Backgrounder: Jazz Studio, From Hollywood (1954)

In 1954, when Decca began to issue 12-inch pop LPs, it suddenly had a vast pipeline to fill with new releases. To load up the schedule of LPs, Decca producers on the East and West coasts turned to jazz studio players to crank out recordings. Not only could these musicians compose and arrange songs fast, they were crack sight readers who could get the job done fast in the studio with few re-takes, if any.

In Hollywood in 1954, Decca producer Tom Mack captured an astonishing group assembled by French hornist and session arranger John Graas. Recorded in June 1954, Jazz Studio 2 From Hollywood featured Don Fagerquist (tp), Milt Bernhart (tb), John Graas (fhr), Herb Geller (as), Jimmy Giuffre (cl,ts,bar), Marty Paich (p), Howard Roberts (g), Curtis Counce (b) and Larry Bunker (d).

Those familiar with West Coast jazz know what an incredible group this is. Don Fagerquist is easily my favorite West Coast trumpeter, with a gorgeous improvisational style that became the model for the Hollywood sound. Milt Bernhart was a first-call trombonist and played on many of Frank Sinatra's Capitol recordings. John Graas was a superb jazz French hornist and a solid arranger and studio musician. Herb Geller was a beautiful alto saxophonist with a yearning sound and at his best here, joined by the smooth reeds of Jimmy Giuffre. Marty Paich was a terrific pianist and a superb arranger. And Howard Roberts, Curtis Counce and Larry Bunker were the cream of the studio time-keepers out West then.

Together, they created a gorgeous, relaxed jazz album influenced by the warm Los Angeles weather, endless highways, the expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the glamour of the movie industry and promise of unfolding suburbs. This is West Coast jazz at its best.

Here's Jazz Studio 2, From Hollywood without ad interruptions...