Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

There have been brilliant solo pianists in jazz (even most of them have achieved more of an impact with rhythm section backing) but “no man is an island” has consistently been borne out by the many fruitful collaborations down through the years, the successful meetings of minds, temperaments and spirits which have produced music to be remembered.

Each one of these multiple efforts, whether between two or among more musicians, has it own story.

Art Farmer met Gigi Gryce in the summer of 1953. Art had arrived from California as a member of the Lionel Hampton orchestra. His previous playing on a Wardell Gray recording for Prestige (hear Wardell Gray Memorial. Vol. 2 LP 7009) had impressed Bob Weinstock and led to a series of letters which in turn led to a prospective recording date for Art as a leader. In July 1953, this session became a reality when, with a group out of the Hampton organization, he recorded four originals. Three were joint efforts by himself and Quincy Jones, the bright young arranger who was then playing trumpet with Hampton. The fourth Up In Quincy’s Room, dedicated to Jones, was by Gigi Gryce. (All four can be heard in The Art Farmer Septet Plays The Arrangements of Gigi Gryce and Quincy Jones. Prestige LP 7031) Gigi was playing with Tadd Dameron‘s orchestra in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the time and besides this and the writing of the arrangement of Quincy’s Room, he was obliged to copy all the parts. There was not enough time to mail them to New York so he did his copying on a bus from Atlantic City and delivered his work in person. This was the beginning of a musical friendship that still exists even though the two only play together occasionally.

The friendship had a chance to develop when Gigi joined the Hampton band for their European tour and he and Art played together in private sessions and several recordings. When the band returned to New York in the fall of 1953, Art and Gigi left and took up permanent residence in Manhattan, Art on West 55th Street, Gigi on West 52nd. They kept in close touch musically and socially and in 1954. went as a unit, to play the Tijuana Club in Baltimore. For the occasion Gigi whipped up several originals. The gig was about it for a while but when Art was scheduled to record for Prestige in May, he enlisted Gigi as his partner and the Baltimore material was dusted off.

A Night At Tony’s was named for a club in Brooklyn which at that time featured, on weekends, some of New York’s best jazzmen. Art opens with two exhilarating choruses followed by Gigi and Horace Silver. Then Art and Gigi exchange “fours.”

Blue Concept, which served as the group’s theme, is just what the title states. Art pours out his feelings and Gigi puissantly adds his heartfelt ideas. After Horace wails a few in his inimitable style, Art, Gigi and Kenny Clarke engage in rounds of “fours.”

A sliding, melodic theme of medium tempo is Stupendous-Lee with solos by Gigi, Art and Horace.

Deltitnu (spell it backwards) is at breakneck speed with Art racing along followed by Gigi and an abbreviated bit by Horace. Kenny’s solo, with appropriate grunts, leads into the final theme.

When Barry Ulanov reviewed these sides in Metronome he touched on the feeling that Art was projecting and his comment bears repeating. Barry said, “you want to reach into the set and get his ear with an imperative “‘Don’t stop now, man!'”

Although the recording received other acclaim in addition to this, Art and Gigi were not able to stay together on a permanent basis with a group of their own until 1955. In May of that year they recorded as a team again. The rhythm section had changed and four new originals by Gigi were the subject matter.

Gigi in talking about his writing, explained that he employs the French method. This consists of setting his harmonies first and then applying a melody as it springs out of the chords, instead of writing a melody and voicing to fit it. Orchestration, such as the use of interludes a pivotal points for solos, is introduced without losing the freedom and flexibility that the small group affords.

Capri is a change from the usual 32 bar pattern. It starts in B major and goes into its relative minor, G minor. The tag is in G major. Solos are by Gigi, Art and pianist Freddie Redd. Exchanges between Art and Gigi flow back into the theme.

Blue Lights is a minor blues which contains infusions of triplets as used in older forms of jazz. Solo order is Art, Gigi and Freddie.

The Infant’s Song was dedicated by Gigi to James Gordon Weinstock, son of Prestige’s pres. Bob Weinstock James was born on May 21, 1955. In this beautiful ballad there is the use of independent key centers instead of resolutions which most ballads follow. Art carries the theme in a sensitive manner with Gigi playing underneath and occasionally interweaving his sound into the foreground Gigi then rhapsodizes for a half chorus before Art comes back to blend with him again for the remainder of the theme.

Gigi described Social Call as a visit between friends in the afternoon. The mood of the piece and the solos of Art (muted), Gigi and Freddie carry the idea through to perfection. The talented lyricist, Jon Hendricks, received a message from the piece and wrote appropriate words. Earl Coleman can be heard singing them with Art backing him in Earl Coleman Returns (Prestige LP 7045).

The Farmer-Gryce group, as it had come to be known enjoyed more stability through 1955, recording again in September. (Prestige LP 7017) and stayed together until June of 1956 when Duke Jordan (he had inherited Freddie Redd’s spot) and Art Taylor left to tour Sweden. The group was not working steadily through that whole period but sufficiently so to cause highly favorable comment among those who had been fortunate enough to hear them. Despite the so called “boom” of jazz in the United States, Farmer-Gryce could not command an adequate price for its leaders to pay the sidemen they wanted enough money to make the road worth while. Gigi and Art decided it was not worth doing it they couldn’t do it well. Having people hear them with pick-up rhythm sections in different towns was not for them. They wanted more than a jam group. It was a group with a wonderful personal expression when it received a chance to work but things had been gradually slowing down. When Jordan and Taylor left the demise was more or less official. Art joined Horace Silver’s group in August of 1956 and Gigi went into the co-operative Jazz Lab unit in September.

Sometimes I complain about a surfeit of records but when I think of the few jazz clubs there are to choose from in New York, television almost dead from the neck up in regards to presentation of jazz and not one decent jazz DJ in the Big Apple, I quickly stop griping and turn on my high fidelity set. Then I listen to Miles, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Giuffre, Charlie Parker, Jackie and Roy, Pres, Zoot and Al, ad infinitum and I am not only able to remember the fact that Art Farmer met Gigi Gryce but I can also hear the tangible, happy results.