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LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD
XANADU 146
This album is from the tape collection of Bob Andrews who was to West Coast jazz of the fifties what Jerry Newman was for the jam sessions at Minton's. Wardell Gray was in his brief life a master of the tenor who was on Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo" date for Dial, and was in bands with Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Billie Eckstine. Let's not forget the various dueling tenor sax albums with Dexter. Precious few recordings were made under his name and this 1952 location re- cording is a most worthy addition to the Gray and bop discography.
Gray was joined on this date by Art Farmer playing some hot trumpet, Hampton Hawes playing with a judicious use of space and angularity which is sort of a more fluid Monk. Joe Mondragon and Shelly Manne complete this group which includes a hot version of Dameron's "The Squirrel", which is classic bebop. Dig the interchange between Gray and Farmer at the tune's close with Manne kicking things along and Hampton laying down a solid groove. The whole album is like that and there is over fifty minutes of music here.
Highly recommended.
I likely received a review copy from the Buffalo Jazz Report where this review ran in June 1978 (Issue 52). Here is one of Wardell Gray's most famous compositions, "Twisted."
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