''The Soft Swing'' is an album by saxophonist

Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of ...

and recorded in 1957 and first released on the

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

label.Verve Records Catalog: 8300 series
accessed December 18, 2015 According to the liner notes by Stewart Clay on a 2016 CD re-release, it was the only studio session in which Getz collaborated with

Mose Allison Mose John Allison Jr. (November 11, 1927 – November 15, 2016) was an American jazz and blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. He became notable for playing a unique mix of blues and modern jazz, both singing and playing piano. After moving to N ...

, although some Mutual broadcasts from the

Village Vanguard The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...

and the Red Hill Inn (Pennsauken, New Jersey) are included as bonus tracks of the re-release.liner notes, 2016 CD re-release of album by Phono "Although none of Allison's compositions are played here", wrote jazz critic

Alun Morgan Alun Morgan (24 February 1928 in Pontypridd, Wales – 11 November 2018) was a British jazz critic and writer. Morgan became interested in jazz as a teenager during World War II, and Charlie Parker became a significant influence on him in the lat ...

about ''The Soft Swing'', "Mose's George Wallington-like solos add piquancy to the occasion (During Allison's term of service with Getz, the tenor man used to play several of his tunes and reserved one for the noisy customers. He would announce 'We will now play a number by our pianist, 'Ain't You a Mess', glaring at the conversationalists as he spoke the words of the tune title"). Such an instance can be heard on the broadcast track that closes our CD he 2016 Phono re-release on which Stan Getz sits out, which is 'Ain't You a Mess'." The original liner notes by

Nat Hentoff Nathan Irving Hentoff (June 10, 1925 – January 7, 2017) was an American historian, novelist, jazz and country music critic, and syndicated columnist for United Media. Hentoff was a columnist for ''The Village Voice'' from 1958 to 2009. Fol ...

, co-editor of ''

The Jazz Review ''The Jazz Review'' was a jazz criticism magazine founded by Nat Hentoff and Martin Williams in New York City in 1958. It was published until 1961. Hentoff and Williams were co-editors throughout its brief existence (which lasted 22 issues). M ...

'' (and reproduced on the 2016 re-release), claim that Getz was "at an unusually provocative stage in his career" and had developed "a style that was clearly his own". However, in the 2016 liner note quote from Morgan, Morgan noted a Lester Young influence on all tracks that he felt was more strong than previously and particularly on "To the Ends of the Earth". "The twelve-bar 'Down Beat' commences, rather unusually, with stop chords while Kern's much-played 'All the Things You Are' is taken slower than we have come to expect in recent years". The original liner notes indicate: "All elements of... etz'sstyle -- tone, time, phrasing and conception -- complemented each other logically. The result was an organic completeness in his musical... personality, that is relatively rare in jazz.... The only significant change in Getz's work in the past five years has not been a change in his essential style so much as a strengthening and deepening of it in emotional and rhythmic terms". The 2016 liner notes also quote from a 2010 ''JazzWax'' interview by

Marc Myers Marc Myers (born September 4, 1956) is an American journalist, author of five books and a regular contributor to ''The Wall Street Journal'', where he writes on music, the arts and celebrities. In 2007, he founded ''JazzWax'', a leading daily jazz ...

: :''JazzWax'': In 1956, how did you meet Stan Getz? :Mose Allison: I used to go to these jam sessions at night at a loft on 34th St. that belonged to trombonist Clyde Cox. Many of the guys who were there were from the South. At these sessions, I met drummer

Frank Isola Frank Isola (February 20, 1925 – December 12, 2004 in Detroit, Michigan) was an American jazz drummer. Isola was born and raised in Detroit and was heavily influenced by Gene Krupa. He played in the U.S. military during World War II (1943–45 ...

, who put me in touch with Stan. :JW: How did you get along with Getz? :MA: Just fine. No problems. I worked off and on with him. He was a great player. I made one album with him and bassist

Addison Farmer Addison Gerald Farmer (August 21, 1928, Council Bluffs, Iowa – February 20, 1963, New York City) was an American jazz bassist. He was the twin brother of Art Farmer. Early life Farmer was born an hour after his twin brother, on August 21, 1928, ...

and drummer Jerry Segal. It was ''The Soft Swing'' in 1957. I didn't have to adapt to Stan's style. He liked me as I was.

Track listing

''All compositions by Stan Getz, except as indicated'' # "

All the Things You Are "All the Things You Are" is a song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song was written for the musical ''Very Warm for May'' (1939)

" (

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...

) - 7:35 # "Pocono Mac" - 8:36 # "Down Beat" - 4:45 # "To the Ends of the Earth" (

George Duning George Duning (February 25, 1908 – February 27, 2000) was an American musician and film composer. He was born in Richmond, Indiana, and educated in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where his mentor was Mario Castelnuo ...

) - 6:31 # " Bye Bye Blues" (David Bennett, Chauncey Gray,

Fred Hamm Fred Hamm was a Chicago jazz bandleader, orchestra leader and co-author of the song "Bye Bye Blues (song), Bye Bye Blues." In 1925 in music, 1925 he took over the leadership of the Benson Orchestra (founded by Edgar Benson (musician), Edgar Benson). ...

Bert Lown Bert Lown (born Albert Charles Lown; 6 June 1903 – 20 November 1962) was an American violinist, orchestra leader, and songwriter. Career Lown was born in White Plains, New York. He began as a sideman playing the violin in Fred Hamm's band, and ...

