The Jazz Makers & The Jazz Five – The Hooter

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.

Track Listing:
1. The Country Squire (Ross) - 3:50   2. Pitiful Pearl (Ross) - 3:33   3. The Moonbather (Ganley) - 3:58   4. The Real Funky Blues (Ellefson) - 6:26   5. It’s a Big Wide Wonderful World (Rox) - 5:12   6. Blues for the Five of Us (Ganley) - 4:47   7. I Won’t Fret If I Don’t Get the Blues Anymore (Stan Jones) - 3:39   8. How Long Has This Been Going On (G. & I. Gershwin) - 4:17   9. 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