Marty Holmes & Moe Koffman - Art Ford’s Party for Marty + Cool and Hot Sax (2 LP on 1 CD) (2026) [Hi-Res]

Art Ford’s Party for Marty
Marty Holmes (1925–2001) was an American tenor saxophonist, pianist, composer, and arranger. Although he never achieved the fame of many of his contemporaries, he was one of the most accomplished saxophonists, arrangers, and studio musicians on the New York scene during the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he began studying the violin at the age of six, the saxophone at fifteen, and the clarinet at sixteen. He was also a self-taught pianist. During World War II he served in an Army band, and following his discharge he embarked on a professional career that would see him work with some of the leading dance bands of the 1940s and 1950s, including those of Jerry Wald, Bobby Byrne, Tommy Reynolds, and Neal Hefti.

Although Holmes spent much of his career as a versatile New York studio musician, he is perhaps best remembered today for his work with Tito Puente during the mid- and late 1950s, both as a tenor saxophonist and arranger. In late 1957 he formed his own octet, inspired by the streamlined West Coast sound popularized by Dave Pell, featuring tightly voiced horn arrangements and a polished, cohesive ensemble sound. Like Dave Pell, Holmes drew much of his inspiration from Lester Young, although his tenor sound was somewhat fuller and more robust. The octet's distinctive style is documented on Holmes' only album as a leader, Art Ford's Party for Marty, recorded early in 1959.

Cool and Hot Sax
Moe Koffman (1928–2001) was one of Canada's most accomplished jazz musicians, arrangers and composers. After establishing himself as a leading jazz figure in Canada, he moved to New York in 1950, where he performed with bands led by Buddy Morrow, Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Tito Rodriguez and Chico O'Farrill. A remarkably versatile multi-instrumentalist, Koffman was equally proficient on clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones, flute, and alto flute. After periods with Tex Beneke and Don Rodney's band, Koffman returned to Toronto in 1955, where he did TV studio work and led his own group, featuring some of Canada's most promising young jazz talents. Recorded in February 1957, Cool and Hot Sax was the group's debut album, showcasing a polished, tightly voiced sound inspired by the West Coast jazz style. The album also includes Koffman's composition "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues," which later became an international hit.

—Jordi Pujol