Harry Lookofsky - Miracle in Strings ,1955 EP 7'' _ Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith - Together! 1963 (columbia) ...plus three bonus!!!

Cd cover

Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith Together! Original lp cover

Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith Together! re-issue french lp cover

Here a CD released by Columbia-Sony french folks plus three bonus included on a CD that re-issue single album Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith - Together! .


1 Skip It - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
2 Alone Together - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
3 blues for Janet - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
4 How Come You Do Me Like You Do? - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
5 Get Acquainted Blues - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
6 Hillcrest - Herb Ellis, Stuff Smith
7 Swingin' Till the Girls Come Home - Harry Lookofsky
8 Leaky Faucet - Harry Lookofsky
9 Fiddle Mambo - Harry Lookofsky
10 Little Bandmaster - Harry Lookofsky

Originally released on EPIC EP EG 7081.
cd re-issue on French Columbia Jazz Originals 477455

* Release Date: 1994
* Label: Columbia


Review ~ Thom Jurek .
As strange a pair of albums as can be here. What they have in common is that on the first disc, Herb Ellis's fine band with Al McGibbon, Shelley Manne, Bob Enevoldsen, Lou Levy, as well as Stuff Smith to make the string connection. The second album enfolded into this project is by all around string king Harry Lookkofsky-playing al the strings, with Billy Taylor, Charlie Smith, and Oscar Pittford with arrangements by Quincy Jones. The Ellis record swings much harder as one would excpect, especially n the selection of tunes. Stuff sings a pair in "Blues For Janet," and "Why Do You Do Me Like You D." His violin is hopped up, in the groove and the interaction between he and Ellis is nearly symbiotic. The counterpoint, cue picks, and melodic invention is marvelous with great support. Lookofsky's Miracle In Stringsism virtually danceable except for bebop entering in on the final cut, a great read of Art Farmer's "Little Bandmaster." Lookovsky's strings are all multi-tracked, something that was revolutionary at the time. Strange but somehow satisfying, this pair work together not so much as compliments but reflections of the time.

Include two sessions :

1- Harry Lookofsky - Miracle in Strings ,1955 Columbia. EP 7''

Date: June 18, 1954
Location: New York City
Label: Columbia

Harry Lookofsky (ldr), Billy Taylor (p), Oscar Pettiford (b, vc), Charlie Smith (d), Harry Lookofsky (vn, vl), Quincy Jones (arr) Lookofsky plays multiple parts (3 vn, 2 vl) via overdubbing. Details needed on Pettiford's cello playing.

a. CO51628 Swingin' Till The Girls Come Home - 02:47 (Oscar Pettiford)
b. CO51629 The Little Bandmaster - 02:06 (Quincy Jones, Art Farmer)
c. CO51630 Leaky Faucet - 02:47 (Harry Lookofsky)
d. CO51631 Fiddle Mambo - 03:19 (Quincy Jones, Harry Lookofsky)

All titles on: - Epic EP 7": EG 7081 - Miracle In Strings - Sony CD: 14-477455-10 - Together!/Miracle In Strings (1994)




2- Herb Ellis & Stuff Smith - Together! , 1963 (columbia) LP (7 TRACKS) .

Re-issued on other CD with three bonus tracks not in Sony french CD

Epic LA 16039
Produced by John Hammond

"I've never heard anyone who can make a violin swing the way Stuff does,with that driving rhythmic feeling just like a horn.He's something else." Herb Ellis dixit.

Personnel:
Herb Ellis (guitar); Stuff Smith (vocals, violin); Bob Enevoldsen (tenor saxophone, valve trombone); Lou Levy (piano); Al McKibbon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums).

1. Skip It
2. Alone Together (take 2)
3. Blues For Janet
4. How Come You Do Me Like You Do
5. Get Acquainted Blues (take 5)
6. Hillcrest (take 6)
7. Get Acquainted Blues (take 2) BONUS
8. Alone Together (take 1) BONUS
9. Hillcrest (take 5) BONUS

This Koch CD reissues an interesting and very successful matchup between guitarist Herb Ellis and the great swing violinist Stuff Smith. Pianist Lou Levy and Bob Enevoldsen (doubling on his cool-toned tenor and valve trombone) contribute some solos and drummer Shelly Manne adds fine support. The reissue (which has three alternate takes in addition to the original six-song program) features plenty of cooking and strong interplay between Stuff and Ellis on some blues, the ancient standard "How Come You Do Me Like You Do" (which has one of the violinist's two personable vocals) and Smith's two originals "Hillcrest" and "Skip It." This is one of Ellis' personal favorite records and one of the best recordings from Stuff Smith's later years.
~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide