This Release contains the original album "Just Jazz!", presenting Benny Golson´s arrangements of well known standards performed by an all-star group including Bill Evans, Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter & Freddie Hubbard.
Recorded in the early days of stereo experimentation, the bonus album was first issued as "Triple Play Stereo: Pop + Jazz = Swing", featuring the jazz group on the right channel, and a pop group playing the same song or a related tune on the left channel. Both Albums are presented here in their entirety, the latter appearing here on CD for the first time ever.
Tracklisting:
01. MOTEN SWING (4:16)
02. OUT OF NOWHERE (4:05)
03. GROOVIN HIGH (3:14)
04. AUTUMN LEAVES (4:36)
05. DONNA LEE (2:30)
06. QUICKSILVER (3:50)
07. STELLA BY STARLIGHT (4:16)
08. ORNITHOLOGY (3:42)
09. IF I SHOULD LOSE YOU (3:00)
10. WALKIN (3:47)
11. Left Channel: YOURE DRIVING ME CRAZY
Right Channel: MOTEN SWING (4:14)
12. OUT OF NOWHERE (4:16)
13. Left Channel: WHISPERING
Right Channel: GROOVIN HIGH (3:14)
14. AUTUMN LEAVES (4:39)
15. Left Channel: INDIANA
Right Channel: DONNA LEE (2:44)
16. Left Channel: LOVER COME BACK TO ME
Right Channel: QUICKSILVER (3:52)
17. STELLA BY STARLIGHT (4:20)
18. Left Channel: HOW HIGH THE MOON
Right Channel: ORNITHOLOGY (3:43)
19. IF I SHOULD LOSE YOU (3:00)
20. Left Channel: ST. LOUIS BLUES
Right Channel: WALKIN (3:39)
Total time: 75:06 min.
Tracks #1-10 from the Stereo LP
"Just Jazz!" (Audio Fidelity AFSD-6150)
The jazz group is heard in stereo on both channels
Tracks #11-20 from
"Triple Play Stereo: Pop + Jazz = Swing"
(Audio Fidelity AF-5978)
Add pop band including strings and winds on the left channel. The jazz group is heard on the right channel.
Jazz band collective personnel includes:
Eric Dolphy (as), Wayne Shorter (ts), Freddie Hubbard or Bill Hardman (tp), Curtis Fuller or Grachan Moncur (tb), Bill Evans (p), Ron Carter or Paul Chambers (b) and Charlie Persip or Jimmy Cobb (d). Benny Golson (arranger, conductor).
Recorded in New York City, April 1962
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Notes:
-Just Jazz!
"Many jazz fans have probably searched for this long out of print (except for a lousy bootleg CD reissued by Fresh Sound) record by Benny Golson because of the promising list of musicians present: Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, and Curtis Fuller, among others. But the disappointing fact is that these sessions have a rather tortured history. Initially after these small-group sessions were taped (not all of the musicians are on every track), an 11-piece pop orchestra was dubbed over the original recordings, playing the chord changes of the pieces on which each of the jazz compositions was based. This LP, Pop + Jazz = Swing on the Audiofidelity label, was evidently a total flop. Some time following Eric Dolphy's death in 1964, the original masters, minus the overdubbed pop orchestra, were released as Just Jazz! There are still several problems with this later issue. Golson's arrangements are rather conservative and stiff, with the rhythm section proving to be rather stifled; neither are many of the individual solos very risk-taking. Only Dolphy's alto sax solo on "If I Should Lose You" has stood the test of time very well. Another major annoyance is that the horns frequently seem to have too much reverb added, making it sound as if they were recorded out in a hall away from the rhythm section and then mixed in later. The lack of attention to the packaging of the album includes a very boring front cover, misspelled names of musicians, an incorrect or incomplete list of composers, and, finally, "Groovin' High" and "Quicksilver" have their titles swapped. Collectors will, no doubt, still seek out this LP in spite of its flaws, but at least they have been forewarned before paying a premium price for it."
Ken Dryden -All Music Guide
