George Russell - At The Five Spot (1960)

George Russell - At The Five Spot (1960)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB

Verve 2000

Allmusic:
This limited-edition CD reissue covers six tracks recorded in the studio (since they obviously omit any of the background noise, and the usual out-of-tune piano heard on live dates recorded at the long defunct New York City nightclub is missing). The band includes trumpeter Al Kiger, trombonist David Baker, tenor saxophonist Dave Young, bassist Chuck Israels, and drummer Joe Hunt, along with Russell's sparse piano. Things kick off with a driving take of Miles Davis' "Sippin' at Bells," which features great interaction among the horns. Carla Bley's "Dance Class" is choppy, dissonant, and very humorous; she also wrote "Beast Blues," which features Kiger's muted horn, an energetic solo by Young, and a very understated solo by Baker. Baker contributed "121 Bank Street," a roller coaster post-bop vehicle. John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice," which had only been recorded three years earlier by its composer, is re-scored with a very spacious Russell arrangement that provides minimal accompaniment for the soloists. Unlike many of Russell's releases, this one has only one of his originals, "Swingdom Come," with a jagged angular theme that defies predictable paths. Although Russell plays more of a composer/arranger style of piano, his very challenging arrangements are very attractive. Anyone who enjoys his releases for RCA, Riverside, and Decca from around this period in his career should definitely acquire this sure-to-be-collectable CD.

Tracks
-1. "Sippin' at Bells" (Miles Davis) - 7:19
-2. "Dance Class" (Carla Bley) - 6:17
-3. "Swingdom Come" (Russell) - 7:30
-4. "121 Bank Street" (David Baker) - 5:58
-5. "Beast Blues" (Bley) - 8:56
-6. "Moment's Notice" (John Coltrane) - 8:02
Recorded September 20, 1960 in NYC

Personnel
* George Russell: piano, arranger, conductor
* Al Kiger: trumpet
* David Baker: trombone
* Dave Young: tenor saxophone
* Chuck Israels: bass
* Joe Hunt: drums

sample & buy: At the Five Spot

 

George Russell - The Outer View (1962)

Georgr Russell - The Outer View (1962)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

OJC

Allmusic:
Composer George Russell's early-'60s Riverside recordings are among his most accessible. For this set (the CD reissue adds an alternate take of the title cut to the original program), Russell and his very impressive sextet (which is comprised of trumpeter Don Ellis, trombonist Garnett Brown, Paul Plummer on tenor, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Pete La Roca) are challenged by the complex material; even Charlie Parker's blues "Au Privave" is transformed into something new. It is particularly interesting to hear Don Ellis this early in his career. The most famous selection, a very haunting version of "You Are My Sunshine," was singer Sheila Jordan's debut on records.

Tracks
-1. "Au Privave" (Charlie Parker) - 6:21
-2. "Zig-Zag" (Carla Bley) - 4:03
-3. "The Outer View" - 10:03
-4. "The Outer View" [alternate take] - 9:26 Bonus track on CD reissue
-5. "You Are My Sunshine" (Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell) - 11:51
-6. "D.C. Divertimento" - 9:14
*All compositions by George Russell except as indicated
*Recorded August 27, 1962 in NYC

Personnel
*George Russell: piano, arranger, conductor
*Don Ellis: trumpet
*Garnett Brown: trombone
*Paul Plummer: tenor saxophone
*Steve Swallow: bass
*Pete La Roca: drums
*Sheila Jordan: vocals on "You Are My Sunshine"

sample & buy: Outer View

George Russell - New York, New York (1959) (eac-log-cover)

George Russell - New York, New York (1959)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 280MB

Decca | MCAD-31371

AMG:
George Russell was one of the most forward-thinking composers and arrangers on the jazz scene during the 1950s, but his work was generally more appreciated by musicians than the jazz-buying public. New York, New York represents one of many high points in his career. He assembled an all-star orchestra, including pianist Bill Evans (a frequent participant on Russell's recordings), Art Farmer, Bob Brookmeyer, John Coltrane, and Milt Hinton, among others. In Rodgers & Hart's "Manhattan," Russell has the soloists playing over the orchestra's vamp, while he also creates an imaginative "East Side Medley" combining the standards "Autumn in New York" and "How About You." His original material is just as striking as his arrangements, while vocalist Jon Hendricks serves as narrator between orchestra segments. While this release has been reissued several times, it rarely remains in print for long, so don't miss the opportunity to acquire this elusive CD.

Tracks:
All compositions by George Russell except as indicated
-01- "Manhattan" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 10:34
-02- "Big City Blues" - 11:40
-03- Manhattan: "Rico" - 10:12
-04- East Side Medley: "Autumn in New York"/"How About You?" (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin)/(Ralph Freed, Burton Lane) - 8:01
-05- "A Helluva Town" - 5:01
Recorded on September 12, 1958-March 25, 1959 in NYC

Personnel:
George Russell - arranger, conductor
Art Farmer - trumpet
Doc Severinson - trumpet
Ernie Royal - trumpet
Bob Brookmeyer - trombone
Frank Rehak - trombone
Hal McKusick - alto saxophone
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Sol Schlinger - baritone saxophone
Bill Evans - piano
Barry Galbraith - guitar
Milt Hinton - bass
Charlie Persip - drums
Jon Hendricks - vocals, narration

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