Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz: Diz and Getz

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Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz

Every once in a while, the stars align in the Jazz world and
great things happen, as they did in December 1953. At that
time, Norman Granz (1918-2001) of “Jazz at the
Philharmonic” fame arranged a studio session between
Bebop pioneer, Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993), and
“cool Jazz” star, Stan Getz (1927-1991). Granz also
procured the talents of the Oscar Peterson Trio for this
session, which at that time included bassist, Ray Brown
(1926-2002) and guitarist Herb Ellis (1921-2010). Add the
considerable drumming skills of Max Roach (1924-2007)
to this mix, and you have one helluva rhythm section!

The eight tracks on the CD I heard were originally released
on two 10-inch records entitled, “The Dizzy Gillespie –
Stan Getz Sextet” and “More of the Dizzy Gillespie –
Stan Getz Sextet” on the Norgran label, and were later
released on a single LP as “Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz:
Diz and Getz” on Verve. It’s an important addition to their
impressive catalogue, and the accompanying booklet is
a faithful reproduction of the original liner notes, with an
additional new essay by Doug Ramsey.

These tracks illustrate how two horn players with
seemingly disparate styles can come together to make
exciting and compelling music. The breakneck speed of their
rendition of Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” features
Dizzy and Getz trading solos! The younger Getz clearly had
more to prove, as Dizzy was already considered the
preeminent trumpeter in the Bebop tradition. This track and
others, such as “Impromptu,” made it clear that Getz could
be more than just a “cool Jazz” balladeer!

Let’s also not forget the rhythm section. Peterson (1925-2007)
was in virtuosic form, and Max Roach was great at driving the
tempi. Herb Ellis had time to shine during “Impromptu,” and
Ray Brown added an occasional bass solo throughout, while
keeping up the pace. However, not every track was fast.
Performances of “I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart” and
“It’s the Talk of the Town,” both beautifully illustrated the
lyrical skills of Getz and Gillespie.

Interestingly, the brief “One Alone” was recorded by
Gillespie in New York City. It featured Hank Mobley on
tenor saxophone, Wade Legge on piano, Lou Hackney on
bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. The remaining seven
tracks were recorded in Hollywood.

All in all, this roughly 47-minute CD is a treasure, and
an example of what can happen when circumstances
bring about the meeting of great, but different musical minds.

Stan Getz & Bill Evans

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Bill Evans, Stan Getz

Originally recorded on the fifth and sixth of May 1964,
“Stan Getz & Bill Evans” allowed me to hear an upbeat,
celebratory meeting between these two Jazz icons.
The drummer for these sessions was none other than
Elvin Jones, who at this time was the driving force
behind John Coltrane’s great Quartet. Along with
McCoy Tyner and Jimmy Garrison, Jones’ presence was
a major factor. The bass duties were split between
Richard Davis on the fifth of May and Ron Carter,
the following day.

The songs performed were Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,”
“But Beautiful” by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen,
“Funkallero,” by Bill Evans, “My Heart Stood Still,” by
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, “Melinda,” by Alan Jay
Lerner and Frederick Loewe, and “Grandfather’s Waltz,”
by Lasse Farnlof and Gene Lees. This 1988 CD release
also contained five bonus tracks of alternate takes, which
weren’t on the original LP, for a total running time
of 62 minutes.

Stan Getz was in great form here. At times, his tone was
a bit reminiscent of Sonny Rollins, with a harder edge
than I’d heard in his other recordings. Getz may not
have been the most innovative player, but what he did
play was as good, if not better than anyone else.
I believe that his preference for popular tunes tended
to work against him, whenever the “experts”
discussed saxophone Jazz “greats.”

To a lesser degree, the same thing could be said
of Bill Evans, one of the undisputed great Jazz pianists.
As befitted the music, his playing here was lighter,
and wonderfully captured by Rudy Van Gelder in
his New Jersey studio.

Having a powerhouse drummer like Elvin Jones
providing rhythmic superimpositions and polyrhythms
to these tunes meant that Getz and Evans had to stay
“on their toes.” It was an interesting combination,
which I felt yielded enjoyable results. While perhaps
not as memorable, Richard Davis and Ron Carter both
performed their duties admirably.

All in all, I really enjoyed this CD released by the
Verve label, which featured major artists “at the top
of their game.”

Stan Getz: The Complete Roost Recordings

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Stan Getz

Stan Getz (1927-1991) was one of the true giants of the
tenor saxophone. Recently, I heard “Stan Getz: The Complete
Roost Recordings,” a three-CD set combining studio and live
performances between 1950 and 1952, with three added bonus
tracks recorded in December 1954. These bonus tracks feature
Getz playing with the Count Basie Orchestra at Birdland.

Getz was a musical prodigy. By the time he was 15-years old,
he was playing professionally. After stints with the Stan Kenton
and Woody Herman bands, he had become one of the best
Jazzmen in the world, at the age of twenty-two. When he
recorded the “Roost” sessions, he was able to employ the
same rhythm sections often used by Charlie Parker, including
pianist Al Haig, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Roy Haynes.

The hallmarks of Getz’s playing were the light, airy quality of
his sound, which frequently extended well into the alto range,
and his unwavering instincts for melodic beauty. He was also
an amazing technician with extreme facility, and a remarkable
sense of timing and swing. His favorite player was Lester Young,
and you can definitely hear the similarities between the two.
The alto saxophone player, Paul Desmond, also comes to mind.

In keeping with the restrictions of 78 rpm discs, The “Roost”
sessions are short, “three-minute and under” sets and at first,
consist of tenor saxophone, piano, bass, and drum configurations.
Beginning in October 1951, the guitar of Jimmy Raney was
added to the lineup for 16 tracks recorded at Storyville in Boston.
To hear Raney and Getz playing together during this gig, backed
up by Al Haig, Teddy Kotick on bass and drummer Tiny Kahn,
is to experience one of the finest Jazz ensembles ever.
The songs ranged from three to seven minutes, and just listening
to the unison playing of Getz and Raney at breakneck speed
on tunes such as “Move,” and “Parker 51” is amazing!

Later studio sessions feature guitarist Johnny Smith who
replaced Raney. He is equally impressive, and other rhythm
men include Sanford Gold on piano and Bob Carter on bass.
Lest we forget, this is in addition to the three bonus songs
Getz performs with the Basie Orchestra.

Throughout this set, Getz’s unwavering sense of taste and
style, coupled with his amazing virtuosity, make it clear that
he was one of the “greats,” at a very early age. Although well
versed in Be-bop traditions, Getz’s style embraced “cool Jazz,”
as opposed to the “Hard Bop” approach of his contemporaries.
He seemed to always search for beauty, instead of bold
innovation. His playing commanded respect while it was also
extremely pleasant to hear, a rare combination of both qualities.
In the 1960’s, he famously ventured into “Popular-Crossover”
territory by collaborating with Charlie Byrd and João Gilberto,
among others. These recordings also made Getz wealthy. I have
no problem with this; after all, legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery
was simultaneously doing the same thing!

Unfortunately, Getz’s life was plagued by substance abuse.
Nevertheless, he continued making beautiful music until the
very end. This set chronicles an important period in his career.
An informative booklet with an essay by Doug Ramsey
accompanies the set of more than three hours of music,
released in 1997 by Blue Note/Capitol Records. Despite the
fluctuating quality of many of the tracks, it’s well worth the
time of any Jazz aficionado.