Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool
Gil Evans and Gerry Mulligan were both writing for the Claude Thornhill orchestra in the late 40s when it temporarily disbanded. Along with John Lewis and John Carisi they began experimenting at Nola’s Studios with the idea of creating the lush Thornhill sonorities with the smallest number of instruments. Free of their Thornhill duties, Lee Kontitz (alto), Joe Shulman (bass), Sandy Siegelstein (French horn) and Bill Barber (tuba) were recruited for what was essentially a rehearsal band. J.J. Johnson or Kai Winding handled the trombone parts and Max Roach and Kenny Clarke alternated on drums. Miles Davis, who had been studying Evans’ Thornhill charts, became the leader because of his high-profile work with Charlie Parker.
Twelve titles were recorded on 78s that became hugely influential, especially on the emerging West Coast jazz scene. John Carisi, who wrote Israel, said “Gerry wrote more than anybody.” Mulligan actually arranged seven charts and not five as claimed on the sleeve-note – Deception, Rocker, Godchild, Venus De Milo, Budo, Darn That Dream and Jeru are all his. Gene Lees, in his book Arranging The Score, points out that the writers were never paid for their work. He quotes John Lewis telling Davis “We wrote the stuff for ourselves. This was a rehearsal band. Now that you’ve recorded we’re supposed to get paid.” The nonet appeared at the Royal Roost for two weeks in December 1948 opposite Count Basie and Dinah Washington. Miles arranged for a display sign advertising “The Miles Davis Nonet – Arrangements by Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans and John Lewis”.
The first nonet retrospective was released by Capitol Records in 1957 and producer Pete Rugolo came up with an album title that defined an era – Birth Of The Cool. In 2013 Essential Jazz Classics reissued all the BOTC material together with the Royal Roost performances (EJC55749).
Discography
Jeru; Move; Godchild; Budo; Venus De Milo; Rouge; Boplicity; Israel; Deception; Rocker; Moon Dreams; Darn That Dream; Conception (aka Deception) (40.08)
Selective personnel: Davis (t); Lee Konitz (as); Gerry Mulligan (bar); Kai Winding (tb); Sandy Siegelstein (frh); Bill Barber (tu); John Lewis (p); Joe Shulman (b); Max Roach (d). NYC, 1949 & 1950.
Number One Essentials 291050 LP
Dave Brubeck: Dave Digs Disney
By the time Dave Digs Disney was recorded in 1957 the Dave Brubeck quartet had already released a string of big-selling albums including Jazz At Oberlin, Jazz Goes To College, Jazz At The College Of The Pacific and Brubeck Time. It was not only voted the most popular small group in America by the readers of Downbeat and Metronome magazines, but it had taken over from George Shearing’s quintet as the highest paid small group on the jazz scene. Building on this success, two years later the quartet went on to record one of the best-selling albums in the history of jazz – Time Out.
The repertoire might seem a little unusual here but Alice In Wonderland and Give A Little Whistle were already part of the quartet’s repertoire. Both titles have some of the delightful contrapuntal interplay that was such a feature of the group’s work at that time. Heigh-Ho is notable for the extended contribution from the virtuoso Joe Morello. This was something of a first because drum solos were not a feature of the quartet’s work before he joined. (Joe Dodge was drummer with Brubeck from 1953-1956 and when I met him in San Francesco he confirmed that he really didn’t like playing solos at all.)
Someday My Prince Will Come [apparently, and correctly, Some Day in its original Disney form – Ed.] remained in the book for years. Brubeck gives it a stimulating twist reflecting what he did on Lover from his Jazz: Red Hot And Cool album. The alto, piano and bass are in three while the drums are in four providing an intriguing platform for Paul Desmond to spin his magic. A transcription of his elegantly structured solo would be a revealing study. Tiring of life on the road, Norman Bates soon left the quartet. He was replaced by Eugene Wright, who added the final part to what became known as the classic Brubeck quartet.
Discography
Alice In Wonderland; Give A Little Whistle; Heigh-Ho; So This Is Love; When You Wish Upon A Star; Someday My Prince Will Come; One Song; Very Good Advice (50.16)
Paul Desmond (as); Brubeck (p); Norman Bates (b); Joe Morello (d). NYC, June, August 1957.
20th Century Masterworks 350300 LP
Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd: Jazz Samba
When Stan Getz returned to America in 1961 after three years in Denmark, he really needed to reconnect with the local jazz scene. This he certainly did a year later with his Jazz Samba album, which reached No 1 in Billboard’s Top LPs and remained in the chart for 70 weeks. Desafinado, the single from the album, lasted 16 weeks in Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles, reaching as high as No. 15.
The album was recorded in Pierce Hall at the All Souls Unitarian Church Hall in Washington D.C. and for two hours or so the group benefited from the superior church acoustics while they made history. The material was new to Getz, although he probably would have been familiar with Baia, which had been a big hit for Bing Crosby and Xavier Cugat in the mid-40s. For the blowing choruses of Desafinado, Getz and Charlie Byrd decided on a montuno or vamp instead of Jobim’s intriguing modulations. Triste means sad, and on Samba Triste the principals create a profound feeling of melancholy that never descends into pathos. One Note Samba is notable for Jobim’s clever use of just two notes in the A sections before unleashing a blizzard of chromaticism in the bridge. Inspired by a rhythm section with two percussionists, Getz storms into one of his most creative solos of the set here.
Producer Creed Taylor decided that bossa nova would not be mentioned on the sleeve notes because American audiences would not understand the term. They were familiar with the samba, so that was how the album was marketed. Ted Gioia’s essential Jazz Standards says “After Getz’s success almost every member of Local 802 jumped on the Bossa Nova bandwagon.” A four-CD box set of all the bossa nova material that Stan Getz recorded between 1962 and 1964 was released in 1989 (Verve 823 611-2).
Discography
Desafinado; Samba Dees Days; O Pato; Samba Triste; Samba De Uma Nota Só; E Luxo Só; Baía; So Danço Samba (43.06)
Getz (ts); Byrd (g); Gene Byrd (g, b); Keter Betts (b); Buddy Deppenschmidt, Bill Reichenbach (d). Washington D.C., 13 February 1962.
Waxtime Clear Vinyl 526032 LP
