Lennie Tristano

The Uptown label has just released a glorious 2-CD set containing previously unissued live recordings by the great Lennie Tristano taped at the Blue Note Jazz Club, in Chicago, in April of 1951. Considering the year of recording, sound quality is excellent from beginning to end, and the songs are not only complete (with the sole exception of the final “All the Things You Are”, but they lack the usual announcement and interruptions which affect so many live recordings from that era. These tapes weren’t made from the radio, but by the club’s owner himself. The Group is a sextet, featuring Lee Konitz on alto sax, Warne Marsh on tenor sax (both frequent Tristano collaborators) and trombonist Willie Dennis. A talented musician who recorded with Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, and Woody Herman, among many others, Dennis never achieved great success, probably due to his untimely death in a car crash in 1965. These small group recordings are, thus, an excellent addition to his discography, and a wonderful prove of his capacities. Repertory consists of the usual standards, some placed straight, some showcasing melodies rewritten by Tristano, who all throughout demonstrates his harmonic genius, both soloing and accompanying the horns. A real find not to be missed by serious jazz fans.

PERSONNEL:

WILLIE DENNIS, trombone
LEE KONITZ, alto sax
WARNE MARSH. tenor sax
LENNIE TRISTANO, piano
BURGHER "BUDDY" JONES, bass
DOMINIC "MICKEY" SIMONETTA, drums

Blue Note Jazz Club,, Madison at Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois, April 6-13, 1951

CD 1: (55:37)

01. Sound-Lee (9:21)
02. All the Things You Are (8:59)
03. I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me Variations (7:02)
04. Sax of a Kind (5:10)
05. Background Music (8:10)
06. I'll Remenber April (9:17)
07. I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me Variations (7:38)

CD 2: (48:25)

01. These Foolish Things (3:30)
02. No Figs (9:48)
03. Palo Alto (7:54)
04. Judy (3:53)
05. Pennies from Heaven (8:28)
06. Tautology (7:45)
07. All the Things You Are (7:07)