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Hier weitere Stereo Rezensionen von - by CHARLES A. ROBERTSON
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Robert Prince: N. Y. Export: Op. Jazz Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story - Warner Bros. BS1240

The music from two choreographic triumphs of Jerome Robbins is conducted by Robert Prince, a young Juilliard graduate Avhose own work was hailed by European critics after his premiere at Spoleto, Italy, and performances at the Brussels World's Fair.

His orchestra is the one assembled for the "Ballets U.S.A." engagement at the Alvin Theater, where writers for New York papers called it a "stunning theatre work," and "a genuine work of art." Such jazz-tested personnel as Phil Woods, Ernie Royal, Sol Schlinger, and Georgie Auld are among the soloists.

Both composers understand jazz and are able to make valid use of its terms in larger forms. Prince writes from within the idiom, however, and N. Y. Export: Op. Jazz, after introductory measures, swings valiantly throughout. More than any other composer and the numerous leaders of big bands who have tried to elevate jazz, he respects the line of demarcation which distinguishes it from other musical styles. His writing is no patchwork of tired riffs and symphonic elements, but a thoroughly digested composition with a consistent design and a mounting climax.

Although the influences of modern jazz are most evident, the knowledgeable will see the Jimmie Lunceford section at work in the trumpet ensembles. And the wonderful pas -de deux, with unerring strings behind a solo trumpet, could serve as an accompaniment for Bessie Smith or Mildred Bailey. Rather than a series of devices. Prince plainly values jazz as the creation of a host of talented individuals.

Leonard Bernstein's score for "West Side Story" is known to many theatergoers and is available on the original cast recording. Gathered here is all the ballet music from the prologue, Dance at the Gym, Cool, The Rumble, and the dream sequence. Bernstein utilizes jazz less often, as the story of Romeo and Juliet against the warfare of teen-age street gangs still sticks to some of the conventions of stage action.

That both men know the worth of space and intervals of silence makes the sound a treat for the audiofan. The ensembles are sharp and the percussion passages are cleanly outlined by a marvelous battery. It is regrettable that its release did not precede the proposed national tour. George Avakian supervised the recording and stereo gives it the movement expected in ballet.

Music Of The African Arab, Vol. 3 - Audio Fidelity AFSD5858

Mohammed El-Bakkar and his animated troupe of singers and musicians gambol through another set of oriental tunes, fully as provocative as those in the two preceding volumes. At first hearing they convey an enveloping spirit of wild abandon, but once the exotic surfaces are breached the subleties of the basic rhythms become more clear. Originating at the crossroads of the Eastern and Western worlds, some patterns have counterparts in the Raga of India.

Conversely, a jazz drummer would feel at home during the introductory bars of Ya Sabeya. The Islamic drums have a distinctive sound and the meter is accentuated by variations in their timbres, obtained by muffling certain beats.

Quite a few modern jazz drummers have adopted these effects, taking them mainly from Afro-Cuban rhythm sections. But Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, and Yusef Lateef have gone direct to sources in Africa. Ahmed Abdul-Malik, bassist with Thelonious Monk, is among El-Bakkar's friends and admirers, and hopes to receive a foundation fellowship to allow him to study music in Egypt.

Ya Waboor, an amusing depiction of a departing train, and Raksat Africa, featuring the leader's voice, are most effective. The great strides made by the stereo disc since this label placed the first on the market last spring are quite apparent. Certainly not an easy group to record, it is given good balance and the chorus contributes to a feeling of depth. A fifty-minute playing time is achieved with considerable dynamic range.

Ted Heath Swing Session London PS138
This is the most happily inspired Ted Heath export since he sent an album spotlighting each of his sidemen in this direction last spring. One reason is that his star soloists again have a free rein, another is the encouragement of a grateful audience at Kings-way Hall, and finally there is the all round excellence of the band which permits it to let loose without tripping over its own enthusiasm. The powerful brass and full-throated reed sections are deployed to good stereo effect on Gillespie's The Champ, Blues for Moderns, and Fourth Dimension.

