Billboard : 04/29/1957
Score of 74

A representative, varied sampling of the West and East Coast recording activities of the adventurous vibist-writer, Teddy Charles, between 1953-’55. West Coast selections emphasize the compositional aspect and feature the writing and blowing of Rogers and Guiffre; East Coast stuff is given to more outward swinging, and spots J.R. Monterose, C. Mingus and Charles. Music here is above average in thought content. Name value, among other attributes mentioned, will sell this to modernists.

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Liner Notes by Ira Gitler

Theodore Charles Cohen, so the story goes, dropped the Cohen and became Teddy Charles when two club owners, allegedly named Goldberg and Schwartz refused to book him because they felt his last name would be a deterrent to business.

With the name Teddy Charles, there also came a new approach to his music by Theodore C. Cohen. It was not a simultaneous development but a conception that had been evolving within his mind for some time before. He selected the descriptive title of New Directions to signify the music he was espousing. In fact, later on when Teddy formed a quartet he had “Teddy Charles N.D. Quartet” painted on the front of his vibes. To this day, people come up to the stand and ask him what class he was a member of at Notre Dame.

New Directions started because Teddy was dissatisfied with himself. He felt he had gone as far as he could go in the bop idiom and had some definite musical ideas to go along with his restlessness and self-criticism. In studies with Hall Overton he was able to clarify his idea patterns, learn new techniques which helped him to express himself better and also to be presented with stimulating new food for thought.

He recorded two sessions for Prestige, one in December of 1952 with a quartet that included guitarist Jimmy Raney and included some material that was jazz only by its interpretation even within the realm of New Directions, the second in January of 1953 with a trio of Hall Overton. piano, Ed Shaughnessy, drums, and Teddy himself on vibes, glockenspiel, xylophone and marimba playing a frankly alien music to the ears of the jazz listener, yet one which was almost wholly improvised. Neither of these sessions have been re-released on 12 inch LP as yet but should be available in the near future on one 12 inch LP titled New Directions.

The next step Teddy took was in the direction of the West and it landed him in California. There, in August of 1953, he rounded up some of the Coast’s best modem musicians and recorded two sessions that for combining new ideas with electric excitement has not yet been equaled in the Fifties.

The first session with Shorty Rogers,Shorty Rogers], Shelly Manne and Curtis Counce can be heard on Collaboration: West (Prestige 7028). Part of the second session, in which Jimmy Giuffre was added to the group, is also included in LP 7028. The remainder of that date is presented here.

Evolution was written by Giuffre. Jimmy has clearly established himself, through his writing and playing, as one of the most sensitive and articulate men in jazz today.

Free is by Shorty Rogers and represents yet another musical side of this eminent arranger-group leader who has done scoring for motion pictures and animated cartoons as well as leading his Giants in the past several years.

Composer Hall Overton, in describing these selections, said “Jimmy Giuffre’s composition Evolution has a tight thematic construction, springing from the opening three-note theme. The solo tenor episode near the end effectively relaxes the tension momentarily.”

“Free, the work of Shorty Rogers, is a brash, rhythmic conception which bring out the ringing, bell-like upper register quality inherent in the group.”

So ended Teddy Charles’ adventures in California with the well documented proof of successful musical meetings.

Alter returning to New York, Teddy concentrated on leading a group of his own, usually a quartet. As he had done in the West, he allied himself with modernists of fertile mind, thinkers who were flexible. Bob Brookmeyer and Art Farmer each spent some time filling the horn slot with the quartet. Brookmeyer can be heard with Charles in a portion of The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer (Prestige LP 7066) which was done early in 1954.

Charlie Mingus was in several of these small groups too, lending them the powerful force of his bassing. Among other instances, he appeared for awhile with the unit that included Brookmeyer and in January of 1955 was a member of a Charles foursome that recorded for the New Jazz label (a subsidiary of Prestige). With Charles and Mingus were the, then, unknown tenorman, J.R. Monterose (at that time often confused with Jack Montrose) who since has gone on to carve out a reputation for himself with Mingus’ own group and Kenny Dorham‘s Jazz Prophets; and Gerry Segal, a Philadelphian who had been with Bennie Green‘s combo and Pete Rugolo‘s orchestra and has since helped swing the Terry Gibbs and Johnny Smith groups.

This was a successful recording session because of many reasons but the two that stand out are the unity that the group achieved within each selection and the consistency of performance over the entire route of compositions. Presented here in its entirety, it is a perfect example of sensitivity to the different shades of expression in jazz without sacrificing the element of swing. The treatment of the ballads The Night We Called It A Day and Speak Low is a case in point and I Can’t Get Started is a moving experience with Mingus evoking sounds and ideas from his instrument that rank with the classic bass statements. Here is an instance of technique to be marveled at but not merely for its own sake.

Violetta by John Nielson and Jay Walkin’ by Monterose are “cookers”, the first an attractive melody, the second a modern blues that features a punching introductory figure to its main theme.

Relaxo Abstracto is a Charles composition, a New Directions idea with effective use of a rhythmic ostenato and as Teddy describes it, “has very few chord changes in it and requires the most extreme kind of melodic invention on the performer’s part.” Performers Charles and Monterose make the most of the chordal freedom.

Teddy plays with a clarity throughout the entire session and J.R.’s spirit adds a great deal to the improvisations and ensemble. Segal’s swing has the drive, the necessary amount of toughness and without ever getting loud he is always strongly felt. Mingus is the personification of sensitive strength.

This is the story of Teddy Charles’ evolution up to a certain point. That he has continued to evolve is evidenced by his Tentette experiments of 1956 and his 1957 recording for Prestige which you will be hearing before the year is out.