Various – Jazz Mission To Moscow – 2CD

Jazz Mission To Moscow + Soviet Jazz Themes + Jazz At Liberty (3 Lps On 2 Cds)
Al Cohn, Victor Feldman All Stars & Bill Crow-Phil Woods All Stars

Jazz, once outlawed in the Soviet Union, finally got official approval when the Benny Goodman Band spent a rapturously received six-week tour there in mid-1962. Back stateside, eight from the band, including Zoot Sims and Phil Woods, with guests Eddie Costa and Marky Markowitz, commemorated the tour by recording Jazz Mission to Moscow, an ebulliently swinging album of jazz standards and Russian popular songs arranged by Al Cohn.

It was soon followed by one with an even more pronounced Russian flavour. Vic Feldman, vibist on the Goodman small combo numbers during the tour, had enhanced his knowledge of Russian musical activity and, back on the West Coast, recorded Soviet Jazz Themes, an album of jazz compositions by local composers. His choice of players was vindicated by the work of Carmell Jones, Nat Adderley, Harold Land, Joe Zawinul, Herb Ellis, Bob Whitlock, Frank Butler and Feldman himself.

In December 1962, however, the soviets slammed the door on jazz again. Responding, Radio Liberty launched a half-hour weekly programme of US modern jazz in June 1963, broadcasted through Europe from its base in the beach of Pals (Spain). This series became a showcase for Soviet jazz composers when members of the Benny Goodman group recorded with other top musicians some jazz originals composed by their Soviet counterparts. Al Cohn was once again assigned to score the tunes, and Jazz at Liberty, featuring such luminaries as Art Farmer, Bob Brookmeyer, Phil Woods and Zoot Sims was the impressive result.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Jazz Mission To Moscow: 1. Mission to Moscow (Powell) 4:19   2. The Song of the Volga Boatman (Aka The Sochi Boatman) (Traditional) 5:16   3. Midnight in Moscow (Soloviev-Sedoy-Matusovsky) 5:58   4. Let’s Dance (Baldridge-Bonime-Stone) 4:32   5. Russian Lullaby (Berlin) 5:40   6. Dark Eyes (Aka Red, White and Blue Eyes) (Traditional) 4:54   Soviet Jazz Themes: 7. Ritual (Towmosjan) 5:01   8. Blue Church Blues (Golstein) 7:08   9. Madrigal (Golstein) 6:20   10. Vic (Gachechiladze) 4:55   11. Polyushko Polye (Arr. Golstein) 3:53   12. Gennadi (Golstein) 5:17

CD2:
Jazz At Liberty: 1. Believe (You May Believe–Or Not) (Unknown) 4:52   2. Madrigal (Golstein) 5:48   3. Madrigal New York (Golstein) 5:41   4. Nyet (You Will Say No) (Nosov) 3:06   Alternate Takes: 5. Believe (You May Believe–Or Not) (Unknown) [Take 1] 4:53   6. Madrigal New York (Golstein) [Take 1] 5:45   7. Madrigal New York (Golstein) [Take 2] 5:36   8. Nyet (You Will Say No) (Nosov) 3:03   Bonus Track: 9. Phil Woods interview & solo 1:00 *

Sources CD-1:
Tracks #1-6, from the album “Jazz Mission to Moscow” (Colpix SCP433)
Tracks #7-12, from the album “Soviet Jazz Themes” (Ava AS-19)

Sources CD-2:
Tracks #1-8, from the album “Jazz at Liberty: American Musicians Play Soviet Originals Over Radio Liberty” (RKO 131542)
Track #15, Phil Woods interview and solo / Excerpt from a Phil Woods appearance on the Radio Liberty show “This Is Jazz” hosted by Boris Orshansky.

Personnel on 'Jazz Mission to Moscow'
Arranged and Conducted by Al Cohn
Jimmy Maxwell, Markie Markowitz, trumpets; Willie Dennis, trombone; Phil Woods, alto sax & clarinet; Jerry Dodgion, alto sax & flute; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Gene Allen, baritone sax; Eddie Costa, piano; Bill Crow, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.
Recorded at Webster Hall, New York, July 12, 1962

Personnel on 'Soviet Jazz Themes'
The Victor Feldman All Stars
Tracks #7-9: Nat Adderley, cornet; Harold Land, tenor sax; Victor Feldman, vibes; Joe Zawinul, piano; Bob Whitlock, bass; Frank Butler, drums.
Recorded at United Recording Studios, Hollywood, October 26, 1962
Tracks #10-12: Carmell Jones, trumpet; Harold Land, tenor sax; Victor Feldman, piano & vibes; Herb Ellis, guitar; Bob Whitlock, bass; Frank Butler, drums.
Recorded at United Recording Studios, Hollywood, November 12, 1962

Personnel on 'Jazz at Liberty'
The Bill Crow-Phil Woods All Stars
Art Farmer, trumpet & flugelhorn; Bob Brookmeyer, valve trombone; Phil Woods, alto sax; Zoot Sims, tenor sax; Nick Brignola, baritone sax; John Bunch, piano; Bill Crow, bass; Walter Perkins, drums.
Recorded at RKO Sound Studios, NYC, May 1963

Original recordings produced by Jack Lewis (Colpix), Leonard Feather (Ava), and Boris Orshansky (Radio Liberty)

Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol