The Culmination of Jazz: The Jack Lewis Quintet (1974 Private Press)

The Culmination of Jazz Presents the Jack Lewis Quintet (stereo) C.J.S 4177 (Issued 1975) Digitized at 33rpm on Audio-Technica LP120 with an ATN95E stylus. Description on Cover: In the late 1940's and early 1950's, the San Francisco Bay Area was turning out a large quantity of very fine jazz musicians who were making regular visits to after-hours places in the Fillmore District, like "Jimbo's Bop City" and "Jackson's Nook" to just get together and blow! Almost none of those sessions were recorded, and few of the musicians who played there have ever been recorded! This fact bothered Jack Lewis, who played those spots during that period of time. He had often thought how unfortunate it was that so much of that great sound went by unrecorded------ There are those artists who for some reason or other never made it in that worldly sense of name and fame -- money and recognition, who may or may not have wanted all that, but in truth it never really mattered. What always did matter was the message they were laying down, that enthusiasm, that spirit, that love of the rhythm, the pulse beat, the soul or heart of jazz. And if a jazz artist has made it (in that worldly connotation) or not, if you've heard him blow, and he's communicated his message, then that's all that matters! Well, more than 20 years later, Jack Lewis got these musicians together again to do the sound of the 50's in the 70's! They assembled "on time" into the recording studio on the date set -- they set up, warmed up and talked a bit. The studio lights were turned down low (they didn't have to see, since no charts were made). A voice cut in over the monitor and said -- "Rolling and recording, 'Billie's Bounce' take one" -- some finger-snapping from Jack to set the tempo -- and 20 years were erased! Some "Bird" originals and some standards -- and some 5 hours later the session was over, but this time it was on tape -- This is the start of the culmination of jazz. What jazz? The jazz of the not-so-known, or unknown, and those about to be known. "The Culmination of Jazz" is proud to bring this bit of nostalgia to you. We plan to repeat this procedure with these and other fine Bay Area jazz musicians of that period. Put on the record, man, and dig it!! 00:00 Billie's Bounce 06:43 Polka Dots and Moonbeams 14:38 A Foggy Day 19:26 Yardbird Suite 23:54 So Beats My Heart For You 27:39 It's You or No One 33:27 I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart