Billboard : 03/10/1956
Score of 67

In the few recordings on which Sanford Gold has been heard so far, he was in the company of some highly stimulating modern instrumentalists, and contributed some fine piano work along Bud Powell lines. For those who, on the strength of this, might have been looking forward to his first solo album, this will be something of a disappointment. The first half of the set consists of standards, and in them Gold essays a cocktail piano style indiscriminately throwing in ideas and embellishments drawn from Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, to Bud Powell and Horace Silver, and with some contemporary longhair added for good measure. In the final portion, Gold runs thru a group of Paul Seldon compositions. This pianist has a long way to go to digest and assimilate the varied musical elements with which he feels inclined to work.

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Down Beat : 04/04/1956
Nat Hentoff : 4 stars

Piano D’Or is not an easy album to categorize. The soloist, pianist Sanford Gold, has had extensive studio and modern jazz experience and most recently, has been Eartha Kitt‘s accompanist. Strongly influenced by Tatum, he is often, like his master too arpeggio-prone. His harmonic sense is particularly tasteful and he has a good beat; although for jazz purposes he would have done better to use a rhythm section on the date. There are times in the album when his work is close to cocktail piano (of a superior kind), and in other places, the jazz feel is ascendant.

The last six originals, compromising the second side, are all by trombonist-composer Paul Seldon. All six are small-scaled, melodically charming, and well constructed with the reflective ballads quite lovely. I’d be curious to hear whether Seldon has done anymore ambitious writing.

In summary, labels aside, this is a very good piano set. It may not fully satisfy those of you who require all-out jazz, but others are likely to return to this modest, skillful, and warmly personal recital.

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Liner Notes by Anonymous

Sanford Gold was born in Cleveland, Ohio and received an early classical training there at a time when that town was swinging and one could always find something interesting going on. Cleveland in the thirties was a mecca for the top musicians of the day, many of whom went on to win acclaim. Sanford was soon in the middle of the scene, playing at the radio station and night clubs and then staying up for all night sessions in the after hours places. You can hear traces of the honky-tonks, his old friend Art Tatum, and hours upon hours of scales and classics all coming out in Sanford’s playing today. Much of it dates back to those days he was soaking up all the music he could find in his home town. Finally, after a few excursions on the road, Sanford came to New York and since the early Forties he has been one of the most active pianists in this town, always considered up-to-date by the progressive musicians of each era. His varied experience and classical training stood him in good stead on the C.B.S. staff from ’41 to ’43, conducting an Air Force band from ’43 to ’46, and as staff pianist and conductor at N.B.C. from ’47 to ’54. In addition he was to be found with swinging groups at the Down Beat, Famous Door, Village Vanguard, Kelly’s Stables, Royal Roost and Birdland and on records with such jazz lights as Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Johnny Smith and Al Cohn.

On the “A” side of this album you hear six standard songs interpreted in a manner that explains why Sanford Gold is considered one of the most able and versatile pianists around. His version of In A Sentimental Mood is practically the history of piano playing in just two and a half minutes. Out Of Nowhere becomes a captivating exposition of contrasting mood and tempo in Sanford’s creating hands. Next Sanford swings merrily through I’ll Remember April and demonstrates why he is one of the very few pianists who could successfully attempt a project like this without the aid of a rhythm section. In Penthouse Serenade, Wait Till You See Here and Autumn In New York Sanford plays, to perfection, a style often associated with cocktail parties and intimate night clubs, but adds that Gold touch.

Paul Selden is also a product of Cleveland but of a somewhat later date than Sanford. He started playing trombone when he was 12 and was soon working in the local bands and writing arrangements. When he was 17 he had his own band and then went on to spend a term with the Miami University (Ohio) Campus Owls, recognized as the best college swing band in the land. The army had Paul for the new few years, most of it overseas, but in the latter part he was leading an 18-piece band for which he wrote the arrangements. This band went all over Europe entertaining the troops. Back in civilian life, Paul spent a year playing and writing for Ray Anthony and in 1947 settle in New York where he attended Juilliard, Columbia and N.Y.U., getting a bachelor and master’s degree in music and going through the Schillinger System. Since then he has been studying composition privately.

Paul has worked in many bands including Billy Butterfield, Charlie Barnet, Gordon Jenkins, Gene Krupa, Skitch Henderson, Terry Gibbs, Elliot Lawrence, Lucky Millinder, Tito Puente, Art Mooney, Russ Morgan, Louis Prima, Teddy Powell, Buddy Rich, Dick Stabile, Les Elgart, Percy Faith, Jackie Gleason, Boyd Raeburn, Charlie Ventura and Jerry Wald, and as a sideman on many record dates and in the studio bands on network shows. He has arranged the music for many singers, acts, bands and television shows.

The side of the album devoted to the compositions of Paul Selden begins with a light-hearted to that most charming of sexes, The Ladies. From its brisk opening to its pure final cadence, this piece is as delightfully unpredictable as the species it describes. (In G-flat, yet). Maxine returns to the more familiar ground of F-major and a beautiful ballad written in the best tradition of show music. Pretty Bird is a swinging cutie. One Minute Of Music is a bit of impressionism written by Paul to occupy just sixty seconds but Sanford gets through it in about 45 seconds and then goes through it twice more adding his own impressions. Number 13 is an unusually pretty ballad. The album goes out swinging in Midtown.