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Fresh Sound Records presents:
Rare and Obscure Jazz Albums
A CD series created for the most discerning jazz collectors
· Hard to find albums in Collector's Edition
· 2 Original LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art, Liner Notes
· Complete Personnel Details
· Hi Fi Recordings
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
The Duke and I
Born in New York in 1917, Cass Harrison studied classical piano and composition at Julliard. He toured with the big bands of the 1940s and his own groups throughout the United States and South America. In 1956, on his first M-G-M album, Harrison delved into Duke Ellington’s extensive songbook. In addition to two familiar selections, “Azure” and “Prelude”, he brought out some minor treasures, old Ellington tunes like “Move Over”, “Yearning for Love”, “Stevedore’s Serenade” or “Ridding on the Moon”, which are an interesting testament to his genius. Harrison shows that he was a very talented pianist who should have been better known. He was technically facile, imaginative, fresh in his harmonic conception and possessed one of the most rock-ribbed beats imaginable.
Wrappin' It Up
Three decades of jazz piano are reflected in this second album by Cass Harrison, recorded in 1957 also for M-G-M, in which the pianist interprets the work of six outstanding pianist-composers: Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Horace Henderson, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and George Wallington. While Cass Harrison’s playing was thoroughly modern, he tried to be faithful to each composition, interpreting it in the rhythm and style of his creator while infusing each piece with something new through his own harmonic and rhythmic ideas. Three seasoned musicians of the New York jazz scene, Milton Hinton on bass, along with either Cozy Cole or Jo Jones on drums, provided backing for Cass Harrison on this recording.
Tracklist
Total time: 64:55 min.
01. Move Over (Duke Ellington) 4:02
02. Yearning For Love (Ellington-Parish-Mills) 2:40
03. I’m Riding on the Moon and Dancing on the Stars (Duke Ellington) 2:36
04. The Gal From Joe's (Ellington-Mills) 3:24
05. Stevedore's Serenade (Ellington-Edelstein-Gordon) 2:48
06. Lost in Meditation (Ellington-Tizol-Singer-Mills) 3:00
07. Blues of the Vagabond (Duke Ellington) 2:59
08. Azure (Ellington-Mills) 3:10
09. Sump'n 'Bout Rhythm (Ellington-Kurtz-Mills) 2:42
10. Prelude to a Kiss (Ellington-Gordon-Mills) 2:29
11. Ain't Misbehavin (Waller-Razaf-Brooks) 2:51
12. Big John's Special (Horace Henderson) 3:00
13. Cavernism (Hines-Mundy) 2:37
14. Rug Cutter's Swing (Horace Henderson) 2:06
15. Mood Indigo (Ellington-Bigard-Mills) 4:12
16. Just to be in Caroline (Hines-Carpenter-Dunlap) 2:22
17. Strange at it Seems (Waller-Razaf) 3:07
18. Lemon Drop (George Wallington) 2:27
19. I Let A Song Out My Heart (Ellington-Nemo-Redmond-Mills) 3:24
20. Down South Camp Meetin' (Henderson-Mills) 2:14
21. Morning Dew (Wallington-David) 2:56
22. Wrappin' It Up (Fletcher Henderson) 3:03
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-10, from the 12-inch album “The Duke and I” (M-G-M E3388)
Track #11-22, from the 12-inch album “Wrappin' It Up” (M-G-M E3495)
Personnel on "The Duke and I":
The Cass Harrison Trio
Cass Harrison, piano; Mort Herbert, bass; Cozy Cole, drums.
Recorded in New York City, September 1956
Personnel on "Wrappin' It Up":
The Cass Harrison Trio
Cass Harrison, piano; Milt Hinton, bass; Cozy Cole (11-16), or Jo Jones (17-22), drums.
Recorded in New York City, September 1956 [#11-16], February 1957 [#17-22]
Liner notes by Bill Coss (Metronome)
New liner notes: Jordi Pujol
Original recordings produced by Leroy Holmes
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
© 2023 by Fresh Sound Records
Hi Fi · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.
Press reviews
"This is a great time to be a jazz fan looking for new “old” sounds that got missed the first time around. Here is a tidbit to treasure…
There have been few jazz pianists that sound influenced by Duke Ellington, but, judging by this reissue of two 50s albums, Cass Harrison is one of them. One session has him in a trio setting with Mort Herbert/b and Cozy Cole/dr I NYC, and the other on is a mix of sessions with Milt Hinton/b and either Cole or Jo Jones/dr. Both albums are filled with Ellingtonia, but that doesn’t necessarily give away his allegiances until he starts playing. Then, you hear that mellow mix of stride and classy swing on obscure Ducal pieces like “Yearning for Love”, “I’m Riding On The Moon and Dancing On The Stars” and “Sump’n ‘Bout Rhythm”. Let’s be honest: how many of you fans really knew those songs even existed?
There’s a rich and soft touch to “ Mood indigo”, with a dash of Henderson swing takes place on “Rug Cutter’s Swing”, ‘Big John’s Special” and “Down South Camp Meetin’” on a salute to the halcyon days of the Swing Era. This guy is going to charm your socks off. Who knows why he eventually moved to Puerto Rico, but the jazz world sure missed him."
George W. Harris (July 12, 2023)
https://www.jazzweekly.com
