Perfection: Herb Pomeroy - 'Down Home Outing' ('58)

From my perspective, one of the only big bands in 1958 that rivaled Maynard Ferguson's in terms of innovation was Herb Pomeroy's. Pomeroy was an exquisite and much-admired Boston trumpeter, and his late-1950s band was first rate in terms of arrangements and individual talent. His finest album was Band in Boston, recorded in November 1958. Bob Freedman, who arranged for Ferguson, arranged four songs for Pomeroy's album. So did Arif Mardin, Bob Dogan and Neil Bridge.

The orchestra featured Herb Pomeroy, Lennie Johnson, Augie Ferretti, Bill Berry and Nick Capezuto (tp); Joe Ciavardone, Bill Legan and Gene DiStasio (tb); Dave Chapman and Charlie Mariano (as); Varty Haroutunian and Joe Caruso (ts); Jimmy Mosher (bar); Ray Santisi (p); John Neves (b) and Jimmy Zitano (d).

I remember buying a first pressing copy of Band in Boston (United Artists) in Boston in the late 1970s. I still have it. From start to finish, it's a great listen. The opening track is a smart blues and terrific introduction to the band: A Down Home Outing, composed and arranged by Bridge, a Denver area jazz pianist who died last year.

Long out of print, the album is available from Fresh Sound here on CD.

Here's A Down Home Outing, from Herb Pomeroy's Band in Boston...