The soloists step forward as saxist Ronnie Chamberlain plays Eloquence, by chief arranger Johnny Keating, and Bobbie Pratt shades his trumpet passages with a plunger mute on Do Nothing Until You Hear From Me. Trombonist Don Lusher luxuriates over Solitude, and his section mate Wally Smith is deftly affirmative on / Got It Bad. Stan Tracey, in taking over Frank Horrox's piano post, features his predecessor's Etrospect. Stereo sharply defines bassist Johnny Hawks-worth's interplay with the rhythm section on Pick Yourself Up, and the drum pyrotechnics of Ronnie Verrell on The Hawk Talks, and Rhapsody for Drums.

The British leader likes to have his programs add up to a consistent LP. Sometimes they verge on the popular, a small excuse for my confusing his tossing of Three Coins in the Fountain, in a review of his last release, with that of Montovani, who does use stereo placement to define their descent. Anyway, this one swings all the way, playing a full thirty-eight minutes in a wide panorama of sound. Two photographs of the recording scene on the jacket show the relationship of the sections as they are heard in stereo.

The Song Of Songs - Audio Fidelity AFSD5888

A jazz interpretation of Solomon's Song of Songs may give rise to questions of propriety, but the answers are best left for each individual to decide. The nature of the work imposes certain limitations on the composer, Marty Rubenstein, pianist of the progressive jazz quintet which supplies instrumental interludes and backgrounds for a quartet of voices. To convey the spirited text without departing from its eternal qualities, he bases the score on familiar Hebraic themes and the traditional Shofar call appears in two of the six sections. By choosing rich and passionate melodies, he is able to write lean, spare lines and keep the arrangements functional. Both in these respects and in the lively tempos of the dances, there is a similarity to Prokofiev's Overture on Hebrew Themes. And Louis Armstrong, certainly, has treated some spirituals with more familiarity. Jack Noren. drums ; Kenny Soderbloom, fiute ; Howard Davis, alto sax, and bassist Dave Poskanka complete the group.

Portions of the text are rearranged to be read by Shaunelle Perry as the maiden. Gordon Gould as shepherd, Charles Francisco as king, and Beverly Younger plays several parts as narrator. Stereo is used effectively, especially in the dream sequence to create an impression of voices coming from all directions. Louis Solomon and Paul Raffles are the producers.

Buddy Cole Plays Cole Porter - Warner Bros. WS1226 King Arthur: Aristocratic Swing - Audiophile Stereo 59

These two items are meant for people who attach importance to good piano sound. Another point where they are in accord is Buddy Cole's choice of a Bosendorfer to display his arrangements of a dozen Cole Porter melodies. Some fortunate individuals may have met the instrument early last year on a delightful Audiophile release, featuring Knocky Parker playing ragtime classics. They will need to be advised only that it sparkles just as convincingly in stereo, among the strings of an orchestra conducted by Pete King. It almost lifts the album out of the mood category. Cole expresses his satisfaction thusly, "It is simply a fantastic instrument. I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that only because of the Bosendorfer was I able to play some of the things on this album."

King Arthur plays two-handed piano in the swing tradition on Audiophile's second stereo disc. He forms a nicely integrated trio with Ray Kudrin, on bass, and drummer Andy Spriggs for an expert reading of Perdido, Moonglow, Indiana, Blue Skies, and a half-dozen others. It is not quite as impressive as Doc Evans' lively crew on the first release, but that is hardly to be expected. As a monarch. King Arthur is easily accessible and his talent of providing enjoyable listening is certainly achieved.

Felix Slatkin: The Military Band - Capitol SW1056
Les Brown: Dance To South Pacific - Capitol ST1060

At the head of a seventy-piece group composed of Hollywood musicians and delegations from service outfits, Felix Slatkin introduces Capitol's second release of popular stereo discs and displays another facet of his conducting experience, gained leading an Air Corps band while stationed at Santa Ana, California, during the Avar. A Salute to the Services medley awakens to Reveille and presents official versions of the anthems of each branch, tied together by a variety of drum corps rhythms from the eleven-man percussion section, before Taps and a mighty Star Spangled Banner at the close. There are six Sousa marches, with a squad of seven for the piccolo passage in Stars and Stripes Forever, and a task force of six tubas adds depth to Under the Double Eagle and American Patrol.