) - 6:15 ;Bonus tracks # "

All God's Children Got Rhythm "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" is a 1937 jazz standard. It was written by Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn and Bronisław Kaper especially for Ivie Anderson, who performed it in the Marx Brothers' 1937 film '' A Day at the Races'', the tune was also used fo ...

" (

Walter Jurmann Walter Jurmann (October 12, 1903 - June 17, 1971) was an Austrian-born composer of popular music renowned for his versatility who, after emigrating to the United States, specialized in film scores and soundtracks. Biography Born in Vienna, Jurman ...

, Bronislaw Kaper,

Gus Kahn Gustav Gerson Kahn (November 6, 1886October 8, 1941) was an American lyricist who contributed a number of songs to the Great American Songbook, including "Pretty Baby", "Ain't We Got Fun?", "Carolina in the Morning", "Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo' By ...

) - 6:03 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...

" (

Ted Grouya Ted Grouya (31 July 1910 – 14 April 2000) born Teodor Gruia in Bucharest, Romania, was a composer who studied composition with Nadia Boulanger. He wrote the jazz standard "Flamingo" (1940), first recorded by Herb Jeffries and Duke Ellington. ...

, Edmund Anderson) - 4:18 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Is It True What They Say About Dixie? "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?" is a 1936 song written by Irving Caesar, Sammy Lerner and Gerald Marks. The lyrics begin: "Is it true what they say about Dixie? Does the sun really shine all the time? Do the sweet magnolias blossom at every ...

" (

Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for Tw ...

Sammy Lerner Samuel Lerner (January 28, 1903 – December 13, 1989) was a Romanian-born songwriter for American and British musical theatre and film. Career Lerner emigrated with his parents into the United States at age seven, and the family settled in Detro ...

Gerald Marks Gerald Marks (October 13, 1900 – January 27, 1997) was an American composer from Saginaw, Michigan. He was best known for the song " All of Me" which he co-wrote with Seymour Simons and has been recorded about 2,000 times. He also wrote the s ...

) - 3:27 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # " Time After Time" (

Jule Styne Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also became s ...

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premier ...

) - 5:00 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

To the Ends of the Earth ''To the Ends of the Earth'' is the title given to a trilogy of nautical, relational novels—''Rites of Passage'' (1980), ''Close Quarters'' (1987), and ''Fire Down Below'' (1989)—by British author William Golding. Set on a former British ...

#2" (

Noel Sherman Noel Sherman (30 June 1930 Brooklyn – 4 June 1972 New York) was an American lyricist and nightclub producer. Among the standards that Sherman composed, often with his brother Joe Sherman, are "Ramblin' Rose", " Graduation Day", " Eso Beso" ("Tha ...

, Joe Sherman) - 4:20 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Stars Fell on Alabama "Stars Fell on Alabama" is a 1934 jazz standard composed by Frank Perkins with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. History The title of the song appears to have been borrowed from the title of the 1934 book of the same name by Carl Carmer. It refers t ...

" ( Frank Perkins,

Mitchell Parish Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...

) - 4:03 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Polka Dots and Moonbeams "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1940. It was Frank Sinatra's first hit recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The song is one of the top 100 most-frequently re ...

" ( Johnny Burke,

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Life and care ...

) - 3:36 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "Bronx Blues (Theme) - 0:36 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Jordu "Jordu" is a jazz standard written by Irving "Duke" Jordan in 1953. This song was first made popular by Clifford Brown and Max Roach, but many other jazz musicians have performed or recorded renditions of it, including Stan Getz, Chet Baker, and C ...

(

Duke Jordan Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regula ...

) - 3:57 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "

Lover Man "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" (often called simply "Lover Man") is a 1941 popular song written by Jimmy Davis, Roger ("Ram") Ramirez, and James Sherman. It is particularly associated with Billie Holiday, for whom it was written, and her ...

" ( Jimmy Davis,

Roger "Ram" Ramirez Roger "Ram" Ramirez (September 15, 1913 – 11 January 1994) was a Puerto Rican jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-composer of the song "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" Early life Ramirez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 15, 1 ...

, James Sherman) - 4:45 Bonus track on 2016 CD reissue by Phono # "Ain't You a Mess" (

) - 2:44 Bonus track on CD reissue by Phono

Personnel

On the original album (tracks 1-5): *

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

*Jerry Segal -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

On the 2016 CD reissue by Phono: Tracks 6 and 7 (from Mutual broadcast from the Village Vanguard, New York City, New York, June 29, 1957): Same as tracks 1-5. On the 2016 CD reissue by Phono: Tracks 8, 9, 10, and 11 (from Mutual broadcast from the Village Vanguard, New York City, New York, June 22, 1957): *

*Jug Taylor -

*Fred Benito -

On the 2016 CD reissue by Phono: Track 12 (from Mutual broadcast from the Red Hill Inn, Pennsauken, New Jersey, February 16, 1957): *

*Willie Stump, Jr. -

On the 2016 CD reissue by Phono: Tracks 13, 14, 15, and 16 (from Mutual broadcast from the Red Hill Inn, Pennsauken, New Jersey, May 18, 1957): *

*Jug Taylor -

Paul Motian Stephen Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer. Motian played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties. He first came to prominence in the l ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soft Swing, The 1957 albums Stan Getz albums Verve Records albums Albums produced by Norman Granz