceptance of the organ? I imagine a number of reasons could be given. I think the words accessibility and availability can sum up the situation. The portable electronic organ has become available to a large number of musicians enabling them to transport the instrument from gig to gig. Something else too! The use of the organ in many Negro gospel church services has conditioned listeners to the sound of the instrument. And who is to say that many gospel songs could not be pure jazz if the words were left out. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see many large jazz and dance bands including an organist as a regular member of the band in the near future.

Unlike some of the musicians who have jumped on the organ bandwagon, Sam Lazar is a very good musician and in full command of his instrument. He is not overawed by the vast variety of sound combinations the electronic organ is capable of and concentrates his efforts on swinging.

On SOUL MERCHANT Sam has the very capable assistance of three fine sidemen. Miller Brisker, the tenor saxophonist, is a regular member of Sam's St. Louis based group. Even though his previous exposure on record has been brief, it was enough to bring him critical plaudits.

Guitarist, George Eskridge is a Chicagoan who is in great demand for gigs and recording sessions in the Windy City. He is a cookin', imaginative soloist.

Phil Thomas, the drummer on the session is also a Chicagoan. He keeps things swinging throughout the album in a very competent yet unobtrusive way.

SOUL MERCHANT is Sam Lazar's third album and it fulfills much of the promise he showed in his first two releases. Without a doubt this young man is one of the finest jazz organists in the business. If you aren't already hip to him, we think a listen to this album will make you an enthusiastic fan.

Norm Spaulding
WAAF

LP-713

The John Young Trio - A Touch of Pepper

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

John Young, piano; Sam Kidd, bass; Philip Thomas, drums
Ter Mar, Chicago, 29 November & 4 December 1962

12043 Joey
12044 Got a lot of living to do
12045 Blues Oreenee
12046 Serenata
12047 Everything's coming up roses
12048 Search me
12049 The inch worm
12050 The bridge
12051 In other words
12052 Paprika (unissued)

Track Listing

Blues Oreenee	John Young	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
Joey	Frank Loesser	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
Everything's Coming Up Roses	J. Styne, S. Sondheim	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
A Lot Of Living To Do	Charles Strouse, Lee Adams	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
Search Me	Sam Kidd	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
Serenata	Leroy Anderson	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
Inch Worm	Frank Loesser	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
The Bridge	Sonny Rollins	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962
In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)	Bart Howard	29 Nov, 4 Dec 1962

Liner Notes

A Touch of Pepper is the highly descriptive title of this third John Young Argo album. His previous two, Young John Young (Argo 612) and the popular Themes and Things (Argo 692) contain excellent examples of his bubbling fire and effervescence but it is this one that really reaches deep and captures that personal spark for which John Young is so admired. This album presents John's experienced trio in its most unhampered swinging recording to date. As always, before presenting any material to his vast following, John has perfected the approach and interpretation of each selection to such a degree that even a casual hearing implies that his is the definitive version.

John Young's versatility is well known in the music field. He is constantly sought for all types of live and recording dates; from preferred anonymity on rock n' roll gigs to "elite" pleasing fashion shows and club dances. All of these assignments he handles with easy professionalism. However, some of the more challenging chores he has accepted, such as regular Chicago accompanist for Nancy Wilson, or his recent rhythm section date (with his drummer, Phil Thomas) for Frank Foster's new swinging *Basie Is Our Boss, Argo 717), have placed him in the very top echelon of todays jazz artists.

During the past three years John's trio has boasted some of the finest sidemen in the business including bassmen Israel Crosby, Vic Sproles, William Yancey, his present bassist Sam Kidd, and his long time drummer Phil Thomas. His home base, bread and butter gig is a small intimate southside club known as the Kittykat. Most of his jobs backing vocalists have been at the famous Sutherland Lounge.

John's musical library, filled with standard "goodies," is also well sprinkled with contemporary fare and top show tunes. The framework of each selection is fairly easy to comprehend and needs no great explanation from me to you. However, a few highlights may help you enjoy the album even more.

Opening side one is John's composition, Blues Oreenee and a deeper swinging, more stimulating blues has never been cut! A really rocking left hand against a "peppery" right hand trill midway through with Sam Kidds hard walking bass keeping the groundwork firm, is unbeatable (no pun intended). Keep your head still on this one if you can! Sam is featured in an earthbound solo on his own composition, Search Me which closes the first side.

In between are three current show tunes, the blues oriented Joey, Joey, the furious tempered Everything's Coming Up Roses and the Bossa Novaed Living. John's touch on this last selection is light and airy and seems to float above the 4/4 swing used during the improvisatory choruses.

The always beautiful and challenging standard, Serenata has long been one of John Young's favorites, and was wisely chosen to open side two. He shows his concert style virtuosity in the opening solo statement with the rhythm section then setting the feeling with Phil on Conga all the way. John's rich full sounding chords and pleasantly surprising glissandes keep the ear tingling throughout. Inch Worm, most notably recorded by John Coltrane and Ira Sullivan, is given an unlikely bluesy intro by John Young with bell like chords following in a relaxed but definitely swinging manner. Another fine Capt. Kidd bass solo and some stacatto-ish drum breaks by Phil Thomas help Inch Worm liven his pace considerably. The only out-and-out Jazz composition of the date is Sonny Rollins' The Bridge, and the trio maintains Sonny's original intent by keeping to the difflcult pattern of an up tempoed switch from to and back again throughout the theme and all of the solos. According to John Young the Moon involved in In Other Words is made of Blue(s) cheese filled with large chunks of beautiful full locked chords. A tasty tidbit to wind up the hearty well balanced and well seasoned (peppery?) offering sterved up by the John Young cookers, supreme chefs all!

