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Friday, April 26, 2013

18th Century Jazz - The Jack Marshall Sextette

Invitation
18th Century Jazz
The Jack Marshall Sextette
Produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Capitol Records T1109
1959

From Billboard - January 19, 1959: This attempt to combine mid-20th Century cool jazz with 18th Century instruments such as the concert guitar, bass flute, recorder, cello, harpsichord, the current bass and drum, altho an intriguing idea, does not come off. The sounds are interesting but the instruments just don't swing, and even modern jazz has to swing even if it doesn't have to have a beat.

Ouch... I agree with most of these Billboard assessments, but... in my opinion, they got this one wrong. I'm not sure the point of this project was to swing "hard"... but rather to swing in a soft, moody and unusual fashion that stands out in the period space age pack of light pop/jazz. From the cover image to the tracks, the vibe is fresh. The review must have been very disappointing to the musicians that included not only Jack Marshall on concert guitar and lute, but Harry Klee on flute, bass flute and recorder, Edgar Lustgarden on cello, Milt Raskin on harpsichord, Red Mitchell on contrabass and Shelly Manne doing percussive effects.

Have You Met Miss Jones?
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Star Eyes
It Might As Well Be Spring
I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
Jeepers Creepers
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Supposin'
Like Someone In Love
Isn't It Romantic
Invitation
Sweet Georgia Brown

2 comments:

  1. Didn't stop Jack from having a productive career in the studio, on film & TV, and writing the Munsters theme later. He put out "The Marshall Swings," his combo's take on C&W, the following year.

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