Hal Schaefer • Just Too Much - The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop

 

Review from Jazz Journal (by John White):
Released in the Fresh Sound series "Presenting... Rare and Obscure Jazz Albums", this CD comprises two studio sessions by the pianist Harold Herman "Hal" Schaefer (1925-2012). Schaefer was Monroe's vocal coach and helped her master the lyrics of Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend in the 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He also accompanied Peggy Lee, Vic Damone and Billy Eckstine, later furthering his career as an arranger and modern jazz composer. For present purposes, Schaefer was recognised by jazz critics and fellow musicians as an original and highly talented musician. The first session (1954) featured him with Joe Mondragon and Alvin Stoller, covering favourite vehicles for jazz vocalists and instrumentalists including I'll Remember April, Thou Swell and a sprightly Have You Met Miss Jones? — all sounding freshly minted, with a fleet-fingered and inventive Schaefer very much in control, also producing a rhapsodic and introspective version of St. Louis Blues. The 1955 sessions found him in the congenial company of luminaries such as Phil Woods, Hal McKusick, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Urbie Green, Jimmy Nottingham and Don Lamond. On two numbers Schaefer also made his debut on harpsichord. All participants play the well-crafted charts with apparent pleasure and insouciance. Happily, despite personal tragedies, Schaefer thrived in Hollywood writing film scores and lived to be 87; sadly he made very few jazz piano records, making this a valuable set.
https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2023/03/27/hal-schaefer-just-too-much-the-progressive-piano-of-hal-schaefer-the-rca-victor-jazz-workshop/

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Resena de Jazz Journal (por John White):
Publicado en la serie de Fresh Sound "Presenting... Rare and Obscure Jazz Albums", este CD comprende dos sesiones de estudio del pianista Harold Herman "Hal" Schaefer (1925-2012). Schaefer fue el coach vocal de Marilyn Monroe y la ayudo a dominar la letra de Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend en la pelicula Gentlemen Prefer Blondes de 1953. Tambien acompano a Peggy Lee, Vic Damone y Billy Eckstine, desarrollando luego su carrera como arreglista y compositor de jazz moderno. Para la historia jazzistica, Schaefer fue reconocido por criticos y musicos como un interprete original y de gran talento. La primera sesion (1954) lo muestra con Joe Mondragon y Alvin Stoller, abordando temas favoritos del jazz vocal e instrumental como I'll Remember April, Thou Swell y un vivaz Have You Met Miss Jones? — todos sonando frescos y nuevos, con un Schaefer de dedos agiles e inventivo muy por encima de la situacion, produciendo ademas una version rapsodica e introspectiva de St. Louis Blues. Las sesiones de 1955 lo encontraron en la amena compania de lumbreras como Phil Woods, Hal McKusick, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Urbie Green, Jimmy Nottingham y Don Lamond. En dos temas Schaefer tambien hizo su debut al clavicembalo. Todos los participantes interpretan los arreglos bien elaborados con evidente placer e insouciance. Afortunadamente, pese a sus tragedias personales, Schaefer prospero en Hollywood escribiendo musicas para cine y vivio hasta los 87 anos; lamentablemente grabo muy pocos discos de jazz, lo que convierte este en un conjunto muy valioso.
https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2023/03/27/hal-schaefer-just-too-much-the-progressive-piano-of-hal-schaefer-the-rca-victor-jazz-workshop/

Tracks:
1 - All the Things You Are
2 - I'll Remember April
3 - You Are Too Beautiful
4 - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
5 - I'm Glad There Is You
6 - The Song Is You
7 - Thou Swell
8 - St. Louis Blues
9 - Yes
10 - Have You Met Miss Jones?
11 - You Stepped Out of a Dream
12 - Montevideo
13 - Dancing in the Dark
14 - Imagination
15 - This One's for Jack
16 - A Song of Love
17 - Isn't It Romantic
18 - A New Sound for the Blue
19 - Let's Have a Celebration
20 - Of Things Gone By
21 - Blue Skies
22 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
23 - Spring Is Here
24 - Real Lee


Credits:
Just Too Much (tracks 1-12):
Hal Schaefer - Piano
Joe Mondragon - Bass
Alvin Stoller - Drums
Recorded in Los Angeles, December 27, 1954 (tracks 5, 6, 7, 12),
January 4, 1955 (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10), and January 10, 1955 (tracks 1, 3, 9, 11)

The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop (tracks 13-24):

Tracks 13, 14, 19, 20:
Hal McKusick - Alto Saxophone
Sam Marowitz - Alto Saxophone
Phil Woods - Alto Saxophone
Hal Schaefer - Piano
Milt Hinton - Bass
Osie Johnson - Drums
Recorded in New York City, November 28, 1955

Tracks 15, 16, 21, 22:
Billy Byers - Trombone
Urbie Green - Trombone
Freddie Ohms - Trombone
Chauncey Welsh - Trombone
Tommy Mitchell - Bass Trombone
Hal Schaefer - Piano
Milt Hinton - Bass
Osie Johnson - Drums
Recorded in New York City, November 9, 1955

Tracks 17, 18, 23, 24:
Jimmy Nottingham - Trumpet
Nick Travis - Trumpet
Hal Schaefer - Harpsichord
Milt Hinton - Bass
Don Lamond - Drums
Ed Shaughnessy - Drums
Recorded in New York City, October 17, 1955

Production:
Original liner notes: Bill Simon (Just Too Much) & Leonard Feather (The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop)
New liner notes: Jordi Pujol
Original recordings produced by Jack Lewis
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
Hi Fi - 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.
© 2022 by Fresh Sound Records

Sources:
Tracks 1-12: from "Just Too Much: The Progressive Piano of Hal Schaefer" (RCA Victor LPM-1106)
Tracks 13-24: from "The RCA Victor Jazz Workshop" (RCA Victor LPM-1199)

Label: Fresh Sound Records FSRCD 1071
Country: Spain
Released: 2022
Genre: Jazz
Style: Bop, Cool Jazz, Piano Jazz, West Coast Jazz
Duration: 64:42

Sources:
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/hal-schaefer-albums/55872-just-too-much-the-rca-victor-jazz-workshop-2-lp-on-1-cd.html
https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2023/03/27/hal-schaefer-just-too-much-the-progressive-piano-of-hal-schaefer-the-rca-victor-jazz-workshop/
https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-too-much-mw0000479113
https://www.allmusic.com/album/rca-victor-jazz-workshop-mw0000238198

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