Let's downshift slightly today during a week devoted to little-known jazz albums with big-name arrangers conducting spectacular orchestras. On Monday, I posted about Jimmy Smith's Portuguese Eyes (with Thad Jones) and yesterday I showcased Billy Taylor's Right Here, Right Now! (with Oliver Nelson). Today, let's look at two albums that Oliver Nelson recorded with TV host, composer and pianist Steve Allen in the late 1960s. Admittedly, these albums are breezier by comparison and steer into the pop realm. But they were still arranged by Nelson conducting superb bands and are fascinating for the songs chosen—pop-rock hits of the day and terrific Allen originals—and for Nelson's sparkling treatments. [Photos at top of Oliver Nelson and Bob Thiele and, below, of Thiele with Steve Allen]
Their first album, Soulful Brass, was recorded in Los Angeles for Impulse and produced by Bob Thiele. During this period, Thiele was in a bit of a jam. John Coltrane, the label's leonine visionary, had died in July 1967, leaving him with a revenue gap. To bounce back in '68, Thiele recorded two types of albums—African-American avant-garde jazz by Coltrane disciples such as Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp, and jazz-pop recordings by artists such as Nelson, Gabor Szabo and Tom Scott.
Soulful Brass was a brilliant concept, an extension of what Creed Taylor was already doing on his CTI imprint at A&M in 1967 and '68. Thiele brought together Nelson, a hard-core dramatic TV and film jazz composer-arranger, and Allen, a highly talented composer and competent jazz-pop pianist. The goal was to strike a chord with young adults eager for sophsiticated instrumental interpretations of radio hits. Allen's originals for the album are actually among the smartest tracks: Sound Machine (co-written with "Stanley Clayton," a pseudonym for Thiele), Things I Should Have Said (co-written with Allen's son, David), Go Fly a Kite, Melissa and Last Night (Was a Bad Night). Oliver Nelson wrote the cinematic soul-jazz piece, 125th Street and 7th Avenue. The pop hits are Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, (Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay, Spooky, Green Tambourine and Stan Applebaum wrote Goin' Great.
Allen plays some piano but is mostly heard on the RMK Rock-si-chord, which as you can tell from its name was an electric harpsichord that gave the keyboard a paisley sound. All of Nelson's arrangements are strong and uncompromising. Again, you have to listen to this album in context—it's 1968, the height of psychedelic pop-rock and pop-soul fusion. What makes the music special is how Nelson stretches and casts the material in a soulful jazz light. This may be pop, but nowhere near adult easy listening. Frankly, I was rather surprised at how good it was and how much I liked it. The only drag is that the orchestra's members aren't listed on the back of the album.
Soulful Brass must have done reasonably well, since the second album that Nelson and Allen recorded in February 1969 was Soulful Brass #2. The album was for the Flying Dutchman label, which Thiele started in late 1968 after leaving Impulse. The album's music is more spotty than the earlier one, but it has spectacular moments. The album includes Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero (The More I Love You), Where Did the People Go?, What a Wonderful World, California Soul, Son of a Preacher Man, Soulful Strut, Games People Play, Everyday People, Tell Me Something, New Dance and This Guy's in Love With You. Songs work or they don't, but when they do, particularly on Soulful Strut, California Soul and This Guy's in Love With You, they are exceptional.
Fortunately, we know who was in the orchestra. The collective personnel over the two-day session included Bobby Bryant, Buddy Childers, Freddie Hill and Ollie Mitchell (tp); George Bohanon, Billy Byers, Ernie Tack, Lou Blackburn and Dick McQuary (tb); Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb); Vincent De Rosa, David Duke, Bill Hinshaw, Alan Robinson and Art Maebe (fhr); John Klemmer, Frank Strozier and Ernie Watts (saxes); David Cohen, Howard Roberts and Dennis Budimir (g); Steve Allen and Michael Lang (keyboards); Max Bennett and Larry Knechtel (el-b); Jimmy Gordon and John Guerin (d); Bobby Morin (perc); and Oliver Nelson (arr,cond).
Further proof that whatever Nelson touched turned to gold.
Oliver Nelson died in 1975; Steve Allen died in 2000.
JazzWax tracks: Soulful Brass is available here; Soulful Brass #2 is available at iTunes for $5.99.
Both albums are available at Spotify.
JazzWax tracks: Here's the entire Soulful Brass...
And here's Soulful Strut...
