In 1959, trombonist Arch Martin recorded a superb album for Zephyr Records, a Hollywood label that specialized in jazz and was distributed by GNP. The album was New Jazz From Kansas City and featured Arch Martin (tb), Dick Busey (ts), Jay Shore (p), Dave Rizer (b) and John “Terry" Tirabasso (d). Thought the album was recorded in Kansas City, the music's sound is halfway to the West Coast in style.
Martin is virtually unknown to most jazz fans, primarily because he spent most of his career in Kansas City as an educator and a music store manager. Born in Independence, Mo., Martin began playing in Kansas City in the early 1950s and toured with various regional bands. In 1956, he toured Europe with Claude Thornhill and then Woody Herman in 1957 and '58. From 1959 to 1998 Martin was a sales manager at Cole Music in Raytown, Mo., and then manager of Jenkins Music in Kansas City, Mo.
From 1973 to 1980, Martin was an adjudicator for Jazz Band Festivals and taught jazz band at Summer Music Camps. He also appeared for several years with Clark Terry at the annual Kansas City Jazz Festival.
Listening to New Jazz From Kansas City, I find it astonishing Martin wasn't more thoroughly recorded. His tone is fantastic and sense of swing and improvisation impeccable. Though the music is upbeat and swings, Kansas City's 1930s tradition is embedded in the music.
Dick Busey is another Kansas City musician who is barely known. As a saxophonist, his tone and attack remind me of Jack Montrose. Jay Shore was a fascinating pianist whose left hand loved the bottom-most notes on the keyboard while his right hand ran bop lines on top. This is his only known album. This was bassist Dave Rizer's only known album as well.
As for drummer John “Terry" Tirabasso, he relocated to Los Angeles and recorded with Warne Marsh, Dave Koonse and Bill Perkins as well as recording a number of leadership albums.
The tracks on New Jazz From Kansas City are a mix of originals (Six A.M. Blues by Dick Busey, Eyeball by Bob Ousley, Desperation by Arch Martin, Paul's Tune by Paul Moer, Birdfeathers by Dick Busey and Muddy Shoes by Arch Martin) and standards (I Never Knew, Black and Blue, 'Deed I Do and Love Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere ).
It's inconceivable to me how this group this could have recorded only one superb album. One wonders what might have happened if their sole recording had been issued by RCA.
Arch Martin died in 2009.
Martin is virtually unknown to most jazz fans, primarily because he spent most of his career in Kansas City as an educator and a music store manager. Born in Independence, Mo., Martin began playing in Kansas City in the early 1950s and toured with various regional bands. In 1956, he toured Europe with Claude Thornhill and then Woody Herman in 1957 and '58. From 1959 to 1998 Martin was a sales manager at Cole Music in Raytown, Mo., and then manager of Jenkins Music in Kansas City, Mo.
From 1973 to 1980, Martin was an adjudicator for Jazz Band Festivals and taught jazz band at Summer Music Camps. He also appeared for several years with Clark Terry at the annual Kansas City Jazz Festival.
Listening to New Jazz From Kansas City, I find it astonishing Martin wasn't more thoroughly recorded. His tone is fantastic and sense of swing and improvisation impeccable. Though the music is upbeat and swings, Kansas City's 1930s tradition is embedded in the music.
Dick Busey is another Kansas City musician who is barely known. As a saxophonist, his tone and attack remind me of Jack Montrose. Jay Shore was a fascinating pianist whose left hand loved the bottom-most notes on the keyboard while his right hand ran bop lines on top. This is his only known album. This was bassist Dave Rizer's only known album as well.
As for drummer John “Terry" Tirabasso, he relocated to Los Angeles and recorded with Warne Marsh, Dave Koonse and Bill Perkins as well as recording a number of leadership albums.
The tracks on New Jazz From Kansas City are a mix of originals (Six A.M. Blues by Dick Busey, Eyeball by Bob Ousley, Desperation by Arch Martin, Paul's Tune by Paul Moer, Birdfeathers by Dick Busey and Muddy Shoes by Arch Martin) and standards (I Never Knew, Black and Blue, 'Deed I Do and Love Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere ).
It's inconceivable to me how this group this could have recorded only one superb album. One wonders what might have happened if their sole recording had been issued by RCA.
Arch Martin died in 2009.
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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