The Al Belletto Quintet & Sextet 1954-1957 – 2CD

Once upon a time —back in the second half of the 50s— the Al Belletto Sextet enjoyed great popularity for playing “modern jazz for listening and dancing.” Today, though, not many remember them.

Their story began in December 1952, when New Orleans-born Belletto, who was already an accomplished alto saxophonist and clarinet player, decided to form his own quintet. In just two years, and with the enthusiastic support of bandleader Stan Kenton, Belletto’s fine formation was immortalized by Capitol Records in its series “Kenton Presents Jazz,” because they played—in Kenton’s own words—“as one voice with a seemingly infinite variety of colors and shadows.”

Each musician performed skillfully, and except for the drummer, they all doubled on more than one instrument. In addition, although Jimmy Guinn was the group’s featured singer, each member also pitched in for some interesting five-way vocals remindful of the Four Freshmen. The group became a sextet early in 1955 with the addition of a bass player. “The bass was swapped too often, and the outfit’s driving arrangements required a constant in the rhythm backing,” Belletto mentioned. “We tried for the sound of a big band, using a six-piece lineup.”

All their versatility, combined with the group’s obvious eagerness to succeed and please, sat very well in many music spots over the country, and the charts by Mel Tormé, Nat Pierce, Neal Hefti, Johnny Mandel, and Shorty Rogers, plus some excellent material from band members, paved the way for the commercial success they went on to enjoy.

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. When My Sugar Walks Down the Street - 2:59   2. The Way You Look Tonight - 3:18   3. Kind of Moody - 2:31   4. A Foggy Day - 3:39   5. Russ Job - 3:33   6. I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good - 2:27   7. Jeepers Creepers - 3:01   8. Sorry, Gone Number - 2:11   9. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To - 2:37   10. Make Her Mine - 2:18   11. March Fugue Jazz - 6:17   12. I Was the Last to Know - 2:59   13. Bebe - 3:09   14. Little Girl Blue - 3:06   15. Mabel - 3:27   16. Broadway - 3:26   17. Statue of Liberty - 2:19   18. Charity’s a Rarity - 3:38   19. Spring Is Here - 3:18   20. Relaxin’ - 3:01   21. My Funny Valentine - 2:33   22. A Little Bit Square But Nice - 2:29   23. Foam Rubber - 3:24   24. In Love in Vain - 2:24   25. I Never Get Enough of You - 2:18   26. Prelude to a Kiss - 2:06

CD2:
1. Poppa Joe's - 2:52   2. Falling In Love with Love - 3:50   3. All for Blues - 7:49   4. Lover Man - 3:10   5. 'Deed I Do - 5:49   6. Sixty-Four - 3:26   7. Whisper Not - 3:26   8. Sunday - 2:38   9. Cross My Heart - 2:15   10. Rudy Tootie - 3:29   11. What's New? - 3:14   12. Sometimes I'm Happy - 2:32   13. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good - 2:49   14. Ridin' on the Moon - 2:30   15. All or Nothing at All - 4:04   16. In Other Words - 3:33   17. There Will Never Be Another You - 2:26   18. Kind of Moody - 3:05   19. I Can't Believe that You're In Love with Me - 2:52

Sources CD1:
Tracks # 1-4, from “An Introduction to the Al Belletto Quintet” (Capitol EAP 1-6508)
Tracks # 5-15, from “Sounds and Songs - The Al Belletto Sextet” (Capitol T-6514)
Tracks # 16-26, from “Half and Half - The Al Belletto Sextet” (Capitol T-751)

Sources CD2:
Track #1, from “Half and Half - The Al Belletto Sextet (Capitol T-751)
Tracks #2-11, from “Whisper Not - The Al Belletto Sextet” (Capitol T-901)
Tracks #12-23, from “Somebody Loves Me - Jerri Winters with the Al Belletto Sextet” (Bethlehem BCP 76)

Personnel:

Personnel on "Introduction to the Al Belletto Quintet":
Al Belletto, alto sax, clarinet, vocals; Jack Martin, trumpet, French horn, bass, chief arranger, vocals; Jimmy Guinn, trombone, tenor sax, bass, arranger, featured singer; Fred Crane, piano, baritone sax, arranger, vocals; Charles McKnight, drums, vocals.
Recorded in Chicago, December 1954

Personnel on "“Sounds and Songs":
Al Belletto, alto sax, clarinet, vocals; Jack Martin, bass, trumpet, French horn, arranger, vocals; (Danny Conn, replaces Martin on #9-15 playing bass, trumpet, mellophone, vocals); Jimmy Guinn, trombone, arranger, featured singer; Fred Crane, piano, baritone sax, arranger, vocals; Skip Fawcett, bass, vocals; Charles McKnight, drums, vocals.
Recorded in Chicago, February 1955 [#5-8], Chicago & Los Angeles, 1955 [#9-15]

Personnel on "Hanf and Half":
Al Belletto, alto sax, clarinet, vocals; Willie Thomas, trumpet, vocals; Jimmy Guinn, trombone, arranger, featured singer; Fred Crane, piano, baritone sax, vocals; Skip Fawcett, bass, vocals; Tom Montgomery, drums, trumpet, vocals.
Recorded in New York, May 28 [#16-21], June 1 [#22-24], and June 6 [#25-26], 1956

Personnel on "Whisper Not":
Al Belletto, alto sax, clarinet, vocals; Willie Thomas, trumpet, vocals; Jimmy Guinn, trombone, arranger, featured singer; Fred Crane, piano, baritone sax, vocals; Kenny O’Brien, bass, vocals; Tom Montgomery, drums, trumpet, vocals.
Recorded in New York, July 16 [#2-5], 17 [#6-7], 18 [#8-9], and 19 [#10-11], 1957

Personnel on "Somebody Loves Me":
Jerri Winters, vocals; Al Belletto, alto sax, clarinet, vocals; Willie Thomas, trumpet, vocals; Jimmy Guinn, trombone, arranger, featured singer; Fred Crane, piano, baritone sax, arranger, vocals; Kenny O’Brien, bass, vocals, (Ray Brown, replaces O'Brien on #20-23); Tom Montgomery, drums, vocals; (Louis Marino, replaces Montgomery on #20-23).
Recorded in Chicago, February 1957 [#12-19], and March 1957 [#20-23]