New Forms In Jazz: Complete Capitol Recordings 1954-1955

These were Jimmy Giuffre's first recordings as a leader. A native of Dallas, TX, Giuffre developed his chops in the reed sections of postwar big bands led by Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, and Woody Herman. Everything reissued here was recorded in Hollywood, CA. Giuffre was surrounded by excellent musicians: alto saxophonist Bud Shank, pianist Russ Freeman, bassists Ralph Pena and Curtis Counce, drummers Artie Anton and Shelly Manne, trumpeter Jack Sheldon, valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, and Shorty Rogers blowing the flügelhorn. The material is profoundly positive, smoothly inventive, and at times exquisitely relaxing. The cool and pleasantly eccentric ideas, the velvety and whimsical or animated, angular elements bring to mind Gerry Mulligan's masterpiece album What Is There to Say? and the brilliant accomplishments of Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, and Lee Konitz. This music is very friendly and accessible. Some unusual combinations of notes seem to have been deliberately engineered in order to stand apart from conventional notions of musicality. And that's a good thing.