First M.o.p.

Marty Paich - A Jazz Band Ball, First Set (1957) {V.S.O.P. Records #23 rel 1996}
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© 1957, 1996 V.S.O.P. Records / Mode Records | #23 / Mode 110
Jazz / Bop / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Piano

On this reissue CD, pianist/arranger Marty Paich heads a septet that consists of trumpeters Jack Sheldon and Don Fagerquist, valve trombonists Stu Williamson and Bob Enevoldsen, and a quiet rhythm section with bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis. While some swing standards are taken as stomps (including "Blue Lou" and "Jumpin' at the Woodside"), a pair of Dixieland warhorses ("Dinah" and "Ida") are surprisingly recast as dreamy and introspective ballads. In addition, there are a couple other familiar pieces, plus an original apiece by Paich ("Iris of the IRA") and Bill Holman. The cool-toned music holds one's interest and is one of many fine Marty Paich recordings from the 1950s.

Don Fagerquist Octet - Eight By Eight (1957) {V.S.O.P. Records #4CD rel 1987}
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© 1957, 1987 Mode Records / V.S.O.P. Records | V.S.O.P. #4CD
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Trumpeter/arranger Fagerquist defines the typical West Coast cool sound, and his band plays every nuance, phrase, and measure in hushed tones as a reserved, attractive, easily likable pure jazz persona. The band features such notables as alto saxophonist Herb Geller, valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, pianist/arranger Marty Paich, and drummer Mel Lewis. Lesser knowns such as second trumpeter Ed Leddy, baritone saxophonist Ronnie Lang, bassist Buddy Clark, and French horn player Vince DeRosa prove their mettle amongst the tall California redwood big names.

Bob Seger closed out his Capitol contract with Brand New Morning, a singer/songwriter album quite unlike anything he had yet released. Following its release he moved to the Detroit-based label Palladium and returned to hard-driving rock & roll with Smokin' O.P.'s, the polar opposite of Brand New Morning…

Throughout his career, Count Basie was modest about his own abilities as a pianist, and his success at streamlining his style to the bare essentials often made listeners underrate his playing talents. This 1974 session was a rarity, an opportunity for Basie to be featured in a trio setting (with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson), during which he provides enough variety to hold one's interest and enough technique to lead many to reassess his piano skills.

This particular box set from Wrasse contains all 26 albums, which were previously released by the label in three separate compilation groupings. Each disc is housed in its own mini-LP sleeve, bearing original cover art, and the set contains four booklets - one for each grouping of albums and a brief biography in a booklet of its own. What's confusing, at least initially, is that the back of the box numbers the albums one through 26, while each booklet numbers them starting at one. In other words, discs ten and 19 both bear the number one and start again with their groupings.