Norman Granz and the Pablo Jazz Jam

How and when can a single three-day festival yield 15 compact discs and 12 hours of superior music? When the talent is supplied and the records are produced by Norman Granz.

The entire Granz family of Pablo Records jazz giants was on hand during a weekend in Montreux, Switzerland, in July of 1977.

The CD versions include several additional tracks that were not on the original LPs.

The joyous informality of the occasion led to many overlaps of personnel. Oscar Peterson is heard as leader or sideman on six records, Ray Brown on five, Niels Pedersen and Lockjaw Davis and Clark Terry on four, etc.

Perhaps it was something in the mountain air, or just the mutual good vibes among mature and dedicated musicians; whatever the cause, the results varied from acceptable to exceptional--more often the latter, as the ratings will reveal.

OSCAR PETERSON AND THE BASSISTS Pablo Live OJCCD 383-2 *****

OSCAR PETERSON JAM OJCCD 378-2 ****

PABLO ALL STARS JAM with OSCAR PETERSON, MILT JACKSON, CLARK TERRY et al OJCCD 380-2 **** 1/2

MILT JACKSON/RAY BROWN with CLARK TERRY et al JCCD 375-2 ****

Peterson’s collaboration with the world’s greatest bass players, Brown and Denmark’s Pedersen, was a summit meeting without precedent. Except for brief passages on a blues, the bassists do not play together, but a play-by-play rundown makes identification easy. Peterson was doubly inspired; Brown and Pedersen, each in his own way, are formidable both as soloists and rhythm players.

The Peterson Jam, with Gillespie and Terry on trumpet and Davis on tenor, rises above its program (the tunes are predictable) to provide inspired moments. Terry has the first solo on “Just in Time” and Gillespie on “Bye Bye Blues.”

The Pablo Jam is notable for the inclusion of a rarely heard soloist, tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott (better known as owner of London’s famous jazz club), who suggests early John Coltrane. Milt Jackson and Joe Pass are airborne throughout “Samba de Orfeu,” as is Peterson in “Pennies From Heaven.”

Monty Alexander replaces Peterson on the Jackson/Brown jam, notable for a stealthy minor Brown blues called “Slippery.” Inconsequentially diverting is a blues vocal by Jackson and Terry.

ELLA FITZGERALD with TOMMY FLANAGAN TRIO OJCCD 376-2 **** 1/2

TOMMY FLANAGAN TRIO OJCCD 372-2 **** 1/2

Ella cuts a swath from “My Man” (introduced by Mistinguett in 1920) to Paul Williams and Stevie Wonder. Her indigo finals to “I Ain’t Got Nothing but the Blues” is reward enough in itself. Flanagan, the ideal accompanist, is also the soigne soloist, dealing elegantly with Gillespie, Parker, Ellington and Berlin.

COUNT BASIE BIG BAND OJCCD 377-2 *****

MONTREUX JAM SESSIONS with BASIE, PETERSON, GILLESPIE, JACKSON, et al ***

Just how much Basie’s piano meant to his band is vividly displayed, along with a personnel only four of whose members are still in the orchestra (the maestro and five others have died). Originals by Sam Nestico, Neal Hefti and Quincy Jones are as timelessly compelling as big band jazz can be. “Basie Jam” has a few surprises: trumpeter Roy Eldridge using a Ben Webster “Cotton Tail” solo; he also sings the blues. Superb tenor by Zoot Sims. “Montreux Jam” is a pickup album of leftover tracks by groups heard on four of the other CDs. Three consecutive cuts (running over a half hour) are based on the blues. Un peu trop, n’est-ce pas?

DIZZY GILLESPIE JAM OJCCD 381-2 *** 1/2

ROY ELDRIDGE 4 OJCCD 373-2 ****

Three generations of trumpets are heard: Gillespie, 59, and Jon Faddis, 23, on the first; Eldridge, then 66, and the link between Armstrong and Gillespie. As in several of these CDs, Granz neglected to give solo credits where there are instrumental duplications, but it’s probably Dizzy muted and Faddis open on “Girl of My Dreams.” The ballad medley “Once in a While” sounds like Dizzy, but Faddis applies his youthful power to “Here’s That Rainy Day.”

The excitement, unique raspy tone and incredible tension of Eldridge are so well represented that for those unfamiliar with his work (he stopped playing after a 1980 stroke, and died this year), this may be a good place to start.

BENNY CARTER 4 OJCCD 374-2 *****

EDDIE (LOCKJAW) DAVIS 4 OJCCD 384-2 *****

Carter’s alto sax is a model of form and tonal beauty; as a bonus, he plays the first chorus of “Body and Soul” on trumpet with the same exquisite lyricism. Davis (1922-1986) had a tenor sax sound that was mordant, almost indignant; here he tears into some well-selected songs: “The Breeze and I,” “I Wished on the Moon,” “Angel Eyes.” Flawless backup by Peterson, Brown and Jimmie Smith.

JOE PASS OJCCD 382-2 ** 1/2

RAY BRYANT OJCCD 371-2 ***

Pass must be judged by his own five-star standards. This was supposed to be an all-blues album, but after 20 minutes of blues, presumably bored, he switched to old songs. He has many solo sessions that came off far better. Ray Bryant, in a solo piano set, runs smoothly enough through standards, blues and the like, though his attempt at gospel (“If I Could Just Make It to Heaven”) never reaches that Ray Charles plateau. (Note: Fantasy Records at 10th and Parker, Berkeley, CA 94710 is the distributor for Pablo, founded and formerly owned by Granz.)