Herb Geller Quartet - The Gellers (2005) [Original Long Play Albums]

"THE GELLERS" is the significant title of this LP; significant because it points up the existence of one of the newest and most important musical-and-matri-monial teams in jazz.
All through jazz history, back as far as the days of Louis and Lil Armstrong in the early 1920s, there have been husband-and-wife alliances that produced memorable musical results. In the 1930s the best-known team was that of Red Norvo and Mildred Bailey. The 1940s produced similar matings involving Mary Lou Williams and Harold Baker, Lee Wiley and Jess Stacy, Frances Wayne and Neal Hefti. There is every reason to assume that Lorraine and Herb Geller will show themselves capable of following in those distinguished footsteps. Herb Geller is that rarity among west coast jazzmen, a native Los Angeleno. Born November 2, 1928, he started on the saxophone at the age of eight, later studying clarinet and piano. Following the customary route from high school band into professional union outfits, he made an early start in the big time, working in 1946 with an outfit led by veteran violinist Joe Venuti. Later band affiliations included Jimmy Zito in 1948, Jack Fina in '49; Lucky Millinder, Jerry Wald and Claude Thornhill in 1950. It was while he was with Thornhill in New York that he settled in the east for a while, married Lorraine and then decided it was time for them to try their luck on the California scene.
By this time Herb had developed such an exceptional facility on bis horn that he had no difficulty making bis entry into the elite inner circles of the Los Angeles music world. Before long he was working with Billy May (1951), Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars and Shorty Rogers ('52-53), Chet Baker and Maynard Ferguson ('53-54).
Herb cites Art Tatum and Charlie Parker as bis all-time favorite musicians. His wide range of tastes is reflected in his list of preferred saxophonists. In addition to Parker they include Benny Carter, who was his first inspiration; Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, Johnny Hodges, Willie Smith, Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Jackie McLean. They have one important element in common despite the variety of styles, and it is reflected in Herb's own work: all of them pay homage to the importance of the beat.
Lorraine Winifred Walsh Geller is a northwesterner, born in Portland, Oregon, September 11, 1928. Most of her professional experience was gained on the road with the Sweethearts of Rhythm, an all-girl band then under the direction of Anna Mae Winburn. After traveling with this group from 1949 to 1952, she settled in New York, gigged with Jerry Wald and worked briefly as a duo with bassist Bonnie Wetzel. During the past two years in Los Angeles she has played with all kinds of units, round and square, American and Latin, but hopes from now on to work exclusively with Herb in their own quartet. Lorraine names Tatum, Bud Powell and Horace Silver as her favorites - choices that are clearly reflected in her very modern, swinging solo lines. In this LP she has two numbers all to herself; one of them, Lore, displays a variety of moods and a dramatic sense that none of her previous recordings had revealed. As on Herb Geller's previous LP (Herb Geller Plays, EmArcy MG26045) the material used in this set is a judicious blend of original compositions and standard tunes suitable for the Geller brand of modern improvisation. There has been a change of personnel, however, in the other half of the quartet. At the drums this time we find Mel Lewis, a rapidly rising young West Coast percussion expert who has attracted much favorable comment through his recent performances with the Stan Kenton orchestra. On bass is Red Mitchell, considered by musicians, fans and critics alike to be perhaps the finest young exponent of the instrument in jazz today. Featured in the past couple of years with the Gerry Mulligan and Red Norvo groups, Red can be heard in this LP playing several solos. The superb sound he manages to draw from the bass is due mainly to his own fabulous technique and also to the fact that while touring Europa with Norvo in 1954 he bought a bass fiddle in Germany of which he is justifiably proud. Among the most interesting results of the collaboration between the Gellers and their two teammates here is their treatment of the fine old Fats Waller tune, I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling. Notice the ingenious rhythmic twists they worked out together for the last chorus.
The Gellers' choice of standard tunes is as resourceful as the treatment they offer them. Come Rain Or Come Shine, for example, is taken at a medium tempo, in contrast with the conventional slow conception. Herb, who sounds unusually Charlie Parker-ish on this one swings like mad, and Red Mitchell has an entire chorus. Blues In The Night displays Herb in his "funky" blues groove, while Lorraine and
Red settle comfortably into a similar groove for their solo passages.
Another highlight is Suppertime, the wonderful Irving Berlin song from As Thousands Cheer. Rarely played by jazzmen, it provides a vehicle for some intensely emotional work by Herb. An extraordinary example of Herb's ability to swing, even without any accompaniment whatever, is provided in the second chorus of Arapahoe, when he takes two sixteen-bar solo breaks that are packed with rhythmic excitement. There are many other enchanting musical moments throughout this LP - the bright stop-time two-beat effects in the theme of Two Of A Kind, the unexpected verse-and-chorus treatment of Bewildered, the rousing rhythmic reception accorded to If I Were A Bell- but the simplest way to discover them is to stop reading and start listening - the Gellers are waiting to wail.


Tracks:

1. Araphoe (Geller)
2. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Arien - Mercer)
3. If I Were A Bell (Loesser)
4. The Answer Man (Geller)
5. Love (You Magic Spell) (Blaine - Martin)
6. Two Of A Kind (Seller)
7. Blues In The Night (Arien - Mercer)
8. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling (Rose - Link - Waller)
9. Patterns (Geller)
10. Heather On The Hill (Geller)
11. Bewitched (Rodgers - Hart)
12. Suppertime (Berlin)

Personnel:

Herb Geller - Sax (Alto)
Lorraine Geller - Piano
Mel Lewis - Drums
Keith Mitchell - Bass