Trumpet player Johnny Coles (1926-1997) was an underrated but talented jazz musician. His expressive and sometimes subdued performance sometimes reminded one of Miles Davis. He performed alongside musicians such as saxophone player James Moody and bass player Charles Mingus, but also in big formations as Duke Ellington’s and Gil Evans’.
Title: ‘Gil Evans – The Complete Pacific Jazz Sessions’
Label: Blue Note Records, no. 0946 3 58300 2 6
Performing artists: Gil Evans Orkest / John Coles, soloist
Title track 1: ‘Davenport Blues’/composer: Bix Beiderbecke
Title: ‘The Warm Sound – The Johnny Coles Quartet’
Label: Jazz Collectors, no. JC 423
Performing artists: John Coles, conductor/trumpet; Kenny Drew of
Randy Weston, piano; Peck Morrison, contrabass; Charles Persip, percussion.
Title track 2: ‘Room 3’/composer: John Coles
Title track 3: ‘Where?’/composer Randy Weston
Title track 4: ‘Come Rain Or Come Shine/composers: Arlen-Mercer
Title track 5: ‘Hi-Fly/composer: Randy Weston
Title track 6: ‘Pretty Strange’/composer: Randy Weston
Title track 7: ‘If I Should Lose You’/composers: Robin-Rainger
Title track 8: ‘Babe
’s Blues’/composer Randy Weston/duration: 05:14
Title: ‘Out Of The Cool – The Gil Evans Orchestra’
Performing artists: Gil Evans Orkest/John Coles, soloist
Label: Impulse Records, no. IMPD-186
Title track 9: ‘Sunken Treasure’/composer: Gil Evans
Title: ‘The Individualism Of Gil Evans’
Performing artists: Gil Evans Orkest/John Coles, soloist
Label: Verve Records, no. 833 804-2
Title track 10: ‘El Toreador’/composer: Gil Evans