Because of the abundance of studio jobs for TV and movies for musicians, LA was a hotbed for musicians. How can you beat steady work, no travel and great weather ?
The plethora of pianists during the 50s-70s was an embarrassment of riches, with the likes of Pete Jolly, Lou Levy, Victor Feldman and as presented here, Gerald Wiggins filling in the rhythm section at the local clubs like The Lighthouse, Concerts By The Sea or Donte’s. This two disc set has Wiggins in trio sessions with bassist Gene Wright (of Dave Brubeck fame) or Joe Comfort, with drummers Bill Richmond, Jackie Mills or Bill Douglass on drums. The music is uniformly classy, swinging and exciting.
Wiggins also had a good touch with the pen, as the February, 1956 session features his originals like the bopping “Criss Cross” and fervent “Gerald’s Train”. He throws a handful of originals in with the rest of the sessions, such as the clever “A Fifth For Frank” which includes Jackie Milss on congas. He is elegant on “Laura”, delicate on the more obscure “The Man That Got Away” and clever on a sly read of the more arcane “Merry Old Oldsmobile” and “Ma, She’s Making Eyes At Me”. But that is actually the joy of Wiggins, as most pianists in the lounge would try out a few ringers every now and then just to perk up the people in their naugahyde booths. LA lounge lizard at his best.
George W. Harris (February 1, 2024)
Source : https://www.jazzweekly.com/2024/02/45012/
Gerald Wiggins
Swingin' with Wig
Classics Trio Sessions
(1956-1957)
Tracks
Cd. 1
1 Criss Cross (Wiggins) 4:21
2 Gray Skies (Wiggins) 3:20
3 X-15 (Wiggins) 3:38
4 Gerald's Train (Wiggins) 5:11
5 Lights Out (Wiggins) 3:33
6 Narcissus (Nevin) 6:37
7 Frankie and Johnny (trad.) 5:35
8 One for My Baby (Arlen, Mercer) 4:44
9 The Lady is A Tramp (Rodgers, Hart) 4:25
10 Serenade in Blue (Warren, Gordon) 4:03
11 My Heart Stood Still (Rodgers, Hart) 3:25
12 Just Squeeze Me & Satin Doll (Ellington) 5:56
13 Blue Wig (Wiggins) 7:01
14 A Fifth for Frank (Wiggins, Tjader) 2:56
15 How Long Has This Been Going On ? (Gershwin, Gershwin) 1:59
16 In My Merry Oldsmobile (Edwards) 3:00
*
Cd. 2
1 Love for Sale (Porter) 4:02
2 I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I Got (Ellington) 6:32
3 De Sylva Wig (Wiggins) 4:31
4 Laura (Raksin, Mercer) 3:30
5 Surrey with the Fringe on Top (Rodgers, Hammerstein II) 2:42
6 Dinah (Akst, Lewis, Young) 3:30
7 All That's Good (Wiggins) 5:41
8 The Man That Got Away (Arlen, Gershwin) 5:49
9 Three Little Words (Ruby, Kalmar) 3:28
10 Three O'Clock in the Morning (Robledo, Morse) 3:49
11 Oh, You Beautiful Doll (Ayer) 2:46
12 Used To Love You (Tilzer) 3:11
13 Dear Old Girl (Morse) 2:51
14 Trail of the Lonesome Pine (Carroll) 3:10
15 Ma! She's Making Eyes at Me (Conrad) 4:31
16 That Old Gang of Mine (Rose, Henderson, Dixon) 3:46
17 They Didn't Believe Me (Kern, Rourke) 2:31
18 In My Merry Oldsmobile—Part 1 (Edwards) 1:59
19 In My Merry Oldsmobile—Part 2 (Edwards) 3:13
*
Personnel
[Cd. 1, # 1-5]
Gerald Wiggins - p
Gene Wright - b
Bill Richmond - dr
Recorded at Modern Records Studio, Los Angeles ; February 24, 1956
[Cd. 1, # 6-13]
Gerald Wiggins - p
Joe Comfort - b
Jackie Mills - dr
Recorded at Contemporary Studio, Los Angeles ; October 10, 1956
[Cd. 1, # 14-16]
Gerald Wiggins - p
Gene Wright - b
Bill Douglass - dr
Jackie Mills - bng
Recorded live at Stars of Jazz TV Show, Los Angeles ; May 6, 1957
[Cd. 2, # 1-9]
Gerald Wiggins - p
Joe Comfort - b
Bill Douglass - dr
Recorded at Capitol Studio, Los Angeles ; October 15, 1956
[Cd. 2, # 10- 19]
Gerald Wiggins - p
Gene Wright - b
Bill Douglass - dr
Recorded at Audio Arts Studio, Los Angeles ; March 6 & 7, 1957