When I posted the first of Betty's photo collection from the '40s (sent to me by Chris), the emails flooded in begging for more. As promised, Betty's photos will appear little by little, as surprises. This one is from Betty, but it's a professional publicity still that Betty had in her possession. (Click the photo to enlarge.)
Only one tenor saxophonist stood like an upside down isosceles triangle: That's Charlie Ventura, with trombonist Bill Harris, bassist Bob Leininger, pianist Ralph Burns and drummer Dave Tough at New York's Three Deuces in April 1947.
Want to hear what these guys sounded like? Go here and here.
Want more JazzSnaps? Go to the right-hand column of JazzWax and scroll down to "JazzSnaps" for links.
I have the LP of this engagement, and the revelation is not Ventura or Harris, but the piano playing of Ralph Burns. I had previously known of him as a prominent arranger for Woody Herman (think Early Autumn), but his piano playing is something else on this record -- he seems to be going for an pre-Cecil Taylor sound. Very, very advanced for the time.
Posted by: Brett Gold | April 12, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Burns made a couple of quartet albums under his own name in 1955 with Tal Farlow, Clyde Lombardi, and Osie Johnson. These were reissued on OJC as "Bijou." On those sessions he sounds closer to Shearing than Taylor.
Posted by: David | April 12, 2011 at 04:00 PM