St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-08-20


In Lighter Vein and King Fish.
/ RussOs contributions IRE A
Theme OF -Four Values, A Study
For Bass, again featuring Bagley,
Blues Before and After, Bacante,
| featuring Candide on congo drums
among others; Thisbe by the tram
and rhythm sections, Edgon
Heath, Sweets and Dusk, by the
ensemble.
You remember the early Ken
ton albums when the sounds were
something Of a novelty because Of
their newness. The same mellow
tones, the searching notes, the
stimulating ideas are there; now
they have settled down to a pat
tern that has been enriched by ex-
perience. These are exciting Ken
ton additions TO any jazz library
(CapitoD.
In the same breath. one must
speak Of June Christy, because
she and Kenton were once a team
in the pursuit Of progressive"
ideas in jazz. Her album offering
comes under the title Of Some
thing Cool" For some inexplicable
reason, we can never see June
without Stan. To our way Of
thinking, (those were her best
days--but can one hope to achieve
individual fame and yet remain
with a group? Perhaps.
On this, she has for her accom-
PIANIST Pete Rugulo with band
and Pete as you know is also an
alumnus of the Kenton group. Her
octet OF tunes are deleotably pre-
scented by Rugulo's crewmen. thus
putting La Christy in a good spot
(Capitol).
IAN Evening With Charlie
Venture and Mary Ann Mccall" is
one which somewhat misses the
boat. Charles instrumental sides
are great stuff, but when Mary
joins the crew on her vocal stints,
she gives out with stuff which
does not click too well. Among
items included in this package are
Get Happy, Basin Street, Sam and
Don and Detour Ahead the lat
ter, a mood item with Mary, es-
pecially, fails TO move us. Nor
gram.
1t might be thought that we are
down on vocalists, for still another
chirper dims the glow on what is
an otherwise red hot collection.
This is Ella Mae Morse in her cur
rent album "Barrelhouse, Boogie
and the Blues" The accompani-
ment is by big Dave" Cavanaugh
and gang, and it's a real gem Of
barrelhouse and boogie. However,
the Morse styling of familiar
items, both old and new, leaves
something TO be desired. After you
have heard legit rhythm and blues
artists doing the same tunes, you
won't be able to see Ella Macs
versions. Especially is this true on
Money Money-you've heard that
Capitol.
A gone" one by frankie Boy
Sinatra is entitled Swing Easy"
and that's just what he does. with
the Nelson Riddle crew giving
masterpieces of instrumental as
stst. Sinatra Is in his best form,
seemingly being on firm and fam
liar ground with the standards
just One Of Those Things, I'm
Gonna Sit Right Down and Write
Myself II Letter, Wrap Your
Troubles In Dreams. Sunday, TAX
ing A Chance ON Love, Jeepers
Creepers, Get Happy and All of
Me tCapitoD.
The Park Avenue Hlnbillie"
gal, Dorothy Shay. racks off
nice collection of Broadway items
in the style youn remember her
for. With Billy Mays crew provid-
ing the background. Dot has these
choice items on display, You Can't
Get 4 Man With 4 Gun. DOM
What Comes Naturally, BIah,
Blah BIah, Always True To You
In MY Fashion, Nobody's Chasing
Me. I CANT Say No, 1 Wanna Get
Married and Take Back You Mink
tCapitoD.
A Euitarist virtually unknown
TO most Of the record-collecting
public-though he's been with
many OF the greats in the idiom.
he has never been pushed to the
front steps out with an album
that marks his debut. The intro
ductory collection is labelled The
Tai Fariow Album" and Tai gives
you taste OF some fine picking
and stunning. Accompanied by
the Great One, Oscar Pettifurd on
bass, Barry Galbraith, guitar and
Joe Morello, drums, Tai deftly {