For my Pals

This album was recorded in Lars Gullin’s native Sweden in 1964. The line up on this album is as follows: Rolf Billberg on alto, Jan Allan on trumpet, Harry Backlund on tenor, Torgny Nilsson on trombone, and Lars Sjosten on piano, accompanied by a string section. It goes with out saying that one can not describe a baritone saxophone sound of the era with out comparing it to one of two musical titans of the day, Gerry Mulligan or Pepper Adams. Tonally Mr. Gullin was more firmly encamped in the West Cast jazz tradition but with his own flavor. He was not a duplicate of Mulligan but was clearly inspired by the west coast jazz movement.

Known as “the Lion” of the Harlem piano style, Willi Smith was one of the fathers of stride, and a member in good standing of a coterie of certified jazz legends. Throughout the album Smith reminisces about the pianists who congregated in New York and proceeded to revolutionize jazz. His recollections about the music of “my good friends and my pals” as he plays their music are priceless glimpses into the Jazz Age of the ‘20s and ‘30s.