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Pete Jolly

Metrojazz SE1014

MGM SE4127

Impossible + 5 O'clock Shadows (2 Lps On 1 Cd)

Pete Jolly

Pianist Pete Jolly’s command of his instrument in these recordings emphasizes something important about his playing—the fact that he had something personal, positive and real to say with it. Combining propulsive swing and great melodic charm with spirit, feeling and humor, his was an irresistible, full-bodied, warm-blooded, two-handed style whose vivacity of touch and clear, tangy quality of tone remain unmistakable.

In 1958 Jolly formed a duo with bassist Ralph Peña, an unusual move instead of the more traditional trio; the aim was to achieve greater cohesiveness and a more individual sound. The result was the sparkling 1959 album, “Impossible.”

A year later the duo became a trio when Nick Martinis joined them on drums for the equally engaging “5 O’Clock Shadows.” But, whether in a duo or trio setting, Jolly’s distinctive, swinging touch and felicitous invention suffuses these sessions with a sinuous attractiveness undimmed by time.


Tracklisting:

01. Dearly Beloved (Kern-Mercer) 2:47
02. My Star (Peña) 3:15
03. Easy to Love (Porter) 3:23
04. If I’m Lucky (Myrow-DeLange) 3:37
05. Love Letters (Young-Heyman) 3:43
06. Impossible (Allen) 2:32
07. On Green Dolphin Street
(Kaper-Washington) 4:21
08. But Beautiful (Burke-Van Heusen) 2:05
09. Blue Gil (Jolly) 3:24
10. I Should Care (Stordahl-Weston-Cahn) 4:02
11. Russian Lullaby (Berlin) 2:22
12. Say “Si Si” (Lecuona-Luban) 3:22
13. Down Home Under Blues (Jolly) 2:25
14. Cabin in the Sky (Duke-Latouche) 4:45
15. Easy Living (Robin-Rainger) 3:23
16. Ill Wind (Arlen-Koehler) 1:48
17. Swinging Door (Mulligan-Sims) 4:50
18. I Don’t Wanna Be Kissed (Spina-Elliott) 2:51
19. Variations (Wallington) 3:04
20. Dear Old Stockholm (Traditional) 3:38
21. As Long as There’s Music (Styne-Cahn) 2:45
22. One for Carl (Peña) 3:56
23. Deep Night (Henderson-Vallee) 3:53

Total time: 77:00 min. aprox.


Original sources:

Tracks #1-11 from the Metrojazz album
"Impossible" (SE1014)

Tracks #12-23 from the MGM album
"5 O'Clock Shadows" (SE4127)




Personnel on "Impossible":

Pete Jolly (piano) and Ralph Peña (bass).

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, December 4 & 15, 1959.



Personnel on "5 O'Clock Shadows":

Pete Jolly (piano), Ralph Peña (bass) and Nick Martinis (drums).

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, April 3, 4 & 5, 1961.



Original recordings produced by Jesse Kaye.
Recordings engineers: Val Valentin (#1-12)
and Dayton 'Bones' Howe (#13-24).

This compilation produced by Jordi Pujol

Stereo 24-Bit Digitally Remastered

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Notes:

"Pete Jolly had a better fate even though his decision to stay in Los Angeles (where he worked steadily for decades) kept him from showing up in jazz polls. Impossible/Five O’Clock Shadows (FSR 681) has his duet set with bassist Ralph Pena from 1959 and a 1961 trio outing with Pena and drummer Nick Martinis. Very much a two-handed pianist, Jolly had a joyful hard bop style that fit his name, and these outings feature him in prime form."

Scott Yanow -Los Angeles Jazz Scene (April, 2012)

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