GARY McFARLAND ORCHESTRA - With Special Guest Soloist Bill Evans
Phono 870256
Gary McFarland Orchestra with Bill Evans
Tracks 1 to 6
Gary McFarland ( vibes / arr / cond ) Bill Evans ( pno ) Phil Woods ( clt ) Spencer Sinatra ( alto / fl ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Richard Davis ( bass ) Ed Shaughnessy ( drs ) Julian Barber ( viola ) Allan Goldberg
( viola )Aaron Juvelier ( cello ) Joseph Tekula ( cello )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 24 January 1963
The Jazz Version of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Tracks 9 & 13
Doc Severinsen ( tpt )Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl. Horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( val tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods
( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 8 November 1961
Tracks 7, 10 & 14
Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Joe Newman ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl. Horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Kenny Burrell ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Joe Benjamin ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( vibes / arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 14 November 1961
Tracks 8, 11 & 12
Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 15 November 1961
Bonus track 15
Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Nick Travis ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt ) Bob Brookmeyer ( val tmb ) Bill Elton ( tmb ) Wayne Andre ( tmb ) Alan Ralph ( tmb 0 Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Eddie Caine
( alto )Al Cohn ( tnr ) Phil Bodner ( tnr / eng -horn / oboe ) Gene Allen ( br / bass clt ) Eddie Costa
( vibes ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr )
Recorded New York, 7 November 1961
Gary McFarland died at an early age, in his early forties in mysterious circumstances which were never really accounted for and it was a great loss to the jazz world. After starting out on vibes he studied arranging and composition which he devoted the majority of his time but continued to tour with his own quintet.
Gary McFarland wrote and arranged for other groups including Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band, Stan Getz and Anita O’Day.
The first six tracks on this album showcase the talents of pianist Bill Evans with a mall group which includes a four piece string section which allows the arranger a wider range of colours to work with. Phil Woods on clarinet and Spencer Sinatra on alto and fluta are confined mainly to supporting roles but Gary McFarland on vibes and Bill Evans play prominent roles. Many of the compositions have a Modern Jazz Quatet feel about them which is not surprising as John Lewis was very much a mentor to McFarland.An interesting album if somewhat offbeat in approach but that’s what makes jazz so diverse.
Tracks 7 to 14 arefar removed from the earlier tracks, firstly a big band is featured with three varying personnel’s but with not too many changes but all involving top class musicians.
Albums which feature numbers from just one particular show have a chequered history some are very successful including “My Fair Lady” and “Porgy and Bess” but “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” does not really contain any memorable tunes. The arrangements are first class and there plenty of interesting solos many from Bob Brookmeyer and Al Cohn is dynamic on “Grand Old ivy”. Clark Terry is at his puckish best on “Brotherhood of Man” one of the better known numbers.
Mel Lewis is in the drum chair on five tracks and gives extra bite to the bands performance althoughOsie Johnson on the rest of the tracks is no slouch when it comes to swinging a band.
Bonus track 15 is another fine big band track which is a Gary McFarland original “Why Are You Blue” and features three of the trumpet section in solo mode, Clark Terry’s contribution on flugel horn is a masterpiece of invention.
If Gary McFarland is not present in your collection than this a good place to start, it has interesting arrangements and many fine solos.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Phono 870256
Gary McFarland Orchestra with Bill Evans
Tracks 1 to 6
Gary McFarland ( vibes / arr / cond ) Bill Evans ( pno ) Phil Woods ( clt ) Spencer Sinatra ( alto / fl ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Richard Davis ( bass ) Ed Shaughnessy ( drs ) Julian Barber ( viola ) Allan Goldberg
( viola )Aaron Juvelier ( cello ) Joseph Tekula ( cello )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 24 January 1963
The Jazz Version of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
Tracks 9 & 13
Doc Severinsen ( tpt )Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl. Horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( val tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods
( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 8 November 1961
Tracks 7, 10 & 14
Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Joe Newman ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl. Horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Kenny Burrell ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) Joe Benjamin ( bass ) Osie Johnson ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( vibes / arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 14 November 1961
Tracks 8, 11 & 12
Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Herb Pomeroy ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt / fl horn ) Bob Brookmeyer ( tmb ) Willie Dennis ( tmb ) Billy Byers ( tmb ) Eddie Wasserman ( clt ) Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Al Cohn ( tnr / clt ) Oliver Nelson ( tnr ) Sol Schlinger ( bar / bass clt ) Jim Hall ( gtr ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr / cond )
Recorded Webster Hall, New York, 15 November 1961
Bonus track 15
Bernie Glow ( tpt ) Doc Severinsen ( tpt ) Nick Travis ( tpt ) Clark Terry ( tpt ) Bob Brookmeyer ( val tmb ) Bill Elton ( tmb ) Wayne Andre ( tmb ) Alan Ralph ( tmb 0 Phil Woods ( alto / clt ) Eddie Caine
( alto )Al Cohn ( tnr ) Phil Bodner ( tnr / eng -horn / oboe ) Gene Allen ( br / bass clt ) Eddie Costa
( vibes ) Hank Jones ( pno ) George Duvivier ( bass ) Mel Lewis ( drs ) Gary McFarland ( arr )
Recorded New York, 7 November 1961
Gary McFarland died at an early age, in his early forties in mysterious circumstances which were never really accounted for and it was a great loss to the jazz world. After starting out on vibes he studied arranging and composition which he devoted the majority of his time but continued to tour with his own quintet.
Gary McFarland wrote and arranged for other groups including Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band, Stan Getz and Anita O’Day.
The first six tracks on this album showcase the talents of pianist Bill Evans with a mall group which includes a four piece string section which allows the arranger a wider range of colours to work with. Phil Woods on clarinet and Spencer Sinatra on alto and fluta are confined mainly to supporting roles but Gary McFarland on vibes and Bill Evans play prominent roles. Many of the compositions have a Modern Jazz Quatet feel about them which is not surprising as John Lewis was very much a mentor to McFarland.An interesting album if somewhat offbeat in approach but that’s what makes jazz so diverse.
Tracks 7 to 14 arefar removed from the earlier tracks, firstly a big band is featured with three varying personnel’s but with not too many changes but all involving top class musicians.
Albums which feature numbers from just one particular show have a chequered history some are very successful including “My Fair Lady” and “Porgy and Bess” but “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying” does not really contain any memorable tunes. The arrangements are first class and there plenty of interesting solos many from Bob Brookmeyer and Al Cohn is dynamic on “Grand Old ivy”. Clark Terry is at his puckish best on “Brotherhood of Man” one of the better known numbers.
Mel Lewis is in the drum chair on five tracks and gives extra bite to the bands performance althoughOsie Johnson on the rest of the tracks is no slouch when it comes to swinging a band.
Bonus track 15 is another fine big band track which is a Gary McFarland original “Why Are You Blue” and features three of the trumpet section in solo mode, Clark Terry’s contribution on flugel horn is a masterpiece of invention.
If Gary McFarland is not present in your collection than this a good place to start, it has interesting arrangements and many fine solos.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
