Birdland All Stars on Tour

New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 916, 1 March 1957, Page 11

Birdland All Stars on Tour

Personnel: Al Cohn (tenor), Phil Woods (alto), Coate Candoli and Kenny Dorham (trumpets), Hank Jones (piano), John Simmons (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). First Playing: Station 2YD, March 14, 9.0 p.m. IRDLAND is located in a cellar midway between 5lst. and 52nd Streets on Broadway, right in the middle of New York City. Although it looks pretty much like any ofdinary night club, it is unusual in that it acts as a showplace for modern jazz talent. Most important musicians in the contemporary jazz scene have appeared there at some time or another, and during 1956 some of them toured the United States playing in concert halls, arenas, stadiums and theatres. This sixty-minute session features seven of these touring musicians playing the arrangements of Manny Albam and Ernie Wilkins, who were commissioned to write original but simple compositions with enough substance to hold the interest of the concert-goer. The result is a series of arrangements which provide the framework for a good oldfashioned jam session, Unfortunately, the themes are nondescript and are stated so briefly that the listener is left with little to grasp. The only exception is with "Ah Funky New Baby," which is based on "Zanzy," an older Manny Albam composition, which was featured on "The East Coast Jazz Scene" from Station 2YD last November, and which I have heard several times since. Admittedly there is plenty going on for the careful listener to hear, e.g., the last choruses of "Phil ’er up," which offers extremely clever ensemble work, and few should be bored with the proceedings. The music, however, has little of a lasting nature about it. The most attractive track I heard was "Roulette" (reminiscent of Richard Rodgers’s "Little Girl Blue"), with its medium paced tempo and tasteful solos, I was disappointed with the work of Hank Jones, who has for some time been a favourite pianist of mine. As one of the best representatives of the modern school he usually has a great deal to say, and he says it tastefully

and concisely. Unless it was the fault of the arrangers, Jones seemed to have a really "off". day. On the other hand, I enjoyed the blowing of tenor man Al Cohn, a swinging musician of the Lester Young school, and the impressive alto playing of Phil Woods, who is a new musician on the scene and may well be worth watching.

As the session came to a close I had the feeling that some of the applause throughout had _ been dubbed in and as the cover did not state that the tecords had been made at actual concerts, I am wondering whether they were. Here’s the Bobby Hammack Quartet Personnel: Hammack (piano, organ, celeste), Friedman (vibes, xylophone, percussion), Nellermoe (guitar), Edelman (bass), plus Holland (bongos, congos, drums). Selections: "Great Day," "Don’t Blame Me," "Pick Yourselt Up," "You Stepped Out of a Dream," "One Fine Dame," and "What is This Thing Called Love." Recorded 1955. First Playing: Station 2YA, March 4, 10.30 p.m. Leader Bobby Hammack’s first introduction to the jazz scene was playing Dixie with the Eddie Miller band in 1945. Then followed solo spots with Bob Crosby, Will Osborne, Pee Wee Hunt and Red Nichols. In 1952 he joined the ABC staff as pianist and there he is today. The first unusual thing about his quartet is that it is in fact a quintet, although the services of the fifth member are not fully employed. The

other unusual point is that here is a modern group relying on putting its music across by playing the melody and not much else. It does not play great or even highly original music, but it does play easy relaxed swing with a smooth blend of tonal colours. "Great Day" is rather an unfortunate choice for an "opener." The tempo is too fast for Hammack, who is playing piano on this track, and he is often out of step with the rest of the group, especially during his solo. My immediate reaction was to think that he was not even a competent pianist. However, I was to be proved incorrect before the session ended, "Don’t Blame Me" features Hammack on organ and is really good. Then follows "Pick Yourself Up," a la George Shearing’s rendition. There are plenty of solo spots on this track and all musicians acquit themselves well. "You Stepped Out" opens delightfully and the quiet mood is maintained by the ensemble as the theme is stated. Then Hammack plays a dozen-odd bars on piano which, for some unknown reason, impressed me _ considerably. Here is forceful drive underlying a very simple approach to a beautiful melody. "One Fine Dame" is a Hammack original with a straightforward theme, and here again I like the piano work. And to leave no shadow of doubt about it, "What is This Thing" shows the leader in fine form, relaxed and sure in his solos. The opening bars are flavoured with Ellington and the Cole Porter standard is given a medium bounce treatment. I sincerely recommend this quarterhour show.

Ray

Harris