Leroy “Lee” Lovett (1919-2013) was one of the top ranking musicians in his native Philadelphia, where he began studying piano at the age of five. He wrote arrangements for most of the top local dance bands in the midforties. He only left his hometown to enter the big dance band scene in New York around 1945, where he wrote for some of the best orchestras in town, and helped shape Cat
Anderson’s swinging big band in 1947.

Between 1949 and 1950 he played and recorded with the bands of Lucky Millinder and Big John Greer, and arranged for Tab Smith and Mercer Ellington. It was about then that Lovett decided to enter the recording field, and started handling sessions for Atlantic, Herald, Mercury, Columbia and RCA-Victor. In February 1951, he joined the new Johnny Hodges band that would become one of the finest jazz combos of the early ‘50s. The original group included such stellar tootlers as trombonist Lawrence Brown, (who was leaving Duke Ellington with Hodges), ex-Basie trumpeter Emmett Berry, and three ex-Ellingtonians, tenorist Al Sears, drummer Sonny Greer, and bassist Joe Benjamin.

Although there were some personnel changes, the band remained active until late 1955, recording some great discs for Norman Granz’ labels Clef and Norgran. In those prolific years Lovett, working with Granz, Lovett wrote and arranged albums for Al Hibbler, Billie Holiday, Bud Powell, Buddy Rich, and many others. The talented Mr. Lovett also stood out as a songwriter of pop hits such as Can’t I? (1953) sung by Nat King Cole, All At Once (1954) by Don Cornell, and After the Lights Go Down Low (1956) by Al Hibbler. It would be impossible to include all his accomplishments in a short synopsis, but suffice it to say that Lee Lovett was the epitome of talent.

However, and despite his long and successful career as a pianist and arranger-composer, Lovett only recorded two albums under his own name, both in 1959: “Jazz Dance Party” and “Lee + 3” both on Wynne Records. The first one, includes mainly rocking and slow selections that allow him to show all his versatility and trademark dexterity as a big band jazz arranger. Each section works its way up to some splendid demonstrations of exciting shouting, on which the so-called rhythm and blues players moved toward the rich wellspring of Ellington jazz. Improvisations are melodic, vividly swinging and loaded with wit. But perhaps the most remarkable aspect of these deeply moving performances is the great vitality with which the soloists are backed by the rest of the band in ensemble riffs —sometimes they are set apart, only to be reintroduced later by well-organized ensemble passages, with the All Hall and “Butch” Ballard team swinging like mad all the way.

“Lee + 3” finds Leroy leading a cohesive and versatile quartet session that swings from the get go. His piano playing, too often neglected, is forceful and passionate in the up-tempoes, and subtle, rewarding and full of subdued emotion on the trio ballads. Saxophonist Bob Brown blows hard on tenor, with the phrasing, intonation and attack of a rooted blues player, and his work on alto is an exercise in eloquence. The roles of Hall and Ballard are thus boldly revealed in this stimulating set.

—Jordi Pujol (From the inside liner notes of FSRCD 981)