CANDIDO - Latin Fire / In Indigo / The Volcanic / Featuring Al Cohn
Malanga Music MM829 (Two CD Set)
Candido ( conga drums & bongos ) on all tracks
Latin Fire
CD 1 Tracks 1 to 10
Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Charlie Shavers & Al DeRisi ( tpts )
Phil Woods ( alto ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Charlie Persip ( drs ) Dick Williams Singers ( vocals ) Machito ( maracas ) arranged & conducted by Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1959
In Indigo
CD 1 Tracks 11 to 19
Ernie Royal ( tpt ) Joe Puma ( gtr ) Dick Hyman ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Charlie Persip ( drs )
Arrangements by Joe Puma
Recorded New York, 1958
Candido the Volcanic
CD 2 Tracks 1 to 6
Bernie Glow, Art Farmer, Charlie Shavers & Jimmy Nottingham ( tpts ) Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak & Tom Mitchell ( tmbs ) Jimmy Buffington ( frh ) Jay McAllister ( tuba ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Bill Crow ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs )
Arranged by Ernie Wilkins & Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1957
CD 2 Tracks 7 & 8
Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Charlie Shavers & Jimmy Nottingham ( tpts ) Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak & Tom Mitchell ( tmbs ) Ed London ( frh ) Jay McAlister ( tuba ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Oscar Pettiford ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs )
Arranged by Ernie Wilkins & Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1957
Featuring Al Cohn
CD 2 Tracks 9 to 18
Al Cohn ( tnr ) Joe Puma ( gtr ) Dick Katz ( pno ) Whitey Mitchell ( bass ) Ted Sommer ( drs )
Recorded New York, 1956
During the late Forties through to the early Sixties the conga drum and bongoes were very popular and featured on many recordings, as one the exponents of these instruments Candido de Guerra Camero was one of the leading players.
Candido as he was known worked with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton as well as groups under his own name and these four albums on this set are some of his early recordings.
The first album “Latin Fire” on first glance appears to be anything but a jazz album with the presence of the Dick Williams Singers but on listening it has its redeeming features which are the solos of altoist Phil Woods who solos contributes some interesting solos on most tracks.
The stellar trumpet section contrbute hugely to the overall sound and if you can get over the sound of the singing group all is not lost.
The second album on CD One “In Indigo” features a sextet and all but one of arrangements are by guitarist Joe Puma who also plays on the session, the other is by the pianist on the session Dick Hyman. This is a much more jazz based affair with good solos from all concerned.
The group sound is much better when the trumpet player, Ernie Royal uses the mute as on “Softly But Blue” which also has Joe Puma playing a very fluent solo.
Dick Hyman plays mostly organ on the session which blends well with the trumpet and guitar to give a nice full sound. Dick Hyman’s organ solo on “Blue Lou” is hard swinging which sets the tone for the whole number.
By the time you get to the end of CD One you don’t wish to hear another conga drum a while, but on to CD Two.
The first album on the second CD is “Candido The Volcanic” which is all brass with a rhythm section with all but one of the arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, the other is by Manny Album.The album is mostly section work by the brass with just the occasional solo from Hank Jones and Art Farmer but the brass passages are very well executed and it really swings hard on the faster numbers.
The final album is “Candido Featuring Al Cohn” and the group reverts to a sextet and apart from Al Cohn Joe bPuma and pianist Dick Katz have plenty of solo space.
Al Cohn is always good value and plays particularly weel on “Stompin’ At The Savoy” as does Joe Puma.
Joe Puma’s original composition ”Candi Bar” is a nicee lightly swinging tune and Al Cohn’s solo is a lovely laid back affair. “Poinciana” is another nicely swinging track with interesting solos by Al Cohn , Joe Puma and Dick Katz.
This is by far the best of the four albums and contains the most Jazz content but all the albums have something to offer and if you can put up with four albums of conga and bongo accompaniment this may be your bag.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Malanga Music MM829 (Two CD Set)
Candido ( conga drums & bongos ) on all tracks
Latin Fire
CD 1 Tracks 1 to 10
Marky Markowitz, Ernie Royal, Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Charlie Shavers & Al DeRisi ( tpts )
Phil Woods ( alto ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Charlie Persip ( drs ) Dick Williams Singers ( vocals ) Machito ( maracas ) arranged & conducted by Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1959
In Indigo
CD 1 Tracks 11 to 19
Ernie Royal ( tpt ) Joe Puma ( gtr ) Dick Hyman ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Charlie Persip ( drs )
Arrangements by Joe Puma
Recorded New York, 1958
Candido the Volcanic
CD 2 Tracks 1 to 6
Bernie Glow, Art Farmer, Charlie Shavers & Jimmy Nottingham ( tpts ) Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak & Tom Mitchell ( tmbs ) Jimmy Buffington ( frh ) Jay McAllister ( tuba ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Bill Crow ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs )
Arranged by Ernie Wilkins & Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1957
CD 2 Tracks 7 & 8
Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Charlie Shavers & Jimmy Nottingham ( tpts ) Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak & Tom Mitchell ( tmbs ) Ed London ( frh ) Jay McAlister ( tuba ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Oscar Pettiford ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs )
Arranged by Ernie Wilkins & Manny Albam
Recorded New York, 1957
Featuring Al Cohn
CD 2 Tracks 9 to 18
Al Cohn ( tnr ) Joe Puma ( gtr ) Dick Katz ( pno ) Whitey Mitchell ( bass ) Ted Sommer ( drs )
Recorded New York, 1956
During the late Forties through to the early Sixties the conga drum and bongoes were very popular and featured on many recordings, as one the exponents of these instruments Candido de Guerra Camero was one of the leading players.
Candido as he was known worked with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton as well as groups under his own name and these four albums on this set are some of his early recordings.
The first album “Latin Fire” on first glance appears to be anything but a jazz album with the presence of the Dick Williams Singers but on listening it has its redeeming features which are the solos of altoist Phil Woods who solos contributes some interesting solos on most tracks.
The stellar trumpet section contrbute hugely to the overall sound and if you can get over the sound of the singing group all is not lost.
The second album on CD One “In Indigo” features a sextet and all but one of arrangements are by guitarist Joe Puma who also plays on the session, the other is by the pianist on the session Dick Hyman. This is a much more jazz based affair with good solos from all concerned.
The group sound is much better when the trumpet player, Ernie Royal uses the mute as on “Softly But Blue” which also has Joe Puma playing a very fluent solo.
Dick Hyman plays mostly organ on the session which blends well with the trumpet and guitar to give a nice full sound. Dick Hyman’s organ solo on “Blue Lou” is hard swinging which sets the tone for the whole number.
By the time you get to the end of CD One you don’t wish to hear another conga drum a while, but on to CD Two.
The first album on the second CD is “Candido The Volcanic” which is all brass with a rhythm section with all but one of the arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, the other is by Manny Album.The album is mostly section work by the brass with just the occasional solo from Hank Jones and Art Farmer but the brass passages are very well executed and it really swings hard on the faster numbers.
The final album is “Candido Featuring Al Cohn” and the group reverts to a sextet and apart from Al Cohn Joe bPuma and pianist Dick Katz have plenty of solo space.
Al Cohn is always good value and plays particularly weel on “Stompin’ At The Savoy” as does Joe Puma.
Joe Puma’s original composition ”Candi Bar” is a nicee lightly swinging tune and Al Cohn’s solo is a lovely laid back affair. “Poinciana” is another nicely swinging track with interesting solos by Al Cohn , Joe Puma and Dick Katz.
This is by far the best of the four albums and contains the most Jazz content but all the albums have something to offer and if you can put up with four albums of conga and bongo accompaniment this may be your bag.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
