Pete Rugolo

As music director at Mercury records, Pete Rugolo was free to create a series of conspicuously conceptual albums that brought into play everything he'd learned as Stan Kenton's right-hand man and as staff arranger for the Capitol and MGM labels. Recorded in Hollywood on May 10, 1960, Ten Trombones Like Two Pianos consists of 12 grooved up slip-horn routines delivered by eight tenor and two bass trombones with stylish rhythm accompaniment. Some of this stuff ("Angel Eyes," "Moonglow," "Willow Weep for Me") is delightfully suave, sophisticated and relaxing. Note that the arrangement on "Love is Just Around the Corner" is almost identical to that used by Rugolo on the 1956 Capitol album Four Freshmen and Five Trombones. This superb music, reissued in 2007 as part of Fresh Sound's Exploring New Sounds compilation, will appeal directly to those who crave late-'50s mainstream jazz, Hollywood production and crisp, cool lounge music. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide