BERKLEE SCHOOL OF MUSIC: JAZZ IN THE CLASSROOM VOLUME II

Photo Courtesy Of
Medvigy (Micky) Miklós

JAZZ IN THE CLASSROOM VOLUME II
Berklee School of Music
Berklee School of Music, Boston: 1958
Everett Longstreth, Edward Armour, John Hening, Daniel Nolan Jr., John Weaver (tp); Paul McLeod, Edwin Morgan, Jack Wertheimer (tb); Richard (Dick) Wright (tb,bass tp); Charlie Mariano, Anthony Bisazza (as); Anthony Osiecki, Dodge Terlemezian (ts); Nicholas Brignola (bs); Charles Bechler, Bob James (p); Joe Zawinul (p); Gabor Szabo (g); Gene Cherico (b); Harry Brown (d); Monty Stark (vib); Arif Mardin (arr); Herb Pomeroy (dir).

a. Sermet's Dream (Arif Mardin) - 3:50
b. Blue Print (Arif Mardin) - 4:34
c. Yesteryears (Arif Mardin) - 3:17
d. The Long Wait (Arif Mardin) - 4:56
e. Sweet Talk (Arif Mardin) - 4:43

same or similar, Charles Bechler (arr).

f. New Warmth (Charles Bechler) - 3:59

same, or similar, Toshiko Akiyoshi (arr).

g. My Elegy (Toshiko Akiyoshi) - 3:14

same or similar, Bob James (arr).

h. Blue Beau (Bob James) - 4:15

same or similar, Richard (Dick) Wright (arr).

i. Deep Six (Richard Wright) - 3:02

same or similar, James Progris (arr).

j. I Would If I Could (James Progris) - 2:57

Issues: a-j on Berklee BLP-2.
Producer: Not Listed
Engineer: Not Listed
Notes: Father Norman J. O'Connor and Arif Mardin.

Szabo probably did not participate in all titles here. He is certainly not discernible on all titles. In fact, the arrangements give prominence to Nick Brignola's already accomplished baritone work and frequently feature the trombonists. Szabo does, however, score brief features in "Sermet's Dream" and "The Long Wait."

"Sermet's Dream" introduces, as Mardin's notes explain, Szabo's "distant Hungarian folk music overtones." Although the song has the dramatic flair and shadings of an early Sun Ra chart, Szabo is afforded less than eight measures (barely one chorus) to announce his talents. He seems constrained by Mardin's clashing horn embellishments and responds with a single-line feature that is awkward and unsure; an effort to pack many ideas into a very small space. Most striking, though, is his unusually sweet, burnished hollow-bodied tone; very much in deference to Norman Granz's popular plecterists -- Tal Farlow and Herb Ellis. "Yesteryears" and "New Warmth" offer evidence of Szabo's assured sense of support, yet only "The Long Wait," another Mardin composition, allows for Szabo's creative picking and another opportunity to solo. Here, too, his peculiar sense of rhythm and single-note gracefulness guide him toward an unusual and unique conclusion. But the limitations of the chart again force Szabo to awkwardly release all his ideas in too brief a space.

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