Kenton Presents: Bob Cooper, Bill Holman & Frank Rosolino (1999), Mosaic, 4-CD box set

 

I already own a ton of Mosaic box sets, and while there are several more I have been tempted to buy despite not really having room to store them, I have resisted the urge until now, when this set became available on Dusty Groove for $30, though it came without the outer 12 x 12-inch box. I'm also a big fan of West Coast Jazz of the 1950s and early 1960s, a style disparaged in some corners of the jazz universe and therefore harder to find and collect. As the allaboutjazz.com review of this set states, West Coast Jazz takes a more cerebral, structured approach that relies more on tightly arranged ensemble playing and fewer and shorter improvisational solos. Some listeners might find this approach less passionate and exciting, and the above-cited review says that it sometimes more nearly approaches modern classical music than jazz, but I still find the interplay of instruments and cross-harmonies and statements of the different sections of the ensembles stimulating, interesting, and enjoyable. I don't believe you have to choose between this more scripted form of West Coast Jazz and freer, looser East Coast versions: I think you can enjoy both; each brings something different. That said, Stan Kenton's orchestra of the 1940s and 1950s was a breeding ground for budding arrangers--Pete Rugolo, Shorty Rogers, and Johnny Richards all cut their chops writing charts for Kenton before venturing out on their own. Capitol Records, Kenton's label at the time, recognized this "farm system" and in 1954 began a short-lived series of 10" LPs highlighting some of his leading up-and-comers, including the three artists in this box set.

Of the three artists featured here, as other reviewers have agreed, Bill Holman is the standout, known more for his arranging and compositional skills than as a tenor saxophonist. His work comprises most of Disc 2, which features the tracks from the aforementioned 1954 10" and 10 previously unissued tracks from that session and another from 1955, and Disc 4, which reissues on CD for the first time his 1960 Capitol LP Great Big Band, released long after the Kenton Presents series had been retired. Both of these discs are essential West Coast Jazz at its best. Bob Cooper's work, featured over most of Disc 1 and the last 5 tracks of Disc 4, which come from his instrumental tracks on the 1961 Capitol LP of the music from the theatrical production Do-Re-Mi, is simpler, more straight-ahead chamber jazz, still enjoyable if not quite as creative. And like Joe Meek, trombonist Frank Rosolino's stellar musical career will forever be tainted by the way he ended his life--killing himself and one of his sons in a murder-suicide in 1978 (he intended to kill his other son but ended up only blinding him). Rosolino was an impressive virtuoso on his instrument, capable of rapid runs and creative solos, but he also fancied himself a vocalist, though I find that portion of his talent less appealing, along the lines of less-gifted singers like Bob Dorough. However, I have to admit that his breakneck scatting that turns into yodeling on "Pennies From Heaven" is unique, if not a little kitschy. Rosolino's work comprises the entirety of Disc 3 in this set. The allaboutjazz.com review cites the excellent audio quality of these recordings; Malcolm Addey's remaster no doubt is a major reason.

Do I Really Need This record?  Given the difficulty in tracking down Bill Holman's best work, this was a can't-refuse purchase. It would have been nice to have the outer box, but at less than half the original price ($64) for a limited edition (5000 copies) set issued over 20 years ago, I couldn't go wrong in picking up this one.

 

Sonny Clark - My Conception (1959) Blue Note, 2021 Tone Poet pressing

 

To be blunt, the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic (and its predecessor Blue Note 80) vinyl reissue series are the best things since sliced bread. Taking some of the best jazz of the 20th century, having it remastered by one of the best mastering engineers in Kevin Gray, then having it pressed on 180g vinyl at two of the better pressing plants--RTI for the Tone Poet series and Optimal for the Classic series--and finally pricing those releases at $35 and $25 (now up to $26 for the most recent releases), respectively, is a god-send for jazz junkies like myself. Never mind that I spent gobs of money years ago building up an extensive CD collection of a lot of these titles, particularly those now in the Classic and Blue Note 80 series, getting to re-hear them after Gray's mastering, which brings out much more detail and expands the sound stage,  while not having to pay the exorbitant prices now commanded for equivalent Music Matters releases is a bargain not to be passed up. I was not yet in the audiophile loop when the original Music Matters 2 x 45 RPM releases hit the market, nor was I on board when they began reissuing a lot of the same titles on single disc 33 RPM, so by the time I was ready to jump in, most of those titles had sold out or were commanding way-above-list-price figures due to Music Matters' unconventional escalating price scale as titles became scarcer. I did, however, snatch up a few of the more obscure Music Matters titles when they went on sale in an effort to reduce inventory, but I figured I would never be able to touch any of the true Blue Note cornerstones, until the Classic and Blue Note 80 series came along.

