Lee Konitz - Inside Hi-Fi

[BeBop]

Donald Elfman Producer

Nesuhi Ertegun Project Supervisor

Arnold Fishkind Bass

Peter Ind Bass

Billy Bauer Guitar

Lee Konitz Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)

Sal Mosca Piano

Dick Scott Drums

Kary's Trance (Konitz) 6:09

Everything Happens to Me (Adair, Dennis) 4:31

Sweet and Lovely (Arnheim, Lemare, Tobias) 4:03

Cork 'N' Bib (Konitz) 5:30

All of Me (Marks, Simons) 5:11

Star Eyes (DePaul, Raye) 5:22

Nesuhi's Instant (Ind) 5:09

(Back Home Again In) Indiana (Hanley, MacDonald) 5:18

*****

I'd forgotten this gem. Well, not "forgotten", but it was on an MP3 player I hadn't carried in many, many years (Creative Labs Nomad, an iPod predecessor, IIRC).

Of all the wonderfulness on this album, I've got to start with Konitz's tenor playing. More than a dollop of Pres, but a heaping helping of Lee on top. More than once, I said to myself "Hey, he's quoting or paraphrasing one of MY favorite licks on this standard"...only to realize that I'd forgotten where I got it. And while I can't point to a specific example, Konitz's improvisations seem to draw both generally (tone, feeling, spirit) from Pres, but perhaps more literally in a few places.

Mosca is just an understated master soloist and accompanist. I really like Ind too. (Side note: I've got - somewhere - a play-along LP with just Ind doing the backing. I'm not much on the MMO thing, but love this one.

So, for now, this one's on "repeat".

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks for the reminder!

Would fit in well with what I am curently listening to so I think I'll give mine a spin too:

[BillF]

And I'll put a word in for the bass work on the second session by my one-time associate, Peter Ind!

[Stereojack]

A wonderful record, the first Konitz album I bought, about 45 years ago!

Obviously the credits are taken from the CD. Producer of the original session was Nesuhi Ertegun; Donald Elfman oversaw the CD reissue program at Koch, and had nothing to do with the original recording..

[JohnS]

Yep, great album. Graps you from the off.

[brownie]

Really excellent! Just wish that Billy Bauer had played on both sides (a very favorite guitar player!)...

The front cover (by Lee Friedlander) shows high fidelity circuitry at the Rudy Van Gelder Studio