So much great music came out of the mid 50s that it’s forgivable to overlook various artists. Fresh Sound Records brings back into sharp focus two trumpet players that will make you wonder where they’ve been your whole life.
Jon Eardley is best known as the guy who replaced Chet Baker on the famed Gerry Mulligan pianoless quartet. This collection of 3 albums from 1954-56 show that he’s much more than the answer to a trivia question. He’s got fire in his bones In a quartet format with Angelenos Pete Jolly/p, Red Mitchell/b and Larry Bunker/dr as he blows fire on the sizzling “Late Leader.” Next year in New Jersey, he’s with JR Montrose/ts, Geroge Syran/p, Teddy Kotick/b and Nick Stabulas/dr and they bop like there’s no tomorrow on “Sid’s Delight” and “Demanton” while Eardley is pristine and clean on “If You Could See Me Now.” In 1956 he brings together allstars Phil Woods/as, Zoot Sims/ts and Milt Gold/ts with the same rhythm team and sizzles on “ Leap Year,” while Sims and Woods are as hip as Bass Weejuns on ‘On the Minute” and “Eard’s Word.” You’re gonna love this one!
The 1955 album co-lead by Warren Fitzgerald/tp and Hal Stein/as-ts along with Bob Dorough/p, Al Cotton/b and Paul Motian/dr (!) is a cult classic in Japan, and it’s easy to see why. This session is vintage West Coast cool, with sleek harmonies, lithe grooves and optimistically lyrical soloing. A gorgeous medly of “You Go To My Head” and “ Goodbye” show the two horns in lyrical form, while uptempo pieces such as “Bee Dee’s Blues” and “Zounds” cruise like a vintage Chevy Bel Air, fins included. This is as delightful as anything done at the same time by Shorty Rogers, so if you’re a fan of that, jump right in.
Fresh Sound Records