A Long Lost Session

[garthsj]

Jim Harrod posted this notice on the West Coast Jazz list yesterday. It sounds very promising, and gives yet another reason to be thankful to the European reissue labels for having the foresight to make music like this available.

It's not every day that we are treated to a previously unreleased session from the 1950s, but a recent email from Bob Zieff informed me that Jack Nimitz has made arrangements with Fresh Sound to release the following ABC-Paramount session that has never been issued:

THE ABC-PARAMOUNT HARRIS - NIMITZ SESSIONS

All arrangements by Robert Zieff

First session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Teddy Sommer, drums.

Second session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Jimmy Raney, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Sol Gubin, drums.

Third session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Harry Lookofsky, 2nd violin; George Koutzen, Harvey Shapiro, and George Ricci, cellos; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Don Lamond, drums.

1. LEAN ON ME 3:58

2. A HANDFUL OF STARS 2:20

3. SHINE 3:41

4. AUTUMN NOCTURNE 3:09

5. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY 3:57

6. SOMEBODY LOVES ME 3:14

7. THE LOVE NEST 5:30

8. SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE 3:58

9. YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC 4:58

The session was most likely the victim of changing A&R heads at ABC Paramount. The session is mentioned in the August 8, 1957 issue of Down Beat on page 8 -- "Bob Zieff scored all the tunes for a Jack Nimitz-Bill Harris set on ABC-Paramount with two violins, three cellos, Oscar Pettiford, Don Lamond, and guitarists Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Raney, and Kenny Burrell on the dates..."

I am a great fan of Zieff's writing and wish that he had remained longer on the jazz scene, or perhaps it is the other way around, that the jazz scene that appreciated his writing had remained longer. Chet appreciated his writing and in particular recorded SAD WALK several times in his brief career.

Jim

[Larry Kart]

I'm there. What a strange album this might be. I'm reminded of a non-existent album that I "listened to" in a dream as an adolescent -- the frontline consisted of Jack Teagarden and Paul Desmond, with the former stating and embelishing the melodies of standards (e.g. "Stars Fell on Alabama") in relatively slow motion, while the latter circled around him.

[JSngry]

One can never have enough Jack Nimitz!

[brownie]

Wow, good to have FreshSound take care of those ABC sessions that sat for too many years without anybody doing anything about them!

[Chuck Nessa]

This was supposed to be issued by Uptown about 10 years ago. Uptown was in the process of licensing it from Universal when their legal department stopped it because they had a label called Uptown. They said we'd have to change the name of the label.

I think there was a worthy bonus track too - not sure if it was an alt or another tune.

Nimitz had an acetate reference disc (and/or a cassette), but the master tapes are in the Universal vault. I hope FS had access to the tapes but I wouldn't count on it.

Edited February 10, 2007 by Chuck Nessa

[Larry Kart]

One can never have enough Jack Nimitz!

Hey, wise guy -- Jack Nimitz was/is a good, distinctive player.

[JSngry]

But of course!

[brownie]

Jack Nimitz has also recorded for Fresh Sound. 'Confirmation', a 1995 session with Lou Levy, Dave Carpenter and Joe LaBarbera. Good straightforward music!

Photography by William Claxton!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

West coast jazz list? can you please post the info on how to join? i want to become a life long member!

[Late]

Wow. Bob Zieff. I freakin' love his composing/arranging for that Twardzik/Baker set. I didn't even know he was still with us.

Garth (or anyone else) — do you know Zieff's story of the last few decades?

[Pete B]

Wow. Bob Zieff. I freakin' love his composing/arranging for that Twardzik/Baker set. I didn't even know he was still with us.

Garth (or anyone else) — do you know Zieff's story of the last few decades?

Bob is still with us - he lives in Carlisle PA. His story is here

[Late]

Thank you, Pete! Good reading there.

[Quasimado]

Jim Harrod posted this notice on the West Coast Jazz list yesterday. It sounds very promising, and gives yet another reason to be thankful to the European reissue labels for having the foresight to make music like this available.

It's not every day that we are treated to a previously unreleased session from the 1950s, but a recent email from Bob Zieff informed me that Jack Nimitz has made arrangements with Fresh Sound to release the following ABC-Paramount session that has never been issued:

THE ABC-PARAMOUNT HARRIS - NIMITZ SESSIONS

All arrangements by Robert Zieff

First session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Teddy Sommer, drums.

