Personnel:
Dick Sherman (tp), Gene Quill (as), Argonne Thornton, Dick Katz, Terry Pollard (p), Dick Garcia (g), Buddy Jones, Teddy Kotick, Bill Anthony, MIlt Hinton (b), Sol Gubin, Osie Johnson, Frank Isola (d)
Reference: FSRCD 667
Bar code: 8427328606677
Gene Quillor Tiger as he was affectionately called by his cohorts in New York was born in Atlantic City, N.J. in 1927. Unmistakably a Parker inspired musician and a brilliant, hard-edged, imaginative soloist with a tight, strained sound, he had a very characteristic attack that revealed Birds influence in his tone and the shape of his lines.
While with Claude Thornhill in 1953, he began to attract greater attention, becoming one of the best lead alto players in the New York scene. In 1955 he formed a combo with his friend, trumpeter Dick Sherman, a veteran of the big name bands who had played with him in the Goodman and Thornhill orchestras. From 1956 onwards, Quill was on almost all big band recordings that took place in New York, but he also recorded with smaller groups, such as the last two featured on this set.
About him, the noted jazz critic Burt Korall said: His technical resource is large and he possesses a definite ability to create pointedly swinging musical pictures.
He died in 1989. His desire to live on the edge cost the music world the loss of a great talent, but jazz fans wont easily forget him.
