This is the stellar Louis Bellson big band in full flow at The Summit night club in Hollywood in 1962, with the leader consistently tasteful, commanding and propulsive without being obtrusive. Though the band is showcased rather than the players the fine arrangements come from the cream of West Coast writers like Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers and Banny Carter - there are high-class solo contributions from Conte Candoli, Joe Maini, Bill Perkins, Lou Levy, Jimmy Zito and Carrington Visor throughout. Particularly memorable are Paichs swinging St. Louie, the power Carter achieves with the full band in Amoroso, and a 3/4 work by Shorty Rogers, With Bells On. The great sound engineer, Wally Heider, the musicians friend and a master of the electronic esthetics of on-the-spot, big-band recordings, delivered superb recording quality.
No less interesting are Bellsons previously unreleased small band sides recorded at Hollywoods United Recorders studio during the two days following the live performances at The Summit. Featured in a set of arrangements by Marty Paich are key soloists of the big band, with the addition of the extraordinary trombonist, Frank Rosolino, on a refreshing, disciplined and buoyantly swinging session.
Tracklist
Total time: 68:47 min.
01. Whos Who (Benny Carter) 2:24
02. Cool (Leonard Bernstein) 4:46
03. Amoroso (Benny Carter) 3:29
04. Prelude (George Williams) 3:22
05. Gumshoe (Benny Carter) 4:05
06. Blitzen (Leonard Feather) 3:04
07. St. Louie (Marty Paich) 2:29
08. Moon Is Low (Brown-Freed) 3:24
09. Doozy (Benny Carter) 3:04
10. Lous Blues (Benny Carter) 3:40
11. With Bells On (Shorty Rogers) 3:22
12. The Diplomat Speaks (Louis Bellson) 4:35
13. Chop Chop Waltz (Marty Paich) 3:15
14. The Dipsy Doodle (Larry Clinton) 2:55
15. Blowing the Blues (Marty Paich) 2:53
16. Opus de Funk (Horace Silver) 2:34
17. Cotton Tail (Duke Ellington) 2:47
18. Walkin (Richard Carpenter) 4:24
19. Moanin (Bobby Timmons) 3:39
20. Doncha Go Way Mad (Mundy) 2:36 (*)
Album details
(*) Incomplete
Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the Roulette album "Big Band Jazz from The Summit" (SR 52087)
Tracks #13-19, previously unreleased recordings
Personnel:
BIG BAND JAZZ FROM THE SUMMIT
John Audino, Jimmy Zito, Conte Candoli, Frank Huggins, Ray Triscari (1st night), Uan Rasey (2nd night), Al Porcino (3rd night), trumpets; Arthur Maebe, French horn; Nick Di Maio, Mike Barone, trombones; Ernie Tack, bass trombone; Red Callender, tuba; Joe Maini, Willie Green, alto saxes; Bill Perkins, Carrington Visor, tenor saxes; Teddy Lee, baritone sax; Gene Estes, vibes & boo bams; Tony Rizzi, guitar; Lou Levy, piano; Jimmy Bond, bass; Louis Bellson, drums.
Arrangements by Benny Carter (#1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 &10), Marty Paich (#2 & 7), George Williams (#4), Shorty Rogers (#11), and Bob Florence (#12)
Recorded live at The Summit, 6507 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, Ca, January 22 (#1,3,4,8,12)
23 (#5,6,9) & 24 (#2,7,10,11), 1962
SMALL BAND UNRELEASED STUDIO SESSION
Conte Candoli, Jimmy Zito, trumpets; Frank Rosolino, trombone; Joe Maini, alto sax; Carrington Visor, tenor sax (#15-20); Bill Perkins, baritone sax; Lou Levy, piano; Jimmy Bond, bass; Louis Bellson, drums. Arrangements by Marty Paich.
Recorded at United Recorders Studio, Hollywood, January 25 & 26, 1962
Original recordings produced by Teddy Reig
Sound engineer: Wally Heider
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
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Note: After suffering a car accident, Ray Triscari was replaced on the 2nd night by Uan Rasey, and on the 3rd by Al Porcino.
Big Band Soloists:
01. Whos Who: Carrington Visor
02. Cool: Joe Maini, Conte Candoli
03. Amoroso: Teddy Lee, Candoli, Bill Perkins
04. Prelude: Maini, Visor, Lou Levy, John Audino
05. Gumshoe: Candoli, Levy, Mike Barone
06. Blitzen: Candoli, Visor
07. St. Louie: Joe Maini, Perkins
08. Moon Is Low: Levy, Jimmy Zito, Visor
09. Doozy: Levy, Zito, Visor
10. Lous Blues: Perkins, Candoli, Levy
11. With Bells On: Maini, Levy
12. The Diplomat Speaks: Louis Bellson
Small Band Soloists:
13. Chop Chop Waltz: Levy, Rosolino, Candoli
14. The Dipsy: Rosolino, Zito, Maini, Perkins
15. Blowing the Blues: Levy, Maini, Zito, Perkins
16. Opus de Funk: Perkins, Maini, Conte
17. Cotton Tail: Rosolino, Maini, Candoli, Perkins, Levy, Bellson
18. Walkin: Levy, Rosolino, Candoli, Bellson
19. Moanin: Levy, Candoli, Maini
20. Doncha Go Way Mad: Maini, Candoli
