Fresh Sound Records continues to find wonderfully obscure recordings from the 50s and 60s by unsung jazz artists. They’ve recently started a series of West and East Coast two cd sets that focus on studio orchestras that were filled with guys that had successful careers in the Swing Era, and were now finding work playing for TV shows and movies .
The first set is the third of the West Coast Series, featuring Tommy Alexander and His Orchestra. The 1954-55 band boasted arrangements by Bill Holman and Billy May along with members including Pete Candoli/tp, Ted Nash/ts, Alvin Stoller/dr, Wrecking Crew member Tommy Tedesco/g and future Supersaxer Lanny Morgan. The orchestra delivers a bold “Flamingo” and brings a rich mood to “Mad About The Boy” and a nice Basie groove to “Lullaby of Birdland.” Keith Williams’ big Band includes charts by Williams and Russ Garcia, boasting a cast of Larry Bunker/dr, Curtis Counce/b, Nash and Tedesco. This big band sounds a lot more Stan Kentony, with a hard hitting “I Remember You,” and extroverted “Bernie’s Tune” and hard swinging takes of “Easy to Love,” while Garcia’s “Wiki Wiki” is an absolute hoot. Lots of fun here.
The first of the East Coast Series has Kent Harian’s Echoes of Joy and Ted McNabb’s Big Band Swing, both from the late 1950s. Harian’s band has charts from Jim Timmens, Bill Finega and een Gil Evans, with the NYC musicians including all stars Al Cohn/ts, Hal McKusick/as and Billy Butterfield/tp. The band has a gas of a time with an exciting “Carioca,” and Al Cohn’s tenor is hip on “Cheek to Cheek” and on “take the A Train” along with Nick Travis’ trumpet. “ McKusick shintes on “I Got It Bad” and Sonny Russo’s trombone teams with Cohn and Andy Fitgerald’s clarinet for a sweet “Miss Brown to You.” Ted McNabb’s Big Band is arranged and conducted by Marion Evans, boasting of a hot band that includes Doc Severinsen/tp, Urbie Green/tb, Gene Quill/as, Al Cohn/ts, Zoot Sims/ts, Milt Hinton/b, Osie Johnson/dr and Nat Pierce/p. They flex their muscles on a strong “Mountain Greenery” and punch like Sonny Liston with Sims tearing apart “I’ll Never Say ‘Never Again’ Again” while sounding coy on “Three Little Words.” Guitarist Barry Galbraith sweetly glows on “Blue Moon” and Green is buttery during “Close As Pages in a Book.” Great stuff!
The second East Coast Series 2 disc set features Tommy Shepard’s Shepard’s Flock and Richard Wess’ Music She Digs the Most, both from the mid 50s. Al Cohn and Nat Pierce share the charts with Manny Albam and the band has a Basie-alumnus collection of Osie Johnson/dr, Milt Hinton/b, Nat Pierce/p, Al Cohn/ts along with Barry Galbraith/g, Nick Travis/tp and Hal McKusick/as-cl. Galbraith delivers a lovely “Prelude to a Kiss” and leader Shepherd’s trombone is warm during “The Touch of Your Lips.” The woodwinds do wonders with a reflective “Darn that Dream” with Cohn and McKusick doing some nice harmonies during “Misty.” Richard Wess’ Orchestra includes guitarists Johnny Smith, Mundell Lowe or Tony Mottola along with Hinton, Johnson, Travis and Cohn in their respective chairs. The team swings with ease on “Autumn Leaves” and is peppy on “Hey Now” and the gents deliver a gospel feel on “Cabin in the sky. Obscure gems.