Plectrist

Plectrist

Plectrist

ASIN: B00004VXG2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A brilliant bop improviser with an advanced harmonic conception, Billy Bauer is the most overlooked member of a largely neglected generation of guitarists. First emerging with Woody Herman in the 1940s and soon appearing on Lennie Tristano's breakthrough recordings, Bauer was winning Metronome and Down Beat polls by the end of the decade. In the '50s, he concentrated on studio work, occasionally doing sessions with Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday, then he gradually settled into a long and gratifying career teaching and playing out of the spotlight. While his ongoing reflections on music are included in his 1997 autobiography, Sideman, Bauer's recordings as leader were rare, and reissues even rarer.

This reissue of Plectrist, from 1956, marks the first time a Bauer-led session has been available on CD in North America. His ballad work has a distinctively dark sound and an effortless, flowing lyricism, while his inventiveness at bop tempos is strongly evidenced in the four complete takes of "The Way You Look Tonight." Whatever the tempo, Bauer's lines are filled with surprising turns, executed with grace and a buoyant sense of swing. He's joined here by pianist Andrew Ackers, a thoughtful accompanist but reluctant soloist, and the excellent rhythm team of bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Osie Johnson. Acker's reticence opens up the field for some close interplay between Bauer and Hinton, including the beautiful conclusion of the guitarist's ballad "Lady Estelle's Dream." "Blue Mist" is an unaccompanied solo that highlights Bauer's strikingly pianolike chordal imagination. --Stuart Broomer

Plectrist,Billy Bauer,Polygram Records,Cool,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop
Plectrist
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Plectrist
    Billy Bauer
    Manufacturer: Verve
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Cool JazzCool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    JazzJazz | Imports | Stores | Music
    ASIN: B0002T202U
    Release Date: 2004-10-18

    Tracks:

    1. It's a Blue World
    2. Maybe I Love You Too Much
    3. Lincoln Tunnel
    4. Night Cruise
    5. Too Marvelous for Words
    6. Lady Estelle's Dream
    7. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
    8. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
    9. Way You Look Tonight
    10. Lullaby of the Leaves
    11. Blue Mist
    12. Way You Look Tonight [#]
    13. Way You Look Tonight [Alternate Take][#]
    14. Way You Look Tonight [Alternate Take][#]
    15. Lullaby Leaves [Alternate Take][#]

    Album Description

    Japanese exclusive remastered reissue packaged in a limited edition miniature LP sleeve. Verve. 2004.

    Album Details

    24bit Digitally Remastered Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.
    Plectrist
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Good to have this one on CD
    • Buy This Before it's GONE!!
    • Classic Jazz Guitar
    • Billy Bauer Guitar Master
    • Fresh and different
    		 Plectrist
    Billy Bauer
    Manufacturer: Polygram Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Cool JazzCool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
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    5. Solo Guitar

    ASIN: B00004VXG2
    Release Date: 2000-09-19

    Tracks:

    1. It's A Blue World
    2. Maybe I Love You Too Much
    3. Lincoln Tunnel
    4. Night Cruise
    5. Too Marvelous For Words
    6. Lady Estelle's Dream
    7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
    8. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
    9. The Way You Look Tonight
    10. Lullaby Of The Leaves
    11. Blue Mist
    12. The Way You Look Tonight - Alternative Take
    13. The Way You Look Tonight - Alternative Take
    14. The Way You Look Tonight - Alternative Take
    15. Lullaby Of The Leaves - Alternative Take

    Amazon.com

    A brilliant bop improviser with an advanced harmonic conception, Billy Bauer is the most overlooked member of a largely neglected generation of guitarists. First emerging with Woody Herman in the 1940s and soon appearing on Lennie Tristano's breakthrough recordings, Bauer was winning Metronome and Down Beat polls by the end of the decade. In the '50s, he concentrated on studio work, occasionally doing sessions with Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday, then he gradually settled into a long and gratifying career teaching and playing out of the spotlight. While his ongoing reflections on music are included in his 1997 autobiography, Sideman, Bauer's recordings as leader were rare, and reissues even rarer.

