LP-726

Gene Shaw - Debut In Blues

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

Gene Shaw, trumpet; Herb Wise, trombone; Jay Peters, tenor saxophone; James Taylor, piano; Sidney Robinson, bass; Gerald Donovan, drums
Ter Mar, Chicago, July 8 1963

12541 Debut in blues
12542 Thieves' carnival
12543 Karachi
12544 Who knows?
12545 When Sunny gets blue
12546 Not too cool
12547 Travelog
12548 The gentle princess

Track Listing

Debut In Blues	Thomas Washington	July 8 1963
Karachi	James Taylor	July 8 1963
The Gentle Princess	Gene Shaw	July 8 1963
When Sunny Gets Blue	Foster & Segal	July 8 1963
Thieves Carnival	James Taylor	July 8 1963
Not Too Cool	Thomas Washington	July 8 1963
Who Knows	Renick Ross	July 8 1963
Travelog	Sidney Robinson	July 8 1963

Liner Notes

CLARENCE "GENE" SHAW, originally a Detroiter but now a Chicagoan has recently embarked upon a new career as part night club owner. This new "club/school" called "Old East Inn" is dedicated to the American heritage of creative arts — most heavily, Jazz. As in the case with most musician-owners, Gene's duties, most happily, are concerned with making music; although hammer wielding during the pre-opening preparations were very much a part his daily life.

Gene is a mellow-toned trumpeter who has worked in the Detroit area with most of that cities' well known Jazz contingent including Yusef Lateef, Kenny Burrell and Tommy Flanagan. He counts among his most memorable engagements a two-week stint with Lester Young in Detroit and the almost two years spent with Charlie Mingus in New York (1955-56). His first recorded solos, with Mingus on the RCA Victor LP titled 'Tijuana Moods" drew heavy praise from the not quick to flatter bassist. In 1959 Gene settled family here and made Chicago his permanent home. He began to gather many fans during his in-person session appearances at various clubs. A hearing by Argo executives at one of these sessions led to his first LP for the label, BREAKTHROUGH" (ARGO No. 707), the reviews of which were very favorable, especially from Downbeat-er Bill Goss.

Gene's favorite trumpeter is the late creative giant Freddie Webster. Anyone familiar with Webster's magnificent sound can immediately hear the likenesses in Gene Shaw's playing. Gene still uses his Student Olds trumpet and gets from it one of the lovliest sounds you've ever heard. His tone is sweet and singing yet has an acid bite. It's not at all loud but is, if anything a trifle too soft! On several tracks herein you may think the recording engineers have "echoed him up." This is not so. One of Gene's major accomplishments is his ability to play for the overtone. That he does this difficult thing successfully is very evident on this album.

The other main soloist on this date is a well-known (in Chicago) veteran of the Bebop tenor wars of the '40's and '50's. Born here in 1926, Jay Peters is an outstanding member of the Chicago school of modern tenor players, which includes Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, Johnny Griffin and Eddie Williams. He studied at Englewood High, gained his first experience with the "Dukes of Swing," worked with Chicago groups of King Fleming and Floyd Ray and gained a little prominence as one half of the teen-age tenor tandem (Johnny Griffin was the other half) with the great meat grinding band of Lionel Hampton (Circa, 1944). The army band and a teaching assignment in Richmond, Virginia took up the yeaa till 1953 when he re-joined Hamp for a European tour and stayed with the band till 1955. Quite a bit of his Chicago work has been with a group led by guitarist, Leo Blevins. Hearing how well he plays you'll wonder, as I have, why this is his first recording!

Herb Wise is the third horn and is a very unusual trombonist. His style is mellow and non-hurried (A little Bennie Green-ish) but is indiginous to his own easy going personality. Known as "a nice guy" in the music business, it is not uncommon for Herbie to be "aced out" of a high paying transcription or commercial date by more hustling players. His very versatile talent however, quite often wins out. Gene first became aware of Herbie while they were both on an eastern tour this past summer with the Dick Shory Percussion, et al band.

The rhythm section is young, with drummer Jerold Donavon the most experienced. Having worked extensively as part of an organ/drum duo backing such luminaries as Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Bennie Green and James Moody (working the gigs in pairs and trios), Jerold has developed into a fine musician. Bassist Sidney Robinson and pianist Tim Taylor both appear on Shaw's first album. It was Taylor, who has just left Chicago to study privately in Dallas who did quite a bit of the composing and arranging for the group. "Karachi" and "Thieves Carniyal" are his tunes and he arranged Sidney Robinson's "Travelog."

