From the moment I first heard Count Basie and his Orchestra at the
old Greystone Ballroom in Cincinnati at age twelve (that was 1941) until
this very moment, I have been about swing. Add the word happy
and it becomes Happy swing! That's what I witnessed and fell
in love with as a wide-eyed kid in Cincinnati. It was then that I decided
that I wanted to play in that band someday and also be a bandleader
(however I never dreamed of leading the Basie Band).
I was the leader of the Count Basie Orchestra when I first met George
Gee. George Gee is a bandleader and George Gee is about swing. George
Gee is also a happy cat; therefore his band plays happy
swing. Since that's I'm about, that makes us brothers of a sort.
Watch George Gee fronting his big band and you witness happy swing.
It was infectious back in 1941 and it's still infectious today in the
21st Century. No matter what takes place in the field of music, happy
swing like that generated by the Basie Band of the '40s will always
get through to intelligent listeners and folks with happy feet!
The band you'll hear on this CD swings through all my arrangements
happily, as well as the wonderful chart done by “triple threat”
tenor saxophonist/arranger/vocalist Lance Bryant. I love being in good
company, so you know I had big fun during this outing. Check
out the soloists on the various tunes and see if you don't agree that
the feeling is universal throughout the band. Also witness vocalist
Carla Cook giving new life to standards like The Very Thought Of
You and Lover Come Back To Me.
Take it from me, whatever 'was good once will always be good regardless
of passing fads, trends and crossover type mixing of genres. Thanks
to the dedication and persistence of leaders like George Gee - swing,
happy swing - will be around for a long, long time.
Out Of Nowhere:
This arrangement starts out fairly gently in a medium dance tempo with
the full ensemble, and then five saxes enter by themselves for a short
‘soli’ passage. The sax section, led by stalwart Ed Pazant,
has only eight measures to show off, but show off they do with authority
and a wonderful blend that shows they're listening to each other. Trumpeter
Mark McGowan takes over after an interlude reminiscent of Tadd Dameron
for a pleasing solo on this beautiful standard. Another similar interlude
follows, and Mike Hashim then shows us how a seasoned tenor saxophonist
handles this somewhat challenging set of chord changes (you Jazz cats
out there know very well that not just anybody can do this). Hashim's
harmonic relevancy isn't the only thing in evidence here. He also manages
to tell a very nice story in his melodic improvisation. The full ensemble
shouts it out in true big band fashion for the closing chorus.
Settin' The Pace:
John Cowherd begins this track by establishing the groove with some
straight ahead piano that's right to the point. The band states the
opening theme and ensemble figures with just the right amount of spirit
and vigor. Following this is a short interlude that throws us into a
three-way trombone battle between veteran Eddie Bert, lead player Charles
Stephens and bass trombonist Jack Jeffers. They go at it trading '4s'
for too short a period, then baritone saxophonist Howard Johnson, veteran
of a few battles himself, comes in to carry the groove forward all alone
(pushed on by the rhythm section and shouting ensemble, of course).
After HoJo states his case the band returns to the opening theme, taking
the piece out with a big enough bang to get us well on our way. Dancers,
prepare yourselves for some jazzy gyrating; listeners, sit back and
let eighteen musicians and one classy lady vocalist led by the 'Buddha
of Boogie', George Gee himself fill your ears and hearts with our version
of what's been referred to for decades as pure unadulterated swing.
Lover Come Back To Me:
On the first vocal track Carla Cook jumps on this standard written well
before her time, but one would never know it from the way she handles
it. You'll figure this lover shouldn't be long getting back if he's
in his right mind. She's just that persuasive in her treatment of these
lyrics. This is a true Jazz rendition that fully complements the instrumental
segments of this CD. G'on wit'cha ba-ad self, Carla.
In A Sentimental Mood:
After an introduction that seeks to capture a teeny fraction of a feeling
of Ellingtonia - Lance Bryant shows off on his only instrumental solo
appearance on this CD. He definitely makes it a good one as he goes
through the paces on the great master's super-lovely ballad. Bryant
treats the tune with all the necessary tenderness and romantic fervor
befitting its title. The ensemble couches his solo effort respectfully
and fluidly. Farther along in the final bridge Mike Hashim (switches
horns) literally 'sings' a few measures on alto sax over a three-trombone
harmonization somewhat ala Ellington. I say 'somewhat' because my man
Edward Kennedy You-know-who was a most elusive gentleman to those of
us arrangers attempting to imitate him in even the most uncomplicated
of contexts, such as voicing for three trombones. Anyway, the main focal
point here is Lance Bryant's masterful tenor saxophone artistry. But
hold on; you ain't heard all of what this brother can do. I tell ya',
th' kid's definitely bordering on awesome! Just wait 'til the back end
of the CD. You'll see--and hear.
