Manny Albam / Hal Schaefer – Jazz Goes To The Movies / Showcase: Great Songs From United Artists Pictures

UA Showcase was the first recording by the newly created United Artists Records in 1958. The set of songs from great UA movies was given bright, fresh scores by Hal Schaefer and a brisk, bristling reading by a large, star-studded orchestra. Among the excellent soloists featured are Gene Quill on alto sax, Nick Travis, on trumpet, Frank Rehak, trombone, and Schaefer on piano. The approach throughout is interesting and innovative, and the full sound the band gets suggests impressive power kept carefully under control.
Likewise, Jazz Goes to the Movies is a first rate album that reached the pop as well the jazz market in 1962. Skillfully arranged by Manny Albam, his jazz settings of familiar movie songs and themes were zestfully delivered to build and sustain a variety of moods. The three orchestras used, comprising 12, 14, and 17 men respectively, included some of the most dependable soloists and section men in New York City. There are strong solo contributions by such stars as Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Johnny Coles, Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Urbie Green, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Oliver Nelson, Eddie Costa, Jim Hall, Jimmy Raney and Bill Crow. Overall, each orchestra does complete justice to Albam’s scores, blending well, and building to effective climaxes on a superior album.

Track listing:
1. Molly-O (Bernstein-Fine) - 2:48 From “The Man with the Golden Arm”   2. The Song from Moulin Rouge (Auric-Engvick) - 2:49   3. The Moon Is Blue (Gilbert-Fine) - 2:32   4. Smile (Chaplin-Turner-Parsons) - 3:06 From “Modern Times”   5. Daddy (Troup) - 3:23 From “Gentlemen Marry Brunettes”   6. Highest Noon (Tiomkin-Washington) From “High Noon” - 2:32   7. Around the World (Young-Adamson) - 5:58 From “Around the World in 80 Days”   8. The World Is Mine (Roberts-Jacobson-Nascimbene) - 3:16 From “Alexander The Great”   9. Eternally (Terry’s Theme) (Chaplin-Parsons) - 2:35 From “Limelight”   10. Return to Paradise (Tiomkin-Washington) - 2:23   11. The Kentuckian Song (Gordon) - 3:15    12. Exodus (Gold) - 5:17   13. Highest Noon (Tiomkin-Washington) - 2:48 From “High Noon”   14. Paris Blues (Ellington) - 2:47   15. La Dolce Vita (Rota) - 2:45   16. Majority of One (Steiner) - 2:07   17. Green Leaves of Summer (Tiomkin-Webster) - 5:03 From “The Alamo”   18. The Guns of Navarone (Tiomkin) - 3:30   19. Slowly (Raksin-Goell) - 3:58 From “Fallen Angel”   20. El Cid (Rozsa) - 2:28

Sources:
Tracks #1-11, from the United Artist album "Showcase: Great Songs from United Artists Pictures" (UA 30001)
Tracks #12-20, from the Impulse album "Jazz Goes to the Movies" (AS-19)

Personnel on "Showcase":

HAL SCHAEFER And His Orchestra
Nick Travis, Bernie Glow, Stan Fishelson, Al Stewart (tp); Tony Miranda, Dick Berg (Frh); Frank Rehak, Jim Dahl (tb); Gene Quill (as, cl); Jerry Sanfino (as, fl); Morty Lewis (ts); Dave Kurtzer (ts & bassoon); Al Epstein, Stanley Webb (ts, oboe, Engh); Sol Shlinger (bs, b-cl); Hal Schaefer (p); Chet Amsterdam (b); Osie Johnson, Charlie Persip (d); Willie Rodriguez (congas).
Webster Hall, New York City, April 1958

Personnel on "Jazz Hoes to the Movies":

MANNY ALBAM And His Orchestra
Al DeRisi, Bernie Glow, Nick Travis, Johnny Coles, Joe Newman, Clark Terry (tp); Julius Watkins (Frh); Harvey Phillips (tuba); Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb); Urbie Green, Bill Elton, Willie Dennis, Wayne Andre (tb); Al Raph (b-tb); Phil Woods, Gene Quill (as); Oliver Nelson, Frank Socolow (ts); Gene Allen (bs); Jim Hall, Jimmy Raney (g); Eddie Costa (p, vib); George Duvivier, Bill Crow (b); Gus Johnson (d); George Devens (perc).
New York City, January 12 & 25, and February 12, 1962

Original recordings produced by Hal Schaefer & Jack Lewis (#1-11) and Bob Thiele (#12-20)
Recording engineers: Ray Hall (#1-11) and Frank Abbey (#12-20)
Original cover designs: David Chasman (UA),
Bob Gomel, Flynn/Viceroy (Impulse)
Compiled for CD release by Jordi Pujol

Review:

"The five stars are for the much-revered Manny Albam tracks (the final eight). Mr Schaeffer would be awarded three for his music. But I would willingly unbend to give him at least five for the fact that he used to have it away with Marilyn Monroe. His charts are bright and accomplished, and it is perhaps his misfortune that they sit next to such a classic grouping as those by the sainted Dominican.

Some people do not share my enthusiasm for Albam’s skills, and I have to own that he didn’t have the jazz inspiration of a Gil Evans, an Ellington or an Ernie Wilkins. But the music that he recorded excelled in another dimension with its polish and precision perhaps asking for it to be compared to Kenton or Billy May-style orchestras. Manny knew his jazz and where to get his soloists, which is why people like Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, Phil Woods, Nick Travis and Joe Newman were so keen to play for him, as they demonstrated here.

I find that music that is written for films usually drops down a notch from that written to go direct to the ear and the titles included here are not intrinsically admirable, with the possible exception of the unusual Green Leaves. This track features Brookmeyer at his languid best, along with his (later) musical partner Jim Hall. Albam had an understandable penchant for the valve trombonist, and Bob pops up all over the place. Clark Terry and Johnny Coles also score lots of points, with the latter particularly effective in on El Cid and in partnership with Phil Woods on Exodus. Willie Dennis was always good to listen to and he uses Joe Newman’s buzz mute in the trombone solo on Majority. The storming of Navarone is undertaken by Oliver Nelson and Brookmeter, whilst Eddie Costa and Bill Crow are exceptionally good in solo and in the section.

Mr Schaefer’s natural home was his trio, but he shows he’s skilled at big band writing. The material wasn’t the best but soloists Frank Rehak and Gene Quill were unremittingly excellent."

-Steve Voce (Jazz Journal, April 2015)
http://www.jazzjournal.co.uk