Second session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Jimmy Raney, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Sol Gubin, drums.

Third session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Harry Lookofsky, 2nd violin; George Koutzen, Harvey Shapiro, and George Ricci, cellos; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Don Lamond, drums.

1. LEAN ON ME 3:58

2. A HANDFUL OF STARS 2:20

3. SHINE 3:41

4. AUTUMN NOCTURNE 3:09

5. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY 3:57

6. SOMEBODY LOVES ME 3:14

7. THE LOVE NEST 5:30

8. SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE 3:58

9. YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC 4:58

The session was most likely the victim of changing A&R heads at ABC Paramount. The session is mentioned in the August 8, 1957 issue of Down Beat on page 8 -- "Bob Zieff scored all the tunes for a Jack Nimitz-Bill Harris set on ABC-Paramount with two violins, three cellos, Oscar Pettiford, Don Lamond, and guitarists Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Raney, and Kenny Burrell on the dates..."

I am a great fan of Zieff's writing and wish that he had remained longer on the jazz scene, or perhaps it is the other way around, that the jazz scene that appreciated his writing had remained longer. Chet appreciated his writing and in particular recorded SAD WALK several times in his brief career.

Jim

I've checked but can't seem to locate this. Would anyone know if it was released?

Q

[garthsj]

Jim Harrod posted this notice on the West Coast Jazz list yesterday. It sounds very promising, and gives yet another reason to be thankful to the European reissue labels for having the foresight to make music like this available.

It's not every day that we are treated to a previously unreleased session from the 1950s, but a recent email from Bob Zieff informed me that Jack Nimitz has made arrangements with Fresh Sound to release the following ABC-Paramount session that has never been issued:

THE ABC-PARAMOUNT HARRIS - NIMITZ SESSIONS

All arrangements by Robert Zieff

First session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Teddy Sommer, drums.

Second session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Dick Wetmore, 2nd violin; Lucien Schmidt, Seymour Barab, and Alan Shulman, cellos; Jimmy Raney, guitar; Russ Saunders (Savakus), bass; Sol Gubin, drums.

Third session:

Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Bill Harris, trombone; Gene Orloff, 1st violin; Harry Lookofsky, 2nd violin; George Koutzen, Harvey Shapiro, and George Ricci, cellos; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Don Lamond, drums.

1. LEAN ON ME 3:58

2. A HANDFUL OF STARS 2:20

3. SHINE 3:41

4. AUTUMN NOCTURNE 3:09

5. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY 3:57

6. SOMEBODY LOVES ME 3:14

7. THE LOVE NEST 5:30

8. SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE 3:58

9. YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC 4:58

The session was most likely the victim of changing A&R heads at ABC Paramount. The session is mentioned in the August 8, 1957 issue of Down Beat on page 8 -- "Bob Zieff scored all the tunes for a Jack Nimitz-Bill Harris set on ABC-Paramount with two violins, three cellos, Oscar Pettiford, Don Lamond, and guitarists Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Raney, and Kenny Burrell on the dates..."

I am a great fan of Zieff's writing and wish that he had remained longer on the jazz scene, or perhaps it is the other way around, that the jazz scene that appreciated his writing had remained longer. Chet appreciated his writing and in particular recorded SAD WALK several times in his brief career.

Jim

I've checked but can't seem to locate this. Would anyone know if it was released?

Q

I wrote to Jim Harrod for further information, and just received this reply from him:

"I received an email from Bob Zieff yesterday telling me that he had received a copy from Jack. No details but I assume that it is on Fresh Sound. Checking their new release web site I do not see it listed, and it was not among the new Fresh Sound items in the Worlds Records recent arrival update."

So it appears as if this may be available some time soon ... the label is still not clear.

[garthsj]

Further information: The Fresh Sound number is: FSR 5047 CD. It's too new to be listed on their web site.

[Quasimado]

Further information: The Fresh Sound number is: FSR 5047 CD. It's too new to be listed on their web site.

Great news - many thanks.

Q

[Dave James]

This one is now available from the Fresh Sound website.

Up over and out.