ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Discs: Veteran Newcomer

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 15

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Discs: Veteran Newcomer

Rod Levitt, a newcomer to big-name jazz, has produced a winner in his first album for RCA, Insight (LPM 3372, mono. 39s 6d). Although Levitt is a veteran who has played with numerous jazz giants, including Gil Evans and Dizzy Gillespie. and has been a soughtafter studio musician for years, he has seldom got his name on a record as leader; so this brilliantly planned and executed LP eomes as a double revelation.

A lot of work has gone into it. The nine tracks include six originals and three standards. all tightly arranged and rehearsed to the precarious point where spontaneity and familiarity meet. The seven sidemen include only one “name” player, the former Ellington trumpeter, Rolf Ericson; but all have been carefully chosen for their sympathy with Levitt’s aims.

Levitt's arrangements provide a marvellous assortment of textures. He takes a fair amount of the solo space and encompasses many moods, but is at his best when, as on “Vera Cruz” and "The Mayor of Vermont Village,” he

shoves a growl mute in the bell of his trombone and tears loose. Among the reeds, George Marge plays some smooth flute and booting tenor solos, and Buzz Renn contributes some nifty alto playing. “All I Do Is Dream Of You” is given over to Ericson, who rises superbly to the occasion. Sonny Rollins, working with trio, quartet and quintet turns in some magnificent jazz on his new LP. The title is The Standard Sonny Rollins (RCA LPM 3355 mono, 39s 6d) and the repertoire represents a departure for Rollins, who usually restricts himself to jazz

standards and obscure pop tunes. This time he improvises on songs by such composers as George Gershwin, Johnny Mercer and Cole Porter, with stunning results.

The most challenging are the four trio numbers on which, freed of a harmonic accompaniment, Rollins roams to the limits of his instrument On “Love Letters,” “My Ship” and “Long Ago” the guitarist Jim Hall joins for some delicate interplay with Rollins; and on the remaining three numbers the pianist Herbie Hancock makes up the quintet. Hancock, who made a name

for himself while working with Miles Davis, has appeared with Rollins previously on record; here he contributes some snappy solos and is as percusssive an accompanist as Rollins could desire.

From the jazz past comes the contents of a dew Ace of Clubs release, The ‘'Music of Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, Jimmy Dorsey and Una Mae Carlisle (mono ACLM 1176, 22s 6d). With 14 tracks the ration is generous; but a good half of it has no virtues outside nostalgia, so the quality is not

Worthy of investigation are the gentie, brooding alto saxophone and clarinet work of the late Jimmy Dorsey—a much more creative musician than his better-known brother Tommy—-and two seldomheard compositions by Duke Ellington; “Harlem Speaks” and “Hyde Park.”

Una Mae Carlisle, a pop singer of the time, is dispensible and the tracks by Benny Carter do not show him at his best. Indeed, their most notable feature is the presence in the trombone section of a young man named Ted Heath. All 14 tracks were recorded in London.