Bebop drummer Kenny Clarke and composer/pianist Francy Boland joined forces to create a sensation with the Clarke-Boland Big Band. Combining the finest European and American jazz talent, the Big Band album resulted in this exceptional 1962 release. Tenor sax and saxophonist Jimmy Guiffre is joined by Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall in this performance of his own composition, "Western Suite."

/Jimmy Giuffre.

2 LPs on 1 CD: Clarke-Boland Big Band/HANDLE WITH CARE (1962)/Jimmy Giuffre/WESTERN SUITE (1958).

HANDLE WITH CARE:

Personnel: Francy Boland (arranger, piano); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Derek Humble (alto saxophone); Carl Drevo, Billy Mitchell, Ronnie Scott (tenor saxophone); Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone, flute); Benny Bailey, Roger Guerin, Jimmy Deuchar, Ahmed Muvafflak, Idrees Sulieman, Edmund Arnie (trumpet); Ake Person, Nat Peck, Erich Kleinschuster, Raymond Katarsynski, Frederic "Keg" Johnson (trombone); Jimmy Woode (bass); Joe Harris (tympani);

Sadi (bongos).

Originally released on Atlantic (1404).

WESTERN SUITE:

Personnel: Jimmy Giuffre (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Bob Brookmeyer

(trombone); Jim Hall (guitar).

Originally released on Atlantic (1330).

Personnel: Jim Hall (guitar); Sahib Shihab (flute, baritone saxophone); Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Derek Humble (alto saxophone); Carl Drevo (tenor saxophone); Idrees Sulieman, Edmond Arnie, Ahmed Muvaffak Falay, Jimmy Deuchar, Roger Guerin , Benny Bailey (trumpet); Nat Peck, Raymond Katarsynski, Erich Kleinschuster, Ake Persson, Bob Brookmeyer (trombone); Francy Boland (piano); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Arranger: Francy Boland.

These two very different jazz dates from the Atlantic vaults have been reissued by Collectables on a single disc. Both contain enjoyable late-'50s, early-'60s sessions led by Jimmy Giuffre and Francy Boland with Kenny Clarke. The Boland/Clarke album from 1962 contains six tracks of big band charts, four written by Boland and fueled throughout by the powerhouse drumming of Clarke, whose "Sonor" is a highlight. By comparison, the 1958 Giuffre trio date is sedate, with trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and guitarist Jim Hall on the Giuffre-penned "Western Suite" (in four movements!), "Topsy," and Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk." While being a bit unclear as to the haphazard way these two sessions ended up reissued on the same disc, both albums stand on their own individual merits and are welcome reissues. ~ Al Campbell

Genre:

• Jazz

Labels:

• Collectables Records

Music Categories:

• Jazz General

Product Groupings:

• Clearance CDs
• Collectables Records - Audio CDs

Product Series:

• From the Vaults of Atlantic Records