CD1
Jimmy Raney A
1. Minor
2. Some Other Spring
3. Double Image
4. On The Square
5. Spring Is Here
6. One More For The Mode
7. What's New?
8. Tomorrow, Fairly Cloudy
9. A Foggy Day
10. Someone To Watch Over Me
11. Cross Your Heart
12. You Don't Know What Love Is
Jimmy Raney Featuring Bob Brookmeyer
13. Isn't It Romantic?
14. How Long Has This Been Going On?
15. No Male For Me
16. The Flag Is Up
17. Get Off That Roof
18. Jim's Tune
19. No One But Me
Jimmy Raney - Guitar plus:
Tracks 1-4
Hall Overton - Piano
Teddy Kotick - Bass
Art Madigan - Drums
Tracks 5-12
John Wilson - Trumpet
Hall Overton - Piano
Teddy Kotick - Bass
Nick Stabulas - Drums
Tracks 13-19
Bob Brookmeyer - Valve trombone
Teddy Kotick - Bass
Osie Johnson - Drums
Dick Katz - Piano
(tracks 13, 14, 17, 18
)
Hank Jones - Piano
(tracks 15, 16, 19
)
CD2
Jimmy Raney Featuring Bob Brookmeyer
1. Too Late Now
Jimmy Raney Visits Paris
2. Tres Chouette
3. Imagination
4. Dinah
5. Love For Sale
6. Have You Met Miss Jones?
7. What's New?
8. Fascinating Rhythm
9. Too Marvellous For Words
10. Cherokee
11. Everything Happens To Me
12. Night And Day
13. Someone To Watch Over Me
Jimmy Raney Plays
14
. Motion
15
. Lee
16. Signal
17. 'Round Midnight
Jimmy Raney In Three Attitudes
18.Indian Summer
Jimmy Raney - Guitar plus:
Track 1 Same as
track 19 disc 1
Tracks 2-13
Bobby Jaspar - Tenor sax
(tracks 2-6, 8, 11, 13)
Roger Guerin - Trumpet
(tracks 4-7, 9, 12
)
Maurice Vandair - Piano
Jean-Marie Ingrand - Bass
Jean-Louis Viale - Drums
Tracks 14-17
Stan Getz - Tenor sax
Hall Overton - Piano
Red Mitchell - Bass
Frank Isola - Drums
Track 18
Hall Overton - Piano
Red Mitchell - Bass
Osie Johnson - Drums
Jimmy Raney was a deft guitarist who was skilled at devising riffs that would resist the established strictures of written music, all the while floating either behind or on top of the rhythm. He had the dexterity to switch with ease between single-note lines or chording and thus he could spin out whatever was required to support a variety of tempos. This Avid two-CD set from 1953 to 1956 chronicles the emergence of Jimmy Raney from a supporting player to a guitarist of the first order.
CD1
One of life's enduring mysteries is the way record companies decide to lay out the order of the recordings. This method does not seem to have any relationship to the original recording dates, or what might make some sense to the listener, or a reviewer. Such is the case here. Jimmy Raney A from 1954 is two very different sets. The initial four tunes, of which three are Raney originals, has the leader over-dubbing a second guitar line which makes for some very interesting interplay not just on the guitar front, but also between Raney and pianist Hall Overton. Minor which is based on the chord changes to Bernie's Tune and Double Image which takes its idea from There Will Never Be Another You are perfect examples of this dynamic. The second set is a quintet outing with trumpeter John Wilson added to the group and features mostly popular standards. There is some terrific playing in this session especially on the Rodgers and Hart tune Spring Is Here which swings right along. A very boppish Raney original Tomorrow, Fairly Cloudy just bristles with invention, and a gossamer You Don't Know What Love Is closes the set.
Jimmy Raney Featuring Bob Brookmeyer completes the balance of this CD and also opens the second disc. This session was recorded in 1956 and offers a very different Raney from his earlier recordings. Now a more mature and confident artist, he shines both as an arranger and player. The chemistry between Raney and Brookmeyer is quite evident and the resulting interplay comes to the forefront in How Long Has This Been Going On? Much of the punch of this session comes from the rhythm section of Kotick, Johnson and pianists Katz and Jones. Of the latter, Jones was one of the finest accompanists of his era, playing with uncommon sympathy and developing a solid background for both Raney and Brookmeyer. Two original tunes are worth noting, starting with Raney's The Flag Is Up. Here Raney's solo is propelled by Johnson's fine drumming and the comping of Jones in the background. Brookmeyer provided Get Off That Roof which was also a swinger but this tune has some major work by Katz in a supporting role.
CD2
Jimmy Raney Visits Paris is from 1954 and was in many ways serendipitous. Raney had gone to Europe at that time with the Red Norvo Trio who were doing concerts as part of the Jazz Club U.S.A. tour. When the tour was completed, Raney stayed in Paris and worked on this session, supported by French musicians as well as Belgian tenor man Bobby Jaspar. Since the band had no rehearsal time, the song list was mostly recognizable standards with one Raney original Tres Chouette (Eng. Very Fine). Raney is in first-rate form throughout, with Jaspar's pensive tenor easily melding in, and is especially captivating on Imagination. Trumpeter Roger Guerin delivers a biting solo on Night And Day and while pianist Maurice Vandair has no specific individualistic style, he does make a welcome contribution on Everything Happens To Me.
Jimmy Raney Plays from 1953 is considered to be his debut recording as a bandleader and at the time was not without some controversy. In late 1952, after several years as part of the Stan Getz Quintet, Raney told Getz he could no longer work with him due to his continuing drug use and his unpredictable temperament. Yet in April 1953, when Raney needed a tenor player for his date, he went to ask Getz for his participation. However Getz was under contract to Norman Granz and consequently for the Raney-led session he used a pseudonym "Sven Coolson". Later, as Getz gained in fame, Granz was only too happy to attach his real name to the album. As for the music it was exceptional. Three modern originals from Raney: Motion, Lee and Signal, along with Thelonious Monk's 'Round Midnight. Since the intention was to release these cuts on a 10" LP rather than 78-rpm records, there was no three-minute time limit and the band used their freedom to full advantage. The collaboration between Getz and Raney was magical, with each musician operating on a higher level.
Jimmy Raney In Three Attitudes was recorded in 1956 for ABC/Paramount and the only extract offered here is Indian Summer. This quartet session swings along in fine fashion, filled with the usual quotient of precise notes by Raney and an extended exemplary solo from bassist Red Mitchell.
Jimmy Raney was a smooth and musically emotive guitarist who moulded the guitar into a voice that found favour with the cool-jazz movement. These recordings offer a fine example of that particular style.
Pierre Giroux
CD Reviews
Avid AMSC 1051