In dealing with an organization of such quantity, Slatkin never lets the quality deteriorate or the marching beat bog down. The first-rate sound has plenty of room on the monophonic version, but stereo gives it additional space and dramatic impact.

Les Brown makes an eminently danceable album of the score of "South Pacific." by calling for new arrangements from Jim Hill, Don Bagley, Wes Hensel, Billy May, and Frank Comstock, and collaborating on several himself with Sonny Burke. From such an array of talent comes the expected flow of fresh ideas, paced by May's choice of cha-cha rhythms for Bali Ila'i, and all have due regard for the melody and a dancing beat.

"Sounds of the Great Bands (Capitol SW1022)," an album previously recommended in these columns, finds Glen Gray leading his Casa Lomans, recreated from Hollywood studio men, in recreations of the original hits of famous swing bands. Aside from the breadth given the sound of his sections and those of Les Brown, it is pleasant to discover that stereo depth is removing much artificial echo from popular recordings, on this and other labels.

"Black Satin (Capitol ST858)," designed for mood listening, slows George Shearing's piano down to an amble and surrounds it with the soft rustle of strings. An occasional Latin tempo rouses the rhythm section and the piano is nicely centered.

"Space Escapade (Capitol ST968)," a visit to the outer limits of the universe, offers Les Baxter's fanciful views on interplanetary travel. His strings are unimpaired by the journey and there are quaint, ethereal sounds.

"Carousel (Capitol SW694)," from the motion picture soundtrack, is conducted by Alfred Newman and features Gordon McRae, Shirley Jones, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Ruick, and Robert Rounsville. Stereo gives separation to the vocal duets and the choral interludes are particularly appealing in stereo.

7th Avenue Stampers: Dixieland-New York! World Wide MGS20005

The name assumed by this studio group denotes, rather than geographical origin, a place where its members find employment. One of them is usually on the stand at the Metropole, a jazz emporium dedicated to dixieland in all shapes and sizes. On a good night, you might be lucky enough to hear the brand selected, under the leadership of drummer Bobby Donaldson, for this stereo project. It contains some of Buster Bailey's best moments and his clarinet solos, though full-blown, remain in good taste on Fidgety Feet, Yellow Dog Blues, and St. Louis Blues.

The muted trumpet of Emmett Berry is nicely relaxed on How Come You Do Me Like You Do, and Vic Dickenson is most tweedy, putting a grand burr on his trombone comments. Red Richards is pianist and Al Lucas plays bass. If you have your fill of horns popping out in unexpected places in the stereo pattern, the natural placement and depth found here offers a pleasant change. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder, a balance is struck between wide separation and musical effect.

Bob Gibson: There's A Meeting Here Tonight - Riverside RLP1 111
At a time when the mother lode of folk material is heavily mined, Bob Gibson deems it inadvisable to stand still in his chosen field. The youthful singer, back at his base in Chicago for this program of sixteen numbers, is able to alter a song with additional verses or transform it by virtue of his lighthearted personality. Most of the titles are old and familiar, but his audiences have learned to expect surprises. Easy Rider, descended from an early blues, has new lines and a different rhythm. He is witty on There's a Hole in the Bucket, sorrowful in a tale of the Titanic, and embarks with gusto on This Train, and Joy, Joy.

There seems to be some doubt as to just how much stereo contributes to a folk session, involving two or three artists. With John Frigo, bass, and Earl Backus, guitar, adding support to Gibson's banjo or twelve-string guitar, I enjoyed this disc, as I have those produced by Elektra. However, the experience differs from that provided by larger groups, where an effect is felt at once, and comes with the gradual discovery that most performances sound flat on a single channel. Rill Ktorldard and Bruce Swedien of Universal Recording are credited with the engineering.

