Solid!

Paul Weston

Easy Jazz

Corinthian

During his stay at Capitol Records in the 1940s Paul Weston worked with many of the era's top musicians. After he left for Columbia in 1950 he began to write arrangements that would give some of his favorite performers a chance to display their improvisational skills. The resulting albums were Mood For Twelve and Solo Mood. Easy Jazz is a compilation of the best of those two recordings.

Weston's lush, instrumental style works perfectly as a background for each of the featured soloists. He creates subtle layers of jazz while the likes of Babe Russin, Ted Nash, George Van Eps, Barney Kessel and Paul Smith take center stage. He then fills in the spaces in-between with some excellent rhythmic arrangements. Some of the best tracks are ''Louisiana,'' to which Van Eps gives a light and airy feeling with his great guitar work, ''Lullaby In Rhythm,'' led by Smith's bouncy piano, and ''Body And Soul,'' to which Babe Russin lends a dreamy feel with his excellent tenor sax stylings.

A great album to explore Paul Weston's sound. Easy Jazz bridges his mood music work with his jazz and pop abilities, demonstrating the wide range of his musical genius.

Featured soloists: Babe Russin, tenor sax; Joe Howard, trombone; Paul Smith, piano; Barney Kessel, guitar; Ted Nash, tenor sax; George Van Eps, guitar; Ziggy Elman, trumpet; Matty Matlock, clarinet; Clyde Hurley, trumpet; Eddie Miller, tenor sax

Track Listing

• 1. Body And Soul
• 2. Georgia On My Mind
• 3. Lullaby In Rhythm
• 4. My Funny Valentine
• 5. You Are Too Beautiful
• 6. Louisiana
• 7. I'm Confessin'
• 8. A Foggy Day
• 9. When It's Sleepytime Down South
• 10. Skylark
• 11. Sweet Lorraine
• 12. A Hundred Years From Today
• 13. Autumn In New York
• 14. Talk Of The Town
• 15. Nice Work If You Can Get It