Personnel:
Frank Marocco (accordion), Victor Feldman (vib), Al
Hendrickson, Dave Koonse (g), Lloyd Lunham, Putter Smith (b), Milt Holland,
John Tirabasso (b), Gary Foster (as, ts)
Reference: FSRCD
940
The accordion, at one time a much neglected instrument,
became after World War II an important element of the American musical scene.
By the mid Fifties it may not have been as widely used as other instruments,
but at least it was no longer considered a stranger to jazz. However, because
black musicians never took to the instrument, it can’t be said that the
accordion was ever totally in the mainstream of jazz.
Frank Marocco (1931-2012), a member of the Hollywood studio
brigade, was one of the world’s most versatile performers on the instrument. At
home with any style or school of playing, he was happiest, in the stimulating
area of modern jazz. So for his first jazz album— Like Frank Marocco, recorded
in 1960—he led a quintet that featured Victor Feldman on vibes and Al
Hendrickson on guitar.
After several years focused in the more lucrative path of
the studio musician, Frank decided to devote more time to playing jazz, and in
1977 he appeared again on a record with a group of friends; a quintet with Gary
Foster, sax, Dave Koonse, guitar, and Putter Smith, bass, under the leadership
of drummer John Tirabasso. All solos are of consistent interest, with Marocco displaying
worthwhile concern for the melodic lines, considerable facility and modern
conception.
An excellent technician, as a jazzman Marocco rarely
exhibited a tendency toward wildness or experimentation, but he knew where his
roots grew: the lines he developed were logical, and his use of chording
effective and exciting. These two fine but longforgotten albums—featuring
accomplished musicians from the West Coast jazz scene—give us the chance to
rediscover Frank Marocco, a player who made the accordion no longer a right
hand only instrument.
Tracklisting:
01. Southern Fried (Jordan-Leonard-Ross-Culliver) 3:01
02. Frank's Tune (Frank Marocco) 3:29
03. Tiny’s Blues (Kahn-Cohn) 4:06
04. It Could Happen to You (Burke-Van Heusen) 2:40
05. Road to Morocco (Gordon Lofgren) 2:00
06. Lunham Bridges (Lunham-Marocco) 2:27
07. Fascinating Rhythm (G. & I. Gershwin) 3:46
08. Umbrella Man (Cavanaugh-Stock-Rose) 5:12
09. Anything Goes (Cole Porter) 3:55
10. Take the “A” Train (Billy Strayhorn) 4:20
11. Night in Morocco (Frank Marocco) 6:08
12. Yours Is My Heart Alone (Franz Lehar) 4:55
13. Happy Samba (Frank Marocco) 6:22
14. Wind and Rain in Her Hair (Lawrence-Edwards) 7:26
15. Body and Soul (Johnny Green) 5:00
16. Dobre Drums (John Tirabasso) 5:10
17. Southbound Express (Vince Wallace) 3:43
Sources:
Tracks #1-10,
from the album “Like Frank Marocco” (Verve MG V6-2135)
Tracks #11-17,
from the album “John Tirabasso - Diamond Cufflinks and Mink”
(Dobre DR 1022)
Personnel on #1-10: Frank
Marocco, accordion; Victor Feldman, vibes; Al Hendrickson, guitar; Lloyd
Lunham, bass; Milt Holland, drums.
Recorded at Radio
Recorders, Hollywood, California, January 19 (#1-4 & 10), and February 23
(#1 & 5-9), 1960
Personnel on #11-17: Gary
Foster, alto and tenor sax (out on #15 & 17); Dave Koonse, guitar; Frank
Marocco, accordion (out on #15 & 17); Putter Smith, bass; John Tirabasso,
drums.
Recorded at Gold Star
Studios, Hollywood, California, on December 2, 1977
Original recordings
produced by Russ Garcia and Ray Lawrence
Photography: Don
McCormack (Verve)
Inside liner notes:
Jordi Pujol / Dave Koonse (Dobre)
Produced for CD
release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit
Digitally Remastered