Chicago Symphonic Band, Album 2 - Sumco R002
Especially organized for a series of recordings to acquaint music students with scores available from the Summy-Birchard Publishing Co., Evanston, 111., the Chicago Symphonic Band is drawn from radio-televison stations and the ranks of the Chicago Symphony. James Neilson, director of musical organizations at Oklahoma City University, is guest conductor of a program listing two stimulating marches, George Kenny's Coat of Arms, and Marche de Concert, from West Texas State's Houston Bright. Winner of the 1956 Ostwald Award for original band literature is Fanfare and Allegro, composed by Clifton Williams.

Two pieces in early 18th century style are William Latham's II Pasticcio, in the form of an Italian overture, and his Three Chorale Preludes, based on familiar themes used by Bach. William McRae contributes a lively Caprice, and the percussive Pan-American Samba. Latin rhythms also pulse through Fred Kepner's Cuban Fantasy, a three-part suite with an idyllic middle section dedicated to the sea.

As before, the band plays with snap and precision on numbers of a type not overly recorded. Engineered by Bill Putnam of Universal Recording, the stereo disc has breadth and depth, along with uncompressed dynamics.

Cyril Jackson: Afro-Stereo - Counterpoint CP5T5561
Acting as guide on a percussive tour of Latin America, Cyril Jackson is most interested in calling attention to underlying rhythmic patterns brought over from Africa. Carnival songs, ritual dances, voodoo chants and melodic meringues from a number of countries are among his examples. Although the equipment was set up in the West Indies, a typical street samba is imported from Brazil and a wild war chant comes from the Ivory Coast. In addition to supervising the recordings, Jackson is apt to take over as drummer or lend his voice to a chorus of celebrants marching down a road in Trinidad.

His investigations go beyond the confines of big cities and a comparison is made between a Havana rhumba and that played in rural districts. He also locates a santos, filled with the cries of birds, and a holiday conga line. Varying from track to track, the miking is never close enough to startle. The notes catalog the many drums and their distinctive timbres, making them easily located in stereo.

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Sports Cars In Stereo - Riverside RLP1101
This collection of the sound of sports cars in action is dedicated to those individuals unappeased by the snippets found on nearly every stereo demonstration disc.

The 1958 Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance is viewed from four vantage points and the racers move from left to right on the corners, bends and straightaway. The direction is reversed as the motors spring to life and brakes squeal during technical inspection.

According to the notes, it took engineer Ray Fowler a day and a half to complete the stereo microphone setup and some of the hazards of using portable equipment under field conditions are described. There is no narration and only the expert will identify all the participants. But to realize what is meant by a test of endurance, listen in stereo to the shifting of gears on a curve. A monophonic memento of the event, including interviews with drivers, is available on "Sounds of Sebring 1958," (Riverside RLP5011). The stereo master was cut at Olmsted Sound Studios.

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Lucky Roberts: Happy Go Lucky - Period RL1929
Alton Purnell: Funky Piano New Orleans Style Warner Bros. W1228

While the bright young men in charge of discovering talent for record companies look in some unlikely places, no more than subway fare is needed to locate Lucky Roberts in Harlem.

Once a boon companion of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, he is one of Duke Ellington's favorite pianists to this day. A pioneer of ragtime and influence on a whole school of New York pianists, his recorded literature is slight and this visit to the studios is a welcome event. With Garvin Bushell keeping company on alto sax and clarinet, his relaxed style is as comfortable as a worn pair of bedroom slippers on Runnin' Wild, Ballin' the Jack, and Wild About Harry. Next time, some of his own tunes should be requested. Dave Hancock engineered the session and a stereo disc is available.

