One of the most beautiful records I have ever heard is World Pacific WP1412/Vogue LAE12019. Made in 1953 and 1954 this was the album which pointed the way to the bossa nova which Stan Getz was to popularise nearly a decade later. But Shank and Almeida were really first in the field and L·A·4 (and this is the group’s second album for Concord incidentally) is a most welcome reunion, this time aided by two of the most musical rhythm men ever. ‘I love this group’ says Ray Brown ‘because it’s doing jazz, classical, bossa nova, a lot of different things. We don’t have to cater to anything.’ To prove Ray’s point, Bach’s Rondo Espressivo is followed by a superb reading of Gillespie’s Manteca, complete with an opening bass-drums exchange of considerable inventiveness.
‘Chamber jazz’ is an abused term but frankly I cannot think of a better short description of what happens here; Almeida has, for years, moved easily from jazz to concert music, to the music of Brazil and occasional forays with quality popular singers and since he found himself in the Stan Kenton band with Shank in 1950 the two seem to have hit it off perfectly. It was Laurindo who transcribed Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto De Aranjuez for the L.A. Four and Bud who plays all the ‘orchestral’ parts. But let us not overlook the quite incredible work of Brown and Manne on every track. Ray is the kind of bass player who would improve the performance level of any jazz group and Shelly plays such musical, constructive solos that he restores my belief in drummers as musicians capable of sustaining my interest.
Shank plays alto on his own Rainbows and the Concierto, flute on the rest. Friends of mine will be only too familiar with my long-term admiration for Shank in all manner of settings. (After working on the sound track of ‘Assault On A Queen’ Ellington offered Bud a job with the band permanently. ‘I don’t know how long ago it was since Johnny Hodges was so shook up by another alto player’ said Duke at the time but Bud had to decline the offer due to his well-established studio commitments). This is one for lovers of music, all music. (Obtainable via Swift Record Distributors.)
Discography
Dindi; Rainbows; Rondo Espressivo; Manteca (25 min) – St. Thomas; Concierto De Aranjuez (20½ min)
Bud Shank (f/as); Laurindo Almeida (g); Ray Brown (b); Shelly Manne (d). LA, early 1976.
(Concord Jazz CJ-18 £3.99)
