The
Chamber Jazz Sextet
, an intriguing
West Coast cool jazz
group from the 1950s, consisted of
Dent Hand
(on trumpet and bass); altoist
Frank Leal
;
Modesto Briseno
on clarinet, tenor, and baritone;
Allyn Ferguson
on piano and French horn; bassist
Fred Dutton
doubling on bassoon; and drummer
Tom Reynolds
. On this 1958 CD reissue, they play
jazz
versions of songs from the
Rodgers & Hart
score to the film
Pal Joey
. The original play had
"I Could Write a Book"
as its best-known song, but the movie also added some
hits from earlier productions, including
"There's a Small Hotel,"
"My Funny Valentine,"
"The Lady Is a Tramp,"
and
"I Didn't Know What Time It Was."
All of those songs plus three others are performed by the
in concise, colorful, and swinging versions, arranged by
Bill Holman
. Fun music. ~ Scott Yanow