Joe Puma (1927-2000) was a guitarist of imagination and skill that, despite emerging from New York under the shadow of Tal Farlow and Jimmy Raney, made some excellent recordings as a leader with some great and inventive jazzmen such as Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Don Elliott, Oscar Pettiford and Paul Motian.
This CD is a swinging, warm set of well-thought out sessions, that manage to retain essential spontaneity meaningfully throughout the solos. Pumas approach is tasteful, gentle and unpretentious, and his finely-etched, sensitive guitar playing garnered the respect of his fellow musicians and such critical acclaim as the 1957 New Star award for his instrument in the poll conducted by Metronome magazine.
Tracklist
Total time: 75:59 min.
01. Loris (Joe Puma) 4:12
02. A Little Rainy (Joe Puma) 3:09
03. What Is There To Say (Duke-Harburg) 2:49
04. Hallelujah (Youmans-Robin-Grey) 3:26
05. How About You? (Lane-Freed) 3:28
06. Pumatic (Joe Puma) 4:07
07. Liza (G. & I. Gershwin) 3:06
08. Moon Song (Johnston-Costow) 3:08
09. I'm Old Fashioned (Kern-Mercer) 2:46
10. Time Was (Prado-Luna) 2:21
11. Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf-Brooks) 2:27
12. Lil' Basses (Dick Garcia) 2:45
13. Unison Blues (Vinnie Burke) 4:19
14. Ubas (Oscar Pettiford) 5:04
15. Blues For Midge (Joe Puma) 5:54
16. Stablemmates (Benny Golson) 5:51
17. I Got It Bad And That A'int Good (Ellington-Webster) 4:37
18. Mother Of Earl (Earl Zindars) 4:34
19. Indian Summer (Herbert-Dubin) 7:10
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from the 10" LP "East Coast Jazz No.3" (Bethlehem BCP-1012)
Tracks #9-12, from the 12" LP "The Fourmost Guitars" (ABC-Paramount ABC-109)
Track #13, from an ABC-Paramount album by Vinnie Burke All-Stars (ABC-139)
This was the only tune in the album featuring Joe Puma as a soloist
Tracks #14-19, from the 12" LP "Joe Puma Quartet & Trio" (Jubilee JLP-1070)
Personnel:
#1-8: Joe Puma, Barry Galbraith (guitars), Don Elliot (vibes), Vinnie Burke (bass), Ted Sommer (drums).
Recorded in New Yor City, November 30, 1954
#9-12: Joe Puma, Dick Garcia (guitars), Dante Martucci (bass), Al Levitt (drums).
Recorded in New York City, December 1955
#13: Joe Puma (guitar), Eddie Costa (piano), Vinnie Burke (bass), Jimmy Campbell (drums).
Recorded in New York City, July 1956
#14-16: Joe Puma (guitar), Eddie Costa (vibes), Oscar Pettiford (bass).
Recorded in New York City, 1957
#17-19: Joe Puma (guitar), Bill Evans (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass), Paul Motian (drums).
Recorded in New York City, 1957
Original liner notes by Bill Simon & Jack Travis
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
