2 LPs ON 1 CD
 

Of all the adjectives that might be applied to Alfred Ferdinando Viola (1919-2007), perhaps the most all-embracingly apt would be resourceful. A Brooklyn native who developed most of his career as a guitarist in Hollywood, he became known in the mid 40s as an integral part of the popular Page Cavanaugh Trio. Later, in the Fifties, when he joined Bobby Troup’s trio, he worked and recorded with Julie London, Jimmy Witherspoon, June Christy and many other great singers—most memorably Frank Sinatra—in addition to holding the guitar chair with the diverse big bands and styles of Harry James, Nelson Riddle, Ray Anthony and Buddy Collette’s modern jazz quintet.
That hard-earned versatility is reflected in these late-50s recordings, in which he is a one-man guitar orchestra, performing and arranging all the parts himself. He recorded the rhythm and bass guitars separately on one tape for the basic rhythmic pattern.

On another, the amplified or gut-stringed guitars were used for fills (in which the guitars were the equivalent of a brass, string or reed section). The first two tapes were then combined and the single-fingered solos were added on a third tape. Viola put them all together with judicious balancing, and gave each of the twelve standards its own individual treatment, with varied instruments used to provide the special effects. The fruit of his hard work and unquestioned ability is stunningly revealed in “The Guitars.

Al Viola plays all guitars & basses in both albums.

Recorded in Hollywood, February 10, 12 & 13 (#1-12)
and June 30, July 1 & 2 (#13-24), 1959.

Tracks:

01. When You’re Smiling
02. Moonlight in Vermont
03. I’ll Always Be In Love with You
04. And the Angels Sing
05. You and the Night and the Music
06. Blue Skies
07. Route 66
08. Take Me in Your Arms
09. Sophisticated Lady
10. Always
11. The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
12. Lover
13. Lonesome Road
14. Angel Eyes
15. It Could Happen to You
16. I’ll Remember April
17. All Star
18. I Cover the Waterfront
19. Makin’ Whoopee
20. Sometimes I’m Happy
21. Wait Till You See Her
22. Lemon Twist
23. It’s Easy to Remember
24. I’ll Take Romance