Red Callender - Swingin' Suite (1955 & 1958 Fresh Sound)

COVER CD

Swingin' Suite (1955 Modern_ Crown LP)

The Lowest (1958 Metrojazz LP)

Red Callender
Biography by Scott Yanow
A busy studio musician who appeared on a countless number of recordings during his productive (and generally lucrative) career, Red Callender is the only player to turn down offers to join both Duke Ellington's Orchestra and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars. After briefly freelancing in New York, Callender settled in Los Angeles in 1936, debuting on record the next year with Louis Armstrong. In the early '40s, he was in the Lester and Lee Young band, and then formed his own trio. Callender, in the 1940s, recorded with Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, and Dexter Gordon, among many others, and can be seen and heard taking a bebop break on bass in the 1946 film New Orleans (which was supposed to depict the city's music scene of 1915). After a period spent leading a trio in Hawaii, Callender returned to Los Angeles, becoming one of the first black musicians to work regularly in the commercial studios. On his 1954 Crown LP Speaks Low, Callender was one of the earliest modern jazz tuba soloists, and he would occasionally double on that instrument in future years. His composition Primrose Lane became a Top Ten hit in 1959 when recorded by Billy Wallace. Keeping busy up until his death, some of the highlights of the bassist's later career include recording with Art Tatum (1955-1956), playing with Charles Mingus at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival, working with James Newton's avant-garde woodwind quintet (on tuba), and performing as a regular member of the Cheatham's Sweet Baby Blues Band. Callender's mid-'80s autobiography Unfinished Dream is quite informative and colorful.

CD: Red Callender - Swingin' Suite (1955 Modern & 1958 MetroJazz) (Fresh Sound).

1 On Again 2:35
2 Greenery 3:06
3 Pastel 3:49
4 October Blue 3:06
5 Dancers 3:17
6 Bihari 4:20
7 Skyline 3:05
8 Sleigh Ride 3:10
9 All for You 3:20
10 Outlines 3:26
11 Walking on Air 2:50
12 You're Part of Me 3:26
13 They Can't Take That Away from Me 4:05
14 Volume, Too 3:27
15 Another Blues 4:10
16 Off Thee I Sing 2:44
17 Tea for Two 3:16
18 Pickin', Pluckin', Whistlin' and Walkin' 3:03
19 Five-Four Blues 3:02

Credits:
Red Callender & His Moder Octet:
# 1-12: Harry “Parr” Jones (tp); John Ewing (tb); William Green (as); Buddy Collette (fl,ts); Clyde Dunn (bs); Eddie Beal (p); Red Callender (b); Bill Douglas (d); Frank Bodde (bgs). Hollywood, November 30, 1955

Red Callender’s Octet #13-15: Gerald Wilson (tp); John Ewing (tb); Hymie Gunkler (as); Buddy Collette (ts); Marty Berman (bs); Eddie Beal (p); Red Callender (b); Bill Douglas (d). Hollywwod, May 1, 1958.

Red Callender’s Quartet:
#16-18: Buddy Collette (fl,piccolo) Bill Pitman (g); Red Callender (b); Bill Douglass (d). Hollywood, May 1, 1958.

Red Callender’s Sextet:
#19: Gerald Wilson (tp), Buddy Collette (fl); Billy Bean (g); Gerard Wiggings (p); Red Callender (b); Bill Douglas (d). Hollywood, April 30, 1958.

Include:
01-12 Swingin' Suite (1955 Modern_ Crown LP)
13-19 The Lowest (1958 Metrojazz LP) (except 4 Tracks)

Swingin' Suite (1955 Modern_ Crown LP)
Review by Scott Yanow
This obscure LP features bassist Red Callender in one of his very infrequent occasions as a leader, heading an octet featuring a variety of talented Los Angeles players (including trumpeter Parr Jones, Buddy Collette on tenor and flute, altoist Bill Green and pianist Eddie Beal) on a dozen of his melodic originals. The music swings lightly, has attractive chord changes suitable for jamming, and fits into the cool-toned West Coast jazz genre.

The Lowest (1958 Metrojazz LP)
Review by Ken Dryden
Although Red Callender spent most of his career as a sideman, he made a few records of his own during the LP era. These sessions feature quite a few of the rising stars of the West Coast jazz scene, including Buddy Collette, Gerald Wiggins, Gerald Wilson and Red Mitchell. As a bassist, Callender was very much in demand and displays his immense talent in a rather subdued way. He sets aside his bass to play tuba on several tracks, proving himself as a convincing soloist on an instrument almost always relegated to rhythm, in addition to being out of favor once the bass came into jazz ensembles. The tuba-led septet tracks feature Collette on flute, with Wilson, Mitchell, Wiggins and guitarist Billy Bean and drummer Bill Douglass, highlighted by the breezy Autumn in New York and the loping Dedicated to the Blues. Callender's octet includes alto saxophonist Hymie Gunkler, baritone saxophonist Marty Berman, pianist Eddie Beal and trombonist John Ewing, with Collette on tenor sax; a blindfold test of their swinging treatment of They Can't Take That Away From Me will surprise many jazz fans. Collette also plays piccolo or flute on the quartet selections. Released by Metrojazz in the late 1950s, this is finally available* on the Fresh Sound reissue Speak Low.

*Not is true, CD Speak Low (Fresh sound) only include the four tracks missing on CD I post now plus complete LP Speaks Low (1954 Modern_Crown).