FRANKIE LAINE — Jazz Spectacular (with Buck Clayton And His Orchestra Featuring J. J. Johnson And Kai Winding) (review)

FRANKIE LAINE — Jazz Spectacular (with Buck Clayton And His Orchestra Featuring J. J. Johnson And Kai Winding) album cover

Album · 1956 · Vocal Jazz

5/5 · 2012-01-15
Matt

The title describes the album perfectly being named "Jazz Spectacular" which is what it is, with a great take on many classics from the genre with five being re-dos from Frankie Laine's previous days at Atlas and Mercury Records . One of the reasons apart from Frankie's stunning vocals this album is so spectacular is the band behind him which one could almost say was Count Basie's with many lumanaries from his past big band present and the man leading the show is none other than the beautiful trumpeter Buck Clayton. It was actually Buck's idea for the album as he and Frankie went way back to his early days with Mercury Records where Buck lead the the band which the company used to back many of it's stars for a revue which Frankie headlined. Mitch Miller did not get the job of producing the album and Irving Townsend was chosen as he had more Jazz experience. Three sessions were used to record the album with Jo Jones the great Basie Orchestra's drummer with Urbie Green on trombone for four of the songs with J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding replacing Urbie on trombone for the remainder as Jo Jones on drums is replaced by Bobby Donaldson. The orchestra has two pianists with one being Sir Charles Thompson who played with Bird (Charlie Parker) not to mention Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon as well Ray Copeland is assisting Buck as the 2nd trumpet and the bassist is none other than the great Milt Hinton who was originally form Cab Calloway's orchestra. Also four saxophonists with two tenors an alto and a bass with Al Sears and Budd Thompson Sr being the two tenor players and all of them contributing magnificently. Recorded over three sessions from October the 25th to the 27th in 1955 and released in 1956 and the album did not sell all that well for Frankie but it was one of his favourites as it is mine from his discography as this is not your ordinary jazz vocal album but one that has plenty of swing, lengthy solos and best of all that New Orleans touch with the music's presentation which Buck Clayton's trumpet tone rams home.

Swing is what is first up with Frankie's take on a previous number he recorded at Mercury "S'posin" and Buck shows what a stunner on trumpet he is with the first solo he inserts which is followed by tenor sax, trombone, piano all having a quick one to do and the song swings along with Frankie Laine's exquisite vocals. Buck trumpet opens "Stars Fell On Alabama" and this beautiful shuffle of a song is sung so beautifully with Frankie's take and during this album the musicians solos that are placed within as every song on the album are jazz heaven with Sir Charles Thompson's piano sounding more traditional giving a great feel to the music with "Stars Fell On Alabama" being my favourite from side one of the record but the other three are superb with a gorgeous take of Billy Holiday's "Until The Real Thing Comes Along" followed by my "Old Flame" with the swing being applied in a large does with "You Can Depend On Me". The standard "That Old Feeling" opens up side two and the jazz just keeps coming with more swing in "Taking A Chance On Love" followed by another of those beautiful shuffle ballads "If You Were Mine" and a simply beautiful take of "Baby, Baby All The Time" which Frankie first recorded in 1945 at Atlas with a simply glorious tenor solo opening the song and Frankie Laine sings the tune even better this time around. The pick of the album for me is the last number "Roses Of Picardy" which was another re-do from Frankie's Mercury Record days and he first recorded the song in 1947 and it swung back then but this time it parctically comes of the over head bar with the punch from the band with absolutely flat out solo's from the orchestra all in quick succesion and the swing that Frankie Laine's vocals applies to the number, it does not get any better.

Frankie Laine would go back with Mitch Miller after this to start more Country themed material with even more success but that was only because so many people missed the boat by not giving this album one good listen which was obvious with the records sales. This is one beautiful Jazz vocal album presented with a Louis Armstrong approach to the proceedings with the addition of Kansas City swing by Buck and the orchestra and by repeating myself again, yep it is, "Jazz Heaven". One other note is J.J Johnson and Kai Winding were new at Columbia and the company placed them on the album for exposure but that does not matter with the stunning calibre of both trombonists but it was Columbia who pushed them to be at the sessions.