Frank Rosolino's "I Play Trombone"

[Larry Kart]

Semi-forgetten by me at least, but tonight I played it again and was delighted. It's from 1956, recorded for Bethelem (and a very nice airy recording job too -- I have it on a Affinity LP reissue from the '80s , can't vouch for the sound quality of the current Lonehill packaging of this date). Rosolino is matched with bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks, Sonny Clark and Stan Levey -- all but Middlebrooks then members of the Lighthouse All-Stars. The leader is in very mellow form and makes it clear that his vaunted agility is firmly linked to a distinctive, boppish harmonic adventurousness (it would have been nice to have heard Rosolino react on the stand or in the studio to Charlie Parker and vice versa -- I imagine each of them cracking up the other). This is some of the best Sonny Clark there is, at the level of his playing on "Cool Struttin,'" and he, Levey, and Middlebrooks are really locked in. Too bad Levey would leave music behind in a few years; he had lovely hands -- such a relaxed, linear feel. An unmistakeable player, though he needed to be recorded just right. On some (but not all) of the things he did for Norman Granz in the next year or two, Levey sounds kind of tight/choked off, but I think that's because he wasn't miked properly -- I think he either used a smallish ride cymbal and/or played fairly close to its crown, a set-up that needed some extra room to vibrate. Whatever, he sounds fine here.

[ghost of miles]

Larry, thanks for the rec and the descriptive rundown--I don't think this one ever made it to CD in the domestic Bethlehem reissue series (maybe in Japan, though?). Sounds like an interesting session to contrast with the Holman-arranged KENTON PRESENTS LPs.

[brownie]

'I Play trombone' got the Toshiba/EMI treatment in 2000 in their TOCJ series!

Have enjoyed the exact replica vinyl reissue from CBS/Sony Japan of this before I got the TOCJ.

Skipped the other reissues!

[White Lightning]

I love this album. I have it in TOCJ format from May 2000 and the sound is good to my ears. Frank is not into pyrotechnics - like he was in later years, and I like that a lot.

[Big Beat Steve]

Good to see even "elder statesmen" of this forum settled on the Affinity reissue (like I had to) with its nondescript packaging with this one, and I envy those who were able to obtain/afford the exact replica reissue LP.

I like this recording a lot too, though I would not really know if I were to rate it higher than his "Free Fro All" on Specialty.

[David Ayers]

Those Bethlehems are currently undergoing another Japanese reissue, this time as VICJ. Rosolino is VICJ61476. I can't vouch for the music or for the remastering.

Edited December 17, 2007 by David Ayers

[JohnS]

Splendid stuff, not forgotten here.

[Larry Kart]

Good to see even "elder statesmen" of this forum settled on the Affinity reissue (like I had to) with its nondescript packaging with this one, and I envy those who were able to obtain/afford the exact replica reissue LP.

I like this recording a lot too, though I would not really know if I were to rate it higher than his "Free Fro All" on Specialty.

I like "Free For All" too, for its warmth, zest, snd the pairing with Land but have two quibbles -- the stereo spread is so darn wide as to be unnatural, and at times Victor Feldman's comping is aggressive to the point of being obtrusive. Speaking of comping, on the recent Clark Terry thread I mentioned his first album as a leader, "Swahili" (EmArcy) from 1955, and said that I recalled that the rhythm section (Silver, Pettiford, and Blakey) was in exceptional form. Listened last night, and it is -- Horace's comping is so "in there" that at times you almost have to laugh. That comes to mind because I believe Feldman on "Free For All" was trying to be very Horace-like and kind of not getting it -- and I'm usually very fond of Feldman's work, especially in "Young Frankenstein."

[mikeweil]

I, too, had a lot of Affinity LPs at the time - the only way to get certain Bethlehem, Capitol etc. sessions. I skipped this one as Rosolino's virtuosic playing didn't attract me that much, but Larry, your description is watering my ears ...