Mambo Inn:
Mario Bauza's lively composition is given a swing band treatment here,
greatly enhanced by the brilliant efforts of percussionist Renato Thoms,
who's got one dyn-O-mite pair of hands. He adds just the exact flavor
this one needs to help authenticate its Latin-icity, so to
speak. The rest of the rhythm section (Willard Dyson, Darryl Hall, Joe
Cohn and John Cowherd do a nice job of anchoring this one while adding
to the excitement, while Mark McGowan hits some nice screaming notes
on the ensemble shout. But the real star on this is mi hermano Renato.
He duh Man!
Ready Now That You Are, G.G.:
I'm very happy about the way this band deals with my three originals
on this CD. They showed true professionalism all the way. Although this
chart was originally done for the Count Basie Orchestra with guitarist
George Benson, we aptly changed the initials at the end of the title
from G.B. (George Benson) to G.G. (guess who). It's equally as applicable
here because this recording marks the culmination of long-held dream
of this ambitious, persistent bandleader who doesn't give up easily
on dreams, thank God. For the longest time now George Gee has wanted
to make a recording with his band performing all (or almost
all) Frank Foster arrangements and compositions. When he last mentioned
the project to me, and we discussed the material involved I was just
about all prepared; hence, the ready-made title: Ready Now That
You Are, G.G.
As you'll see, the band was ready too. After the saxes jump off on
the opening melody Joe Cohn, who fills Mr. Benson's shoes guitaristically
on this one, takes command for what I think is one of the two or three
very best solos on this entire CD. Listen to those fantastic
melodic turns during his brilliant display of Jazz guitar playing. This
is what hip modern jazz is all about: mind- and ear-boggling spontaneity!
Pretty good for a dude who claims to be 'intimidated' by the big band,
huh? HAH!! I'd say the intimidated became the 'intimidator' on this
bad boy!
Marshall McDonald gives us a no-nonsense, right-to-the-point statement
on alto sax, and Robert Trowers contributes most gracefully on trombone,
as per his usual (he had also participated similarly on the earlier
Basie/Benson version). Bringing up the rear is powerhouse lead trumpeter
Walt Szymanski acting in a solo role here. He takes it to the next level
with a whistling chorus that really nails it down. John Cowherd colors
up the ending with some good piano fills, as well. I might add that
these cats were doin' such serious smokin' on the whole recording that
I almost wished I coulda' been sitting in the saxophone section.
Bass In Your Face:
Darryl Hall adds weight to the meaning of this title by giving us just
what it says: Bass In Yo' Face!! He states the melody alone
swinging like a (censored), tastefully accompanied by Joe Cohn doing
some Freddie Green-like 4-to-the-bar comping, then strums on some slick
licks prior to an episode of trading 'fours' with the trombones, saxophones
and trumpets respectively. During these trade-offs the three horn sections
show us some of what they're about. The saxes and trumpets do a bit
of 'doubling-up' to demonstrate their technical facility. This only
serves to stir up Mr. Hall, and he proceeds to go appropriately crazy,
literally getting in everybody's face! Talk about taking absolutely
no prisoners….'Designated Hitter' (his initials D. H.,
get it?) and the rest of the ensemble take it out rousingly, and a good
time was had by (H)all.
The Very Thought Of You:
Once again Ms. Cook shows us what she can do with a beautiful popular
song, no matter in which century it was composed. With her
silky smooth, perfectly tuned voice she skillfully yet tenderly convinces
us that we are the subject of her every thought. Flutes and
muted brass in the beginning help express all that precious tenderness,
and then Mike Hashim's tenor voice enhances the whole picture with subtle,
musically fitting utterances of agreement. The band supports her intensity
of emotion with one big crescendo, after which they close together with
a whispering expression of enduring love.
When Your Lover Has Gone:
Walt Szymanski's expressive trumpet is featured on this track and it
informs of the many kinds of trips one takes when one's lover has
gone. You can hear sadness, loneliness, frustration, anger, even mild
insanity as the subject tries to cope with an undesirable situation.
And while you're checking out the tale of woe you may notice that some
pretty mean trumpet is being played here. Notice also that the band
is swinging all the way. Let's not omit the one most pervasive ingredient
in this entire venture. Yeah, y'all, ain't no gittin' away from the
'S' word. We got about two whole generations of folk who need
to be educated on what 'swing' is... but that's another chapter to be
discussed in time. This CD however should be included in the curriculum
on the study of this vital musical element. 'Nuff said!
Autumn Leaves:
In her third and final appearance on this big band CD, Carla Cook adds
her own unique flavor to yet another old tune. Not only was the song
written before she appeared on the planet, but she couldn't possibly
have even reached toddler stage when this arrangement was penned!
That fact doesn’t mean nothin' to her, 'cause all she
does here is.. what's her last name? Uh.. COOK!!! The band,
naturally, does all the right stuff behind her. Now you gotta' listen
to how these guys push this lady with an abundance of hipness in phrasing.
