V.S.O.P. #37  Omega  DICK MARX: Marx Makes Broadway

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(Original Liner notes)

In recent years, a young Chicago pianist – without ever leaving his native city – has become a subject for musicians' backstage conversation from coast to coast.

His name is Dick Marx and "you ought to hear Dick" is almost a cliché now.  But Marx cannot be enjoined to go out on a road trip.  It was an unusual thing for him to accept Omega's invitation to come to Los Angeles and make this stereo recording.  Dick Marx is a serious, studious musician (not that his personality or music lacks humor; it's just that music is his life and he's serious about it) who has developed a naturally flexible piano technique into one of the most formidable piano styles of modern jazz.  Pianist Billy Taylor, one of the top musicians in modern jazz, has said, "Marx uses modern harmonic devices exceptionally well and because of excellent technical facility can execute many interesting polyphonic ideas…his touch is firm and sure and he can toss off a bravura passage with the ease that comes only from a solid pianistic background."

A 35-year-old Chicago native, Dick Marx began playing the piano at 5, and at 13 was accompanist to a dancing class.  He studied music at DePaul University, and since 1948 has worked steadily in the Chicago are at such swank supper clubs as the Streamliner, the Pump Room and Mr. Kelly's.  He has arranged for a variety of singers, including Eydie Gorme, Eartha Kitt and Lurlean Hunter, and for numerous radio and TV shows.

He has recorded several LPs for Coral and Brunswick with his bass-playing sidekick, John Frigo.  He's also heard as accompanist for Jeri Southern and for Johnny Desmond on recent LPs.  In between night club and recording chores, he doubles as a vocal coach and piano teacher in Chicago, where he is much in demand.  Dick is heard either in trio or with a quartet of the best jazz men in Hollywood.  It requires a particularly deft jazz musician to handle the gossamer melodies of the best Broadway show tunes to retain their intrinsic beauty without losing the jazz feeling.  On this date Dick's friends are Buddy Collette, flute; Carson Smith, bass; Frankie Capp, drums; and Irving Ashby, guitar.  On the five numbers you'll hear Red Mitchell on bass, and on three Howard Roberts replaces Ashby on guitar.

A WORD ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:  Buddy Collette is one of the most versatile jazz men in the country.  An expert on alto, tenor, clarinet and flute, he is heard on many jaz LPs, several of his own and numerous others, as well as appearing as flute soloist on an infinite number of popular sides with the Nelson Riddle orchestra, backing Frank Sinatra and other singers.  He is a native of Los Angeles, has appeared with Les Hite, Jerry Fielding, Charlie Mingus, Benny Carter and Gerald Wilson and was one of the original members of the Chico Hamilton Quintet, to which he contributed a number of original tunes.  Carson Smith was the first bassist with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and with the Chico Hamilton Quintet.  A native of San Francisco, he has worked with the best of the modern jazz musicians and is considered one of the top bass players in jazz today.  Frankie Capp is one of the most in-demand drummers on the Hollywood jazz scene; he has worked with Stan Kenton, Andre Previn, and Charlie Ventura among others, and is noted for his compulsive rhythm as well as his fine sympathetic accompaniment.  Irving Ashby is one of the great guitarists of jazz.  A native of Somerville, Mass., he has worked with the Lionel Hampton orchestra and he replaced Oscar Moore in the King Cole Trio.  He has also worked with Oscar Peterson and Jazz at the Philharmonic and has recorded with numerous groups.  Perhaps one of jazzdom's most facile and inventive bassists is Red Mitchell, who achieved some notoriety a part of the Red Norvo trio.   Ask any bass man his list of favorites and you're bound to find Red Mitchell at the top of the heap.  Howard Roberts has recorded with his own combo and has become popular in and around Hollywood as a very swinging musician.  He, too, is respected by his fellow workers as one of the most technically brilliant plectrumists in the business.

For the tunes on this tape, Dick Marx chose the lovely, lyrical "Joey, Joey" from the Frank Loesser musical drama "The Most Happy Fellow."  This wistful tune was just one of the great hits from a show that is bristling with wonderful music.

"Kiss Me Kate," with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, brought Shakespeare to Broadway with a book based on the Bard's "Taming of the Shrew."  "Why Can't You Behave" is one of the most popular laments from the show.

In 1955, Cole Porter came back to broadway with "Silk Stockings," a musical spoof on the Garbo classic, "Ninotchka."  Marx swings the lovely "All of You" with a boogie introduction and ending.

"Cool" is from "West Side Story," a musical drama on a juvenile gang theme with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.  In the show, "Cool" is sung prior to a bitter street fight between the juvenile gangs, the Jets and the Sharks.  The Jets, nervously waiting at a drug store, have been advised by a leader to "take it cool."

"Too Close for Comfort" is from "Mr. Wonderful" which featured the Will Mastin Trio starring the wonderful Sammy Davis, Jr.  The tune from this lightly told story of a struggling entertainer is one of Sammy's memorable "first nighters."  The show's music and lyrics are by Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener and George Weiss.  It just so happened that Dick chose two tunes from "Guys and Dolls."  This show, adapted from Damon Runyon's lovable stories about Broadway sharpies, and with a score by Frank Loesser, has bee a hit musical, a hit motion picture and a hit music album.  Everyone will remember "If I Were a Bell" (this one has a fine Carson Smith bass solo) and the title tune "Guys and Dolls" played by a trio of Marx, Capp and Mitchell. 

"Kismet" gave Broadway a splash of the Arabian Nights with genuine Borodin melodies used by the composers, Forrest and Wright, as a basis for their score.  Dick chose on of the simple tasty tunes from the show, "Bubbles, Bangles and Beads."

Truman Capote and Harold Arlen gave Broadway a delightful confection with tropical flavoring in their musical "House of Flowers."  The show starring Pearl Bailey as a "hot-house" madame, didn't have any tunes that made the hit parade but "A Sleepin' Bee" is a wonderfully lyric number and Dick gives it a haunting, jazz tone-poem feel.

"Just In Time" was sung by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in "Bells Are Ringing," a delightfully funny and musically wonderful hit with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jules Styne.  The tune is sung as the two stars, meeting in Central Park, become aware that their love has grown.  Dick Marx interprets it with all the glitter that gives Broadway its magic meaning.

RALPH J GLEASON, Editor, The Rhythm Section (San Francisco Chronicle), Jam Session (G. P. Putnam & Sons).

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