Nothing like hearing voices from the past to make you realize what is missing in the present. Here are the latest four 2 cd sets from AVID that show that swing still needs to be the thing.
At one time Georgie Auld was one of the most popular tenor saxists around, making some superlative sessions with Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, most notably with the sextet that had 
guitarist Charlie Christian. His big-toned tenor is in full bloom on these sessions from the 50s, in four completely different settings. There are two from ’55; the first has him in a big band with arrangements by Billy May, and includes guys like Ted Nash/ts, Willie Schwartz/as and Maynard Ferguson/tp (!). The band delivers boisterous takes of “In The Land Of Hi Fi” and Swingin’ In The Moore Park” with Auld’s tone a force to be dealt with. Things are more mellow with strings attached on the second Hollywood ’55 recording, with Auld oozing through “Misty” and “Tenderly” while getting deep and dark on “Blue And Sentimental.” From 1959, you get Auld’s foggy tenor augmented by the vocal team The Mello Larks, which was a popular thing back then, but gets a little dated on pieces like “Indian Summer” and “My Reverie,” but things are more than compensated for on the closing session where Auld teams up with a swinging group of Lou Levy/p, Howard Roberts/g, Larry Bunker/vib, Leroy Vinnegar/p, Mel Lewis/dr and Don Fagerquist/tp for a heated tribute of Benny Goodman material. The team sears through “Seven Comes Eleven” and Benny’s Bugle.” Worth the entire price!
Largly forgotten today, but at one time Les Brown and His Band of Renown was one of the most respected orchestras around. Brown introduced us to Doris Day way back when, and was the backup for Dean Martin and Bob Hope for years. Three of the sessions from the 50s have him in hard swinging moods. From 1956, Dave Pell/ts and Don Fagerquist/tp are included on snapping versions of “Bernie’s Tune” and a very hip read of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite Op 71.” He runs through famous Big Band theme songs in a ’59 outing with the sax section sounding marvelous on “Moten Swing” and “Early Autumn.” Also from the same year is a recording with Mel Lewis on drums driving the band through a sizzling “Apple Honey” and “’S Wonderful.” Most intriguing is a collection of four All Star sessions featuring Pell, Fagerquist, Ronny Lang’s Saxtet and Ray Sims’ Strings. The sound is very West Coast Cool-directed, with sleek reads of The Way You Look Tonight,” a hep cat “Love Is Just Around The Corner” as well as a sensuous “Let’s Fall In Love.” A surprisingly important collection.
The last two collections are from a pair of overlooked pianists from the 50s-60s. Both Ray Bryant and Gerald Wiggins were bona fide hard bop maestros, the former based in NYC while the latter hung out in LA. On a ton of recordings as sidemen, neither got too popular on their own, but each delivered tasty material when given the chance. Bryant is seen here in 2 trio sessions with the likes of Wyatt Ruther-Tommy Bryant/b, Eddie Locke-Gus Johnson-Osie Johnson-Kenny Clarke/dr and the music flows sublimely on “Cry Me A River” and “Willow Weep For Me” while Bryant bounces on “Nigh In Tunisia” and “Well, You Needn’t.” Along with Richard Wess’ orchestra, Bryant tackles movie themes such as “Laura,” El Cid” and “Three Coins In The Fountain” with sophistication. Most successful is the rare solo outing form 1958 where Bryant goes Alone with the Blues and makes it count on “Me and the Blues” and “My Blues.” This one’s a treat!
Gerald Wiggins is in vintage bop mode on these 4 trio sessions from the mid 50s. The drummer is always Jackie Mills with the bass chair changing between Dave Brubeck member Eugene Wright and Joe Comfort. Wiggins is a master of swing, taste and style all throughout, with his own tunes like “Da Silva Wig” and “All That’s Good” sounding just as strong as standards like “The Lady Is A Tramp.” Most clever is an album of songs from the movie Around The World In 80 Days as Wiggins and company glow on the major theme as well as a fun “La Coquette” as well as a fun read of “Way Out West.” Bopping with the best.
Avid Entertainment