New Gene Harris/Three Sounds Release - Resonance Records

[Dan Gould]

I know I posted about this on another thread but now that there is a release date (January 13 CD and November 25th Record Store Day for vinyl) I figured a separate thread is in order.

http://www.resonancerecords.org/release.php?cat=HCD-2025

Totally new Three Sounds! Yippee! (and color me curious whether the CD has more music than the ltd edition vinyl).  "Blue Genes" drops as a single track on October 7 but knowing that the CD is coming pretty soon I'll probably just listen to the snippet when it appears on Amazon and wait until the New Year for the entire release.

[robertoart]

Have you ever heard this material before Dan Gould? 

[Dan Gould]

6 hours ago, robertoart said:

Have you ever heard this material before Dan Gould? 

There are no known private recordings of the Sounds at all, to my knowledge. So, no I have not.

[JSngry]

If/When it goes to CD, I might be interested. Might be fun hearing the group working an audience. Where that exists, it has worked quite well..

[Dan Gould]

Well we're fortunate not to lack live releases of the group:

Live at the Living Room (the best of all IMHO)

Today's Sounds (which was live at London House)

Live at the Lighthouse

Live at the It Club

plus the MGM release, 1/2 backing Nancy Wilson and half just the group.

But a new one is a major cause for 

[Dan Gould]

Well I found this right away at the very first record store I tried yesterday. Yippeee!

But I was on my way to Mom's so now I have to wait another day and a half or so before I can actually hear it.

These recordings come from engineer/DJ Jim Wilke who hosted a weekly show originating from the Penthouse for about six years. While he was on site someone rolled tape back at the studio for him, and there must be many more coming down the pike from Resonance, as his contribution to the LP booklet refers to "this series of Resonance Records releases".

Resonance is definitely giving Uptown a run for its money as best archival label.

 

[Dan Gould]

They put together a nice youtube video about the release:

I like to assume the lady at lower left is laughing at something Gene just played.

 

[GA Russell]

Presents   THE THREE SOUNDS FEATURING GENE HARRIS    GROOVIN' HARD: LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE 1964 - 1968     Deluxe CD & Digital Editions Available on Friday, January 13, 2017   Never-Before-Issued Album by The Three Sounds Featuring Gene Harris  Recorded Live at Seattle's Legendary Penthouse Jazz Club   Includes 20-Page Book with Rare Photos and   Essays by Producers Zev Feldman & George Klabin,  Seattle Radio Personality Jim Wilke and noted jazz journalist Ted Panken

