Best Jazz On A&M

[seashorepiano]

I heard segments of Tequila but don't own it. That could change by tomorrow night. Claus Ogerman's arrangements always make an album beautiful.

 

[JOv2]

I heard segments of Tequila but don't own it. That could change by tomorrow night. Claus Ogerman's arrangements always make an album beautiful.

Sounds like the making of a great Friday! According to the liner, The LP was recorded MAR66 [gtr, drm, bs, perc] then sweetened with Claus O. MAY66. I think Wes did only one more Verve LP [California Dreamin' SEP-OCT66] before leaving for CTi with Creed.

 

[audiofile]

Maybe you're just trying to categorize music too much. Just listen to the music, and try to have an open mind.

I don't listen to the Wes Montgomery albums on A&M and say, "hey this is pop/easy listening, not jazz." It's jazz man. Jazz is not so much a particular sound, but a feeling; a way of playing. Wes ain't playing any different on these albums than he did on the Riverside dates.

Thanks, audiophile. When I wear my arranger's hat I tend to start categorizing...which has been a major focus during the past 5 years. Of course, you're right, in terms of what Wes is doing (except on Wendy) is just like he'd do with his trio. In fact, I betcha these things were recorded with a combo...then Claus O. would add the orchestration later. I seriously doubt Wes was recording with an orchestra present.


Thanks for the CTi suggestions, actually, I have all of those...the Herbie Mann being my fave of the lot.
Thanks, guys!

No problem. Actually I read that the orchestra was present at some of the sessions, and for some reason Wes had to pretend he was reading his part. Later on, to not deal with all that crap, they recorded the rhythm section usually with Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on drums, and Grady Tate on drums. Then they would add the string and horn arrangements around what the musicians had played.

I also read that the arrangers and producers brought all the music to Wes. They would show Wes a recording of When A Man Loves A Women, or Elenore Rigby, then Wes would learn the head by ear.

 

[seashorepiano]

IIRC, Wes had to pretend to read his part because he didn't read music. Thus, he'd have to learn the aforementioned songs by ear.

 

[Dave]

...Wes had to pretend to read his part because he didn't read music... ...Thus, he'd have to learn by ear...

Quite like me, as well... :|



Dave

 

[audiofile]

IIRC, Wes had to pretend to read his part because he didn't read music. Thus, he'd have to learn the aforementioned songs by ear.

I know he didn't read music. But he would already have the songs memorized by recording time. After he had already learned it, he still had to pretend he was reading the part. That's what the article said, or at least that's what I got out of it.

 

[JOv2]

Yeah, it was the arrangers that had all the work to do with Wes' sessions...at least with the three A&Ms. Wes' group would work up the songs (probably chosen mostly by Creed with one ear aimed toward top-40 radio) and then Sebesky would work up the orchestral arrangements and drop it in on a sweetening session. A Day in the Life is a fine example. The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper LP (which was regarded as an avant-garde LP in its day -- a fact lost in time) was issued 01JUN67 [with no advanced copies]. The A Day in the Life sessions occurred 06-08, 26JUN67 -- suggesting that Creed and/or Sebesky immediately decided to record the title cut for Wes' A&M debute upon initial hearing. Sebesky had about 25 days to arrange, score, and rehearse the complex orchestral sections to make the 26JUN67 tracking session. The song is a simple one and Wes probably learned it in about 15min...I bet he played it a couple times, recorded it once or twice then never touched it again.

A dear old friend of mine has been spinning jazz LPs since the early '60s. When the jazz police start picking on Wes' A&M LPs he always says, "Wes was a jazz musician who decided he wanted to eat".

Anyone out there remember Emily Remler [1957-90]? Aside from being one of the most beautiful chain-smoking, heroin junkies you'd ever run across, she was totally indebted to Wes' style.

Anyway...hey, Seashore -- didja pickup Tequila? It's probably the best of the orchestrated Wes LPs. Unlike Sebesky, who can crowd out his soloist by over-arranging the music, Claus was far leaner. His work on Tom Jobim's The Red Blouse is perfect. Sebesky would've probably turned it into Hollywood bachelor pad scene music, while Claus gives it a mood that was uncommon (and uncommercial!) in the "orchestral tracking" industry of the day. I'm not much on these orchestrated LPs, but in Claus' hands, it seems to align well with my ears...wish he would have done more than Tequila and a couple of the early US Jobim LPs. Does anyone else know what he may have orchestrated (he did that Jobim/Sinatra LP form '67, too).

 

[Rudy]

I'm not much on these orchestrated LPs, but in Claus' hands, it seems to align will with my ears...wish he would have done more than Tequila and a couple of the early US Jobim LPs. Does anyone else know what he may have orchestrated (he did that Jobim/Sinatra LP form '67, too).

Diana Krall, "The Look of Love" is the most recent--Ogerman was coaxed out of retirement for that one. He also did George Benson's "Breezin'" and you'll hear some similarities between the two. I believe he also had his own album called something like "Cityscapes" that he conducted and arranged.

Agreed about Sebesky. His stuff is overbearing most of the time...but at least not as syrupy and leaden as Grusin's work...

 

[JOv2]

Agreed about Sebesky. His stuff is overbearing most of the time...but at least not as syrupy and leaden as Grusin's work...

I'm with you on that one. At their worst, Sebesky is a sledgehammer, and Grusin is a jackhammer!...that, of course, was after a couple Sunday evening Schlitzs...Oops, guess it's Monday now. Geeze another weekend gone!

 

[toeknee4bz]

I gave my vote to Quincy Jones because I like most of his A&M albums -- but I'm much more of a pop fan than a jazz fan. ("THE DUDE" being my fave album of his.)
I've heard several of the Wes Montgomery, several of Chuck Mangione... I've heard a few George Benson, but mostly after he went to Warner Bros where I guess he was more pop than jazz.
I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned Sergio Mendes. His early albums were pretty deeply influenced by jazz too.

You're Not Alone! I also thought THE DUDE was Q's best work, regardless of what category you maight put it into... Pop is not a dirty word. This is what I can't figure out about the whole "anti-Kenny G crusade". Who cares if it's not "true jazz"? Some might call Wes Montgomery "easy listening" while criticizing it for not being "true jazz" (string orchestration on "Road Song" comes to mind). I don't have a problem with it, but then again, I just like good music.

As for Sergio, I gravitated toward his '80s projects, which were definitely not jazz, but Brasil '66 should qualify.

Tony

 

[JMAR5]

Paulinho Da Costa is my favorite

 

[mr J.]

I would say that Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" is probably the best A&M jazz album,although his earlier work with Stan Getz and later work on CTI is better.

George Benson-his best work was on Warner and Quest(1976-1983)

Wes Montgomery-The 20-track Greatest Hits is probably one of the best A&M jazz discs,but his earlier Verve stuff was better.

Sergio Mendes-"Equinox" would be in the top 10.

Quincy Jones-"Killer Joe"(1969) is probably one of the best single jazz recordings in the A&M catalog,along with Gato Barbieri's "She Is Michelle"(1978),"Rita Coolidge's "Am I Blue"(1975) and Karen Carpenter's "Ordinary Fool"(1976) and "This Masquerade"(1973).

 

[Dave]

Gerry Mulligan is also a fairly under-rated talent...

Anyone vaguely curious about jazz saxophone (& wanting to avoid delving into the over-commerciality of Tom Scott) should definitely seek out his work...



Dave

 

[lj]

It is my belief that strings and a full orchestration when done judiciously can add a positive extra dimension to the basic arrangement for singers and the rhythm section in jazz and pop music.

Here are several prominent examples. Ella Fitzgerald--arguably the greatest female jazz singer of them all--had a number of albums with strings and full orchestration performing the Great American Songbook and the critics raved about the result. The critics also raved about the hundreds of ballads recorded with strings and full orchestration by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. And the list goes on and on.

That said, my favorite two examples of jazz on A&M are Paul Desmond's performance of the song "El Condor Pasa" arranged by Don Sebesky. The strings and horns provide an eerie and stunning accompaniment. My other favorite is Jobim's "Wave" album. I couldn't imagine the album without strings and full orchestra. Below is a link with an interview of Edu Lobo from October 11, 1996. Interestingly he says that as great as Claus Ogerman was, Jobim was his own arranger. Claus under Jobim's close supervision was his orchestrator.


http://www.nortemag.com/tom/edulobo/e.el1.html

 

[Ranhiu]

In no particular order:

1) Tom Scott - Great Scott
2) Tim Weisberg - Listen To The City, 4, Live at Last
3) Quincy Jones- Smackwater Jack
4) Neil Larsen - Jungle Fever
5) Gap Mangione - Suite Lady
6) David Spinozza - Spinozza
Kind of jazzy:
7) Seawind- Light the Light, Self-Titled
8) Michel Colombier - Wings