In 1957, Duran recorded one of his three leadership albums—Jazz Guitarist (Fantasy). Duran's name surfaced recently when I posted on Herbie Steward's Three Horns. On Jazz Guitarist, we hear Duran out in the open and his playing is spectacular. He was backed by Howard Dudune (cl,ts), Dean Reilly (b) and John Markham (d). The tracks are My Inspiration, Soon, Rise 'n' Shine, My Shining Hour, Taking Life Easy, Why Not, A Room With a View, Skyliner, It Could Happen to You and Sugar.
Also included on the Fresh Sound release of this album are tracks from Ron Crotty's Modern Music From San Francisco in 1955 and The Ree Brunell Trio in 1956, with Dean Reilly on bass and Brunell singing the vocals. What you'll hear in all cases is a strong, swinging, clean-playing guitarist with a spectacular technique akin to Tal Farlow who should be better known today.
Eddie Duran died in 2019.
JazzWax clips: Here's Duran on Taking Life Easy, with Howard Dudune on clarinet...
Here's Duran in 1980 performing an astonishing Prelude to a Kiss with Benny Goodman loitering, watching and then being blown away...
Here's Duran backing Goodman on Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered...
Bonus: Here's Duran on guitar in the 1950s with Luis Miranda, congas and director; Manny Duran, organ; Carlos Duran, bass and Benny Velarde, timbales...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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