These recordings of the Terry Gibbs Quartet reveal, among other virtues, the extraordinary degree of sympathy between Terry and his partner, Miss Terry Pollard, the wonderful pianist of his group. After three years on the road together, the two Terries developed four hands that swing as one. The mental picture of a typical Gibbs performance involves flying mallets, racing thoughts and impulsive improvisation at their most dazzling. There is an essential percussive feel in what most of his fans have come to regard as a typical Gibbs performance; yet there are many occasions when he also offers a discreet and tasteful approach toward slow ballad numbers. All in all, this seems to be as complete a representation as you could wish of the Gibbs talent in every mood.
Vibraphonist Terry Gibbs sounds fine on this Latin jazz date, which also includes altoist Frank Morgan, pianist Sonny Bravo, bassist Bobby Rodriguez and three percussionists, including Tito Puente playing timbales on three of the nine numbers. Most of the tunes are bop and swing standards (such as"Scrapple From the Apple," "Groovin' High," "Good Bait" and "Sing, Sing, Sing") and have excellent spots for Gibbs, Morgan and the percussion section. A fine date.
Vibraphonist Terry Gibbs' first recording as a leader in eight years is quite exciting. Gibbs, Barry Harris (the foremost exponent in the 1970s and '80s of bebop piano), bassist Sam Jones and drummer Alan Dawson romp through four Gibbs originals, "Body and Soul," "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise," "Manha De Carnaval" and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." As is usually true of most Terry Gibbs dates, even the ballads are full of plenty of energy. Gibbs and Harris should have a rematch.
The first of a wonderful series of recordings that he made with The Dream Band in the late 50s and early 60s which still sound fresh today. The band contained 'anyone who was anyone' playing in the West Coast at that time. The music on this CD, not released for the first time until 1986, features the formerly little-known Terry Gibbs Big Band, an orchestra that worked fairly regularly in Los Angeles from 1959-1962. The repertoire is primarily swing-era standards, but the arrangements (by Bill Holman, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Marty Paich, and Manny Albam) are fairly modern for the time; the all-star group's ensembles are tight and such colorful soloists as vibraphonist Gibbs, valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, trumpeters Stu Williamson and Conte Candoli, tenorman Bill Holman, pianist Pete Jolly, and altoist Joe Maini are heard from.
The legendary Terry Gibbs Dream Band, a notable unit that from 1959-62 made a few albums for Mercury and Verve, was well served by the five CDs of previously unreleased material released by Contemporary in the late 1980s. Vol. 2 has charts by Bill Holman, Al Cohn, Manny Albam, Lennie Niehaus and Med Flory on six swing-era songs and four later tunes, including Gibbs' "The Fat Man." Of the soloists featured during this live set, which also resulted in part of Vol. 3, vibraphonist Gibbs, trumpeter Conte Candoli, altoists Joe Maini and Charlie Kennedy, Bill Perkins on tenor and pianist Lou Levy are most notable. Recommended for fans of swinging big bands.
This reissue is unrelated to another V.S.O.P. set simply titled A Jazz Band Ball. Terry Gibbs on vibes and marimba matches wits and creativity with Victor Feldman and Larry Bunker, both of whom double on vibes and xylophone. Assisted by pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett and drummer Mel Lewis, the intriguing frontline essentially plays bop, but with a great deal of color. The interaction between the vibraphonists, who are all featured and occasionally trade off, is the main reason to acquire this very interesting set.
Son of famed vibist Terry Gibbs, drummer Gerry teams up to record this debut of the second incarnation of The Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Band with 5 multi-talented instrumentalist from all over the state of Texas to create the Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Band 2 ,which played and toured together for 5 years.The 6 musicians of the”Thrasher Band” play 27 instruments between them on this date. Instruments include, Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones,Piccolo, Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Acoustic Piano, Mini Moog, Melodica, Harmonica, Trumpet, Acoustic Bass, Drums, Balifone, Kalimba, Recorder, Wood Flute, Gongs, Vocals, & Misc. Percussion.After 5 years the band separated with each member to go on to tour and join the bands of people like Christian McBride, Poncho Sanchez, Billy Childs, Strunz & Farrar and others!
The third CD in this five-volume series draws its material from the same live sessions that resulted in the first two Terry Gibbs Dream Band releases, but contains all previously unheard performances. Ranging from well-known standards ("Avalon," "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and "Flying Home") to more recent tunes ("Airegin" and Gibbs' "It Might As Well Be Swing") and originals by arrangers Bill Holman, Bob Brookmeyer and Al Cohn, the music stays consistently colorful and swinging. Gibbs had some of the top L.A.-based players in his big band, which lasted from 1959-62, and among the key soloists on this set are trumpeter Conte Candoli, Bill Holman, Bill Perkins and Med Flory on tenor, and altoists Joe Maini and Charles Kennedy.