The Gellers (Herb Geller & Lorraine Geller) - Two of a Kind: Complete Recordings 1954-1955 (2 CD, 2006/FLAC)


Alto saxophonist Herb Geller and his wife Lorraine Geller were married for only seven years prior to her sudden death from an undiagnosed heart ailment in 1958, but they were fortunate that they were able to work regularly together and also make several records with each other (three albums for Emarcy and an extended-play 45 rpm disc for Imperial), all of which are gathered in this two-CD compilation. Herb has been an underrated saxophonist because he has spent most of his working life in Europe following Lorraine's death, but he was among the top echelon of West Coast players during the 1950s, while Lorraine was just as capable, whether soloing or backing her husband. In addition to the standards, there are several originals by each of the Gellers, including Lorraine's laconic ballad "Domestic Harmony" and Herb's tongue-in-cheek "Love Is Like a Turtle" (a rather uptempo cooker). A variety of different rhythm sections are utilized and the source material varies in quality, some of it presumably being dubbed from rare LPs instead of master tapes.


CD1 {01:10:57}

01. It's Swell of You (2:54)
02. Everything I've Got Belongs to You (2:44)
03. Mad About the Boy (3:09)
04. I Feel Like a Feather in the Breeze (2:45)
05. You Stepped Out of a Dream (3:24)
06. Kahagon (2:48)
07. Breaking Through the Sound Barrier (3:25)
08. Happy Go Lucky (2:56)
09. A Room with a View (4:08)
10. Sleight Ride (2:58)
11. Silver Rain (2:56)
12. Alone Together (6:52)
13. If I Were a Bell (3:05)
14. Bewitched (4:56)
15. The Answer Man (3:49)
16. Cherokee (4:00)
17. The Heather on the Hill (2:53)
18. Suppertime (5:10)
19. I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling (3:17)
20. Patterns (2:48)


CD2 {01:14:53}

01. Two of a Kind (5:19)
02. Love (3:10)
03. Arapahoe (4:02)
04. Come Rain or Come Shine (5:01)
05. Blues in the Night (5:17)
06. Days I Never Knew (3:25)
07. Domestic Harmony (3:32)
08. Love Is Like a Turtle (3:02)
09. Sweet Vinnegar (5:51)
10. Outpost Incident (4:24)
11. Rockin' Chair (5:01)
12. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To (3:08)
13. Crazy She Calls Me (5:28)
14. Owl Eyes (4:25)
15. Gin for Flugelhorns (3:43)
16. Tardi at Zardi's (4:34)
17. Vone Mae (5:31)