Bud Freeman / Bethlehem Records Audio CD 2001 Mono High Fidelity

TOCJ-62091 

Made in Japan 

Recording Engineer: RUDY VAN GELDER  

Manufactured by Toshiba EMI Ltd. Japan

Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet.

Tracklist:

Lawrence "Bud" Freeman has come a long way since the early days in Chicago. Bud was associated with the Austin High Gang in the glorious twenties. The Gang included such musicians as Frank Teschemacher, Jimmy and Dick McPartland, and Dave Tough certainly a colorful group of people. Their various exploits would probably fill a considerably lengthly novel. Bud, Mezz Mezzrow, Frank Teschemacher and Dave Tough used to drive our to Grant Park in the wee hours of the morning and ply their contrapuntal wares in back of Soldier's Field. During one of these sessions they were approached by a uniformed member of the Chicago Police Force. Much to their delight this particular man in blue happened to be a jazz fan and thereafter their early-morning concerts were sanctioned by at least one representative of the Department. Once Mezzrow hit upon the idea to get Bud into the movies. The latter evoked his Thespian talents, assumed a British accent and the group was off for Hollywood. Financial straits and car trouble ended the first leg of the journey some- where in Kansas. Bud and the boys pitched hay for a day, played an unscheduled concert at the local Grange that night and then were off on the road again. The Hollywood venture finally came to a halt in Colorado where, making some hor music at a Wild-West shindig in the Rocky Mountains, the boys became a little uneasy at the authenticity of the affair and forthwith decided to head back to Chicago and safety. Thus ended Bud's notions of becoming Rudolph Valentino's suc- cessor. The primary dynamics behind this project were that when Bud began making millions as a great screen lover he would naturally see to it that the rest of the boys were well taken care of. Needless to say, they would then spend the rest of their lives deeply immersed in wine, women and the perfection of the jazz art. 

But these days of staunch idealism about jazz un- blemished were numbered. With the advent of the big bands, the swing era and the promoters, jazz musicians such as Bud and his colleagues found it increasingly difficult to reap decent rewards for their efforts. Sooner or later, most of them were forced to join the big bands and as a result to spend more time playing written music. However, some substantial results followed from the earlier efforts, in particular, perhaps, the 1927 Okeh recordings which Bud organized with Eddie Condon. The sides done on this date are certainly among the most distinguished in all of jazz. The years until World War II found Bud with such semi-commercial bands as Ben Pollack's, Red Nichols and Tommy Dorsey's. In 1940 he recorded two albums, one with the Summa Cum Laude orchestra, the other with the Famous Chicagoans. Both are classics in the jazz library and the latter collection in particular recaptures the spirit of Bix Beiderbecke, but reaches a peak of excellence of performance which none of Bix's recording groups ever attained. During the war Bud played and recorded with a service unit composed of such jazzmen as Lou McGarrity, Yank Lawson and Ray McKinley. For the past decade or so he has remained pretty close to the New York area working in the studios, recording and playing with his own and various other jazz groups. Bud, then, has gone through much the same routine as many of his earlier associates from Chicago to the big bands to the studios, etc. But he has always been and remains a jazz artist and his individual style hasn't changed. His technical command, rare harmonic awareness, good taste and repertoire and conviction of blowing make him one of the tenor greats of jazz (to many, the great).

Bud's assistants on this date make an impressive line-up. Trumpeter Ruby Braff has risen to importance in the past couple of years on the strength of his several records (he has three at present on Bethlehem under his own name) and his personal appearances. Ruby, a diminutive fellow, plays with strength and assurance. His style is compatible with almost any kind of rhythm section. Pianist Dave Bowman also appeared on the 1940 sides with the Summa Cum Laude band and the Famous Chicagoans. If there is such a thing as a "Chicago school" of jazz (1 prefer to think there is a distinctive quality about it), Dave's piano, as Jess Stacy's, typifies it. Al Hall is a veteran bassist and has recorded with such notables as Vic Dickenson, Bill Harris, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson, Buck Clayton, Ben Webster, Charlie Shavers and Red Norvo. George Wettling requires no introduction to jazz listeners. Gen- erally associated with the various Eddie Condon units of past and present, his activities in the New York studios and his superior jazz talents have earned him a permanent and much deserved place in the world of jazz music. Kenny Kersey is a pianist whose style is adaptable to almost any kind of jazz group. He has appeared on many records among which are the Jonah Jones Sextette and the Charlie Shavers Horn O' Plenty dates for Bethlehem.
This Bethlehem album is, so far as I know, only the fifth that Bud Freeman has made under his own name and direction. But if there is any direct relationship between the infrequency of output of these albums and their excellence of musical quality and substantial value to jazz, then we can overlook quantity and the results are most rewarding.
TOM STEWART

Cover Design by BURT GOLDBLATT

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01-3-23 02・3・22 まで 東芝EMI株式会社● MONO MADE IN JAPAN 2001
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