Al Grey

THE LAST OF THE BIG PLUNGERS (2 LPS ON 1 CD)

 

Personnel:

Joe Newman (tp), Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb), Billy Mitchell (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bs), Floyd Morris (p), Freddie Green (g), Ed Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d)

 

Reference: FSRCD 590

 

These two albums, under the leadership of trombonist Al Grey, were recorded while he was a member of Count Basies band. With the exception of the pianists, the men assembled to play in these sessions were all well known Basie-ites. All the charts share a spare, functional approach ideal for the three brass-two saxes instrumentation. The arrangements delve cleanly and right to the heart of swinging. Grey, famed for his plunger mute work, plays vigorously and inventively.

 

Both groupsan octet and a nonetdisplay that warm, moving blues feeling that characterized the Basie band, with all the soloists blowing with sure-footed intensity alongside the tastefully swinging leader.

 

 

Tracklisting:

01. Things Aint What They Used to Be (Ellington-Persons) 3:46

02. Open Wider, Please (Grey) 4:49

03. I Got It Bad and That Aint Good (Ellington-Webster) 3:18

04. Dont Get Around Much Anymore (Ellington-Russell) 3:06

05. How Come You Do Me Like You Do (Austin-Bergere) 2:31

06. Bluish Grey (Jones) 3:49

07. The Elder (Jones) 5:15

08. Bewitched (Rodgers-Hart) 3:36

09. Kenie-Konie (Foster) 6:05

10. Salty Papa (Grey) 5:50

11. Dont Cry Baby (Johnson-Bernie-Unger) 2:22

12. Stranded (Foster) 5:28

13. Tenderly (Gross-Lawrence) 2:04

14. Rompin (Foster) 3:44

15. King Bee (grey) 5:38

16. When I Fall in Love (Young) 2:32

17. Al-Lamo (Jones) 4:52

 

Total time: 69:00 min.

 

 

Original sources:

Tracks #1-9 from the album "The Last Of The Big Plungers" (Argo LP 653).

 

Tracks #10-17 from the album "The Thinking Man's Trombone" (Argo LP 677).

 

Personnel on "The Last Of The Big Plungers" :

Al Grey Octet: Joe Newman (tp), Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb), Billy Mitchell (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bs), Floyd Morris (p), Ed Jones (b) and Sonny Payne (d).

 

Recorded at Ter-Mar Recording Studios, Chicago, September 25 & 28, 1959.

 

Personnel on "The Thinking Man's Trombone" :

Al Grey Nonet: Joe Newman (tp), Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb); Billy Mitchell (ts), Charlie Fowlkes (bs); Freddie Green (g), Billy Higgins (p), Ed Jones (b) and Sonny Payne (d).

 

Recorded at Ter-Mar Recording Studios, Chicago, August 23,24 & 25, 1960.

 

Arrangements by Frank Foster (#1-5,8,9,12,14); Thad Jones (#6,7,11,17); Al Grey (#10, 15); nat Pierce (#16) and Clare Fischer (#13).

 

Original recordings supervised by Jack tracy

Recordings engineers: Malcom Chisholm (#1-9) and Ron Malo (#9-17)

 

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol

 

24-Bit Digitally Remastered