The Jazz
Makers + The Hooter! (2 Lps On 1 Cd)
The Jazz
Makers / The Jazz Five
Featuring: Ronnie Ross (bs), Art Ellefson
(ts), Stan Jones (p), Stan Wasser (b), Allan Ganley (d) / Vic Ash (ts), Harry
Klein (bs), Brian Dee (p), Malcom Cecil (b), Bill Eyden, Tony Mann (d)
REFERENCE: FSRCD 820
This CD
presents two of the best English modern jazz combos of the late 50s and early
60s, both sharing the same instrumentation. Two outstanding British talents,
baritone saxophonist Ronnie Ross and drummer Allan Ganley, launched The Jazz
Makers in 1958, recruiting the delightful tenor of Art Ellefson for an
impressively balanced and imaginative front line, with pianist Stan Jones and
bassist Stan Wasser completing a formidable rhythm section. Ross, always a
strong, coherent and inventive soloist, blended intuitively with Ellefson’s
warm, flowing style and the results were filled with tremendous snap, vigour
and musicality. It was a superb ensemble which produced compelling results and
much music to remember.
The Jazz Five was formed in 1960 by baritone Harry Klein and tenor Vic Ash, two
consistent, capable and accomplished soloists. Klein a confident, self-assured
performer, was an assertive and swinging player, while Vic Ash possessed an
outgoing, fluent approach, making him an ideal front-line partner. On a well
written set of five originals and one standard, their ensemble had a bruising
impact, with the rhythm section rounding out the group effectively, thanks in
no small measure to the stimulating style of pianist Brian Dee, one of the
highlights of this reunion.
Tracklisting:
01. The Country Squire (Ross) 3:50
02. Pitiful Pearl (Ross) 3:33
03. The Moonbather (Ganley) 3:58
04. The Real Funky Blues (Ellefson) 6:26
05. It’s a Big Wide Wonderful World (Rox) 5:12
06. Blues for the Five of Us (Ganley) 4:47
07. I Won’t Fret If I Don’t Get
the Blues Anymore (Stan Jones) 3:39
08. How Long Has This Been Going On
(G. & I. Gershwin) 4:17
09. There It Is (Dee) 6:57
10. The Five of Us (Dee) 7:07
11. ‘Pon My Soul (Cecil) 7:41
12. The Hooter (Ash) 6:12
13. Autumn Leaves (Kosma-Prevert-Mercer) 9:26
14. Still Life (Cecil) 5:20
Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from the 12" album
"Ronnie Ross & Allan Ganley - The Jazz Makers"
(Atlantic SD1333)
Tracks #9-14, from the 12" album
"The Jazz Five - The Hooter!’”
(Riverside RLP-9361)
Personnel on #1-8:
Ronnie Ross (baritone sax), Art Ellefson (tenor sax), Stan Jones (piano), Stan
Wasser (bass), and Allan Ganley (drums).
Recorded in New York City, on September 23, 1959
Personnel on #9-14:
Vic Ash (tenor sax), Harry Klein (baritone sax), Brian Dee (piano), Malcom
Cecil (bass), Bill Eyden (drums). Tony Mann (replaces Eyden on #12 & 14).
Recorded in London, October 23 & November 12, 1960
Original recordings supervised by Nesuhi Ertegun
(The Jazz Makers) and produced by Tony Hall
(The Jazz Five)
Recording engineers: Tom Dowd & Phil Iehle (#1-8), Michael Mailes (#9-14)
Atlantic cover photo: Lee Friedlander
Riverside Cover designed: Ken Deardoff
Compiled and produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered