Jimmy Giuffre 3 Graz Live 1961

This album finds Anita O'Day's swinging singing backed by cool-toned arrangements from Jimmy Giuffre. Although the orchestra is surprisingly anonymous, the ensembles fit O'Day's voice well on tunes such as "Mack the Knife," "Gone with the Wind," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "The Way You Look Tonight" and even "Hooray for Hollywood." All of O'Day's recordings for Verve in the 1950s are recommended, and this set is no exception.

Oden offers ten of his own compositions on his first full-length album session, with low-key backing from a full band (Robert Banks' piano is especially prominent). He's a serviceable though not outstanding vocalist, and offers his tales with a sort of good-natured fatalism, the most celebrated number being the title track. While he was an outstanding songwriter, it may have been best that Oden's compositions are primarily known through the interpretations of others. On this recording at least, the arrangements could really benefit from less uniformity, the tempo rarely escaping a pace somewhere between slow and medium.

Although somewhat overlooked in the jazz history books, vibraphonist Teddy Charles was for a period an important participant in the early Third Stream movement, using aspects of classical music to revitalize West Coast-style jazz. This CD reissue features trumpeter Shorty Rogers, tenor saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre, bassist Curtis Counce and drummer Shelly Manne on a couple of advanced originals (one apiece by Giuffre and Rogers) from 1953. After moving to New York, Charles teamed up for a short time with bassist Charles Mingus, performing six other numbers in a quartet with tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and drummer Gerry Segal. This session alternates cookers with sensitive ballads and is one of the better recorded showcases for Charles' vibes.

Oden offers ten of his own compositions on his first full-length album session, with low-key backing from a full band (Robert Banks' piano is especially prominent). He's a serviceable though not outstanding vocalist, and offers his tales with a sort of good-natured fatalism, the most celebrated number being the title track. While he was an outstanding songwriter, it may have been best that Oden's compositions are primarily known through the interpretations of others. On this recording at least, the arrangements could really benefit from less uniformity, the tempo rarely escaping a pace somewhere between slow and medium.

Paul Bley Trio - Paul Bley (p); Mark Levinson (b); Barry Altschul (dr). Recorded live at "Hildebrandzzal", Haarlem, NL, 4.11.1966.
The most relevant stages in Paul Bley’s musical works were however his trio formations. The bassists Steve Swallow, Eddie Gomez, Kent Carter or Mark Levinson and the drummers Pete LaRoca, Barry Altschul or Paul Motian played with him. This live recording at a concert in Haarlem, Holland is a good example at the "mastery" at a Paul Bley trio.