WATCH THE NEW RESONANCE VIDEO BELOW

Los Angeles, December 13, 2016 - Resonance Records is proud to announce the release of Groovin' Hard: Live at the Penthouse 1964 - 1968, a soulful collection of never-before-heard live recordings made over the course of five years during four separate engagements by the legendary Three Sounds featuring Gene Harris at Seattle's long-time local treasure, Charles Puzzo, Sr.'s now late, lamented jazz club, the Penthouse. This album stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best titles in the Three Sounds' illustrious and extensive recorded catalog.  The Three Sounds, led by pianist Gene Harris, was one of the preeminent "soul jazz" piano trios from the mid-'50s through the 1960s. In its heyday, the Three Sounds was one of the top-selling jazz acts in the world with a string of hit records on Blue Note Records between 1958 and 1962; indeed, during that period, no other Blue Note act sold as many records as the Three Sounds. After they left Blue Note, the Three Sounds also made a number of acclaimed, top-selling albums for Verve, Mercury, Limelight and other labels. In addition to the Three Sounds' own immensely successful albums recorded over the course of their 15 years together, Harris and his mates also collaborated on recordings with many of the foremost figures in jazz of the era such as Lester Young, Sonny Stitt, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Anita O'Day, Lou Donaldson and others. The Three Sounds' collective recorded catalogue occupies an important place in the history of recorded jazz.   Photo by Francis Wolff © Mosaic Images LLC As a jazz pianist, Gene Harris was not only popular with fans, he was an important influence on a generation of pianists who followed him, such as Monty Alexander, Benny Green and many others. He had monumental technique, but that technique was always put in the service of deep feeling and groove. Monty Alexander notes, "His touch on the piano was crystal clear, immediately bringing up the feeling of blues as well as that cross between church and blues. He was greasy! He brought up soulful emotions." Harris's ever-present groove explains why the Three Sounds have remained relevant into the hip-hop era; a sample of their "Put On Train" was prominently featured in the Beastie Boys song, "What Comes Around" from their album, Paul's Boutique. Resonance Records's own connection with the Three Sounds goes back to founder George Klabin's childhood. Klabin recounts, "When I was 13 years old I fell in love with modern jazz. One of the very first jazz groups I discovered was the Three Sounds featuring pianist Gene Harris. I purchased many of their records and listened to them over and over, to the point where I could play them in my head. The Three Sounds were my introduction to bluesy, funky style jazz and I have cherished them and collected their recordings ever since." So it should come as no surprise that Resonance's first forays into discovering and releasing archival recordings were two Gene Harris albums, live recordings made in London after Harris resumed his music career after a short-lived retirement: Live in London (2001) and Another Night in London (2006). Those two albums came to be after Gene Harris's widow, Janie, knowing how much George Klabin loved the Three Sounds, sent copies of the tapes to Klabin. Shortly after the release of Live in London, producers Zev Feldman and George Klabin began exploring in earnest the idea of going deeper into the pursuit of searching out and releasing previously unheard archival material by top jazz artists. Feldman says "It's been so exciting working on these projects with George over the years, and he's certainly made me an even bigger Gene Harris fan than I already was! What's interesting is that this was actually one of the very first projects we talked about when we started on the journey of releasing archival material, and it's taken all these years to bring it to fruition, which is very fulfilling."  In the course of this project Klabin met and befriended Jim Wilke, the Seattle-based jazz radio personality, producer and engineer. Wilke had amassed a large library of tapes by top jazz artists in live performance at the Penthouse during the 60s, recorded during live broadcasts of his KING-FM radio show, Jazz From The Penthouse. Fifty years later Wilke is still active in jazz radio and live recording on location, and estimates he's recorded and produced well over a thousand recordings at clubs, concerts and festivals. When Klabin learned of the existence of this extraordinary Penthouse library, given his affinity for the Three Sounds, his attention was immediately drawn to the several recordings of the group preserved for posterity by Wilke. Klabin determined that the first title Resonance would release from this archive would be this album Groovin' Hard: Live at the Penthouse 1964 - 1968.   Photo by Francis Wolff © Mosaic Images LLC, left to right: Andy Simpkins, Gene Harris, Bill Dowdy The material on this album - hand-picked by George Klabin - is made up of jazz standards: ("Bluesette," "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" and "Yours Is My Heart Alone"); soulful treatments of popular tunes of the day ("The Shadow of Your Smile," "Girl Talk" and the theme from "Caesar and Cleopatra"); and the soulful originals, "Blue Genes"; "Rat Down Front" and "The Boogaloo." The repertoire is rounded out by Ray Brown's rousing jazz waltz, "A.M. Blues." Four of the compositions in the album's repertoire have never been released on any other Three Sounds' album: "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Rat Down Front," "Bluesette" and "The Boogaloo." "Gene Harris was a guy that brought such feeling and emotion to the piano," Feldman says. "He had a groove, and he played for the people. It's really hard not to enjoy what he's doing. There's something very special about him and these recordings illustrate an important part of his legacy." Resonance is proud to be able to bring this remarkable previously unknown recording to the public. We are particularly pleased to have been able to do so with friendship and support of the Puzzo family and Jim Wilke. Once again, consistent with its mission to honor the traditions of great American music, Resonance Records has pulled out all the stops in creating this release. The deluxe CD package includes a 20-page book, presented in a beautifully designed digipak by Burton Yount, with rare photos by Francis Wolff, Ray Avery and Howard Lucraft, as well as essays by Resonance producers Zev Feldman and George Klabin, jazz radio personality and recording engineer Jim Wilke, who originally recorded all of the material on the album, and noted author and jazz journalist, Ted Panken, who interviewed pianists Monty Alexander and Benny Green for his essay. The limited-edition, hand-numbered LP pressing on 180-gram black vinyl was released on Record Store Day's Black Friday event on November 25, 2016 and was mastered by the legendary Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and pressed at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI).  Resonance Records - a multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning label (most recently for John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University for "Best Album Notes") - prides itself in creating beautifully designed, informative packaging to accompany previously unreleased recordings by the jazz icons who grace Resonance's catalog. Such is the case with The Three Sounds Featuring Gene Harris / Groovin' Hard: Live at the Penthouse 1964 - 1968.  TRACKS 1.    Girl Talk (6:23)  2.    The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (5:49)  3.    Blue Genes (3:10)  4.    The Shadow Of Your Smile (6:55)  5.    Rat Down Front (2:25) 6.    Yours Is My Heart Alone (7:50)  7.    A.M. Blues (4:09)  8.    Bluesette (6:48)  9.    Caesar And Cleopatra (Film Theme) (4:57)  10.    The Boogaloo (2:44)    Pre-order on iTunes and receive 2 tracks instantly:  "Girl Talk" and "Blue Genes"

[Michael Weiss]

Jim Wilke broadcast from the Penthouse back in the day. When I was in Seattle with Griff in 1987 Jim played me a set of Griff and Jaws at the Penthouse from 1962 with AT, Buddy Catlett and Horace Parlan that was smoking.