    This reissue of Plectrist, from 1956, marks the first time a Bauer-led session has been available on CD in North America. His ballad work has a distinctively dark sound and an effortless, flowing lyricism, while his inventiveness at bop tempos is strongly evidenced in the four complete takes of "The Way You Look Tonight." Whatever the tempo, Bauer's lines are filled with surprising turns, executed with grace and a buoyant sense of swing. He's joined here by pianist Andrew Ackers, a thoughtful accompanist but reluctant soloist, and the excellent rhythm team of bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Osie Johnson. Acker's reticence opens up the field for some close interplay between Bauer and Hinton, including the beautiful conclusion of the guitarist's ballad "Lady Estelle's Dream." "Blue Mist" is an unaccompanied solo that highlights Bauer's strikingly pianolike chordal imagination. --Stuart Broomer

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Good to have this one on CD.......2005-03-08

    Billy Bauer might not be as well known as Tal Farlow or Kenny Burrell, but he's just as good as both. This reissues the old Norgran LP from 1956, with some extra tracks thrown in. Bauer's original "Lincoln Tunnel" is an up-tempo swinger, but "You'd be so nice to come home to" is the highlight of the album. An enticing CD.

    5 out of 5 stars Buy This Before it's GONE!!.......2004-12-30

    As a pro jazz/classical guitarist I've been aware of Bauer from his recordings with Lee Konitz and Lennie Tristano. These are wonderful recordings if you can find them(Tristano's Intuition on ProperBox 64 is a gem worth having!). Another is Konitz's Tranquility but not available at this time.
    This recording was a complete shock to me because I never knew he recorded a session under his own name. It doesn't matter what songs are on this CD since Bauer's sense of melodic/harmonic embellishment are amoung the very finest ever. If you're a guitarist, do yourself a favor and buy this. If you're not a guitarist leave it for guitarists to buy...
    Dave Wilson

    4 out of 5 stars Classic Jazz Guitar.......2004-11-30

    Outside of the Lennie Tristano group, Bauer showed himself to be a tasty mainstream jazz guitarist, less cerebral than one might expect from someone who became known alongside Tristano and Lee Konitz.

    Bauer's rhythm section here (I'm speaking of bass and drums only) gets a feel comparable to that on Tal Farlow's quartet dates of the same period. It's a light, straight-forward swing, provided by Milt Hinton and Ossie Johnson, a pair of musicians who played on hundreds of dates together. The pianist, chosen by Bauer (as were Hinton and Johnson) solos very little, and he is not a memorable foil to Bauer in the way that pianist Eddie Costa was for Tal. But that's not necessarily a bad thing; since there's so little of Bauer's playing available, it's nice to have him front and center throughout the album. His tone is a little softer than Farlow's (and similar to Jim Hall's tone on studio dates from the early sixties), and his playing is more relaxed than Farlow's. While Bauer's playing emphasized subtlety and restraint moreso than Farlow's, the album is not mood music or even merely pleasant-sounding jazz. Milt and Ossie keep things popping along without ever calling attention to themselves--it's one of those mid-1950s sessions that probably seemed unremarkable at the time but now has a classic feel.

    "Moon Mist" is a solo chord-melody tune written by Bauer; the rest of the date is played by the quartet. If you like Verve-era Tal in particular and classic jazz guitar in general, this is pretty much a must have (if you can get ahold of a copy). Too bad Bauer doesn't have a string of albums following this to document his playing.

    5 out of 5 stars Billy Bauer Guitar Master.......2004-07-15

    Plectrist is without question one of the best albums I have had the pleasure of listening to over recent times. Despite the fact I have had the album for some time now I continue to keep it in the car for peace of mind whilst driving. It is music as sweet as nectar with a style of its very own. Billy Bauer is not only a class artist but is someone I would dearly love to listen to live.

    5 out of 5 stars Fresh and different.......2001-08-22

    For people interested in a variety of guitar styles Billy Bauer is a great treat. I can't get his version of "Lullaby of the Leaves" out of my head sometimes.
    Plectrist
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Plectrist
      Billy Bauer
      Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000N0V6LO
      Release Date: 2004-10-12

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