The Three Sounds - Live at the Lighthouse
Released - November 1967
Recording and Session Information
"The Lighthouse", Hermosa Beach, CA, June 9 & 10, 1967
Gene Harris, piano; Andrew Simpkins, bass; Donald Bailey, drums; Dick Bock, producer.
Still I'm Sad
June Night: Just Give Me A June Night / The Moonlight And You
I Thought About You
Summertime
Makin' Bread Again
Here's That Rainy Day
Blues March
not live at "The Lighthouse", Hermosa Beach, CA, June 10, 1967
Gene Harris, piano, organ; Andrew Simpkins, bass; Donald Bailey, drums; Dick Bock, producer.
Crying Time
I Held My Head In Shame
Track Listing
| Side One | ||
| Title | Author | Recording Date |
| Still I'm Sad | Jim McCarty, Paul Samwell-Smith | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Crying Time | Buck Owens | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| June Night | Abel Baer, Cliff Friend | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| I Thought About You | Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Van Heusen | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Side Two | ||
| I Held My Head in Shame | Gene Harris | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Summertime | George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Makin' Bread Again | Gene Harris | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Here's That Rainy Day | Johnny Burke, Van Heusen | June 9 + 10 1967 |
| Blues March | Benny Golson | June 9 + 10 1967 |
Liner Notes
"This is the trio I’ve been waiting for!”
"The Lighthouse is the best jazz club in the country!”
"This recording is very exciting to us and it accurately represents The Three Sounds today!”
THESE enthusiastic and candid exclamatory statements were made by Gene Harris the moving force and pianist-leader of The Three Sounds. I have intentionally removed the three statementsi out of the context of my meetings with Gene to indicate their interrelatedness and inherent unity. Enjoining this set of Harris pronouncements, we arrive at a synopsis for this album — this comparatiely new edition of The Three Sounds swings beautifully and hard at the Lighthouse and the warm rapport, contagion, balance of yesterday and today, and their impressive conception and execution were all captured on this “live” recording.
It is appropos to examine some supporting data to understand and appreciate the synopsis which concomitantly functions as a possible conclusion. The statement "This is the trio I've been waiting for!” refers first to the more than ten years of no change in personnel until early this year when drummer Donald Bailey joined veterans Gene Harris and Andrew Simpkins. Moreover, although the trio’s longevity promoted an appreciable level of consistency, Gene’s insatiable thirst for betterment has kept the trio prepared to escalate whenever the chance presents itself. Therefore, the aforementioned statement also refers to the rewarding results of Donald’s ’well-honed percussion skills. Gene commented, "Our trio has tried to establish a certain sound — not taking any individual sound away from the concert of sounds projected by the trio. Donald has definitely added to “the sound” for his music does say a Donald Balky sound. And I'd like to think that even a year or two from now I can look back and say that this is the trio I've been waiting for.”
As for Gene's firm approval of the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, he truthfully believes in ascribing a superlative in his evaluation of the club. Specifically, he endorses the manner in which the establishment is managed. Gene explains, "You’re presented respectfully like you're playing on a concert stage...like you're the star tonight, baby — you can’t do anything wrong! And you never lose the closeness of the audience there. The people are up tight and right next to you...it feels like they’re breathing down your threat digging everything every minute. The Lighthouse is beautiful, and I’m delighted we recorded there.”
Thirdly, Gene's statement that "This recording is very exciting to us and it accurately represents The Three Sounds today!“ draws strength from several considerations. The Three Sounds have purveyed a broad offering in their choice of material, not limiting it to any specific brand of music. Gene is convinced that during the course of an evening, the trio is bound to play something for everyone to enjoy. Apparently he has attempted to present an array of music that evokes happiness, plaintiveness, and other diverse emotional components with an unmistakable foundation of groove.
From the inception of the trio in 1956. Gene who hails from Benton Harbor, Michigan, has served as the able and amiable spokesman. Likewise. Andy Simpkins, the trio’s original bassist from Richmond, Indiana, whose consistently strong and meaningful bass work has remained since the birth of the group. And newcomer Donald Bailey's accreditation is subtantially important when one considers the eight years he spent with Jimmy Smith. Immersion in the blues-infused format of Smith’s trio for that length of time can only produce a valuable diploma fur a seasoned and successful role; Bailey’s attributes make for a more natural and tasteful conception of his role as one of The Three Sounds. As an integrated aside it is interesting to note that within the last couple of years or so, the long standing trios of Oscar Peterson, Ramsey Lewis and The Three Sounds have undergone personnel changes with a somewhat common spirit and philosophy.
The program of selections gleaned from the two-night recording sessions at the Lighthouse produced a slate of nine tunes. The album opens with Still I'm Sad. a rock, bluesy number Gene had heard on the AM airwaves as sung by The Yardbirds. Dig how the trio retains the Yiddish flavor!
Crying Time is a Buck Owens tune that comes from the Ray Charles bag. Gene dubbed his organ on top of his piano work, augmenting the sound of the trio. The melding of organ and piano parts is intriguing. Gene ushers in the melody on organ. After the strictly piano section, the organ-piano blend takes it out.
Ah, yes, the track that gasses me out with its lyricism and its relaxed, joyous fingerpoppin’ groove is June Night. Gene remarked, "I’ve been doing this tune for years but never recorded it. Listen to Donald on this — he never gets in the way; yet he is a driving force underneath — simple but beautiful." There is a tilt toward Oscar Peterson, and he has been an object of great admiration by Gene Harris. Commenting on O.P., Gene said, “Oscar? I love him. He is the finest jazz pianist playing today. He has kept growing with simplicity in mind. Oscar has shown that you don’t have to play a lot of notes to say something well. It is difficult to control technique — takes a real master to hold back from playing an excess of notes when it can come so easily.”
And like June Night and some other tunes on this Lp, Andy Simpkins’ bass comes through impressively on the ballad I Thought About You. Donald Bailey’s sensitivity to his role is demonstrated in his tuning the drum to a high pitch allowing Simpkins’ full, lovely tones to emerge boldly.
Side Two opens with a blues line written by Gene, I Held My Head In Shame. This is another track with organ dubbing. Next there’s a fresh new version of Summertime by the trio; the tune receives a heavier treatment and grabs you more tenaciously. It moves to a double time creating a contrasting mood — a blues rock feeling, if you will. An earlier rendition of Summertime was recorded with a more subtle approach.
Makin' Bread Again was an untitled tune Gene was playing in Las Vegas. It cracked up Bobby Stevens, leader of the Checkmates; he tacked the name to the tune and set lyrics to it.
A change of pace is provided by the light b.n. beat on Here’s That Rainy Day. Bailey’s keen sense of dynamics shows up here. I love Gene’s attractive work on this chart.
The closer is Benny Golson’s Blues March, a bluesy reflection of the old New Orleans marching bands. Gene is admittedly very attracted to Golson’s original compositions — Out Of The Past on the album Out Of This World” (Blue Note 4197) and Blues After Dark on the album Feelin’ Good” (Blue Note 4072) are a couple of past examples. Gene supports his predilections for Golson. "Benny’s tunes always seem to lend themselves to playing on the piano particularly. They flew so easily...the chord changes arr set up so I feel that I can just get right to the thing without struggle."
In summary, the three statenents in the introduction of this commentary concerning respectively the new trio, the Lighthouse, and this recording per se can only be augmented by the statements the receptive listener will conjure about this swinging trio — The Three Sounds.
HERB WONG
KJAZ. San Francisco and Jazz Editor, FM & tie Fine Arts and Urban West
Cover Photo by GEORGE JERMAN
Cover Design by REID MILES
Recording by DINO LAPPAS
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