Cohn, Green and Newman are the common element to all of the
recording sessions, leading bands ranging from septets to nonets.The
Natural Seven was inspired by the Kansas City Seven drawn from the Count
Basie band of the 1930s and while the arrangements by Cohn and Manny
Albam swing lightly in the style of Basie's septet, the focus is more on
originals written for the session rather than simply recreating earlier
recordings. Joining them are pianist Nat Pierce, trombonist Frank
Rehak, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Osie Johnson, highlighted by the
upbeat unison horn line in Cohn's "Pick a Dilly" and Albam's swinging
"Jump the Blues Away." Johnson even adds a vocal on his fun-filled
"Osie's Blues." ohn's other session as a leader includes Thad Jones with
either Joe Wilder, Bernie Glow or Phil Sunkel on third trumpet, with
Dick Katz doubling on valve trombone and trumpet, pianist Dick Katz and
bassist Buddy Jones subbing for the previous personnel. Once more, Cohn
and Albam split up the arrangements, with the tenor saxophonist
benefiting from the quartet of brass players accompanying him. "Rosetta
and the leader's "Cohn Not Cohen" are among the highlights.
Freddie
Green was known for his superb timekeeping in the Basie band, a tenure
which lasted a half-century until his passing in 1987, just a few years
after the leader. Mr. Rhythm marked the first issued under his own name,
plus eight of the dozen songs are Green's compositions, with Green
sticking to playing rhythm throughout the date. Cohn, Albam and Ernie
Wilkins provide the swinging arrangements of the mostly blues-oriented
material, while Cohn doubles on both clarinet and bass clarinet in
addition to playing tenor sax. Two dates led by Newman in 1955 also fit
in nicely, with either Frank Rhak or Urbie Green on trombone, Wilkins or
Gene Quill on alto sax, and Pierce or Dick Katz on piano. Newman, who
tended to be overshadowed by many of the other swing and bop trumpeters
active at the time, shines on both open and muted horn, while featuring
his musicians prominently throughout both dates. Green's "Corner Pocket"
and a buoyant treatment of the standard "Exactly Like You" especially
stand out. Most of this music was reissued on CD during the 1980s and
1990s, though none of it remained in print for long.
