Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Don Elliott and Tom Talbert

West Coast style jazz wasn't always made on the West Coast; here is a New York based ensemble playing in the cool style in 1952. This record is from the first session led by multi-instrumentalist Don Elliott, here performing on the trumpet, vibes, and the wonderfully named "mellophone," a type of tenor horn.

I suspect this 78 is also one of the first sessions for arranger Tom Talbert, who was to achieve a small amount of renown later in the decade for his own LP "Bix Duke Fats" and his arrangements for the excellent Patty McGovern vocal LP "Wednesday's Child." (I have both of these, but I think they are available on CD.) Talbert was from the West Coast but moved East to seek more opportunities.

One key influence on the West Coast sound was the so-called "Birth of the Cool" recordings led by Miles Davis and arranged by Gil Evans in 1949-50. The B side of this record is "Darn That Dream," which had been recorded (although in a Kenny "Pancho" Hagood vocal rendition) during the Birth sessions.

Elliott, a favorite of this blogger, recorded fairly prolifically during the 1950s, but later concentrated on production music and recording. In addition to his instrumental prowess, he was a fine singer, although that skill is not displayed here.

These sides and some others by Cal Tjader were later collated on a Savoy LP. The sound is fairly good.

11 comments:

Buster said...

Link (Apple lossless format):

http://www.mediafire.com/?x89j7uidqnj5qap

Kevin WOlf said...

Thanks!

Kevin WOlf said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cvllos said...

Thank you Buster.
From my distant country, Brasil, Elliot is my favorite too since the '60 when I casually heard his serious project "A Musical Offer" (together with Quincy Jones).

jeronimo said...

whoah.....I ADORE Don Elliott =D
Thanks man...

Bhowani said...

Fantastic! The link is still alive! Merci beaucoup, Buster!!!

styles said...

Cool school, rare but well done, thanks, Buster. Appreciate up link.

cvllos said...

Wow! I've just discovered your 2nd place and here I have my favourite French Horn player since his Musical Offering! Many thanks, Buster!

woolfnotes said...

Elliot provides the music for the soundtrack album I have of a show built round the writing of James Thurber

Buster said...

woolfnotes - I do believe I have that one - "A Thurber Carnival." Don't hear Thurber's name that much these days.

woolfnotes said...

That's the one, must have been a great show. One of Thurber's drawings was on sale recently at Chris Beetles London gallery