Personnel:
Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Nick Travis (tp), Frank Rehak (tb), Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb), Phil Woods, Hal McKusick (as), Al Cohn, Frank Socolow, Zoot Sims (ts), Teo Macero (ts, arr), Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Dave McKenna, Mal Waldron, Sir Charles Thompson, Mose Allison (p), Teddy Charles (vib, arr), Jimmy Raney (g), Addison Farmer, George Duvivier, Aaron Bell (b), Ed Shagnessy (d), Manny Albam, Bill Russo (arr)
Reference: FSRCD 539
Bar code: 8427328605397
Teo Macero was the A&R who conceived the two albums on this CD. SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BLUE was designed to demonstrate the talents of four young composer-arrangers Manny Albam, Teddy Charles, Bill Russo, and Macero himself working in that still undefined area of modern music in which jazz meets the more traditional concert forms.
Each one was commissioned to write an original composition and a new arrangement of a blues or a blues-oriented standard, and to make both blue in feeling. The blues provides an effective bridge from the most primitive neo-jazz to the most adventurous, an instant connection between the musics many schools.
Maceros playing is another example of his versatility. On the swing version of Frank Loesser's score for GUYS AND DOLLS, he plays tenor on three of the tunes, and contributed to the arrangements along with Teddy Charles. Apart from the arrangers, both albums benefit greatly from the presence of some of New Yorks finest jazz soloist.
-Swinging 'Guys and Dolls'
"Teo Macero, best-known as a veteran producer, has also had a part-time career as a tenor saxophonist and a writer. For this set from 1959, Macero arranged 11 selections from the hit Broadway show Guys and Dolls and added two originals of his own that fit in well. Macero only plays tenor on three of the songs but he uses three different all-star groups that include vibraphonist Teddy Charles, guitarist Jimmy Raney, pianist Dave McKenna, altoist Phil Woods, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, pianist Mose Allison, tenorman Zoot Sims and the French horn of Julius Watkins. Although some of the reworkings are a bit abstract, the melodies from the Frank Loesser score (which include "If I Were a Bell") are wisely kept in the forefront. A fine effort."
Scott Yanow -All Music Guide
