Joe Newman

From December 1954 to December 1955, jazz producer Jack Lewis recorded a series of outstanding albums at RCA Victor’s famous Webster Hall Studios in New York City with Al Cohn and Joe Newman, each leading several small swinging bands, and as sidemen on Freddie Green’s only album as a leader.

Al Cohn, Joe Newman & Freddie Green - Mosaic Select (2007) {3CD Set, Mosaic Records MS-027 rec 1955}
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© 1955, 2007 RCA Victor / Mosaic / BMG Music | MS-027
Jazz / Bop / Mainstream Jazz / Trumpet / Sax / Guitar

This Mosaic compilation draws from material that comprised five separate RCA Victor LPs of the 1950: Al Cohn's The Natural Seven and The Jazz Workshop: Four Brass, One Tenor, Freddie Green's Mr. Rhythm, plus two Joe Newman records, All I Wanna Do Is Swing and I'm Still Swinging. Cohn, Green, and Newman are the common element to all of the recording sessions, leading bands ranging from septets to nonets.The Natural Seven was inspired by the Kansas City Seven drawn from the Count Basie band of the 1930s, and while the arrangements by Cohn and Manny Albam swing lightly in the style of Basie's septet, the focus is more on originals written for the session rather than simply recreating earlier recordings.

Joe Newman - The Midgets (1956) {RCA–BMG 74321609872 rel 1998}
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© 1956, 1998 RCA / BMG Music | 74321609872
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Bop / Cool / Trumpet / Flute

The Midgets is an album by jazz trumpeter Joe Newman's Septet recorded in 1956 for the RCA Records subsidiary Vik label. Glossy Cover, Arranged by Ernie Wilkins, conducted by Joe Newman, Recorded at Webster Hall, New York City, July, 1956. Joe Newman on trumpet, Frank Wess on flute, Barry Galbraith on electric guitar, Freddie Green on rhythm guitar, Hank Jones on piano and organ, Eddie Jones on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums.

Joe Newman with Frank Foster - Good 'N' Groovy (1961) {Prestige OJCCD-185-2 rel 1993}
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© 1961, 1993 Prestige/Swingwille / Fantasy | OJCCD-185-2
Jazz / Bop / Trumpet

This was the second of Joe Newman's three dates he led under the Swingville banner. For this session he was in the very fine company of Frank Foster (tenor sax), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Eddie Jones (bass) and Bill English (drums). Recorded 10 months after the excellent JIVE AT FIVE album (also for Swingville), and with Flanagan and Jones returnees, this album is just as good as its predecessor. Frank Foster's forceful, mainly middle-register playing is very effective, and Tommy Flanagan is as good as ever. Only one tune, MO-LASSES, which is a blues a bit too overloaded with funk, is not up the the high level of the other tracks. A solid date.

Joe Newman - I Feel Like A Newman (1956) {Black Lion BLCD760905 rel 1987}
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© 1956, 1987 Storyville / Black Lion | BLCD 760905
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Swing / Bop / Trumpet

Trumpeter Joe Newman, some Basie men, and a few other sympathetic sidemen play an enjoyable set of 1950s swing on this CD reissue. Six of the ten numbers team Newman with trombonist Billy Byers, altoist Gene Quill, tenorman Frank Foster, pianist John Lewis (a perfect fill-in for Count Basie), guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Osie Johnson, while the other selections have Newman playing in a quintet with Frank Wess (who doubles on tenor and flute) and pianist Sir Charles Thompson. Whether it be a veteran standard or a newer song by Ernie Wilkins or Manny Albam, the music always swings and the talented musicians are in fine form.

Joe Newman - Jive At Five (1960) {Prestige-Swingville OJCCD-419-2 rel 1989}
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© 1960, 1989 Prestige / Swingville | OJCCD-419-2
Jazz / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Trumpet

Originally put out on the Swingville label, this CD reissue is very much in the Count Basie vein. That fact is not too surprising when one considers that the quintet includes three members of Basie's men: trumpeter Joe Newman, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess and bassist Eddie Jones. Joined by the complementary pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Oliver Jackson, Newman and his friends swing their way through four vintage standards and a couple of the leader's original blues in typical fashion.

Oliver Nelson with Joe Newman - Main Stem (1961) {Prestige OJCCD-1803-2 rel 1992}
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© 1961, 1992 Prestige / Fantasy | OJCCD-1803-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone / Trumpet

A relaxed small group session from saxophonist Oliver Nelson – a record that's quite different than some of his more tightly arranged dates, and a good reminder of this side of his talents! Oliver plays both alto and tenor sax on the album, and he's joined by a perfect group for the easy rolling groove of the tracks – Joe Newman on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – plus a young Ray Barretto on congas, who brings in the loping, stepping groove you find on other early 60s soul jazz sets of this nature. Nelson's sax is always a treat – blown with a sharper edge than you might hear with a big group – and the tracks are all quite fress too, and include "Tipsy", "Mainstem", "Ho!", "J&B", and "Latino".

This CD reissue has three songs apiece from two similar sessions. One half of the set features Frank Wess (doubling on flute and tenor) accompanied by both Kenny Burrell and Freddy Green on guitars, bassist Eddie Jones and drummer Gus Johnson; the other three titles add trumpeter Joe Newman and have Ed Thigpen in Johnson's place. The music is essentially cool-toned swing/bop very much in a Count Basie vein and is easily recommended to straightahead jazz fans.