A young Chicago arranger/ pianist Tom Washington did the title tune of the album "Debut In Blues" and the "Jazztet" sounding "Not Too Cool" on side two. 'Debut' uses the time honored boogie woogie shuffe beat as its rhythmic foundation. Gene's solo has a relaxed, melancholy, almost floating feeling with Jay's Websterish blues steeped tenor and Wise' easy styled trombone following to the "Amen" ending.

Jerold Donavon uses mallets on the authentic sounding Taylor composition "Karachi." It's the most haunting tune of the entire set and you'll no doubt be humming it to yourself very quickly. Gene's solo is a pleasing meandering type with Jay's muscular approach taking him into some very outstanding moments of creativity.

Shaw's lone compositional contribution to this date is the bossa nova'ed, "The Gentle Princess." It has a light airy feeling reminiscent of Tadd Dameron's theme of the early 'SO's, "Jabbero" with Peters' tenor solo a lyrical thing of beauty.

The only standard tune of the date, the introspective, "When Sunny Gets Blue" closes side one with Gene's singing sound solo a bit tempered by a bittersweet approach.

Gene's bright lead trumpet opens side two playing the theme of "Thieves Carnival" which 1/2 steps up and down throughout to give the soloists interesting patterns to explore. Peters "Wild Gooses" his way into a hard swinging solo and Herb Wise "gets hot" on his.

The thick harmonied "Not Too Cool" uses a backbeat chop for its major propulsion but is relaxed throughout. Peters shines again solo-wise.

The lone composition of another young arranger, Renick Ross is a fast waltz with an eerie theme. Titled "Who Knows," it displays the Griffin influence on Peters and the Kenton-styled trombone of Wise. Gene sort of talks dunng his solo, with piano and bass doing short bits before the out theme.

The closer is Robinson's "Travelog." Its slow and pretty theme is carried by Shaw with the other horns weaving complimentary harmonies beneath.

Throughout the entire album I think you'll notice a fresh approach, undoubtedJy due to the use of so much original and different material, young arrangers, young musicians, spiced with the creative know-how of seasoned veterans. The approach is sincere with no gimmicks or strained devices. The three horns are outstanding and individual sounding and Gene intends to keep them with him in his house band at his new club. It's got to be a swinging place!

—JOE SEGAL

LP-725

James Moody - Great Day

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

James Moody, tenor saxophone, ,alto saxophone, flute; Tom McIntosh, arranger; including: Thad Jones, Johnny Coles, trumpet; Hubert Laws, flute; Hank Jones or Bernie Leighton, piano; Jim Hall, guitar; Richard Davis, bass; Mel Lewis, drums
A & R Recording Studios, New York, June 17/18 1963

12522 Malice towards none
12523 The search
12524 Blues impromptu
12525 Opalesque
12526 Let's try
12527 Great day
12528 One never knows

Track Listing

Great Day	Tom McIntosh	June 17/18 1963
The Search	Tom McIntosh	June 17/18 1963
Let's Try	Tom McIntosh	June 17/18 1963
One Never Knows	John Lewis	June 17/18 1963
Opales'que	Dennis Sandoli	June 17/18 1963
Blues Impromptu	James Moody	June 17/18 1963
Malice Toward None	Tom McIntosh	June 17/18 1963

Liner Notes

JAMES MOODY is a name I first heard sixteen years ago. I heard him play in that same year in Philadelphia while he was with Dizzy Gillespie's first big band. I was immediately impressed and I still am! But rightly so because in the interim years he has been very restless and I've always contended that this restlessness is one of the basic ingredients for attaining progress.

During our infrequent meetings he would always express aspiration — he was always trying to perfect this or that. And this is as it should be because if an artist is perfectly satisfied with what he is doing, there is little room for improvement.

What has happened to Moody is what happens to most creative people who continue to grow. It's like boarding an elevator that never stops ascending. The higher one goes or the more progress he makes — the more area he can see or the more he is aware of the vast possibilities of his art. It's a chain reaction from within — discovering and exploring a possibility only reveals another so that one's purpose is always perpetual.

