I transferred Ralph Burns' terrific 1956 LP Spring Sequence (actually two 10-inch LPs combined) then decided to go back to his Summer Sequence of 1946-7, and that somehow led me to Igor Stravinsky. All this is explained below.
Spring Sequence
Before I launch into a discussion of the record, a few words about Ralph Burns (1922-2001). He made his name writing and arranging for the Woody Herman band starting in 1944, with his biggest hit probably "Early Autumn."
That song was originally an Epilogue to Ralph's three-part "Summer Sequence," which he wrote for a concert that also introduced the Ebony Concerto that Stravinsky wrote for the band.
"Summer Sequence" became so well known that Burns also wrote a "Winter Sequence" with Leonard Feather that you can find here. And he did the "Spring Sequence" that you will find on the LP under present discussion.
Like much else with this post, the "Spring Sequence" LP has a complicated history. It first appeared in 1955 as a 10-inch LP on the Period label. Period then issued another 10-incher called "Bijou" after one of Ralph's most noted compositions.
 |
| The Period covers - Period was in its "meh" period |
The mail-order Jazztone label combined the two in 1956 and issued the resulting 12-inch LP under the "Spring Sequence" name. That is that release we have for you today. Also, Period sold its catalogue to Bethlehem in 1956, and the latter reissued these same recordings in 1957 under the name "Bijou," leaving out one number.
This record is notable because it features Burns' piano in a small group setting, as compared to the Herman big band or the chamber ensemble assembled for his previous LP, Free Forms. (He also did an album called Ralph Burns Among the JATPs that is mainly a blowing session for Jazz at the Philharmonic mainstays. It is coming up along with Free Forms.)
The other musicians on Spring Sequence are Jimmy Raney, guitar, Clyde Lombardi, bass, and Osie Johnson, drums. Burns is the primary soloist, but the excellent Raney also is featured.
The first side of the Jazztone record contains the songs of spring. These are Burns compositions "Spring Sequence" and "Sprong," the standards "It Might as Well Be Spring" and "Spring Is Here," both by Richard Rodgers, and pianist Willie "the Lion" Smith's "Echo of Spring."
The "Bijou" side also includes Ralph's "Gina" (named for actor Gina Lollobrigida), "Autobahn Blues" (written in Germany for the Herman band), "Spring in Naples" (from another European tour) and "Perpetual Motion" (which features Ralph overdubbing a second piano part). The only standard is Sigmund Romberg's "Lover Come Back to Me."
 |
| Jimmy Raney |
After that long introduction/explanation, let me just add that this is a first-rate LP with engrossing piano playing, fine guitar solos and a solid rhythm section. What it was not was well-recorded. Burns' piano tone - at least on the Jazztone pressing - was much too bass-heavy. I separated the piano from the other instruments and rebalanced it. The result is good.
The peculiar cover at the top of this section was the work of Burt Goldblatt, a very good artist who was specializing in murky images at the time. (You can see other examples, both good and otherwise, here.)
LINK to Spring Sequence
Summer Sequence and Ebony Concerto
 |
| Ralph and Woody (with his "Winged Mercury" hairdo) |
I thought it made sense to include the original recording of "Summer Sequence" with the Herman band, and to tell the story of how it came about. Supposedly Igor Stravinsky was interested in the band because he had heard Burns' "Bijou," and subsequently wrote the Ebony Concerto for the band. I have also read that the great man thought "Bijou" sounded like his music. To me, "Bijou" - a rhumba with wrong notes - does not sound like Igor. I've included both "Bijou" and the Ebony Concerto and you can decide for yourself.
To get to the point, Woody needed a concert piece to go with the Stravinsky on the 1946 premiere program. Ralph wrote the three-part "Summer Sequence" for the occasion - a lovely piece that's a great showcase for the band, and a good contrast with the angular Ebony Concerto.
Burns wrote an Epilogue for "Summer Sequence" the following year, which immediately became popular. Its final theme took on a life of its own as "Early Autumn," a haunting piece famed for the Stan Getz tenor saxophone solo found on the 1948 Herman single.
For this set, I've included the 1946 recording of "Summer Sequence," the 1947 Epilogue and the 1948 recording of "Early Autumn." Johnny Mercer wrote lyrics for the song in 1952 - I've appended Jo Stafford's contemporaneous recording. (Woody also did a vocal version, but I can't find that one.)
Also added are a few of Ralph's best-known pieces with the band - his compositions "Bijou" and "Lady McGowan's Dream" and his arrangement of Louis Jordan's "Caldonia," which Woody sang (and quite well).
 |
| Stravinsky rehearses the Herd |
The Ebony Concerto is a brief, aphoristic piece. The first movement is nothing if not choppy, sometimes giving way to brief lyrical passages. The Andante starts off as night music; lovely in its own way. I'd say it's taken too slowly, but the composer is conducting and the tempo picks up in the final section. The closing Moderato opens with a passage for Woody, the material then gets passed around the band before culminating in a dirge. For the recording, the band was augmented, but primarily with additional big band performers. The only other additions that I noted were French horn and harp.
LINK to Summer Sequence and Ebony Concerto
