3LPs ON 2 CDs

Fred Katz (born February 25, 1919) is an American composer, songwriter, conductor, cellist, pianist, and professor. In jazz, a principal contribution of Katz has been, as Leonard Feather noted, “to put the cello to full use both in arco and pizzicato solos.” Oscar Pettiford had already indicated the considerable jazz potential of plucked (pizzicato) cello, but with Oscar, the instrument remained secondary to his primary instrument, the bass. Katz was the first musician to utilize all of the cello in jazz as his chief instrument in that idiom.

Katz opinion about his own contribution can be glimpsed from his own statement: “I would like to correct an impression about me that apparently is gaining some acceptance among jazz musicians and critics. That impression is that I am not basically a jazz musician. When they say my music isn’t jazz, my answer is, ‘what composition are they talking about?’ I’m not concerned with conforming to anybody’s concept of what they would like to hear. With all that is in me, I’m trying to write music in the universal sense. If sometimes a ‘jazz’ phrase makes sense in a composition, I’ll write it.”


PERSONNEL ON CD 1

(1-12) from the album Fred Katz and His Music - SOULº CELLO (Decca DL 9202)

(2-3,8-10 & 12) FRED KATZ (clo), PAIL HORN (fl, cl), CALVIN JACKSON (p)
ANN STOCKTON (harp) JOHN PISANO (g) HAL GAYLOR (b), CHICO HAMILTON, drums
Decca Studios, Hollywood, January 15, 1958

(1, 4-7 & 11) FRED KATZ (clo),PAUL HORN, BUDDY COLLETTER  (as),
HARRY KLEE,  BILL GREEN (fl), CALVIN JACKSON (p), JOHN PISANO (g),
HAL GAYLOR (b), CHICO HAMILTON (d) Hollywood, January 22, 1958

(13-14) BONUS TRACKS:
(13) Bonus track:
FRED KATZ (p), JOHN PISANO, BILLY BEAN (g), GENE ESTES (vib),
HAL GAYLOR (b), LARRY BUNKER (d). Decca Studios, January 24, 1958
(14) CALVIN JACKSON (p). JOHN PISANO, BILLY BEAN (g),
HAL GAYLOR (b), CHICO HAMILTON (d) Decca Studios, January 30, 1958

(15-16) from the 12” album 4-5-6 TRIO (Decca DL 9213)
FRED KATZ (clo), JOHN PISANO (g), HAL GAYLOR (b)
Decca Studios, Hollywood, May 26, 1958

PERSONNEL ON CD 2:

(1-7) from the 12” album 4-5-6 TRIO(Decca DL 9213)
FRED KATZ (clo), JOHN PISANO (g), HAL GAYLOR (b)
Decca Studios, Hollywood, May 26, 1958

(8-17) from the 12” album FRED KATZ and His JAMMERS (Decca DL 9217)

(8, 10 & 13) FRED KATZ (clo), DON FAGERQUIST (tp) GENE ESTES, (vib),
LEROY VINNEGAR (b) LENNY McBROWNE (d) Decca Studios, Hollywood, March 12, 1959

(11, 12, 15) FRED KATZ (clo), DON FAGERQUIST (tp) GENE ESTES, (vib),
LEROY VINNEGAR (b), BILLY HIGGINS (d) Decca Studios, Hollywood, May 26, 1959

(9, 14, 16 & 17) FRED KATZ (clo), PETE CANDOLI (tp), GENE ESTES (vib)
LEROY VINNEGAR (b), FRANK BUTLER (d) Decca Studios, Hollywood, August 28, 1959

CD 1
01. Country Gardens (Grainger) 2:46
02. Satori (Fred Katz) 3:44
03. Andante (Luther Henderson) 2:36
04. Circus (Alter-Russell) 3:20
05. Wayfaring Stranger (Traditional) 2:30
06. Time After Time (Styne-Cahn) 3:51
07. The Vidiot (Fred Katz) 2:05
08. Lament of the Oracles (Fred Katz) 3:49
09. I’m Glad There Is You (Dorsey-Madeira) 3:09
10. The Toy That Never Was (atz) 3:33
11. Intermezzo (Heinz Prevost) 2:52
12. Come with Me (William Marx) 2:50
13. Symphony (*) Bonus Track (Jack Lawrence-Alex Alstone) 2:54
14. While the Music Plays On (*) Bonus Track (Fien-Mills-Heim) 4:22
15. Four, Five, Six (John Pisano) 3:46
16. Sophisticated Lady (Ellington-Parish-Mills) 4:15

CD 2
01. Isn’t It Romantic (Rodgers-Hart) 2:39
02. Delia (Hal Gaylor) 4:41
03. Like Someone In Love
(Burke-Van Heusen) 2:49
04. Krelch (Hal Gaylor) 3:24
05. Mountain Air (Fred Katz) 3:21
06. Perdido (Juan Tizol) 4:45
07. I’m Gettin’ Sentimental Over You (Washington-Bassman) 5:29
08. Feeling the Blues (Leroy Vinnegar) 6:40
09. Elegy (Fred Katz) 2:30
10. Imagination (Burke-Van Heusen) 3:22
11. Vintage 57 (Vinnegar-Norris) 4:24
12. Old Folks (Robison-Hill) 4:51
13. The Blow Is to Know (Fred Katz) 4:31
14. Sometimes I’m Happy (Youmans-Caesar) 4:38
15. Ruby My Dear (Thelonious Monk) 3:57
16. Dixie, Why Not? (Fred Katz) 4:08
17. Dexterity (Charlie Parker) 3:32