The Groove Merchant

Composed by Jerome Richardson, arranged by Thad Jones

The Groove Merchant, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (1969 Central Park North)

Thad Jones (flugelhorn); Snooky Young, Richard Williams, Danny Moore, Jimmy Nottingham (trumpet); Jimmy Knepper, Bennie Powell, Eddie Bert, Cliff Heather, (trombone); Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion (alto saxophone); Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels (tenor saxophone); Joe Temperly (baritone saxophone); Mel Lewis (drums); Roland Hanna (piano); Richard Davis (bass); Barry Galbraith, Sam Brown (guitar)

Jerome Richardson's Groove Merchant first appeared in 1967 on his album of the same name (Groove Merchant, Verve V6-8729). But it's the recording of Thad Jones' arrangement on the 1969 Central Park North (Solid State SS-18058) that is the one most jazzers think of first.

Here's a live version, with a great intro by Sir Roland Hanna (this version is much closer to the transcription in the IHBB book):

The Groove Merchant, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1968)

A Child Is Born

Composed and arranged by Thad Jones

A Child Is Born, Thad Jones (1970)

Our arrangement of A Child Is Born by the great Thad Jones is straight off the 1970 Consummation album (Blue Note BST 84346) performed by the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.

Personnel: Thad Jones (flugelhorn, arranger), Snooky Young, Danny Moore, Al Porcino, Marvin Stamm (trumpet), Eddie Bert, Benny Powell, Jimmy Knepper (trombone), Cliff Heather (bass trombone), Jerome Richardson (soprano sax, alto sax, flute, alto flute), Jerry Dodgion (alto sax, clarinet, flute, alto flute), Billy Harper (tenor sax, flute), Eddie Daniels (tenor sax, clarinet, flute), Richie Kamuca (clarinet), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Roland Hanna (piano), Richard Davis (bass), Mel Lewis (drums)

We often perform this as a guitar feature (instead of the solo piano in the intro), where the guitar takes a couple of solo choruses over the form before the band enters. This is kind of like Kenny Burrell's take on the piece, from his (great) 1971 album God Bless The Child (CTI 6011).

A Child Is Born, Kenny Burrell (1971)

Kenny Burrell (electric guitar); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Hubert Laws (flute); Richard Wyands (piano, electric piano); Hugh Lawson (electric piano); Ron Carter (bass); Billy Cobham (drums); Ray Barretto, Airto Moreira (percussion); Seymour Barab, Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Lucien Schmit, Alan Shulman (cello); Don Sebesky (arranger, conductor)

And lastly check out Ted Gioia's writeup on the piece in his excellent book, The Jazz Standards.

Quietude

Composed and arranged by Thad Jones

http://youtu.be/NJIuOcN69S8

Quietude first appeared as a studio version on the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra's 1969 album Central Park North (Solid State SS-18058). But this one was recorded two years earlier, live at the Villiage Vanguard  April 28, 1967, to eventually be included on later printings of 1967's Live at the Villiage Vanguard (Solid State SS-18016). The Roland Hanna solo on this earlier live version is really terrific.

Here's the 1967 Vanguard band: Thad Jones (cor), Snooky Young, Bill Berry, Jimmy Nottingham, Richard Williams, Marvin Stamm (tps), Bob Brookmeyer, Tom McIntosh, Garnett Brown (tbs), Cliff Heather (b tb), Jerome Richardson (ss, as, fl, cl), Jerry Dodgion (as, fl), Joe Farrell (ts, fl), Eddie Daniels (ts, cl), Pepper Adams (bari, cl), Roland Hanna (p), Sam Herman (g, shaker), Richard Davis (b), Mel Lewis (d)

From Bill Kirchner's 1994 liner notes to The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra Mosaic set:

The original arrangement of Quietude was done for the Glenn Miller Orchestra when it was led by Buddy DeFranco; Thad plays the part originally played by Buddy on clarinet. The theme is unusual in its construction: 14 bars long. 

This is another take that didn't make it onto the original album. Too bad, becaus it's an excellent one, with a lovely solo by Roland Hanna, who begins by quoting from a Chopin etude and builds from there. 

To this day, Quietude is a preferred first set opener on Monday nights at the Vanguard.

Big Dipper

Composed and arranged by Thad Jones

http://youtu.be/6x0KYmI6aB0

Thad Jones' Big Dipper originally appeared on the 1969 album Central Park North by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, and is an IHBB staple. We often open with it.

On this recording: Thad Jones (flg), Snooky Young, Danny Moore, Jimmy Nottingham, Richard Williams (tps), Eddie Bert, Benny Powell, Jimmy Knepper (tbs), Cliff Heather (b tb), Jerome Richardson (ss, as, fl), Jerry Dodgion (as, cl), Joe Farrell (ts, cl), Eddie Daniels (ts, cl), Joe Temperley (bari, b cl), Roland Hanna (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Richard Davis (b, el b), Mel Lewis (d) A&R Studios, NYC, June 18, 1969

From Bill Kirchner's 1994 liner notes to The Complete Solid State Recordings of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra Mosaic set:

Big Dipper, another unused Basie chart from the genesis of the Jones/Lewis orchestra is an attractive swinger, a 16-bar blues. There's a brief, spare contribution from Roland Hanna, more plunger from Jimmy Nottingham and a mixture of melodic and intense elements from Eddie Daniels. The piece as a whole is simple and to the point, and considering whom it was written for, that's as it should be.

Incidentally, "Big Dipper" is a reference to the part the constellation played in the Underground Railroad to help escaping slaves navigate north.