Barry Galbraith Recommendations

[Tom 1960]

Hey guys. This gentleman I could use some recommendations on. I think the only thing I have in my limited collection of his guitar work is some session work he did for Coleman Hawkins on the album 'The Hawk Flies High'. How about giving me few albums you feel are worthy of consideration? Thanks.

[.:.impossible]

Guitar and the Wind was great. I've heard it a couple of times. On Decca. I'm not sure if this was his leader debut, but 1958. I'd like to hear it again. Not on CD I don't think.

Also, on Blue Note with Sheila Jordan... Portrait of Sheila. On CD.

Enjoy!

[Nate Dorward]

He's on much of George Russell's early work, all of it excellent. Start with the Jazz Workshop date.

[Larry Kart]

While Galbraith is an essential part of the Russell "Jazz Workshop" album -- the prominent guitar part is written with him in mind and may have been shaped by Galbraith in the course of extensive woodshedding with Russell -- I don't recall that Galbraith actually takes an improvised solo there; if he does, it sounds like he's slightly modifying ideas that Russell's writing already has proposed. He is similiarly prominent in the ensemble (though again without taking an improvised solo, as I recall) on John Benson Brooks' excellent "Alabama Concerto" (OJC), with Cannonball Adderley, Art Farmer, and Milt Hinton, no drummer -- Brooks and Russell being close associates. In fact, aside from a quartet album of his own on Epic or RCA that I've never heard (maybe there were two, one on each label), the album I know on which Galbraith can be heard most prominently as a, so to speak, blowing soloist is one that I made a tape of not too long age for Nate D. -- Eddie Bert's "I Hear Music, Modern Music," a Fresh Sound reissue, with Vinnie Dean alternating with Jerome Richardson, Hank Jones, Galbraith, Oscar Pettiford, and Osie Johnson. Good stuff. Galbraith comes through as a very nice player, though not in the class of, say, Jimmy Raney, nor does he strike me as being as much of an individualist as Billy Bauer -- to pick a guitarist of similarly reserved temperament. On the other hand, there can be no doubt that Galbraith had worked out a highly personal and striking way of getting around the instrument harmonically, and he was terrific technically, though not flashy.

[Larry Kart]

Here's a link to Galbraith info

http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/a...e.jsp?artist=14

including a partial discography (a full one would be immense; he appeared on almost as many records in the '50s in NYC as Milt Hinton). The Epic album I was thinking of is "The Rhythm Section," with, I think, Hank Jones, Hinton, Osie Johnson, and Freddie Green on rhythm guitar. My guess is that Galbraith doesn't stretch out as much there as he does on the Bert album I mentioned -- my vague recollection is that the Epic was one of those LPs with 12 tracks, none of which ran longer than three or so minutes. In fact, that's probably why I didn't but it at the time -- though I certainly would now.

[Larry Kart]

Someone said this on the 'Net a few years ago:

"Guitar in the Wind" (Decca, DL9200), the only LP recorded under [Galbraith's] own

name, is fabulous, but long out of print.

[Sundog]

Guitar and The Wind

A little pricey, however I've seen it as low as $20 recently.

[J.A.W.]

Guitar and The Wind

A little pricey, however I've seen it as low as $20 recently.

←

It might still be available from Hiroshi Tanno (hiroshi@earlyrecords.com) at a considerably lower price than Amazon's.

Edited November 4, 2005 by J.A.W.

[Jim R]

Guitar And The Wind never did much for me, but I haven't heard it in about 20 years.

Here are two CD's where Galbraith gets some solo space:

and

[garthsj]

You can hear some great Barry Galbraith on "The John Lewis Piano" .. now available on a Collectables double album CD ... Col CD6251. Highly recommended ...

And, of course, his important work with Hal McKusick on "The Quartet" album .. now available on Fresh Sounds FSR CD41. This is also now available in a new release .. see below ...

Edited November 4, 2005 by garthsj

[Daniel A]

←

I believe this reissue is made up from the two Hank Jones albums Here's Love (Argo, 1963) and Swings Gigi (was it on Golden Crest?). 'Here's Love' with Kenny Burrell is splendid, but I've heard some less enthusiastic opinions regarding the other half. Do you think it measures up with the session with Burrell, Jim?

On a sidenote, is there any substance in the talk about Fresh Sound reissues being not legit? I've seen the reissue above referred to as a "boot" here on the forums. If they don't have cleared the rights, I can't understand why they're not sued out of business.

[Jim R]

←

I believe this reissue is made up from the two Hank Jones albums Here's Love (Argo, 1963) and Swings Gigi (was it on Golden Crest?). 'Here's Love' with Kenny Burrell is splendid, but I've heard some less enthusiastic opinions regarding the other half. Do you think it measures up with the session with Burrell, Jim?

←

Daniel, this material didn't come from the LP's you mention. I had "Here's Love" on LP some years ago, and was never very impressed by it despite the great lineup. This CD is very nice, though. Some great playing by Hank as well as Galbraith. The songs are:

blues for sal,polka dots and moonbeams,jimmy's tune,minor's club,they look alike, he (she?) was too good to me,ain't we got fun,wolf talk,milt's on stilts,mambosies, out of braith,the legal nod,do nothin' till you hear from me,hallelujah,sahara,mona's feeling lonely,kookin' in the kitchen,walk chicken walk with your head picked bald to the bone,ruby my dear,koolin' on the settee,blues

I actually don't know where this material came from. The liners don't say (not a good sign, although I go back many years with Fresh Sound and thought they were mostly legit). If anybody knows the history on this material, I'd like to hear about it. I had originally assumed this was from the Epic LP that Larry mentioned above, but apparently not.

[robviti]

i believe this reissue on gambit has the material that daniel cited.

[Daniel A]

Oh, yes, Jazzshrink - that was the reissue I was thinking of! Sorry for confusing things a bit! And thanks, Jim, for the input! I think I need to try that "New York Rhythm Section" CD after all. And buy a discography...

[robviti]

this one's 420 pages and costs $40.

[Tom 1960]

Thanks to all for the many great recommendations. I've seen the McKusick available from Amazon used for $17.85 for 2 discs which is a pretty darn good price. I may take the plunge with this one and if it's to my liking, followup on some of the other suggestions. The Hank Jones 'New York Rhythm Section' sounds like a good choice as well. Again, thanks fellas.

[Chuck Nessa]

No mention of his great work with Johnny Carisi! I suggest searching for the Bluebird cd called "The Arrangers" and the Impulse date called "Into the Hot". Barry plays his ass off on these and both contain Carisi's chart called "Barry's Tune".

All that said, he's most important as an ensemble player, not as a soloist.

He always adds to the energy of any date he's on.

[Larry Kart]

Doh! How could I have forgotten BOTH of those "Barry's Tune" recordings.