Billboard : 01/12/1957

Here Winding carries on in the spirit of the Kai and Jay experiments, but now without Johnson, who has his own quintet (see below). The ensemble consists of four trombone men — Winding, Carl Fontana, Wayne Andre and Dick Lieb — and rhythm. It comes off as quite a tour de force — the contrast of sound being quite remarkable. Some of the differences in tonal color are due to introduction of the trombonium and valve baritone horn into the brass quartet. The program is provocative and musically stimulating, with selections by seven different arrangers. Best demo bands might be Al Cohn’s Blues and Whistle While You Work. There is no reason why this set could not do as well as the best-selling Kai and Jay albums.

-----

Atlanta Journal (Atlanta, GA)
Katherine Skogstad : 01/30/1957
Tech Campus Jammed For Winding Concert

The biggest campus crowd yet to gather for a Georgia Tech concert heard Kai Winding and his Jazz Septet introduce their new “Trombone Sound” Tuesday night at Tech.

Featuring four trombones, a piano, bass and drums, the septet specializes in the smoother, more modern jazz arrangements of familiar tunes.

The trombonists proved themselves masters of their instruments and did exceptional jobs on such selections as Two Plus Two and Yes, Sir, She’s My Baby.

Generally speaking, though, the group needed a brass or woodwind somewhere along the line to pick up the “Trombone Sound.”

The trombonium, featured by Kai Winding in several of his most popular recordings, also was introduced on Tuesday’s program. The instrument is a trombone played with valves rather than a slide. It looks very much like a cross between a trombone and a French horn.

You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To was a featured trombonium number.

A typical jazz audience, casually dressed and with tapping feet and bobbing shoulders, cheered loudly in the middle of several favorite selections.

Among these were a Winding arrangement of Whistle While You Work, Mr. Wonderful, The Continental, This Can’t Be Love, arranged by Wayne Andre, and Come Rain or Come Shine.

The septet played for a record-breaking two hours and forty minutes and then stopped with the audience still asking for more.

Tuesday’s concert was sponsored by the Georgia Tech Student Lecture and Entertainment Committee.

-----

Metronome
Jack Maher : March 1957

Trombones from their very sound and nature have a feeling of weight and heavy consistency to them, so that you’d think grouping four of them would be an unbearable drag upon both the ears of the listener and the rhythm section. Kai Winding’s latest group is composed of four trombones: Kai, Carl Fontana, Wayne Andre and Dick Lieb, but there is none of the expected overweight, as a matter of fact, the group’s quite exuberant and nimble. Thanks in part goes to the rhythm section, and especially to drummer Jack Franklin and bassist Kenny O’Brien. The comping and soloing of Roy Frazee, too, makes light work for the trombonist, he sketches chords in good support.

There is, of course, that same quality that Kai and J.J. had, a sort of nanny-goat tongue in cheek playing of lines which has a commercial appeal like the unison on Whistle While You Work, Breezin’ Along and Captain Kut-cha, but the soloists (Kai, Carl and Wayne do all the solo tromboning), have the ability to jump right out with pushing solos, and the unison stuff as on Nutcracker is full and swinging.

This is a well rehearsed, enthusiastic swinging album of trombonists in the present day tradition, with Wayne and Carl a bit more articulate than Kai, but with Kai’s guttiness and blowsy style adding to the down-home feeling of the album.

-----

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
Robert C. Smith : 04/23/1957

Kai Winding’s septet, currently playing the Continental here, shows definite advances over its appearance in this city last year.

For the most part, these advances have to do with a certain extra “sureness” of attack and an added vitality, perhaps supplied by a new rhythm section composed of bassist Barney Mallon and drummer Lou Marino. Although there was little complaint about the tone and timbre of the four trombones on Kai’s last visit, there seems to be an added mellowness now.

