Dynamite (Remastered) Supersax
- 1The Fruit07:16
- 2Bambu04:48
- 3Blues for Alice03:49
- 4Tempus Fugit06:40
- 5Parisian Thoroughfare05:47
- 6Gloomy Sunday06:23
- 7Wave03:31
- 8Dance at the Road Dogs02:53
- 9Parker's Mood04:39
Info for Dynamite (Remastered)
Supersax is known for their miraculous renderings of Charlie Parker solos (see Chasin’ The Bird). They’re still flyin’ high with two ‘Bird’ pieces – his Blues For Alice once again denotes Parker’s mastery of the blues. And then there’s Parker’s Mood, a slow blues that contains one of Bird’s most venerated solos, beautifully reproduced by the five saxes. Here the group expands, taking on three compositions and solos from the bebop giant, pianist Bud Powell. His The Fruit has the saxes demonstrating why Powell’s solo style revolutionized the approach to the piano. On Tempus Fugit time doesn’t just flie; it races on with a sense of predestined perfection. Powell’s classic Parisian Thoroughfare transports you to the city of lights with all its bright complex beauty. Trombonist Frank Rosolino and trumpeter Conte Condole contribute stand-out solos throughout an album that includes two offerings by group leader Med Flory, a Jobim bossa, and Gloomy Sunday, with trombonist Rosolino’s beautifully melancholy interpretation of the song that Billie Holiday made famous.
„Supersax's fifth album is a departure from their earlier efforts. Rather than just having the five-piece saxophone section playing Charlie Parker solos, on this LP they perform three songs by Bud Powell (including 'Tempus Fugit' and 'Parisian Thoroughfare'), 'Gloomy Sunday,' Jobim's 'Wave' and a pair of Med Flory originals in addition to two Bird numbers. The arrangements by leader Flory (Bill Holman wrote the chart for 'Gloomy Sunday') are in the style of Charlie Parker, but the concept seems a bit pointless in this setting. Trumpeter Conte Candoli, trombonist Frank Rosolino and pianist Lou Levy get some solo space, while the saxophonists primarily stick to ensembles as usual.“ (Scott Yanow, AMG)
Lanny Morgan, alto saxophone
Med Flory, alto saxophone
Jack Nimitz, baritone saxophone
Don Menza, tenor saxophone
Jay Migliori, tenor saxophone
Frank Rosolino, trombone
Conte Candoli, trumpet
Lou Levy, piano
Fred Atwood, bass
John Dentz, drums
Produced and engineered by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer
Digitally remastered
Supersax
was a jazz group created in 1972 by saxophonist Med Flory and bassist Buddy Clark, in tribute to iconic bebop saxophonist Charlie Parker. The group’s music consisted of harmonized arrangements of Charlie Parker improvisations played by a saxophone section (2 altos, 2 tenors, and a baritone), and a rhythm section (bass, piano and drums). Among the top sidemen through the years have been Bill Perkins, Warne Marsh, Jay Migliori, Jack Nimitz and Lanny Morgan.
Their recordings for Capitol, MPS, and Columbia (unlike their live performances) did not contain any individual saxophone solos and found the sax section playing note-for-note Bird improvisations (including the roller-coaster “Ko Ko”) with impressive precision. Clark left the band in 1975, but Flory continued the group on a part-time basis for several decades, sometimes using the L.A. Voices. Notable brass soloists that recorded with the group included Conte Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone) and Carl Fontana (trombone).
The idea for celebrating the creativity of Parker goes back to 1956. According to Flory, he began transcribing the solos from a set of records that were sold to him by the alto saxophonist Joe Maini. He wrote three arrangements and Flory, Maini, Joe Kennedy, Richie Kamuca and Bill Hood ran them down for fun. Bassist Buddy Clark heard them and suggested Flory create a whole book of such solos. But it wasnt until the early 70s that Supersax really came together.
Flory and company rehearsed in his home for over a year until Florys wife finally suggested that they play at a club in Los Angeles called Dontes. The reception was phenomenal, and the group soon made its first album, Supersax Plays Bird for Capitol Records. Supersax toured all over the world and has recorded nine albums to date; in 1974, they won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
Med Flory
alto saxophonist and founder of the Grammy-winning jazz group Supersax, passed away on March 12, 2014 at the age of 87 at his home in North Hollywood, California. In a career stretching over six decades, alto saxophonist and actor Med Flory was successful in two creatively demanding arenas.
He was born Meredith Irwin Flory on Aug. 27, 1926, in Logansport, Ind., to Florence and Wilmer Flory. He began clarinet lessons when he was 9 and joined his high school concert band when he was 12. It was his mother who provided the model that led him into music as a possible career.
After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, Flory graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in philosophy and went to New York, where he worked with his own small groups as well as the big bands of Woody Herman and Claude Thornhill. He moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, becoming involved with the arrival of cool jazz on the West Coast. Meeting and performing with players such as Art Pepper, Buddy Clark and Joe Maini, he planted the seeds for the eventual creation of Supersax.
Med Flory has enjoyed both a profitable music career and successful stints as a television and film writer and actor. His alto sax and clarinet work are deeply influenced by the classic bebop sound, notably the playing of Charlie Parker. Though he doesn’t directly emulate Parker, Flory’s sound, phrasing and approach reflect his reverence for his music.
He played clarinet and alto with Claude Thornhill in the ’50s, and tenor with Woody Herman. Flory formed his own New York band in 1954, then moved to the West Coast two years later. He organized a big band that performed at the inaugural Monterey concert in 1958. Flory played with Terry Gibbs’ nonet and orchestra in the late ’50s and early ’60s, recording with both units and also cutting sessions with Art Pepper and Herman on baritone.
Flory’s acting career blossomed in the ’60s, as he began appearing on many television shows and in films. He also wrote screenplays and trimmed his playing dates. During Flory’s sessions with Pepper, the sax section played arrangements of Parker improvisations. Flory and Joe Maini began transcribing the solos, but after Maini’s death in 1964 Flory stopped the process. When Buddy Clark showed interest, Flory not only began transcribing again, he co-formed a band with Clark to play the material. Supersax began in 1972 and won a Grammy for its debut recording the next year. Flory became the sole leader when Clark departed in 1975, and maintained its operation into the ’80s.
This album contains no booklet.