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WEST COAST SERIES · Jazz & Swing Orchestras
Rare & Collectible Albums by Unsung Bandleaders
When the dust from the collapse of the Swing Era settled, there were few big bands left that had survived. Yet, because they loved the swinging drive of a full-on jazz orchestra, a series of adventurous and unsung bandleaders optimistically organized some fine, but short-lived, new orchestras that were packed with jazz and studio musicians, holding the flag of Swing high.
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Dennis Farnon (1923-2019), this roaring, vibrant album has all the drive, sparkle and vibrancy that characterized swing big bands in their heyday, plus imaginative new ideas and brilliant stereo recording quality. “Caution! Men Swinging” stands out for its precision and powerhouse sound of the brass and sax sections in the overall set, arranged and conducted by Canadian Dennis Farnon. In addition, there is ample room for solo blowing by Don Fagerquist, who plays all the jazz trumpet; pianists Lou Levy and Jimmy Rowles, guitarist Howard Roberts, tenor Ted Nash, plus the superb lead trumpet work of Frank Beach and George Roberts' bass trombone very present at all times. This 1957 album was the only jazz LP Farnon recorded in his entire career and, possibly thinking he could hardly have surpassed it, he devoted his work primarily to writing arrangements and conducting for pop singers. Enjoy this fantastic swinging big band session!
Skip Martin (1916-1976) a topflight bandleader and film musical arranger, made this
album of swing music, via the services of the title aggregation “8 Brass, 5 Sax, 4 rhythm.” The selections cover some of the finest standards in popular music and a Skip original with a fine solid beat and moving along its way with no waste of motion. It's very danceable stuff, but with a solid jazzy feel to it. Excellent solo work is done by Justin Gordon, Milt Bernhart, Pete Candoli, Frank Beach, Jimmy Rowles, and Milt Raskin. But, as good as the soloists are, Skip’s writing is the main show here. Skip Martin, one of the truly wise arranger-conductors of the 1950s’ Hollywood scene, revealed on this album the genius that made him one of the most successful conductors in American pop and swing music.
Tracklist
Total time: 69:43 min.
01. Caution! Men Swinging (Dennis Farnon) 3:07
02. SpringWill Be a Little Late This Year (Frank Loesser) 3:24
03. Lover Come Back to Me (Romberg-Hammerstein II) 3:14
04. Shoo Shoo Baby (Phil Moore) 4:01
05. Just You, Just Me (Greer-Klages) 4:09
06. Isle of Capri (Grosz-Kennedy) 3:28
07. South of the Border (Carr-Kennedy) 2:35
08. It Don’t Mean a Thing (Ellington-Mills) 3:14
09. Why Don’t You Do Right? (Joe McCoy) 3:16
10. Three LittleWords (Harry Ruby) 2:43
11. Resume Speed (Dennis Farnon) 2:48
12. Until the Real Things Comes Along (Holiner-Nichols-Cahn-Chaplin-Freeman) 2:46
13. Truckin’ (Bloom-Koehler) 2:19
14. East of the Sun andWest of the Moon (Brooks Bowman) 2:37
15. Bye Bye Blackbird (Henderson-Dixon) 2:44
16. Bidin’ My Time (G. & I. Gershwin) 2:42
17. The Best Things in Life Are Free (DeSylva-Brown-Henderson) 2:16
18. Do-Do-Do (G. & I. Gershwin) 2:18
19. Drivin’ Home (Skip Martin) 2:03
20. You Turned the Tables on Me (Alter-Mitchell) 3:15
21. There’s Danger in Your Eyes, Cherie (Wendling-Richman-Meskill) 3:15
22. I Concentrate on You (Cole Porter) 2:50
23. Vilia (Franz Lehar) 2:11
Album details
Sources:
Tracks #1-11, from the Dennis Farnon album “Caution! Men Swinging”
(RCA LPM-1495 and Stereo LSP-1495)
Tracks #12-23, from the Skip Martin album “8 Brass … 5 Sax … 4 Rhythm”
(MGM Records SE 3743)
Personnel on "Caution! Men Swinging":
Pete Candoli, Frank Beach, Don Fagerquist, Paul Geil, trumpets; Tommy Pederson, Joe Howard, trombones; Bob Enevoldsen, valve trombone; George Roberts, bass trombone; Jack Dumont, Brian Farnon, alto saxes; Ted Nash, Gene Cipriano, tenor saxes; Chuck Gentry, baritone sax; Howard Roberts, guitar; Jimmy Rowles, Lou Levy (#3,4,7,8,10,11) piano; Cliff Hills, bass; Alvin Stoller, drums.
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, 1957
Personnel on "8 Brass … 5 Sax … 4 Rhythm":
Tracks #1,2,7,8,10 & 12: Frank Beach, Pete Candoli, Ed Leddy, Shorty Sherock, trumpets; Milt Bernhart, Kenny Shroyer, Ray Klein, Tommy Pederson, trombones; Jack Dumont, Ronny Lang, alto saxes; Justin Gordon, Babe Russin, tenor saxes; Chuck Gentry, baritone sax; J. Rowles, piano; Al Hendrickson, guitar; Artie Shapiro, bass; Frank Carlson, drums.
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, March 31, 1958
Tracks #3,4,5,6,9 & 11: Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Frank Beach, Ed Leddy, trumpets; Milt Bernhart, Ray Klein, Tommy Pederson, Stumpy Brown, trombones; Jack Dumont, Ronny Lang, alto saxes; Justin Gordon, Babe Russin, tenor saxes; Chuck Gentry, baritone sax; Milt Raskin, piano; George Van Epps, guitar; Artie Shapiro, bass; Frank Carlson, drums.
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, April 4, 1958
Original recordings produced by Dennis Farnon (#1-11) and Morty Craft (#12-23)
Original liner notes: Bill Olofson & Johnny Mercer
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
This sound recording © 2022 by Fresh Sound Records
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas S.L.
Press reviews
"Back in the 1950s, as the Big Band Era was slowly dying, the money for musicians was to be made in the studios, with alumni from Herman, Rogers and Kenton playing for TV shows and movies in order to pay off their mortgages in the San Fernando Valley. Here are a couple swinging albums from Hollywood in the swinging Eisenhower Years.
Canadian conductor Dennis Farron leads a 1957 studio orchestra that includes Pete Condoli/tp, Ted Nash/ts, Bob Enevoldsen/vtb, Howard Roberts/g, Jimmy Rowles-Lou Levy/p and Alvin Stoller/dr for a mix of originals and standards. They sound like a background sound track for a film noir on the swaggering “Caution! Men Swinging” while the muted horns sway on “Lover Come Back To Me”. West Coast Cool moods dominate “Why Don’t You Do Right” while big brass is bold on “Just You, Just Me” with the team sounding like Kenton on the hard hitting “Three Little Words.” Bright primary colors.
Bandleader Skip Martin uses the crème of the Hollywood crop on this 1958 album with sidemen including George Van Eps/g, Babe Russin/ts, Jimmy Rowles/p, Milt Bernhart/tb, and Peter Condoli/p. You almost think that Martin wonders to himself, “Who should I sound like on this next song?” as he does a nice imitation of Billy Mays on “Drivin’ Home”, Basie on the hi “You Turned The Tables On Me” and Nelson Riddle on the classy “Do-Do-Do.” Kenton ideas are never far away as on “Until The Real Thing Comes Along” and there’s even a dash of Gil Evans on “East of the Sun.” Not necessarily distinct, but distinctly impressive."
—George W. Harris (August 29, 2022)
https://www.jazzweekly.com
