Meet the Jazztet
Meet the Jazztet | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1960 | |||
Recorded | February 6, 9 & 10, 1960 | |||
Studio | Nola Penthouse Studios, New York City | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 39:56 | |||
Label | Argo LP 664 | |||
Producer | Kay Norton | |||
Art Farmer chronology | ||||
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Benny Golson chronology | ||||
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Meet the Jazztet is an album by the Jazztet, led by trumpeter Art Farmer and saxophonist Benny Golson featuring performances recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Argo label.[1]
Background
[edit]Meet the Jazztet was the debut recording of the Jazztet, a sextet co-led by Art Farmer and Benny Golson.[2]: 2 The band had first performed in public in November 1959;[2]: 2 the original drummer was Dave Bailey, but he was replaced by Lex Humphries prior to the recording sessions.[2]: 3
Recording
[edit]The album's ten tracks were recorded for Argo Records at Nola Penthouse Studios over three days: February 6, 9, and 10, 1960.[2]: 18 Argo knew the commercial value of having successful jazz singles; this may have influenced the length of the tracks on the album,[2]: 3 only one of which exceeds five minutes.
The Jazztet consisted of Farmer (trumpet), Golson (tenor saxophone), Curtis Fuller (trombone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Addison Farmer (bass), and Humphries (drums).
Music
[edit]"Serenata" has a chord structure that suits improvisation; Golson added an introduction and "a hard 6/8 groove on the theme chorus".[2]: 3 Golson and Farmer each have a two-chorus solo.[2]: 3 "It Ain't Necessarily So" is from Porgy and Bess, which had gained recent attention from the 1959 film version.[2]: 3 The version recorded is at a medium tempo.[2]: 3 "Avalon" is taken at a higher tempo, and features solos from piano, trombone, trumpet, and saxophone, all before the full melody is played.[2]: 3 Golson's ballad "I Remember Clifford" is a feature for Farmer; he had already recorded it twice, but this version, in the words of Bob Blumenthal, is a "heartbreaking reading. The balance Farmer achieves between fealty to the melody and sympathetic variation make this [...] definitive."[2]: 3 "Blues March" was also written by Golson, and first recorded two years before this version, which contains some double-timing from Farmer.[2]: 3 "It's All Right With Me" is chiefly a feature for Fuller.[2]: 4 "Park Avenue Petite" is a ballad written by Golson.[2]: 4 "Mox Nix" is an up-tempo blues by Farmer.[2]: 4 "Easy Living" features Golson's ballad playing, which was influenced by Lucky Thompson and Ben Webster.[2]: 4 "Killer Joe" is "lean and mean, with Farmer's muted horn in the lead and horns blowing softly over a bridge where the rhythm is suspended".[2]: 4
Reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
New Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In August 1960, the album was reported as having good sales, and a single from it, "Killer Joe", with "Mox Nix" on the B side, had reportedly sold over 40,000 copies.[5] Scott Yanow of Allmusic calls the album "a hard bop classic".[3]
The album's final track, "Killer Joe", helped the Jazztet gain attention, in Golson's opinion.[2]: 4
Track listing
[edit]All compositions by Benny Golson except as indicated
- "Serenata" (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish) – 3:30
- "It Ain't Necessarily So" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 4:26
- "Avalon" (Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson, Vincent Rose) – 3:29
- "I Remember Clifford" – 3:10
- "Blues March" – 5:16
- "It's All Right with Me" (Cole Porter) – 3:53
- "Park Avenue Petite" – 3:41
- "Mox Nix" (Art Farmer) – 4:01
- "Easy Living" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) – 3:33
- "Killer Joe" – 4:57
Personnel
[edit]Musicians
[edit]- Art Farmer – trumpet
- Benny Golson – tenor saxophone
- Curtis Fuller – trombone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Addison Farmer – bass
- Lex Humphries – drums
Production
[edit]- Kay Norton – production
- Tommy Nola – recording engineering
References
[edit]- ^ Art Farmer discography Archived 2012-01-15 at the Wayback Machine accessed June 15, 2012
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Blumenthal, Bob (2004) In The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions [CD liner notes]. Mosaic MD7-225.
- ^ a b Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed June 15, 2012
- ^ Griffiths, David (18 May 1963). "Art Farmer & Benny Golson: Meet The Jazztet" (PDF). New Record Mirror. No. 114. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "The Jazztet Really Making Strides Now" (August 20, 1960) New York Amsterdam News, p. 14.