This Lone Hill compilation collects all of the quintet studio recordings made together by Art Farmer and Hal McKusick, covering four different groups, each with a unique rhythm section. Farmer was still playing trumpet, prior to his switch to flugelhorn, while the alto saxophonist also doubles on clarinet and bass clarinet. The bulk of the album features the two men with pianist Eddie Costa, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Gus Johnson, with Al Cohn and Manny Albam contributing most of the arrangements. It is immediately apparent that the co-leaders have a natural ability to complement one another with perfect backing for the other's solos, highlighted by the magical take of "Alone Together." The next session features two originals written and arranged by Jimmy Giuffre, with guitarist Barry Galbraith, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Osie Johnson providing rhythm. Both of these cool-toned pieces have a touch of mystery and are beautifully interpreted. Giuffre is also the arranger for three pieces featuring Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Connie Kay with the leaders, with McKusick's bass clarinet taking solo honors in "It Never Entered My Mind." The last three tracks also include Evans, expanding the group to a sextet with Galbraith, Hinton, and Charlie Persip joining Farmer and McKusick. George Russell is the arranger, with a swaggering yet cool take of Russell's "Stratusphunk" standing out. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden
This release contains all of the 16 studio recordings from Art Farmer and Hal McKusick's outstanding yet highly underrated quintet as well as three bonus tracks of the group augmented to a sextet. Contains Coral's complete Hal McKusick Quintet album. Disconforme. 2005.
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$16.05 Probably more than any of her contemporaries with whom she is most often compared, Sarah Vaughan's voice not only survived the vicissitudes of years of performing, but matured remarkably well. Her performance at this concert assured all that she could still go from bluesy growls through crystal clarity to sounding cute at the higher range. The Paris concert turned out to be a love fest between Vaughan and her audience. Starting off with a lengthy warmup by the trio, featuring Frank Collett's piano on "Hi-Fly," Vaughan makes a dramatic entrance singing "Summertime" a capella, establishing the vocal framework for the remainder of the concert. Vaughan ...