Years ago when I heard Charlie Parker say, "I'm working on some new things". I was rather surprised because I'd never thought of the "Giants" as having to improve or extend themselves further. But I soon discovered that this is true of all creators of art. What I'm leading up to is this — early in his career Moody was mainly self-taught, and can, truthfully say he has a tremendous amount of innate talent, but as the years went by he became more and more aware of his shortcomings. He also became aware of what had to be done to correct them. Eventually he began to study, concentrating on many areas of formal music. Many people say that since that time he's lost his soul, some say he's lost some or all of his natural abilities and I say — they're all wrong. I consider such statements as being postulatory and can only assume that these people are merely superficial and nearsighted and/or arrogant and incipient because all one has to do is LISTEN—REALLY LISTEN! Does a man become an outcast because he wants to improve himself? I'm sure that the listeners of this album will agree that his soul and abilities are extant and better than ever.

This album marks a high point in Moody's career. He, without a doubt, proves himself musically affuent.

This album, too, represents a wonderful marriage of the performance of Moody and the writing of Tom McIntosh.

Mac, as he is called, is a soft-spoken, sincere young man. He is a graduate of the Julliard School of Music but seldom mentions it. In the few years I've known him I've discovered various things that he is striving for in his music. The foremost and most obvious is his predilection for strong melodic lines that actually outline a vertical harmonic structure, theme and development. harmonic color through a selection and blending of instruments according to their individual and over-all tinibre and getting away from the now commonplace 32-bar construction with its uninspiring and predictable sequence of chords.

His compositions are always a little unusual and offer the performer a challenge, however; this is always well worth the effort because of the pleasure it affords the performer as well as the listener. The beautiful things he writes don't just happen. They are well planned, constructed and then literally torn apart again and again so that when it is considered a finished product it is as good as he can possibly make it. He has said upon occasion "I Think I write rather slowly", but many have assured him that the end result is the true barometer.



About the Music:
Tom McIntosh's "Great Day" the title tune of the album, exhibits a joyous feeling throughout with Moody's personal interjection of himself, and Tom's wonderful feeling for gospel music and jazz and his feeling for orchestral development. Johnny Coles, an extremely sensitive trumpet player, helps to make it even more savory with his lyrical, warn sound and pianist Hank Jones seems to be mellowing more and more — if that's at all possible. At the close of this track I'm sure one would feel the urge to say, "Yes! It's A Great Day".

When I first heard "The Search", I told Mac that the opening chord sounded like giant Boeing 707 taking off. It has an extremely big and majestic sound. The opening of the first chorus is written in 5/4 time which makes an interesting contrast for what is to follow. Seldom do you find a tenor player who plays alto with a true alto sound. Mac utilizes Moody's sound very well by giving him the melody and putting occasional harmonizing lines under him. Thad Jones enters with his unmistakable style and sound which leads into a short but inspiring piano solo by his brother, Hank. I might add that bassist Richard Davis maintains that jazz-solo feeling throughout with his clever rhythmic interjections.

On "Let's Try" Moody plays a relaxed melody and upon repeating it, he is joined by flutist Hubert Laws and the combined timbre makes it sparkle like a gem. When Moody goes into his solo it's as if a tiger has been unchained— dashing, dancing, dodging, darting, but all with a purpose and a direction. Again, Johnny Coles exemplifies his ability to bring something meaningful into an arrangement through his solos.

"One Never Knows" is a beautiful ballad by John Lewis which affords Moody a chance to reveal the warmer side of himself on flute. Guitarist Jim Hall plays an important part on this track. Mac uses him, as well as other instruments, to play little musical gems and add splashes of color. Moody asks his flute to sing — and it does — remarkably well.

"Opalesqve" is an original written by Dennis Sandoli. Dennis is a true genius, not only in music but in art and poetry as well. He wrote film scores in Hollywood while still only a young teenager. The feeling on this track is not meant to be one of extended form or development, but rather a workshop feeling wherein the soloists can feel completely free without the periphery of orchestration. Bernie Leighton, piano, Mel Lewis, drums and Richard Davis, bass, make up the rhythm section which help Moody attain this freedom. as do Johnny Coles and Jim Hall.

