1. Lestorian Mode - alt on 2236
2. Gold Rush - alt on 2236
3. Broadway - not on 8067 or 2236
4. Kai's Kid - alt on 2236
5. Mudbug - alt on 2236

May 20, 1949

 LINER NOTES

NOTES by H. ALAN STEIN

from: BROTHERS AND OTHER MOTHERS

In his exhaustive notes to Brothers and Other Mothers (Savoy SJL 2210), Mark Gardnerrises the question "Who was the first saxophonist to latch onto what Lester Young was into in the late 1930s?" and then says, "There is only one honest answer, "Who knows?"

Well perhaps we don't lnow for sure ut if you'll listen to Bud Johnson on Earl Hines" recording of KY2 (The Father Jumps - Bluebird) you'll get a pretty good idea of who quickly absorbed, quite naturally into his own ken, what Pres was doing.

What we don't have to wonder about is the influence of Lester Young (and the Count Basie band) on his contemporaries and particularly the youngsters coming up behind him. Charlie Parker (b. 1920) was strongly directed by Pres as witness the Wichita radio station tracks with Jay McSHann and Sonny Rollins (b. 1929) was touched by both pre-war and post-war Lester.

However, it was the players born between these two titans who were most heavily moved by the Presidential vapors. I refer you to Mark Gardner's notes for a listing. Three of the principals from that album are represented here as well: Allen Eager, Brew moore and Al Cohn, and the work of a fourth Pres disciple, Phil Urso, is brought to light.

Brew Moore was peripatetic to say the least. He traveled from his native Indianlola, Mississippi to play in Memphis and New orleans while still in his teens. In the mid and late 50s he was in San Fransisco before a series of trips between Denmark and New York in the 60s and 70s. His last stay in Copenhagen lasted only 10 days. On August 19,1973 he died after a fall.

He had just visisted New York briefly in '43 but stayed long enough on his second visit in '48 to record the quartet sides heard on Brothers and Other Mothers. I first encountered him in the summer of '49 when he once again had returned from Indianola and was a frequenter of the musician's private jam sessions and Don Jose's studio on West 49th Street with Zoot SIms, Gerry Mulligan, Jerry Hurwitz, George Wallington, Red Mitchell, etc. Actually he arrived in the Spring although he, Mullign and Wallingon hadn't yet started workign regularly with Kai WInding's group, they and Kai - along with Hurwita (who changed his name to Lloyd) recorded in May for Savoy.

In those years records didn't necessarily come out immediately after they were cut and, as I remember it, the first 78 from this sessiondidn't reach ears until late in the year. Lestorian Mode was especially intriguing because of the way Johnny Carisi used a Pres phrase as a basis for the line (the same phrase had been used in a different way by a group led by trumpeter Ray linn on a number called Where's Pres? for the Atomic label in 1946) and the way he voiced the four horns. Later we were to be captiviated by Israel, Carisi's piece for Miles Davis' nonet, but here he didn't have tuba and French horn at his disposal and still obtained an unusually rich blend.

The piece has a 24-bar pattern with Moore as the only soloist. It obviously was not an easy chart to execute and there is a tentative quality about the ensemble in the initial take here, although Brew gets in some good licks. It all comes together ont he second one with Moore floating above the horn trio and all moving parts meshing well.

The opening blues Mud Bug ( a Missisiippi expression for crayfish), by Lloyd, is no doubt dedicated to brew. Everyone is swinging as Roy Haynes' crisp drumming, with its distinctive cymbal sound, sets the pace and Wallington does some pungent lower keyboard comping for his own solo. The original master has more fully developed Moore and LLoyd again shows off his liking for Sweets Edison.

Mulligan's Gold Rush (based on Broadway) was one of the tunes they used to jam at Don Jose's and you can hear the jamming spirit even though there are definite structures for the ensembe at various points. Winding is not on the track. The master take has one of Wallington's typically excellent intros and a lovely first bridge by George too. Brew is in weaving, bobbing, head-shaking form.Jerry and Gerry both do well by a tune they obviously loved to play.

Following Lestorian Mode is Kai's Kid (by Winding), a line based on Shine. Brew cranks it up before the written part commences and also puts a solo coda on at the conclusion. Mulligan is in the ensemble but is not heard in solo.

Brew Moore looked like a tough old sailor or an ex-boxer. In truth, he was a wise, witty man. His letters aere full of bon mots. Whike his playing was always earthy, beautifully basicm basically beautiful and not what you would call intelelctual, the man's brightness always came through. His work improves with age.

- Ira Girtler