Bill Russo proved to be the most successful of all the third stream composers because of his inclusive musical conception. He did not write in jazz or classical terms; he simply wrote music. Centred on the weekly rehearsal orchestra he ran from January 1959, the big band he assembled for these recordings is as it should be under control, with beautifully nuanced dynamics of great power and delicacy. It was probing and serious, characteristics that had somehow become embarrassing during the Basie era, but deployed here without a trace of pretentiousness. And it swung. At first glance this was a conventional jazz big band, except for the cello section, but the sound that Russo extracted from it is remarkable.
The music from these two albums School of Rebellion and Seven Deadly Sins moves smoothly in an inevitable progression of organic growth, in a genuine third stream fusion of classical and jazz principles. It makes for richly rewarding listening.
Tracklist
Total time: 68:47 min.
01. The Golden Apple (5:07) Solo: Collins & Elton
02. Manteca, Opus 16 (2:46) Solo: Socolow
03. Theme and Variations (3:44) Solo: Sebesky, Wilcox, Shaughnessy & Mucci
04. What Is the Difference (5:54) Solo: Barab
05. Introduction (4:29) Solo: Socolow (oboe) & Elton
06. Sonatina (3:12) Solo: Sebesky & Wilcox
07. Pickwick (3:25) Solo: Socolow & Sebesky
08. Tanglewood (3:04) Solo: Meldonian
09. An Esthete on Clark Street (3:07) Solo: Wilcox & Sebesky
10. Seven Deadly Sins (4:24)
11. Greed (3:50) Solo: Mucci & Mikiten
12. Lechery (5:44) Solo: Elton, Barab, Meldonian & Mikiten
13. Gluttony (2:11)
14. Anger (4:44) Solo: Collins
15. Envy (2:54) Solo: Mikiten
16. Sloth (4:34) Solo: ferina & Guffey
17. Pride-Epilogue (5:18) Solo: Sebesky & Glasel
Album details
All tracks composed, arranged & conducted by Bill Russo.
Original LP sources:
Tracks #1-9, from the Roulette album "School of Rebellion" (SR 52045)
Tracks #10-17, from the Roulette album "Seven Deadly Sins" (SR 52063)
Personnel on tracks #1-9:
Burt Collins, Don Stratton, Johnny Glasel, Lou Mucci (tp), Bill Elton, Don Sebesky, Eddie Bert, Al Robertson (tb), Paul Faulise (b-tb), Dick Meldonian, Tony Buonpastore (as), Frank Socolow (ts, oboe), Larry Wilcox (ts), Tony Ferina (bs), Al Schackman (g), Irv Manning (b), Ed Shaughnessy (d), Seymour Barab, Alan Shulman, Julius Ehrenwerth, Charles McCracken (cellos).
Recorded at Bell Sound Studio, New York City, on March 7, 1960
Personnel on tracks #10-17:
Burt Collins, Danny Stiles, Johnny Glasel, Lou Mucci (tp), Bill Elton, Don Sebesky, Eddie Bert, Mike Zwerin (tb), Kenneth Guffey (b-tb), Dick Meldonian (cl, as), Tony Buonpastore (as), Larry Wilcox, Don Mikiten (ts), Tony Ferina (bs), Howard Collins (g), John Drew (b), Ed Shaughnessy (d), Seymour Barab, Avron Coleman, Lorin Bernsohn, George Koutzen (cellos).
Recorded at Bell Sound Studio, New York City, on August 2, 1960
Original recordings produced by Pete Kameron
Recording supervisor: Rudy Taylor
Reissue produced by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.
