Dave Pell's Jazz Octet - A Pell Of A Time (1957)
1.Jazz Goes To Siwash (4:28) 2.Suze Blues (3:02) 3.Grey Flannel (6:38) 4.Angel Eyes (5:33) 5.G Tune (2:38) 6.Sandy Shoes (5:14) 7.Cameo (4:07) 8.Love Me Or Leave Me (7:10) 9.Them There Eyes (5:19) Tenor Saxophone, Leader – Dave Pell Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams Bass – Tom Kelly Drums – Mel Lewis Guitar – Tommy Tedesco Piano – Marty Paich, Paul Moer Trombone – Bobby Burgess, Ray Sims Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
The Dave Pell Octet was one of the great cool jazz bands of the mid- to late '50s. This fairly rare LP found Pell altering the personnel greatly, with Pell and pianist/arranger Marty Paich being the only holdovers. In addition, the arrangements of Paich, Bill Holman, Paul Moer (who, like trombonist Ray Sims, is a substitute on three songs), and Jack Montrose are opened up, and the musicians take much longer solos than on Pell's earlier albums. With trumpeter Jack Sheldon often starring and there being some excellent spots for baritonist Pepper Adams, this is a rather different album by the Dave Pell Octet, a bit harder-charging and more hard bop-oriented while still retaining the identity of the original group. Worth searching for. ---Scott Yanow, AllMusic Review
Saxophonist and bandleader Dave Pell, a prominent figure in the west coast jazz of the 1950s and ’60s, died on 8 May 2017. He was 92. Pell recorded extensively with his octet and the tribute group Prez Conference. Over the years the collective members of those bands included Art Pepper, Red Mitchell, Harry Edison, Mel Lewis, Benny Carter, John Williams and other leading musicians of the day. Pell’s devotion to his hero Lester Young extended to the rescue of Young’s instrument. ---Doug Ramsey, allaboutjazz.com
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