However, the Tone Poet series was designed to delve into some of those more obscure titles that Music Matters had never issued, perhaps not the crown jewels of the Blue Note catalog, but with Blue Note even the B-grade material would pass for A prime just about anywhere else. This Sonny Clark title, just released on vinyl this year, may not be his iconic Blue Note masterpiece, Cool Struttin' (which I also snagged when it was released in the Classic series), but with a lineup that includes Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey executing his trademark thunderous drum rolls, this is an all star cast that compares favorably with just about any lineup you could name. Clark's career at Blue Note tends to get overshadowed by bigger names on the label's roster, like Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Andrew Hill, and Horace Silver, but Clark, more a contemporary of Silver than the others, can hold his  own amongst the best post-bop pianists of the late 1950s. Clark's compositions are stellar as well, particularly on the shuffling "Blues Blue" and the pensive closing title track. While the crowded bandstand doesn't give Clark as much room for soloing as on his sparer trio sessions, who in their right mind would complain about having to listen to solos from Byrd and Mobley? While recorded just one year after Cool Struttin', this session was not released until 20 years later, long after Clark died at just 31 from what is believed to have been a heroin overdose. Like most of the Tone Poet and Classic releases, these vinyl gems sell out fast and may not be offered again for several years.

Do I Really Need This record?  I suppose that technically I could say I did not need this record. As mentioned above, I had already scored the vinyl reissue of Clark's Cool Struttin', considered his best record, and I have a couple other of his Blue Note albums on CD. Also, I own a ton of Blue Note jazz in a variety of formats, so I don't play any single title more than a couple times a year at best. But given the sonic bliss afforded by all these Tone Poet releases, added to their eventual scarcity, and a 20% discount off list price during a Blue Note Labor Day sale, how could I resist? Not buying it would have been a dereliction of duty, right?

 

Laura Nyro - Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968) Columbia, Terre Haute pressing

 

As with Roberta Flack, I am a late comer to Laura Nyro the performer, though like most people I had heard many of her compositions that became hits for the likes of Barbra Streisand, The Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night, Blood, Sweat & Tears, etc. But I kept reading about her unique blend of soul, Brill Building-esque New York pop, and confessional singer-songwriting style, so I took my first plunge a few months back in purchasing the Real Gone Music vinyl reissue of her first LP, More Than a New Discovery, and was sufficiently impressed to seek out her second LP, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession, a title that on the surface seems to meld her Three Dog Night hit "Eli's Comin'," the album's closing track "The Confession," and the fact that the record has 13 tracks. Besides "Eli's Comin'," which is delivered in a rousing, passionate arrangement to close out Side 1, the other big hit on this LP is "Stoned Soul Picnic," which charted for The Fifth Dimension, though many other artists also recorded it, even Julie London on her last LP. Those two tracks are the definite standouts here, while on the others Nyro tends to get a little more experimental and adventurous beyond the 3-minute pop song format. She has a particular fondness for dramatic tempo shifts mid-song, either from very slow to very fast, or vice versa, a device that would be fine if used once or twice but is a bit overused over the course of this album. Nyro's vocal technique is often brash and bold, though she can get pensive and quietly sentimental as well, a range that invites comparison to Joni Mitchell meets Bette Midler. Though some critics, like those at Allmusic.com, consider this her best album with a 5-star review, I think I enjoyed More Than a New Discovery better, given my somewhat conventional pop tastes and its more consistent delivery of that style of songcraft. I haven't yet decided whether to continue to her third album, New York Tendaberry, yet--I probably should listen to some samples and do more research first. That said, Eli is still a record worth seeking out, and Nyro is an artist worthy of more than the cult following she has amassed particularly after her death at age 49 in 1997.

This is a first pressing from 1968 with Columbia's 360 Stereo Sound labels and a fold-over lyric sheet included. I have been impressed with other 360 Stereo Sound pressings I own for delivering life-like detail and sound stage comparable with the finest contemporary audiophile pressings. This record also provides an exceptional listening experience, particularly with the occasional acoustic guitars on a few of the tracks. Nyro's vocals are front and center as they should be, but at times I felt the mix was missing enough bottom and the overall sound seemed a little tinny with too much treble. Those with tons of cash could seek out the Audio Fidelity SACD or Analog Spark vinyl remaster, both from 2016, to see if they offer any improvements, but I think my $25 near-mint original pressing is probably the best bang for the buck.

Do I Really Need This record?  Since it is considered Nyro's best and a prime example of her songwriting excellence, the answer is clearly yes. File this one under my recent late 60s-early 70s female singer-songwriter kick that also includes Flack and Joni Mitchell, yet another revered artist it took me a while to appreciate.