Charlie Ventura and
Bill Harris made their mark among fellow jazz musicians but both died in obscurity. The reappearance of these historic live performances from 1947 are important parts of their discography, most of them transcribed by collector Jerry Newman during gigs at the Three Deuces. Unlike 78 rpm discs of the era, the musicians get a chance to stretch out at length.
Ventura's boppish tenor sax shows the influence of swingers like
Coleman Hawkins and
Ben Webster, yet he is clearly speaking a new language on the instrument.
Harris is a bit more economical with his notes but no less effective an improviser. The rhythm section features pianist/arranger
Ralph Burns, bassist Bob Leininger and the tragic but gifted drummer
Dave Tough. While this isn't a complete compilation of their material from this period, it represents most of the highlights. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden