The Complete Nocturne Recordings

In 1954, bassist Harry Babasin and drummer Roy Harte founded Nocturne, a label based in Los Angeles that during the next two years would document some of the top local musicians in its "Jazz In Hollywood" series. While Pacific Jazz and Contemporary were the leaders in the field, Nocturne also had something of its own to offer, and its cool jazz-oriented recordings were consistently rewarding. After the label inevitably folded, some of the albums were released by Liberty, while others were bootlegged; in more recent times V.S.O.P. and the Original Jazz Classics series have issued a few of the sessions. This 1998 three-CD set from the Spanish Fresh Sound label is quite definitive. Its thick 84-page booklet tells the story of the label, has the original liner notes, includes latter-day comments from surviving musicians, and even has Downbeat reviews from the 1950s, along with dozens of priceless photos. Most importantly, all of the music from eight complete albums (which were mostly 10-inch LPs) are reissued in full, as well as a couple of previously unreleased numbers from the Jimmy Rowles session. The most exciting performances are on the first disc : a quintet set featuring trombonist Herbie Harper and the talented if short-lived baritonist Bob Gordon, a showcase for Babasin's pioneering jazz cello solos, and altoist Bud Shank's debut as a leader. The latter finds Shank and Shorty Rogers (whose flugelhorn playing on this date was among the first on that instrument in a modern jazz setting) performing six of Shorty's originals, including the memorable "Casa De Luz" and "Lotus Bud." Other sessions are headed by Bob Enevoldsen (who doubles on valve trombone and tenor), trombonist Harper (some of his numbers find Shank on tenor and baritone), obscure baritonist Virgil Gonsalves, and trio outings by pianists Lou Levy and Jimmy Rowles. While West Coast jazz has often been ignored or given superficial treatment in jazz history books and by East Coast critics, the music on this highly recommended set (and the ones to follow) shows just how swinging and rewarding the idiom really was.

Scott Yanow

Source : http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dcfwxqejld0e

The Complete Nocturne Recordings
Jazz in Hollywood Series
Feb. 27, 1954-Dec. 13, 1954

Tracks

Cd. 1

HERBIE HARPER QUINTET

1 Jeepers Leapers (McDougald) 5:12
2 Dinah (Lewis, Young, Akst) 2:54
3 Five Brothers (Mulligan) 2:13
4 Herbstone (Harper) 2:58
5 Summertime (Gershwin, Heyward) 3:01
6 Jive at Five (Edison) 4:18

*

BUD SHANK QUINTET

7 Casa de Luz (Rogers) 5:38
8 Lotus (Rogers) 3:22
9 Left Bank (Rogers) 3:25
10 Shank's Pranks (Rogers) 3:17
11 Jasmine (Rogers) 4:13
12 Just a Few (Rogers) 4:17

*

HARRY BABASIN QUINTET

13 La Rosita (Duport, Stewart) 4:56
14 Skylark (Carmichael, Mercer) 2:30
15 Tangerine (Schertzinger, Mercer) 3:21
16 When You Wish Upon a Star (Harline, Washington) 3:02
17 The Girl Friend (Rodgers, Hart) 3:16
18 It's Easy to Remember (Rodgers, Hart) 2:53
19 Babo-Ling (Babasin) 3:15

*

Cd. 2

BOB ENEVOLDSEN QUINTET

1 Fast Buck (Paich) 3:14
2 My Old Flame (Johnston, Coslow) 3:06
3 Danza to Brasil (Paich) 4:18
4 Lulu's Back in Town (Warren, Dubin) 2:48
5 Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight ?) (Mercer, Haninghen) 2:58
6 Where Did the Gentlemen Go ? (Troup) 2:45
7 Snootie Little Cutie (Troup) 2:23

*

HERBIE HARPER QUARTET
&
QUINTET

8 Patty (Hendrickson, Graas) 2:31
9 The New York City Ghost (Young, Lee) 3:39
10 Julie Is Her Name (Troup) 2:52
11 Sanguine (Paich) 3:13
12 Now Playing (Hefti) 3:13
13 6/4 Mambo (Graas) 2:56
14 Bananera (Riddle) 3:28
15 Indian Summer (Herbert) 2:26
16 The Happy Clown (Paich) 3:40

*

VIRGIL GONSALVES QUINTET

17 Bounce (Searle) 3:17
18 Out of Nowhere (Green) 2:28
19Too Marvelous for Words (Whiting, Mercer) 4:01
20 It Might as Well Be Spring (Rodgers, Hammerstein) 3:56
21 Yesterdays (Kern, Harbach) 3:21
22 Love Me or Leave Me (Kahn, Donaldson) 2:28

*

Cd. 3

LOU LEVY TRIO

1 The Gentleman Is a Dope (Rogers, Hart) 2:16
2 Serenade in Blue (Warren, Gordon) 2:40
3 Woody 'N You (Rogers, Hart) 3:02
4 Without You (Tres Palabras) (Farrès, Stamper, Buck) 3:32
5 All the Things You Are (Kern, Hammerstein) 3:35
6 Tiny's Other Blues (Levy, Kahn) 2:25
7 Like Someone in Love (VanHeusen, Burke) 2:52
8 Blood Denim (Levy) 3:26

*

JIMMY ROWLES TRIO

9 Let's Fall in Love [alternate take] (Arlen) 4:08
10 All the Things You Are [previously unissued] (Kern, Hammerstein) 4:21
11 The Day You Came Along (Johnston, Coslow) 3:35
12 So Far So Good (Lawrence, Mundy, White) 3:00
13 I Wouldn't Change You for the World (Jones, Newman) / You Are Too Beautiful (Rodgers) 5:43
14 Serenade in Blue (Warren, Gordon) 3:12
15 Let's Fall in Love (Arlen) 4:28
16 Remember Me (Warren, Dubin) /There Goes My Heart (Silver, Davis) 4:14
17 Oh, Lady Be Good (Gershwin, Gershwin) 4:34
18 Chloe (Moret, Kahn) 4:26
19 Topsy (Durham, Bahle) 5:58

Personnel

Feat. Bob Enevoldsen, Jimmy Rowles, Shorty Rogers, Al Hendrickson, Bud Shank, Herbie Harper, Harry Babasin, Larry Bunker, Lou Levy, Howard Roberts, Larry Bunker, Marty Paich, Roy Harte, Bob Gordon, Virgil Gonsalves, Buddy Wise, Don Heath, etc...

Recorded at Gold Star Studios & Western Recorders, Hollywood ; between February 27, 1954 & December 13, 1954

(See the complete artwork for all details

about the sessions, musicians, dates, etc.)