These were
Jimmy Giuffre's first recordings as a leader. A native of Dallas, TX,
Giuffre developed his chops in the reed sections of postwar big bands led by
Boyd Raeburn,
Jimmy Dorsey,
Buddy Rich, and
Woody Herman. Everything reissued here was recorded in Hollywood, CA.
Giuffre was surrounded by excellent musicians: alto saxophonist
Bud Shank, pianist
Russ Freeman, bassists
Ralph Pena and
Curtis Counce, drummers
Artie Anton and
Shelly Manne, trumpeter
Jack Sheldon, valve trombonist
Bob Enevoldsen, and
Shorty Rogers blowing the flügelhorn. The material is profoundly positive, smoothly inventive, and at times exquisitely relaxing. The cool and pleasantly eccentric ideas, the velvety and whimsical or animated, angular elements bring to mind
Gerry Mulligan's masterpiece album
What Is There to Say? and the brilliant accomplishments of
Lennie Tristano,
Warne Marsh, and
Lee Konitz. This music is very friendly and accessible. Some unusual combinations of notes seem to have been deliberately engineered in order to stand apart from conventional notions of musicality. And that's a good thing.