I last wrote about accordionist Tommy Gumina in 2011. Gumina and clarinetist Buddy DeFranco recorded five albums together in the early 1960s that remain swinging, moody and fascinating. Buddy and Gumina came up with a system of playing that involved polytones. As Buddy told me at the time for the post: "As I’m playing in one key, Tommy was playing unusual structures of chord progressions so it sounded like a different key. I was able to play along, traveling in any of the chord structures he put together. To the average ear, the joy is in the clash of these two keys. The result was a texture that sounded both off-kilter and just right. A little messy but right on target." [Photo above of Tommy Gumina]
Now I want to share with you two other terrific albums by Gumina, with guitarist Joe Pass. These albums aren't as well known or easy to find. The first is Sentimental Moods, with Pass, Gumina and Jimmie Smith on drums. Recorded for Polytone in June 1987, a record label formed by Gumina and Pass, the album features My Ship, Once in a While, Cavaquino, In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, Secret Love, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, When You Wish Upon a Star, About Time, Will You Give Me These and Guess I'll Have to Hang My Tears Out to Dry.
The second, Autumn Leaves, features the same trio plus Buddy DeFranco. It also was recorded for Polytone, in November 1989. The songs selected are The Way You Look Tonight, Smile, Autumn Leaves, Teach Me Tonight, I Love You, Without a Song, When I Fall in Love, Polly Wants a Tonic and Pretty By You.
Gumina on these two albums played an instrument called the polycorus, which he designed and built. It's similar to an accordion but allowed him to provide a bass line and notes and chords that sound as if they're emanating from an organ. The polycorus also gave Pass a thick reedy background to swing on. All of the musicians are superb, with solos flying like a flurry of perfectly tossed darts. The harmonies are wonderful in the trio setting and only become more colorful and exciting when Buddy joins in on the second album. The beauty of Pass, Gumina, Smith and Buddy is that they fully appreciated how to maximize harmony and swing. Just doin' what sounds great. What a combination. [Photo above of Joe Pass]
To read my earlier post on Tommy Gumina, go here. [Photo above of Buddy DeFranco]
Tommy Gumina died in 2013, Joe Pass died in 1994, and Buddy DeFranco died in 2014.
JazzWax tracks: Sentimental Moods and Autumn Leaves are out of print. There are several copies of Autumn Leaves at eBay here. You may be able to find Sentimental Moods on vinyl as Sound Project. Omnivore may want to look into a re-issue of these two.
JazzWax clips: Here's My Shining Hour from Sentimental Moods...
Here's The Way You Look Tonight, with Buddy DeFranco...
And here's Without a Song, with Buddy DeFranco...
