Urbie Green New Faces New Sounds

A distinctive trombonist with a sly wit and the ability to sound as if he were playing underwater, Vic Dickenson was an asset to any session on which he appeared. He stated out in the 1920s and '30s playing in the Midwest. Associations with Blanche Calloway (1933-1936), Claude Hopkins (1936-1939), Benny Carter (1939), Count Basie (1940), Carter again (1941), and Frankie Newton (1941-1943) preceded a high-profile gig with Eddie Heywood's popular sextet (1943-1946); Dickenson also played and recorded with Sidney Bechet. From then on he was a freelancing soloist who spent time on the West Coast, Boston, and New York, appearing on many recordings (including some notable dates for Vanguard) and on the legendary Sound of Jazz telecast (1957)…

Urbie Green has spent most of his career as a studio musician rather than leading many of his own recordings, but this early date as a leader (originally issued by Bethlehem) showed that the trombonist had lots of promise. With arrangements and several strong compositions by the now-obscure Marion Evans, Green is accompanied by a strong group, including Danny Bank, Oscar Pettiford, Osie Johnson, and Al Cohn (identified on the initial release under the pseudonym Ike Horowitz). The very hushed take of "On Green Dolphin Street" features the leader's mellow trombone and the fine muted trumpet of Doug Mettone, while "Three Little Words" is an effortless swinger. Cohn adds a twist with several top-notch bass clarinet solos. Finally reissued by Avenue Jazz in 2001, this rewarding cool jazz date has stood the test of time rather well and is worth purchasing.