This is a happy group, with an infectious approach to jazz. It utilizes this studied abandon to brighten up tightly knit arrangements of standards — and a few originals — with light musical byplay and snappy, literate solos. Kai is an excellent trombonist, but the brilliant Carl Fontana probably rates top soloist standing by virtue of more forceful attack and an exceptionally witty way with an improvisation. Wayne Andre has a cool competent style and bass trombonist Dick Lieb is quite good.

There is a good deal of showmanship, of course, in the manner of the Winding septet and the product is quite commercial jazz, with no disparagement implied in the use of this word. By the same token, there is less emotional sock than might be desired; the jazz that issues from the septet may not be of the undying variety, but unlike that of many other groups, it is certainly not stillborn.

The group has been filling a heavy schedule of engagements and is relying to a considerable extent on arrangements polished up from its formative days. Among the favorites exhibited last night were Whistle While You Work, Surrey With a Fringe on Top, and My Little Girl (the trombonium piece). Heard also in early sets last night was a brush-up job on a Winding composition recorded originally with J.J. Johnson and entitled Cornerstone. This last one featured a break up solo by Fontana and some clean, driving work by Kai. Pianist Roy Frazee also excelled.

A Navy Shore Patrol hillbilly fan wandered through the club during the group’s first set on his regular tour of duty and a club official commented: “He likes hillbilly and he hasn’t liked any of the outfits here before. But he likes this one.”

It’s that sort of a group, good fun for the jazz fan and quite acceptable to others.

-----

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA)
Russ Wilson : 01/13/1957

The Trombone Sound (Columbia) is the first LP by the excellent trombonist Kai Winding since he and J.J. Johnson split. The Danish-born musician leads a septet of four trombones (Wayne Andre, Carl Fontana, Dick Lieb, and Kai) and rhythm section. No less than seven arrangers were used and there are 13 numbers on the LP. Consequently solo space is held to a minimum which, to me, is a serious fault in a combo presentation.

-----

Toronto Star (Toronto, ON)
Stan Rantin : 11/17/1956
4 Trombones In Septet Said Exciting New Sound

One of the most exciting jazz sounds to hit Toronto in some time is “The Trombone Sound,” as blown by the four trombones of the Kai Winding Septet.

At the Colonial this week, the group has the customers cheering for more. One night, it got the loudest ovation I’ve ever heard in a Toronto club.

The reasons the crowds are flipping are obvious. The ensemble work is lush, the solos are thrilling, the arrangements unusual, intricate and exciting, and the rhythm swinging.

Kai, Carl Fontana, Wayne Andre and Dick Lieb, on bass trombone, make up the front line. Roy Frazee is on piano, Kenny O’Brien, bass, and Jack Franklin, drums.

Not only do the customers have a good time, all members of the septet seem to be having a ball.

The argument that four trombones don’t offer much contrast in a group may be valid with a mediocre unit. But unless you listen for 12 hours or more to this one, you’ll never feel bored.

The Kai Winding septet will be back in Toronto for the Jazz for Moderns concert at Massey Hall on Nov. 26.

-----

Down Beat : 01/23/1957
Nat Hentoff : 3 stars

Kai Winding’s new septet is a skilled, glittering package that features a varied book and a level of instrumental ability, particularly among its four horns, that is undeniably impressive. From a jazz point of view, however, the combo is lacking in naked, extended self-expression and in overall emotional adventurousness. The book is written in slick magazine style. The scores — by Kai, Andre, Al Cohn, Nat Pierce, Bob Brookmeyer, Tommy Talbert, Franklin and Lou Stein — are all precision-drawn and executed cleanly. But these charts represent more a means to help create a series of effects than a need to say something from deep within. And the solos are usually quite short (13 tunes on one 12″ jazz LP!) so that no one has a chance to really open up in his own story.

The solos, however, are crisp and inventive within the limits of the space and the material. Rhythm section is steady. In essence, this is more a collective entertaining ensemble geared for dances, theaters, hotel rooms, etc. as well as jazz clubs. As such, it’s excellently drilled. But for straight jazz kicks, there’s too often too much gloss and too little room for soul-openings. George Avakian’s notes identify all the solos.

