Fred Katz Orchestras – Folk Songs for Far Out Folk – Reboot

by | Jun 21, 2007 | Jazz CD Reviews | 0 comments

Fred Katz Orchestras – Folk Songs for Far Out Folk – Reboot Stereophonic RSR 007, 40:21 **** [www.rebootstereophonic.com] (Release Date – July 10, 07):

This small nonprofit label specializes in recovering lost recordings from the archives and thrift store dustbins and making them available once again. The effort is the passion of an eclectic team of music industry tastemakers and volunteers, and this is their fifth release.  The album was originally released in 1959 by cellist, composer and music pioneer Fred Katz, who was the jazz cellist in the original Chico Hamilton Quintet. Katz also scored films for Roger Corman – including Little Shop of Horrors, did jazz arrangements for Sidney Poitier, studied with Pablo Casals, and was a professor of anthropology.  After Reboot’s cofounder Josh Kun first heard the original LP he began looking for Katz, and found him at his Fullerton, CA home, 86 years old and “an inspiration as a musician, an intellectual, and a human being.”

Jazz cello is a very small part of Folk Songs for Far Out Folk.  It consists of nine folk songs adapted instrumentally by Katz for three different ensembles.  The songs come from African, Hebraic and American folk traditions and the ensembles feature such noted sidemen as Buddy Collete and Paul Horn on flute and John Williams on piano (Johnny Williams at that time) – yes, that John Williams. They are wonderful arrangements – imaginative, varied and full of color. Reminded me of some of Peter Schickle’s arrangements. You probably won’t recognize all the tunes, but that doesn’t matter. The closing treatment of Foggy, Foggy Dew is just superb.  Sonics are also superb – bet the LP didn’t sound this good.

TrackList: Mate’ka; Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child; Been in the Pen So Long; Lament; Rav’s Nigun; Old Paint; Manthi-ki; Baal Shem Tov; Foggy, Foggy Dew.

 – John Sunier

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