In April 1952, two old friends, Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan, joined forces and ideas to organize and co-lead an orchestra to play and record their own composi- tions and arrangements. There were many brilliant sidemen in the Sauter-Finegan orchestra, but the extent of each musician’s creative contribution was usually con- stricted by the somewhat self-indulgent complexity of the band’s book. In the 1955 album, Sons of Sauter-Finegan, thanks to RCA Victor A&R Jack Lewis, several of these gifted sidemen were gathered into small units and given ample solo space to express themselves in loose, “head” arrangements.
Everyone on the date was in fine form, particularly the brassmen. Trumpeters Bobby Nichols and Nick Travis display imagination, power and warmth, all conveyed with authority and technical mastery, and Sonny Russo confirmed that he was one of the best young jazz trombonists of the time. The rhythm section—Joe Venuto, on vibes and marimba, Bill Finegan on piano, Francis James, on bass, and Mousey Alexander on drums— also lived up to the standard of musicianship required.
The rest of tunes on this CD come from the small group sessions of Inside Sauter- Finegan, and from the album Concert in Jazz, by the full Sauter-Finegan orchestra playing the co-leaders’ carefully elaborate charts, while nevertheless affording breathing room to their excellent sidemen.
Tracklist
Total time: 75:50 min.
01. Back in Your Own Backyard (Rose-Jolson-Dreyer) 3:16
02. I Surrender Dear (Barris-Clifford) 2:56
03. Street of Dreams (Young-Lewis) 3:35
04. Lip Service (Russo-Mitchell) 2:52
05. Two Bats in a Cave (Nichols-Travis) 2:15
06. Mad About the Boy (Coward) 4:12
07. Over the Rainbow (Arlen-Harburg) 4:01
08. Non Identical Twins (Nichols-Travis) 2:28
09. Easy to Remember (Rodgers-Hart) 4:02
10. Nip and Tuck (Nichols-Travis) 3:07
11. Fascinating Rhythm (G. & I. Gershwin) 3:25
12. Procrastination (Finegan) 3:15
13. Finegan’s Wake (Finegan) 4:20 *
14. New York 4 A.M. (Finegan) 3:42 *
15. Pennies from Heaven (Johnston-Burke) 2:28 *
16. Four Horsemen (Sauter) 3:56 *
17. Exactly Like You (McHugh-Fields) 4:05 *
18. The Loop (Sauter-Finegan) 4:14 *
19. Sadie Thompson (Sauter-Finegan) 4:10 *
20. Madame X (Sauter-Finegan) 3:35 *
21. The Land Between (Sauter-Finegan) 6:01 *
Album details
(*) Bonus Tracks
Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the album “The Sons of Sauter-Finegan” (RCA Victor LPM-1104)
Tracks #13-16, from the album “Inside Sauter-Finegan” (RCA Victor LPM-1003)
Track #17, from the album "New Directions in Music" (RCA Victor LPM-1227)
Tracks #18-21, from the album “Concert in Jazz” (RCA Victor LPM-1051)
Personnel in "The Sons of Sauter-Finegan"
Bobby Nichols, trumpet and flugelhorn; Nick Travis, trumpet and valve trombone; Sonny Russo, trombone, vocals; Tommy Mitchell, trombone; Bill Finegan, piano, vocals (#1); Joe Venuto, marimba and vibes; Francis James, bass; Mousey (Elder) Alexander, drums.
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, January 15, 16 and 20, 1955
Personnel in "Inside Sauter-Finegan"
Track #13: Nick Travis, trumpet; Sonny Russo, trombone; Harvey Estrin, clarinet; Gene Allen, baritone sax; Ralph Burns, piano; Joe Venuto, marimba; Park Hill, guitar; Max Bennett, bass; Mousey (Elmer) Alexander, drums. Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, February 26, 1954
Track #14: Bobby Nichols, trumpet; Ralph Burns, piano; Joe Venuto, marimba; Park Hill, guitar; Max Bennett, bass; Mousey (Elmer) Alexander, drums. Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, February 26, 1954
Track #15: Sonny Russo, trombone; Ralph Burns, piano; Park Hill, guitar; Max Bennett, bass; Mousey
(Elmer) Alexander, drums. Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, February 26, 1954
Track #16: Al Maiorca, Bobby Nichols, Nick Travis, trumpets; Sonny Russo, Jimmy Thompson, trombones; Tom Mitchell, bass trombone; Jay McAllister, tuba; Harvey Estrin, clarinet; Wally Kane, alto sax; Ray Shriner, Al Block, tenor saxes; Gene Allen, baritone sax; Ralph Burns, piano; Park Hill, guitar; Max Bennett, bass; Mousey (Elmer) Alexander, drums. Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, February 24, 1954
Personnel in "Concert in Jazz"
Al Maiorca, Bobby Nichols, Nick Travis, trumpets; Sonny Russo, Jimmy Thompson, trombones; Tom Mitchell, bass trombone; Jay McAllister, tuba; Harvey Estrin, piccolo, clarinet & alto sax; Wally Kane, flute & alto sax; Ray Shriner, oboe & tenor sax; Al Block, clarinet, tenor sax; Gene Allen, bass clarinet & baritone sax; Eddie Vito, harp; Charlie Henry, piano; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Francis James, bass; Mousey (Elmer) Alexander, drums; Joe Venuto, marimba & xylophone; Sperie Karas, percussion; Andy Roberts, vocals (#17).
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, New York City, October 21 & 31, 1954
Recordings produced by Joe Carlton and Jack Lewis
Original cover art by Jim Flora
This CD compilation produced by Jordi Pujol
Hi Fi · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
