Personnel:
Orchestras arranged & conducted by Johnny Williams & Lionel Newman, Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli (tp), Vince De Rosa (Frh), Milt Bernhart (tb), Ronny Lang, Ted Nash, Bob Cooper (reeds), Jimmy Rowles, Paul Smith (p), Bob Bain, George Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon, Mike Rubin (b), Shelly Manne, Richard Cornell (d), John F. Williams (perc), Marty Paich, Billy May, Frank Comstock, Herb Spencer, Earle Hagen, Warren Barker (arr)
Reference: JM 1007
Bar code: 8427328470070
Two Original Soundtrack Recordings
JAZZ IN THE MOVIES presents the most celebrated scores by the composers that introduced jazz to motion pictures and television soundtracks. In addition to providing a superbly appropriate setting for dramatic scenes, all the jazz background themes were interpreted by many of the best Hollywood and New York jazz studio musicians.
"When these TV film soundtracks were recorded more than five decades ago, you couldnt walk about Hollywood without bumping into a musician or three: jazz musicians, swing musicians, studio musicians, who could play almost anything you wanted and in whatever key. They gathered there in California like wasps round a jam jar, for this was where they could make a living irrespective of what kind of music they wanted to play. Among the personnel are many names from West Coast jazz lesser-known names like Conrad Gozzo who nevertheless played with Shorty Rogers and others, and the very familiar Jimmy Rowles, big band stylist and accompanist of Peggy Lee etc. These soundtracks made for two TV series give an idea of what these jazzmen (and non-jazzmen) were brought into the studios to accomplish. It was not always jazz-as-we-know-it.
But the selection written for Checkmate, while clearly fashioned to accompany cinematic action, has a great affinity to the big band sound which was on the wane outside in the real world. Its certain that some of these compositions would not have worked without the powerful interpretation of jazz-oriented brass players. The composer Johnny Williams had been active for years as a jazz pianist recording with Buster Bailey and Eddie Durham, for example. There are passages in En Passant, say, with a rousing French horn ensemble when his creative mind seems to remember its writing for Tinseltown. But overall this is composing and delivery which swing listeners would find satisfying and absorbing.
I find it hard to say the same about the Hong Kong tracks which, lumbered by a sizeable string section, come across largely as romantic/dramatic film music, but very professionally played. You can almost imagine the rustle of popcorn packets. Presenting it as jazz is optimistic. Nevertheless, some charts are arranged by Marty Paich and Billy May, showing how Hollywood helped the jazz economy. And (point of interest) Id never heard of a mokkin before, a Japanese 16-key xylophone, played by vibist Larry Bunker."
-Anthony Troon (March, 2015)
Jazz Journal