-----

Liner Notes by Unknown

Up until recently, the idea of four trombones as the tonal element in a septet would have been received with noticeable lack of enthusiasm. Then along came Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson with a unit composed of two trombones and rhythm, offering a fine tour de force that had musicality and contrast; this group has been given permanence on Columbia “Lp” CL 742, Trombone for Two. Continuing along their adventuresome path, Jay and Kai next experimented-and with equal success-with a trombone octet (vide Columbia “Lp” CL 892, Jay & Kai + 6). Now comes Kai on his own, leading a septet including Wayne Andre, Carl Fontana and Dick Lieb on trombones, Kenny O’Brien on bass, Jack Franklin on drums, and Roy Frazee on piano.

Danish-born, Kai came to the States in 1934 and grew up in the swing era, getting his start in various big bands of the period. After a hitch in the Coast Guard, he returned to music with Benny Goodman and came into his own as a notable member of Stan Kenton’s group. Since the late Forties he has played mostly with small groups and in recording studios, beginning the exceptional association with J.J. Johnson in 1954. The challenging instrumentation of this album is testimony to his inventiveness, and the results are a tribute to the musicianship of Winding, his sidemen, and the arrangers who wrote for the band. One of the notable features of this unusual album is that seven arrangers, in addition to Kai, are responsible for the scores.

As with the Jay and Kai sets, it seems advisable not only to identify the arrangers for each number, but also give a running account of the changing trombone soloists. (Unless otherwise indicated, Kai plays lead in the first choruses.) Whistle While You Work is an Al Cohn arrangement, with solos by Wayne Andre (8 bars), Carl Fontana (8), and Kai (16). Wayne plays the lead (muted) immediately after. The Harmon mute fills are by Kai, then continues to play lead to the end.

The next three arrangements are by Kai. My Little Girl is a portion of Richard Rodgers’ Soliloquy from “Carousel.” Kai is heard as soloist and section leader. It is written for three tromboniums* and a valve baritone horn (the latter played by Dick Lieb). Blue Room has Kai for the first 8 solo bars (all with Harmon mute), followed by Carl and Wayne for 8 bars each (open). The “shout” lead at the end is by Kai.

Wayne Andre, the arranger and co-composer of Nutcracker, plays lead in the first chorus. Carl and Wayne split the second chorus, Carl plays the interlude lead, and Kai takes the third solo. Wayne picks up the lead thereafter.

Kai returns to play the lead in the first chorus of Breezin’ Along with the Breeze, but Carl takes over in the second chorus. Kai then plays the 4-bar solos, with Carl taking the release of that chorus and Wayne the last 8. Carl again plays lead in the last release, giving way to Kai for the last 8.

Jim and Andy’s (dedicated to the bar of the same name on West 48th Street in New York) is a Lou Stein score. Kai plays the open solo, followed by Wayne (cup mute) and Carl (Harmon mute). Old School Ties is a Bobby Brookmeyer arrangement, and again Kai takes the first solo and is followed this time by Carl and then Wayne.

Carl Fontana, “The Captain,” is the inspiration for Nat Pierce’s Captain Kutcha. Solos are by Carl, Wayne, and Kai in that order. Nat is also the arranger for Sunday, with solos by Carl (open), Wayne (straight mute), and Kai (cup mute). The 1-bar solos that follow are by Wayne and Carl, respectively. Every Girl Is My Valentine is a ballad written and arranged by Tom Talbert, with solos by Kai, Wayne, and Kai again.

Al Cohn’s Blues finds Kai (open), Wayne (cup mute), and Carl (straight mute) playing solos in that order, and they hold the same rotation in the 4-bar chase series. Nice Work if You Can Get It is another Brookmeyer arrangement, with the solos in the same order. (The last four solo bars are divided in this way: Kai one bar, Wayne one bar, Carl two bars.) Drummer Jack Franklin wrote the last arrangement, I Want to Be Happy, and the soloists are again Kai, Wayne, and Carl.