35338

The Three Sounds - Live At The 'It' Club

Released - 1996

Recording and Session Information

"The It Club", Los Angeles, CA, March 6, 1970
Gene Harris, piano; Henry Franklin, bass, electric bass; Carl Burnett, drums.

Funky Pullett
I'm Still Sad
Baby Man
Love For Sale
Sittin' Duck

Full Session information

"The It Club", Los Angeles, CA, March 6, 1970
Gene Harris, piano; Henry Franklin, bass, electric bass; Carl Burnett, drums.

Funky Pullett
I'm Still Sad
Baby Man
Love For Sale
Sittin' Duck
On Green Dolphin Street
Tammy's Breeze
John Brown's Body

"The It Club", Los Angeles, CA, March 6 & 7, 1970
Gene Harris, piano; Henry Franklin, bass, electric bass, sand blocks, jawbone #1,6,8-10,12,13, bass, electric bass #2-5,7,11; Carl Burnett, drums, congas, tambourine #1,6,8-10,12,13, drums #2-5,7,11; Monk Higgins, cabasa, claves, jawbone, vibraslap #1,6,8-10,12,13.

Put On Train
Virgin Pearl
I'm In Love
Down Home
Girl Talk
Black Fox
This Guy's In Love
Apollo 21
Eleanor Rigby
Get Back
Judy, Judy, Judy
How Insensitive
Come Together

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
Funky Pullett	Monk Higgins	March 6 1970
I'm Still Sad	Gene Harris	March 6 1970
Side Two
Baby Man	Monk Higgins	March 6 1970
Love For Sale	Cole Porter	March 6 1970
Sittin' Duck	Monk Higgins	March 6 1970

Liner Notes

In every major city that had somewhat of a jazz scene, there would exist a club that defined the word 'in'. They would always come and go, but there would always be that brief flowering where by performing or hanging out at the 'spot' would qualify one as 'in'. New York had the "Vanguard" and the "Gate", Chicago had the "London House" and the "Sutherland", and Los Angeles had "Shelly's Manne Hole" and the "It Club."

The "It Club" was located at Harcourt and Washington (near La Brea) and existed from the early '60s till the early '70s. The man who owned the club and booked the bands (and only the artists that he liked) was John T. McLain. Mr. McLain was Dorothy Donegan's husband at the time, so must have had a refined ear and great taste, and he knew who was good for the club.

The 'It Club' was the 'in' club in Los Angeles at the time and was considered a hip joint by musicians. Monk recorded there in 1964 for Columbia (although these tapes were not released until the '80s. The room was frequented by celebrities (Steve Allen was there every night when Monk played), students, hippies and jazz aficionados. When Miles or Dizzy would work the club, people would wait in the rain to get in. You would see the latest fashions worn by the 'beautiful people' clientele. All in all it was quite a scene.

Mr. McLain was fond of great pianists like Art Tatum, Horace Silver, and especially Phineas Newborn (who was the intermission pianist at the club for a while). During that hot time for the club, Gene Harris was living on the West Coast. Mr. McLain hired the Three Sounds for a week, and by doing great business, opened the door fir Gene to work the room on a regular basis. Gene and Mr. McLain are still in touch today.

This set represents Gene's playing and the Three Sound's concept at the time. The blues and gospel roots were there, but the rhythm had a funkier edge, and the beat was contemporary. A large part of the great groove and funky feel can be attributed to drummer Carl Burnett. Carl joined the Three Sounds in early '68 (replacing Donald Bailey). He brought all of the assets of a great jazz drummer to the stand plus something extra, the funky groove. Henry Franklin replaced Andy Simkins (the original bassist) in late '69. With Burnett and Franklin, this became Gene's working band until shortly after this recording. You can hear the tightness of the group, the effortless nature of their swing and the solid groove that only comes from working together night after night. (Monk Montgomery eventually replaced Franklin but this group never recorded).

The Three Sounds had made, prior to this recording, three 'orchestral' albums COLDWATER FLAT 4286, ELEGANT SOUL 4301 and SOUL SYMPHONY 4341. This session may have been recorded to be a 'live' 2-LP set for Blue Note, judging from the company's recording activity on both coasts in 1970. (Lee Morgan made his LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE 2-LP set in July of 1970, and both Grant Green and Lonnie Smith were captured in live performance).

But for some reason, this set was never released. Perhaps jazz/fusion never made it as big as jazz/rock fusion. Gene felt there was no crossover market for his orchestral albums so eventually he moved to more of a produced sound. Herbie Hancock's writing influenced Gene to change to different colors and rhythms. Like Herbie, Gene wanted to broaden his audience base to include younger people. The Three Sounds played clubs like the 'Bottom Line' to try to capture this set of ears. However, by the late '70s, Gene Harris even disappeared from his own LP's, buried under the production. He stopped recording for Blue Note in 1977..

Gene is back on the scene now, recording for Concord and touring whenever he wants. His performing vehicle has returned to the piano trio. But as an artist who has stretched his musical palette and challenged himself, he can do anything he wants to do. We should dig it the same. It's the same set of fingers, isn't it?

- Bob Belden
1995