1953 - October 8

Gigi Gryce – Clifford Brown Sextet – October 8 1953 

 

Leased from Vogue Records

Down Beat 12 January 1955 Volume 22 Issue 1 

A session cut in Paris when Gigi and Clifford played Europe late last year as part of the Lionel Hanipton band. Resident Frenchmen on the date were bassist Pierre Michelot; the widely praised young drummer, Jean-Louis Viale (who comes on too heavily in places here), and pianist - critic Henri Renaud, who plays some forceful, emotionally communicative piano. Also present is American-in-Paris Jimmy Gourley, who has been in the city for some years and was instrumental in influencing some of the younger French musicians into the ways of modern jazz. Jimmy plays pleasant but not outstanding guitar. 

Key figures on the date, of course, are Gigi and Brown. Gigi’s alto playing is swinging and ideaflowing but his tone is somewhat harsh and could be firmer in places. Clifford plays brilliantly in_ his many-noted fashion for most of the way except in the ballad (Romantic) where he has trouble sustaining long tones as does Gryce in the Same piece. All four originals are by Gigi. There are no notes. (Blue Note BLP 5048) 

Notes etc. 

Recorded on the Lionel Hampton 1953 European tour, after dates in Germany. Minority would prove to be Gigi

Gryce’s most popular composition. 

Lionel Hampton considered charges against musicians who recorded without his consent during this tour. 

Session Information 

Clifford Brown, trumpet; Gigi Gryce, alto sax; Henri Renaud, piano; Jimmy Gourley, guitar; Pierre Michelot, bass; Jean-Louis Viale, drums. 

Paris, France, October 8, 1953 

(tk.1), Minority, Blue Note BLP 5048 

(tk.2), Minority 

(tk.3), Minority 

(tk.1), Salute To The Bandbox, Blue Note BLP 5048 

(tk.2), Salute To The Bandbox, 

Strictly Romantic, Blue Note BLP 5048 

(tk.1), Baby, Blue Note BLP 5048 

(tk.2), Baby