JOHNNY WILLIAMS & HIS ORCHESTRA - Rhythm In Motion plus So Nice with Johnny Desmond
Blue Moon BMCD 858
Rhythm In Motion
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra
Tracks 7, 4, 12 & 8
Pete Candoli ( tpt ) Ray Triscari ( tpt ) Joe Triscari ( tpt ) Frank Beach ( tpt 0) Vince De Rosa ( fr. Horn ) Dick Perissi ( fr. Horn ) John Cave ( fr. Horn ) Dick Nash ( tmb ) Lloyd Ulyate ( tmb ) Dick Noel ( tmb ) Sam Rice ( tuba ) Harry Klee ( alto / flute ) Ted Nash ( alto / flute ) Justin Gordon ( tnr / flute ) Gene Cipriano ( tnr / flute ) Chuck Gentry ( bar ) Jimmy Rowles ( pno ) Bob Bain ( gtr ) Dorothy Remsen ( harp ) Joe Môn dragon ( bass) Jerry Williams ( drs ) Larry Bunker ( perc. ) Frank Flynn ( perc.) John F. Williams ( perc.)
Recorded Hollywood, 28th April 1961
Tracks 1, 2, 6 & 9
Same personnel as above, except Milt Bernhart ( tmb ) Ronnie Lang ( alto / flute ) & Shelly Manne
( drs ) replace Dick Noel, Dick Nash
Recorded Hollywood, 2nd May 1961
Tracks 3, 10, 5 & 11
Same personnel as above except Dick Noel ( tmb ) Dick Nash ( alto / flute ) replace Milt Bernhart & Harry Klee
Recorded Hollywood, 4th May 1961
So Nive with Johnny Desmond
Johnny Desmond ( vocals ) Frank Beach ( tpt ) Don Fagerquist ( tpt ) John Audino ( tpt ) Joe Howard ( tmb ) Ray Sims ( tmb ) Bob Envoldsen ( val. Tmb ) George Roberts ( bass tmb ) Ronnie Lang ( alto / clt ) Herman Gunkler ( alto / clt ) Bill Holman ( tnr ) Gene Cipriano ( tnr 0 Martin Berman ( bar ) Tom Tedesco ( gtr ) Johnny Williams ( pno ) Larry Bunker ( vibes ) Buddy Clark ( bass ) Frank Capp
( drs ) arrangements by Johnny Williams & Bill Holman
Recorded Hollywood, 24th February 1958
Bonus tracks
Track 25
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra
Recorded Hollywood, 1962
Tracks 26 & 27
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra with Maurie Harris ( tpt ) Cappy Lewis ( tpt ) Dick Noel ( tmb ) Lloyd Ulyate (tmb ) Johnny Williams ( pno ) Bill Pitman ( gtr ) Joe Môn dragon ( bass ) Shelly Manne ( drs )
Recorded Hollywood, 11th February 1963
Do not make the mistake of thinking this is Johnny Williams the pianist who successfully recorded with Stan Getz and many other major names, this is the johnny Williams who under the name John Williams who had such a success scoring and conducting so many brilliant film scores over a long period.
The album “Rhythm In Motion” which takes up the first twelve tracks of this release was recorded in his career and consists of twelve fairly well known standards recorded over three sessions with an orchestra filled with musicians who were frequent visitors to the studio for this type of recording but do not expect any solos of note from this array of talent.
This recording is very much in the same style as recordings by Nelson Riddle and Billy During the same period. Although there is much to admire in the skill and professionalism of the scores and musicianship they are in no way aimed at the jazz fraternity. There are a number of tracks which are interesting including “The Varsity Drag” and “My Heart Belongs To Daddy”, the latter has a fine piano solo by Jimmy Rowles.
The second album “So Nice” features the singer Johnny Desmond who is probably best known for his period with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He has a rich baritone voice with good phrasing and delivery and it is a mystery why he didn’t have a more successful solo career although he does not have a distinctive style of say Frank Sinatra or Mel Torme.
He is at his best on medium tempo numbers and out and out swingers, numbers like “I Can’t Get Started” and “It’s The Talk Of The Town” are a lesson in how to approach a song. Johnny Desmond even made time to compose a song of his own, “My Happy Time” which comes over well on this recording.
Credit must be given to both Johnny Williams and Bill Holman’s for their outstanding arrangements which contribute to the success of this album.
The three bonus tracks on the album are composed by Johnny Williams and are aimed a completely different audience and really have no place on this release.