[Dan Gould]

8 hours ago, Michael Weiss said:

Jim Wilke broadcast from the Penthouse back in the day. When I was in Seattle with Griff in 1987 Jim played me a set of Griff and Jaws at the Penthouse from 1962 with AT, Buddy Catlett and Horace Parlan that was smoking.

That one has been floating around for a long time.

[JSngry]

When did Gene Harris record with Lester Young?

[duaneiac]

Well, that promo piece did say "Harris and his mates also collaborated on recordings with many of the foremost figures in jazz of the era such as Lester Young . . . ", so I assume it was either Mr. Simpkins or Mr. Dowdy who had the honor of recording with Lester Young.

[JSngry]

I'd still like details, as that would be some Lester Young I don't readily know!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

wilkie has tons more special tapes from that club alone.  im quite suprised hes involved with a release.  its probably hard to wish for others, im gussin its very hard to get stuff released paperwork-wise

[Dan Gould]

On 12/22/2016 at 3:09 PM, JSngry said:

I'd still like details, as that would be some Lester Young I don't readily know!

Sent an email to the president of the label, got no response. 

 

6 hours ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

wilkie has tons more special tapes from that club alone.  im quite suprised hes involved with a release.  its probably hard to wish for others, im gussin its very hard to get stuff released paperwork-wise

On 11/26/2016 at 6:11 AM, Dan Gould said:

 

These recordings come from engineer/DJ Jim Wilke who hosted a weekly show originating from the Penthouse for about six years. While he was on site someone rolled tape back at the studio for him, and there must be many more coming down the pike from Resonance, as his contribution to the LP booklet refers to "this series of Resonance Records releases".

 

There are definitely more Live at the Penthouse releases coming or Wilke wouldn't be referring to "this series" in his bit in the booklet.

[jazzbo]

You might try querying Zev Feldman on his Facebook page. . . .

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

oh thats cool well id love to see an art blakey release 

[Brad]

Excited about this  Submitted a pre-order.  

[David]

Any impressions yet? I saw both this and a new Sarah Vaughan release from Resonance on iTunes and my curiosity is piqued, especially for this release.

I've been greatly enjoying the recent spate of Three Sounds Blue Note releases from Japan (my first time hearing the material), and I'm guessing I will enjoy this. But any recommendations would be welcome.

[king ubu]

Not a big fan of the group ... they seem to work best in a live setting for me. Snd my first impression of this new disc is quite favourable indeed!

As it's been culled from three different occasions I would have enjoyed some further music (as it is it's in the 40-45 minutes range ... even in concert I'd find that a bit on the short side).

[Dan Gould]

5 hours ago, king ubu said:

Not a big fan of the group ... they seem to work best in a live setting for me. Snd my first impression of this new disc is quite favourable indeed!

As it's been culled from three different occasions I would have enjoyed some further music (as it is it's in the 40-45 minutes range ... even in concert I'd find that a bit on the short side).

I have it at 51 minutes ... but I agree a fuller disc would have been nice, especially since they replied to an email that they have no plans for any future release. If these were three 30 minute broadcasts that would be 90 minutes potentially. 

To borrow a Gene Harris composition, "Oh Well Oh Well", I'll take what we have.

[king ubu]

Sorry, was posting away while tending to other things in town and couldn't check the exact length again ... 51 minutes then. I guess that's already 10 minutes more than what today's high-end-vinyl-hipsters can take, but I assume the fact that Resonance put this out on vinyl as well had a part in the decision of how much music would be included.

Btw, the recent Sarah Vaughan release mentioned above (and the Shirley Horn one, too) is recommended!

[Dmitry]

If it's 51 minutes-long, it's really pushing the limit for the LP format. I wonder if the lp master was made from the digital transfer used for the cd version.I would wager the answer is yes, which would mean the two should sound identical. 

Love the LPs, buy lots of them, but this recent obsession with releasing everything on records is "not making me thirsty".

How's the SQ of this cd, guys? 

[David]

Thanks for the comments. Looks like I'll have to check out at least the Three Sounds and Sarah Vaughan (thanks king ubu for the recommendation) releases.