1953 - October 9

Gigi Gryce And His Orchestra – October 9 1953

 

Leased from Vogue Records

Down Beat 20 April 1955 Volume 22 Issue 8 

Gigi Gryce and his Big Band is the first volume compiled from a session made in Paris in 1953 when Gigi and several of his cohorts in the set were members of the Hampton band. Solos are taken by Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, James Cleveland (trombone), Gigi (alto), French pianist Henri Renaud, Anthony Ortega, and Clifford Solomon, with emphasis on Brown and Gryce. Rest of the personnel is composed of other Hampton sidemen and some French musicians. 

The arrangements (presumably by Gigi) sound as if they were made in a hurry. For all musical purposes, the big band framework adds nothing and is, in fact, almost always too heavily overbearing. But some of the solo work (particularly Brown and the rough-toned but passionate Gryce) is good. This would have been a much better session with many less men. Gigi and Quincy Jones wrote three originals apiece. All six are underdeveloped structurally. Recording quality is mediocre. Just barely three. (Blue Note BLP 5049) 

Session Information 

Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Walter Williams, trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland, Al Hayse as Al Hayes, Benny Vasseur, trombone; Gigi Gryce, Anthony Ortega, alto sax; Andre Dabonneville, Clifford Solomon, tenor sax; William Boucaya, baritone sax; Henri Renaud, piano; Pierre Michelot, bass; Jean-Louis Viale, drums. 

Paris, France, October 9, 1953 

(tk.1) Quick Step, Blue Note BLP 5049 

(tk.2) Quick Step 

(tk.3) Quick Step 

(tk.1) Bum's Rush, Blue Note BLP 5049  

(tk.2) Bum's Rush 

(tk.3) Bum's Rush