This album is by no means a jazz release but there is much to admire in both the instrumental a vocal sides and if this is your bag it is a worthwhile purchase.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Blue Moon BMCD 858
Rhythm In Motion
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra
Tracks 7, 4, 12 & 8
Pete Candoli ( tpt ) Ray Triscari ( tpt ) Joe Triscari ( tpt ) Frank Beach ( tpt 0) Vince De Rosa ( fr. Horn ) Dick Perissi ( fr. Horn ) John Cave ( fr. Horn ) Dick Nash ( tmb ) Lloyd Ulyate ( tmb ) Dick Noel ( tmb ) Sam Rice ( tuba ) Harry Klee ( alto / flute ) Ted Nash ( alto / flute ) Justin Gordon ( tnr / flute ) Gene Cipriano ( tnr / flute ) Chuck Gentry ( bar ) Jimmy Rowles ( pno ) Bob Bain ( gtr ) Dorothy Remsen ( harp ) Joe Môn dragon ( bass) Jerry Williams ( drs ) Larry Bunker ( perc. ) Frank Flynn ( perc.) John F. Williams ( perc.)
Recorded Hollywood, 28th April 1961
Tracks 1, 2, 6 & 9
Same personnel as above, except Milt Bernhart ( tmb ) Ronnie Lang ( alto / flute ) & Shelly Manne
( drs ) replace Dick Noel, Dick Nash
Recorded Hollywood, 2nd May 1961
Tracks 3, 10, 5 & 11
Same personnel as above except Dick Noel ( tmb ) Dick Nash ( alto / flute ) replace Milt Bernhart & Harry Klee
Recorded Hollywood, 4th May 1961
So Nive with Johnny Desmond
Johnny Desmond ( vocals ) Frank Beach ( tpt ) Don Fagerquist ( tpt ) John Audino ( tpt ) Joe Howard ( tmb ) Ray Sims ( tmb ) Bob Envoldsen ( val. Tmb ) George Roberts ( bass tmb ) Ronnie Lang ( alto / clt ) Herman Gunkler ( alto / clt ) Bill Holman ( tnr ) Gene Cipriano ( tnr 0 Martin Berman ( bar ) Tom Tedesco ( gtr ) Johnny Williams ( pno ) Larry Bunker ( vibes ) Buddy Clark ( bass ) Frank Capp
( drs ) arrangements by Johnny Williams & Bill Holman
Recorded Hollywood, 24th February 1958
Bonus tracks
Track 25
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra
Recorded Hollywood, 1962
Tracks 26 & 27
Johnny Williams & his Orchestra with Maurie Harris ( tpt ) Cappy Lewis ( tpt ) Dick Noel ( tmb ) Lloyd Ulyate (tmb ) Johnny Williams ( pno ) Bill Pitman ( gtr ) Joe Môn dragon ( bass ) Shelly Manne ( drs )
Recorded Hollywood, 11th February 1963
Do not make the mistake of thinking this is Johnny Williams the pianist who successfully recorded with Stan Getz and many other major names, this is the johnny Williams who under the name John Williams who had such a success scoring and conducting so many brilliant film scores over a long period.
The album “Rhythm In Motion” which takes up the first twelve tracks of this release was recorded in his career and consists of twelve fairly well known standards recorded over three sessions with an orchestra filled with musicians who were frequent visitors to the studio for this type of recording but do not expect any solos of note from this array of talent.
This recording is very much in the same style as recordings by Nelson Riddle and Billy During the same period. Although there is much to admire in the skill and professionalism of the scores and musicianship they are in no way aimed at the jazz fraternity. There are a number of tracks which are interesting including “The Varsity Drag” and “My Heart Belongs To Daddy”, the latter has a fine piano solo by Jimmy Rowles.
The second album “So Nice” features the singer Johnny Desmond who is probably best known for his period with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He has a rich baritone voice with good phrasing and delivery and it is a mystery why he didn’t have a more successful solo career although he does not have a distinctive style of say Frank Sinatra or Mel Torme.
He is at his best on medium tempo numbers and out and out swingers, numbers like “I Can’t Get Started” and “It’s The Talk Of The Town” are a lesson in how to approach a song. Johnny Desmond even made time to compose a song of his own, “My Happy Time” which comes over well on this recording.
Credit must be given to both Johnny Williams and Bill Holman’s for their outstanding arrangements which contribute to the success of this album.
The three bonus tracks on the album are composed by Johnny Williams and are aimed a completely different audience and really have no place on this release.
This album is by no means a jazz release but there is much to admire in both the instrumental a vocal sides and if this is your bag it is a worthwhile purchase.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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