Mangelsdorff

Altoist Bud Shank and tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper toured Europe extensively in 1957 and spent two months in Germany. While there, they often worked with trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff's unit, a group that also featured guitarist Attila Zoller. Mangelsdorff appeared on a few broadcasts with Shank and Cooper, with the two previously unissued broadcasts on this valuable CD being under the trombonist's name. Mangelsdorff is best remembered for his work in free jazz and the avant-garde but in 1957 he was a very fluent bop trombonist, one who held his own with the two saxophonists. Zoller also fares particularly well during these straight-ahead performances while Shank (doubling occasionally on flute) and Cooper (who switches to oboe for a couple of specialties) are heard in their early prime. Fans of West Coast jazz will definitely love these rare and well-preserved broadcasts.

Albert Mangelsdorff had just completed a long concert tour in Asia prior to this recording session in Frankfurt, where he documented many of the originals that he performed on the road. Accompanied by alto saxophonist Gunther Kronberg, tenor saxophonist Heinz Sauer, bassist Gunter Lenz and drummer Ralf Hubner, the trombonist offers a splendid mix of Eastern and Western music in his arrangements. "Abstractions" (first released as "Now Jazz Ramwong") is an enticing modal piece inspired by a Thai folk dance, featuring Kronberg on soprano sax. Mangelsdorff's "Blue Fanfare" and "Blues Du Domicile" are straightforward boppish blues, while "Es Sungen Drei Engel" is his adaptation of a 13th century German folk song. Sauer contributed "Club Trois," while "Three Jazz Moods on a Theme from Pather Panchali" is the leader's adaptation of music by sitarist Ravi Shankar.

This studio date came about as a result of Albert Mangelsdorff's appearance at the Third Yugoslavian Jazz Festival, where pianist John Lewis was impressed enough with his performance to set up a recording session a few days later. With bassist Karl Theodor Geier and drummer Silvije Glojnaric also on hand, none of the musicians had ever played together, though it made little difference as they quickly absorbed the originals of Lewis and Mangelsdorff, along with the familiar standard "Autumn Leaves" (a trio arrangement omitting Lewis) and Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue." The leader's judgment is validated with Mangelsdorff's impressive work. The final track showcases a separate group, the Zagreb Jazz Quartet, featuring pianist Davor Kajfes, vibraphonist Bosko Petrovic, bassist Miljenko Prohaska and Glojnaric on drums.