Contributed by bluebird, who writes:-
Who was it who said ' a game of two halves' in the football context?
Well, this is a record of two halves in the musical context. The first side being devoted to the four part 'Stonehenge' which could well have been written for, and played by, Stan Kenton. It is full of fire, shouting brass, brooding ensembles and not a little pretension. The scores must have been difficult to play but the musicians are well up to the job particularly in the lip busting, high note trumpet section work.
The second side is more in the jazz style with some attractive themes well played and with some interesting solos. The musicians are drawn from the ranks of top British session players with some big names from the jazz world added.
Russo was, of course, one of the more interesting writers/arrangers for Kenton whose various bands in the 1950s/1960s enjoyed playing Bill's challenging music. Russo outgrew the jazz world and moved on to teaching and writing in the academic world, becoming William in the process. His short stay in London after he left Kenton produced some fine music of which this is one example.
FLAC from lp with cover scans.
Some alternative covers are displayed above but are not in the download - the lower ones. These were supplied later by jazzandylan.
(01-04)
William Russo - conductor
Leon Calvert - leader, trumpet
Richard Peaslee - assistant conductor
Don Blakeson - trumpet
Ron Simmonds - trumpet
Kenny Wheeler - trumpet
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Ric Kennedy - trombone
Tony Russell - trombone
Chris Smith - trombone
Jack Thirwell - bass trombone
Al Newman - alto
Johnny Scott - alto, flute
Eddie Mordeu - tenor
Vic Ash - tenor, clarinet
Alex Leslie - baritone
Ray Dempsey - guitar
Arthur Watts - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums
John Shineborne - cello
Freddy Alexander - cello
William DeMont - cello
Vivain Joseph - cello
(05-09)
William Russo - conductor
Leon Calvert - leader, trumpet
Patrick gowers - assistant conductor
Don Blakeson - trumpet
Butch Hudson - trumpet
Kenny Wheeler - trumpet
Maurice Pratt - trombone
Ric Kennedy - trombone
Tony Russell - trombone
Bill Geldard - trombone
Jack Thirwell - bass trombone
Al Newman - alto
Johnny Scott - alto, flute
Eddie Mordeu - tenor
Vic Ash - tenor, clarinet
Alex Leslie - baritone
Judd Proctor - guitar
Arthur Watts - bass
Tony Kinsey - drums, percussion
John Shineborne - cello
Francis Gabarro - cello
William DeMont - cello
Paul Marianari - cello
01 Trilothons (Peaslee) (5:32)
02 Sunrise (Peaslee) (2:56)
03 Rituals (Peaslee) (4:19)
04 Immolation (Peaslee) (4:17)
05 Fugue For Jazz Orchestra (Russo) (2:32)
06 Gentle Autumn (Russell) (5:02)
07 Broadway (Russo) (3:41)
08 Black Pedro (Peaslee) (4:10)
09 Love's Labour (Russell) (2:53)
Label: Columbia 33SX 1758
Recorded: August 15 1964 (01-04) October 09 1964 (05-09)
Lineage: LP>FLAC
Many thanks to Bluebird and Rodney for this rare post. I don't know whether there was a stereo issue of this album in the UK - I've never seen a copy. However, GM Recordings in the USA did issue a CD in 1995 that contained Richard Peaslee's "Stonehenge Suite" (in stereo) but not "Five Pieces For Jazz Orchestra". This was replaced with "The Carousel Suite" by Russo, recorded in London in 1983 with Dizzy Gillespie - and Studs Terkel!
ReplyDeleteNo stereo issue existed of this. At the time EMI were still issuing in both mono and stereo - the earlier London Jazz Orch album ("Russo in Liondon") was issued in both formats (and as "Stereophony" on the FM label in the States) but I guess sales of the stereo version were insufficient to encourage EMI to issue the second album in stereo. A great pity as anyone who saw the orchestra live will recall it was laid out in such a way that the brass, reed and cello sections were split down the centre by the rhythm section. The fact that GM Recordings (Gunther Schuller's label) had already issued "Stonehenge" probably put Mike Dutton of Dutton/Vocalion off of reissuing the rest of the album alongside the first LP - undoubtedly stereo tapes do exist (as likely do stereo tapes for Bill le Sage's Directions in Jazz albums). Dutton coupled "Russo in London" with a rare Kenny Baker album - "Blowing up a Storm" - more conventional but still worth listening to with the likes of Art Ellefson, Ken Wray, the aforementioned le Sage and Jackie Dougan on drums... oh, and a couple of chaps going by the names of "Derwent Ridemaster" and "Redvers Reedworker" - Rendell and Ross, of course!
DeleteStill, even in mono, the second LJO album is very much worth listening to, so thanks once again to Bluebird and Rodney.
Thanks Rodney and bluebird! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, excellent post.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks,as always.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much look forward to hearing this one.
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