A Jazz Version of Percy Faith's Music

In 1960, Percy Faith was already famous for his own records and for the many hits he arranged for pop vocalists. He also had written or adapted quite a few songs that had become popular.

By that time Columbia had many Faith albums in its catalog, but its budget arm, Harmony, apparently wanted to market an LP of Percy's music in the then-new stereo format, as opposed to putting out old-fashioned mono reissues.

At about this same time, jazz renditions of pop music became popular. These often encompassed the score from a particular musical, but they also touched the songbooks of pop composers (e.g., André Previn Plays Songs by Vernon Duke).

So (and this is my educated guess) the label might have brought the two concepts together for the album The Songs of Percy Faith, as played by the Lansdowne Jazz Group, a collection of top-shelf English pros. That LP is the subject of today's post.

The Lansdowne ensemble probably took its name from a London recording studio that Dennis Preston and Joe Meek had opened a few years before. That locale had quicky developed a reputation in the jazz community and was presumably where this session (actually two of them) was taped.

The result is very pleasant light jazz from experienced pros, whose names may be familiar to you. Since the cover notes are confusing, let me first provide this key to who is playing where. 

The songs:

• 01 My Heart Cries for You
• 02 Nervous Gavotte *
• 03 Song for Sweethearts
• 04 Be Patient, My Darling
• 05 The Last Dance
• 06 Music Until Midnight
• 07 Swedish Rhapsody *
• 08 Duet
• 09 Da-Du
• 10 The Stars
• 11 Goin' Home Train
• 12 Tropic Holiday *

The musicians:

• Kenny Baker (trumpet) 
• Johnny Scott (flute) on *
• Tony Coe (alto sax)
• Danny Moss (tenor sax)
• Dave Lee (piano)
• Dill Jones (piano), soloist in "Swedish Rhapsody" and most likely on *
• Phil Seamen (drums)
• Martin Slavin (vibes, arranger)
• Jack Fallon (bass) on * 
• Arthur Watts (bass otherwise)

[The liner notes are ambiguous as to whether Dill Jones plays on all the selections with an asterisk or just "Swedish Rhapsody."]

A few words on the music and the players follow.

The first selection, "My Heart Cries for You," was a huge hit in 1950. Percy didn't write it but he did arrange it from an old French melody that had been revived in the 1930s. Carl Sigman added the words. Faith and Columbia honcho Mitch Miller had wanted Sinatra to record it, but Frank told Mitch the piece was "crap." So Columbia brought in new singer Al Cernik, renamed him Guy Mitchell, and he had the hit. It's a pleasant, simplistic tune, one that may remind you of "The Chipmunk Song."

Kenny Baker

The version here features the powerful and agile trumpeter Kenny Baker, who was then performing with his Baker's Dozen in addition to his studio and concert work.

Johnny Scott

The "Nervous Gavotte," a more interesting work with a dislocated rhythm, is taken from Faith's 1951 LP Carefree Rhythms. It is the first number with flutist Johnny Scott as the lead. He later became better known as John Scott, and composed quite a number of film scores.

Scott is a full-toned flutist, with his fluent work set off by the vibes playing of Martin Slavin, who arranged all the songs on this set.

Tony Coe

"Song for Sweethearts (Come Close)" is a pretty piece that Faith and Sigman wrote for the 1954 LP Songs for Her, where it had a vocal by Betty Cox. The featured soloist on this LP is the acrobatic alto saxophonist Tony Coe, who was then in Humphrey Lyttleton's band.

Sigman and Faith wrote "Be Patient, My Darling" for a 1953 Lu Anne Simms single. Kenny Baker is again featured.

Danny Moss

"The Last Dance" originated with a 1956 Faith single. Featured here is the robust tenor sax of Danny Moss (presumably; the liner notes identify him as "Danny Ross," possibly conflating Moss with Ronnie Ross). Moss was then with Johnny Dankworth's band.

Faith's original is much more legato; Moss and group take a punchy approach. Percy's is more in tune with the title, certainly.

Dave Lee (in later years)

Faith wrote "Music Until Midnight" for Mitch Miller's oboe on their joint 1953 album of the same name. The melody line is carried by the alto of Tony Coe, who also contributes a fine solo. This is one of the best performances on the LP. Dave Lee has the thankless task of carrying the piano ostinato behind the theme.

Dill Jones

Faith also did not write "Swedish Rhapsody;" he arranged it from Hugo Alfven's Midsommarvaka (Swedish Rhapsody No. 1), which you can find here in the composer's own early stereo recording (well worth hearing). On the Lansdowne album pianist Dill Jones and Johnny Scott take a light approach that is most pleasing. Jones was a Welsh musician who emigrated to the US in 1961 and had some success in New York thereafter. Percy's own memorable recording of the "Swedish Rhapsody" was a chart topper in 1953.

"Duet" is another excellent theme that provides the basis of a well-fashioned solo work out by Danny Moss, who impresses. This another title from the Music Until Midnight LP.

Percy's "Da-Du" comes from a 1952 single that had a vocal by the Ray Charles Singers, recently featured here (with more to come).

Phil Seamen

"The Stars" was originally a 1957 single, and here the stars are Kenny Baker, Martin Slavin and Dave Lee. There is more fascinating interplay between Slavin and Lee in this one. You will notice the support of drummer Phil Seamen here (and elsewhere on the disc). A persuasive side.

"Goin' Home Train" is a strong swinger powered by Seamen and the walking bass of Arthur Watts, not to mention Danny Moss' tenor. This song is from Faith's 1958 album Carefree (not the same as the earlier Carefree Rhythms; the two discs only have the song "Carefree" in common).

And now the final number, which actually was the impetus for this post. Friend and frequent commenter centuri (the French conductor Jean Thorel) asked me if I had this LP; it contains one of his favorite Faith compositions - "Tropic Holiday," originally on the 1953 album Adventure in the Sun; redone on the 1966 disc Bim! Bam!! Boom!!!  I sent my transfer along to Jean, who enjoyed the jazz performance a great deal, as did I.

Although the album starts with its (to me) weakest material, it does build to become most enjoyable - I hope you agree. The early stereo is vivid.

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