All the written figures are brought to life with maximum impact. A lesser
vocalist would have to make some kind of showing with
all this smokin' background, but Cook was way, way up for it. Also Steve
Wiseman's tasty muted trumpet is heard backing up Carla for a hot moment,
assuring that every single band member gets at least a little piece
to say on this recording. It's awfully difficult to fit every gifted
soloist in on most big band presentations, but on this one every
voice is heard at least once. George Gee is a lot like me in that he
believes in the slogan 'no soloist left behind.'
In saying merely "this was a job well done" - I would be
guilty of understatement.
I Don't Want To Learn To Sing The Blues:
In the liner notes for this compact disc recording I mention Lance Bryant
as being a 'triple threat' artist. He's a good solid tenor saxophonist
and a superb arranger. These two talents I'd known about for years dating
back to when he was a member of the late Lionel Hampton's Orchestra.
I received a most pleasant shock when I heard him vocalize convincingly
and with authority on this composition by Ms. Dawn Hampton. Th' cat
plays, arranges and sings! Fact is, he does them all very well.
If I had been able to do all that back in 1954 I'd be residing
at a sumptuous villa in St. Tropez, doing a now-and-then commute to
New York for gigs (big band only), and living off one healthy Swiss
bank account!!
Now, back to the song. To me, this tune and its lyrics are deserving
of serious attention on the part of someone in authority. By comparison
to much of what's being thrown at the public from all angles - its way,
way over the top. How many more songs does Dawn Hampton have stacked
up somewhere? And why haven't I seen or heard much more of
her since I saw her last - back at the old Cotton Club in Cincinnati,
Ohio with the Hampton Family Band (of which young Slide was a member).
This was sometime around 1945. That was over half a century ago!
(She should be living next door to my villa in St. Tropez). Once again,
'nuff said.
Lance Bryant doesn't deliver a song vocally like one of those karaoke
(sic) people or some 'Gimme the mike' participator; he sounds like a
real singer because he is a real singer! He's got style, feeling, voice
quality, intonation, all th' good stuff that I believe a vocalist
needs to be worth listening to.
Bryant sings the heck out of this heck of a song. His arrangement of
it is killin', all it needs to be, done with an equal degree of skill
as the vocal. His tenor saxophone prowess you've already heard on In
a Sentimental Mood earlier on this CD. If I find out he does anything
else as well as write, play and sing I'm putting a hit out
on him (relax! that's a joke). This song, this vocal, this arrangement
together comprise a most fitting addition to this production, especially
since it happens to be a slammin' big band jazz/blues vocal chart.
Scrapple From The Apple:
Be-Bop is alive and well in The City! Charlie Parker's classic
is presented here with our very own big band concept. Our intro, a copy
of the one on Bird's recording, is voiced for saxes and trombones in
front, and for the entire ensemble on the end. In between we have that
purely 'boppish' head followed by sectional backdrops behind the solo
efforts of lead alto sax Ed Pazant, who alternates with youthful trumpeter
Shawn Edmonds, borrowed from the current Basie Band trumpet section.
These two carry out the improvisational chores of 'Bird' and Miles respectively.
In the solo segments each starts out with a full 32-bar chorus apiece,
and then it breaks down into trading '8s', then '4s, then Q and A with
the horn sections.
I've always known Ed Pazant to be a spirited player, and he sticks
to that very idea here, with a couple of fiery moments where he's all
over that horn. Shawn plays in a somewhat relaxed, pretty style that
could at times remind one of Miles' approaches at the time him and 'Bird'
recorded Scrapple. Both Pazant and Edmonds have their moments
during the exchanges, helping to make this a fitting closer for the
CD.
Finally the band hollers away in an ensemble chorus which includes
an old lick straight out of an ancient arrangement of the standard Honeysuckle
Rose. Pazant and Edmonds blow four apiece on the final bridge,
then the band screams the last eight of the original melody with Walt
Szymanski's lead trumpet way up in the altissimo register. He goes right
back up there for the last four measures of the ending. What a way to
take it out! This brings the entire production to one thunderous conclusion.
Needless to say, everyone on the date was well spent; but then so was
the time.
Like I said on the CD liner notes, I like being in good company. Well
I really had my fill here. George Gee's big swinging band gave
a sterling performance all through this recording. One more thing: Willard
"Sweet Willie D" Dyson's excellent big band drumming was no
small part of it! He kicked this thing so hard 'til I believe Saturn's
got a couple more rings around it! He, along with fellow rhythm section
members John Cowherd, Darryl Hall and Joe Cohn held this swingin’
monster together like a ton of crazy glue, yet it was still
loose as it needed to be. Leader George Gee has every right to be proud
of this group of world class musicians. I'm awfully glad I participated
in it. Each one of my arrangements was full of love when I laid'em down
in front of these guys, and you know what? All that love came whizzing
back at me 100 miles a second in great abundance, pressed down and in
whatever other good terms one could describe it. Oh well, enough of
these superlatives. Let's listen.
Frank Foster
P.S. Given the proper setting, you just might prefer to dance.