"Blues Impromptu" was conceived in the mind of Moody. He told Mac the day Sefore the recording session, "I'll do a blues but I don't know what I'm going to play yet, so just write an out chorus to be on the safe side". This idea worked out with excellent results because Moody and Jim build their solos directly into the written, out chorus which makes for a wonderful and effective climax. Richard Davis creates most interesting and unusual bass line.

The introduction to "Malice Toward None" is opened by Richard Davis bowing, very beautifully, the melody which is transferred to Jim Hall and by use of a deceptive cadence modulates from that key to a new one as Moody enters on tenor. There is a kind gentleness about this composition and Moody's interpretation of the melody seems to evince pathos especially when the flute joins him. His solo is soulful and sometimes interspersed with double-time figures. This is a well thought out arrangement which allows Moody plenty of room to develop his ideas.

This album could very well be Moody's "epoch" because it definitely represents new development and indicates that he's taking giant steps forward. He's rather short in stature physically but musically he is a giant. After all, a giant is what a man IS — Moody is a GIANT! GREAT DAY!

Benny Golson

LP-724

Lou Donaldson - Signifyin'

Released 1963

Recording and Session Information

Tommy Turrentine, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Big John Patton, organ; Roy Montrell, guitar; Ben Dixon, drums
A & R Recording Studios, New York, July 17 1963

12553 Bossa nova [Lou's new thing]
12554 Signifyin'
12555 I feel it in my bones
12556 Time after time
12557 Coppin' a plea
12558 Don't get around much anymore
Si si Safronia

Track Listing

Signifyin'	Lou Donaldson	July 17 1963
Time After Time	Jules Styne & S.K. Russell	July 17 1963
Si Si Safronia	Lou Donaldson	July 17 1963
Don't Get Around Much Anymore	Duke Ellington & S.K. Russell	July 17 1963
I Feel It In My Bones	Lou Donaldson	July 17 1963
Coppin' A Plea	Lou Donaldson	July 17 1963

Liner Notes

DURING the course of a conversation had recently with a leading jazz musician we got to talking about a certain rather new element on the jazz scene. This new faction consists of guys who earned their names as jazz musicians but who, with fame, have abandoned the jazz part of their music. And this is not a reference to the freedom movement in jazz. Rather, the reference is made to another group whose music to many listeners is beyond the jazz realm, yet palmed off as jazz. It represents a transcension of roots as if there were an aura of shame attached to the basic elements of jazz.

As our conversation continued this musician also bemoaned the fact that with this "sididdification" of jazz much of the fun and enjoyment is leaving the music. Also he mentioned that very little, if any, jazz was being played to which people could dance. Years ago, he reminisced, you could listen to jazz and in many cases, if moved, you could get up and dance to it.

I stored these bits and pieces of that conversation in my mind. I didn't even think about our talk until I was asked to write the liner notes for this album. Then it struck me that everything my friend and had complained about on the current jazz s«ne Lou Donaldson was able to remedy.

Lou is representative musically of the root conscious fifties, an era in which there vas a re-affirmation of the basics of jazz. Within this particular framework Lou constantly carries jazz to the people that is totally enjoyable, at times danceable, at all times good solid jazz.

There is a tendency in some jazz circles to put down that in jazz which is commercially successful. Rather, it appears, we should be thankful, those of us who earn our livelihood in jazz, that there are guys like Lou Donaldson who carry jazz on a mass scale to that single most important element...the audience. And just something is commercially successful doesn't rnean that it is not musically valid. Rather, it seems that the Lou Donaldsons have found the formula whereby they can play jazz that is universally appealing and also valid musically.

It's interesting to go into a club where Lou is appearing, or even to a house party where Lou's recordings are being played, and watch how the people react to the music. There's finger poppin', foot tappin' and most important — lots of smiling and laughing. Its very simple to get caught up in the staples of Lou's style; the catchy riffs, the driving organ and drum accompaniment. etc. This is the music that keeps jazz alive it sells records, fills clubs, and most important, it keeps jazz alive as a business and so that it can stay on its feel as an art form.

This album marks Lou's debut on Argo records. In it he does what he has been doing for years on records, only better. There are the jump numbers, ballads, even a touch of bossa nova, but the pervading element is the Lou Donaldson sound. If I wanted I could cite my favorite cut on the album or tell you that such and such is a blues in F, but really what would be the point. Lou's is not music to be dissected. It's music to be enjoyed.

Joel Dorn
WHAT-FM
Philadelphia