Herb Geller / The Gellers - The Gellers (1955)

Herb Geller was a west-coast alto saxophone player that later settled down in Germany and at the time of writing is still active. But in the fifties he was all American and also had a professional relationship with his piano playing wife, Lorraine. It must have been the post bebop eras first husband-wife quartet with the solid Red Mitchell on bass and the young aspiring Mel Lewis on drums.
Over three days in 1955 they recorded this splendid album consisting of 12 sizzling tracks - amongst these five original tunes by Herb himself. The quartet plays together with ease, relaxation and dedication. Naturally with a focus on Herbs sax but Lorraine and Red also takes the solo space from time to time. Halfway through the album Lorraine Geller has a thoughtful piano solo piece that differs a lot from the rest album. The last three tunes also takes another direction from the albums many up tempo tunes. It is a triad of more slow ballads that reveals a more introvert and moody side of the quartet. It is a great end that could make one wish for a whole album of ballads.
Lorraine certainly deserves a special mention. She was a gifted piano player whose modern playing easily matches her contemporary colleagues like Hank Jones. Unfortunately for the jazz world this talented woman passed on to the next life a few years later at an all too young age. This album stands as a nice documentation of one of the great unsung woman of jazz.