In this present era of atonal naval gazing at the ivories, these three reissues by Fresh Sound Records remind us of a time and style when the swing pulse was inherent in every tune, be it upbeat or relaxed and casual.
Lou Levy made his living as a sideman for the likes of Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and the popular Supersax, rarely putting anything out on his own name, making this 1982 Hollywood session a real delight. Mixing and matching between solo performances, duets and trios with John Heard/b and Shelly Manne/dr, Levy shows style, class and bop on a silver platter as he sensuously samba’s on “High On You,” is gracious on “I Won’t Dance” and pulls a surprise ballad read of “Take the ‘A’ Train” with Heard’s bass waxing eloquent. His solo tracks are real clever, with a nocturnal “I’m Old Fashioned” and coy “Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead.” Textbook on how a piano should bop with brains.
Terry Pollard was part of the Detroit jazz scene of the 40s and 50s, never making a major name for herself outside the Motor City. This album (with illuminating liner notes to put her career into perspective) has her in a variety of soulful bop settings from the early to mid 50s with the likes of Howard Roberts/g, Herman Wright/b, Frank DeVito-Jerry Segal/dr, Terry Gibbs/vib and Don Fagerquist/tp. Her bop chops are in full light as she sizzles on tight trio pieces such as “Where or When,” “Scrapple From the Apple” and shows grace on “Lonely Dreams” and romance for “Laura.” With Fagerqust’s hip horn the team bounces on the Latin “Autumn Serenade” while with Gene Qull’s floating alto, the band swings on “Stompin’ at the Savoy.” Best of all is the closer “Blue Room with the formidable company of Thad Jones/tp, Billy Mitchell/ts, Alvin Jackson/b and Elvin Jones/dr on a hip and delightful “Blue Room.” This lady’s a cooker!
Almost unheard of in the states, French pianist Maurice Vander was a major voice in the 1950s-60s European jazz scene. Here, at the famed Blue Note Club in Paris, he’s able to show his wares with the proto-boppers Pierre Michelot/b and Kenny Clarke/dr, fresh off of a gig with Bud Powell. Vander is a double fisted delight, asserting himself with swinging takes of “Take the ‘A’ Train” and giving a nice gospel groove to “Walkin’”. The band gets into a bluesy mood with an ethereal “Django” and reflects like a full moon on “Willow Weep For Me.” A nod to Powell is tipped on “I’ll Remember April” before the team closes out with a sepia toned “Blue Lester.” Sort of like a Gaul’d Gene Harris. Where’d this guy hide?
Fresh Sound Records