Those of you who have heard John in person may have had some misgivings about the approach and material content of his previous albums. Admittedly they were constructed and released to reach a broader audience than the faithful but outnumbered legion of true Jazz fans. This set should please all because it is the least hampered materialwise, and is the fullest free swinging LP John Young has yet recorded. Dig it! The pleasure will be yours.

JOE SEGAL

LP-712

Ahmad Jamal - Macanudo

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

Ahmad Jamal, piano; Art Davis, bass; Richard Evans, dirextor with large orchestra
RVG, Englewood, New York, December 20-21 1962

12087 Sugar loaf at twilight
12088 Montevideo
12089 Belo horizonte
12090 Bossa nova do Marilla
12091 Buenos Aires
12092 Bogota
12093 Haitian marketplace
12094 Carnival in Panama

Track Listing

Montevideo	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Bogota	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Sugar Load At Twilight	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Haitian Market Place	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Buenos Aires	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Bossa Nova Do Marilla	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Carnival In Panama	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962
Belo Horizonte	Richard Evans	December 20-21 1962

Liner Notes

THIS IS A SPANISH slang word for "hip". It is very appropriate on this occasion for this album is a "hip" blending of the best rhythmic currents in Afro-Harlem and Afro-Latin American music. This album, in fact, is a justly-deserved tribute to President and Mrs. Jack Kennedy. It grew out of the President's cultural program which carried Composer Richard Evans to several South American countries as a musical ambassador and ended with an unprecedented White House jam session. Here. in eight impressionistic tone paintings of eight Latin American cities, is the musical result Of that cultural safari. If you are looking for hard-driving examples of the exciting rhythmic concoctions of Latin America, this is your record. If you are looking for gimmicky "fad" music, however, pass this one up. Ahmad Jamal, Richard Evans and their supporting cast on this brilliant album are to be commended for their good taste in avoiding the "fad" aspects of the contemporary Latin American movement. This is a record which doesn't try to prove anything—except that music is fun, from any part of the country.

Ahmad Jamal, the driving force behind this album, is at home in Brazil. On the driving Haitian Market Place and the imaginative Buenos Aires, Jamal demonstrates that he has no peers in the art of piano magic. Coaxing great blocks of shimmering sound from the piano, the great pianist successfully defends his title as the most rhythmic and creative artist working on the keyboard today. On Sugar Loaf, incidentally, Jamal breaks new ground with an extraordinary solo on the celesta. As a musical host and as a recording director, I have followed Jamal's climb from Chicago's Pershing Lounge to the Himalaya of jazz. This is one of his best.

Richard Evans, the Chicago-based bassist who received long overdue recognition when he made the White House scene, blossoms forth on this album as a composer of note. Although he is only thirty, Evans has played and written for Maynard Ferguson, Dinah Washington and other musical greats. He served also as musical director of the Paul Winter sextet which made a six-month tour of Latin America and returned to Washington to make musical history as the first jazz group to give a concert at the White House.

Evans provides a colorful frame for the Jamal palette. Using jazz greats and conservatory-trained musicians from the New York Philharmonic and other symphony orchestras, he paints brilliant impressionistic portraits with strings, French horns, flutes and the harp and bell. Darting in and out of the splashes of sound, Jamal rises to great heights as an artist by dominating this large and impressive orchestra.

Jazztistically speaking, this is a record for the musical buff who has everything. It is one of those rare records that yield choice delights with repeated listening.

Here, in the swinging, uninhibited words of Composer Evans, is the musical fare: Montevideo — The capital of Uruguay is bright, fast and happy. A rolling eloquent recital by Ahmad Jamal delineates the modern and traditional in this great South American city.

Bogota — Bogota, Colombia, is paradox-ville. It is beautiful and beastly, hip and square, kind and cruel, old and new. Playing against the full orchestra, Jamal goes to the heart of the paradox.

Sugar Loaf — When you see the orange rays of the sun bathe Rio de Janeiro at twilight, you are filled with a feeling of peace which can best be defined with the soft tones of strings, celesta and French horn. The highlight of this tone painting is Jamal's lovely solo on the celesta.

Haitian Market Place — Imagine an open market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with hundreds of Haitians selling their wares and chanting in broken French. The pure African rhythms, the poverty and the soul combine to make you want to scream for them and moan with them. In this portrait, the brass screams and Jamal moans.

Buenos Aires — Argentina, the New York of South America, is so hip they call it B. A. The musical scene? No senoritas with guitars, no castanets, but some darn good modern jazz musicians who will send many North American jazz musicians back to the "wood shed." B. A. deserves undiluted jazz. B. A. deserves a sparkling Jamal solo.

Bona Nova Do Marilla — This number and the inventive Jamal interpolations capture the mood of the little out-of-the-way town of Marilla, Brazil. Here are the quiet, polite people, the pleasant little restaurant around the corner, the modest cemetery and the sheer beauty of Marilla's simplicity.

Carnival in Panama — Jamal sets the pace for this fast, rhythmical number with a percussive solo that shimmers and delights.

Belo Horizonte — This Brazilian city is smooth and relaxing. Bossa Nova is in order here with another pulsating Jamal solo and a Jamal-influenced ending.

Daddy-O Daylie
WAAF.WMAQ