Another of the older line of pianists to place his name on an LP as leader for the first time is Alton Purnell, known for the part he took in the bands of Bunk Johnson and George Lewis. Disregarding an album title only remotely descriptive of his primitive art, much of his program emerges as un-pruned rhythm and blues of the sort infrequently heard today. This is due to the presence of an unidentified tenor saxist, who plays in the robust, extroverted style of Plas Johnson. Purnell sings on eight numbers, including Pine Top's Boogie, C. C. Rider, and Yellow Dog Blues. Collectors of blues piano will find the price of admission repaid by Yancey Special, and his own Buster Anderson's Blues.

Jack Teagarden: Big T's Dixieland Band - Capitol T1095
Tiny Grimes: Callin' The Blues - Prestige 7144

Two past masters of the trombone highlight this pair of offerings. Recorded during a stopover in Chicago last April, Jack Tea-garden's band introduces some fresh material worked up during its tour of the country. For a leader who has recorded every dixieland warhorse, as he testifies on the liner, this is no easy matter. Mike Simpson contributes a robust Rippa-Tutti, and Don Ewell engages in a surging tribute to another pianist on Walleritis. Teagarden's voice is wordly-wise on a blues exercise, Casanova's Lament, world-weary on Weary River, and completely appealing on Someday You'll Be Sorry. His playing is eloquent and supple on Doctor Jazz, Mobile Blues, and China Boy.

The clarion call of a J. C. Higginbotham chorus was one of the most exciting sounds of swing and made him the most vaunted trombonist of that era. Since then players of greater technical facility have surpassed him at rapid tempos and a period of relative obscurity preceded his weekly appearances this season at a televised jazz party. In spite of its lack of organization, some viewers discovered that there is more to jazz than a series of slick phrases. If he no longer speaks with the same force and assurance on the swingers, his plaint on a slow blues is still strong and highly personal. Fortunately, only Airmail Special is not a blues, and he is superb on Blue Tiny. As guitarist and leader, Tiny Grimes is only slightly more organized than the television program, but pianist Ray Bryant and Eddie Davis on tenor sax help out admirably.

Guatemalan Marimbas! Capitol TI0170

Invented, perfected, and introduced in Guatemala, the marimba possesses a long and harmonious joint history with the wood of the land, an attribute accountable for the name and pleasant sound of the Maderas de Mi Tierra orchestra. Its members play the dulcet-toned instrument as though they were born to it. Director Higinio Ovalle Bethan-court leads them in a dozen native melodies, full of engaging rhythms and vivid tropical colors.

Travelogues have spread the group's reputation beyond Central America and it enjoys the sponsorship of the country's president. Produced by J. H. Flickinger on a visit to Guatemala City, the lifelike recording is bound to introduce it to numerous audio-fans. His monophonic effort meets all their requirements and the liner states that he also brougnt back a stereo version. Those who miss it on the first time around are likely to meet it on a stereo disc shortly.
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Gil Evans: New Bottle Old Wine - World Pacific WP1246

The third Gil Evans album since he began his latest cycle of band arranging early this year is as convincing an indication of his talent as its forerunners. His choice of tunes ranges from St. Louis Blues to Charlie Parker's Bird Feathers, in competition with recorded performances long regarded as jazz classics. In reshaping them for a studio group of fourteen men, he outfits them in bright modern textures, using the full tonal palette of surging brass, French horn and tuba.

None of their basic jazz qualities is impaired in the process, as is so often the case, due in great measure to the main soloist, Julian Adderley, whose sinewy alto sax roves freely through Lester Leaps In, Manteca, and 'Round About Midnight. The only other reed player is Gerald Sanfino, spelled by Phil Bodner, on bass clarinet, piccolo or flute.

The collaboration is a creative and happy one, as Evans' score benefits from the fertile imagination of Adderley, whose soaring flights take on in turn an added sense of form. Rarely heard with a big band, his warm tone fits in snugly and his playing reveals a continuing development. The titles are taken in chronological order, separated by transitional passages, and Evans, on piano, is backed by guitarist Chuck Wayne to lead in to King Porter Stomp. Trumpeter June Coles introduces Willow Tree, and Frank Rehak's trombone is heard on Struttin' With Some Bar-beque. George Avakian supervised the session during his brief sojourn at this label.