ProJazz.net

“Along with Julius Watkins, John Graas was one of the first jazz French horn soloists. After playing some classical music, in 1942 he became a member of the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. A period in the Army (1942-1945) and stints with the Cleveland Orchestra and Tex Beneke’s big band preceded Graas’ first high-profile gig, playing with Stan Kenton’s Innovations Orchestra (1950-1951). After leaving Kenton, he settled in Los Angeles and worked as a studio musician in addition to being used on West Coast jazz dates by Shorty Rogers and others. Graas, an excellent composer who sought to combine together jazz and classical music (predating the third stream movement), recorded fairly regularly as a leader during 1953-1958, sessions that (with the exception of one V.S.O.P. release) have not been reissued. He died of a heart attack at the age of 45.” – Scott Yanow/AllMusic.

Track listing:

00:00 A1 Van Nuys Indeed
03:23 A2 Development
07:39 A3 Land Of Broken Toys
10:44 A4 Swing Nicely
16:07 B1 Walkin Shoes (Gerry Mulligan)
21:19 B2 Blues Street (Dick Grove)
27:14 B3 Rogeresque
29:45 B4 Blocksounds

Personnel:

Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper (tracks: A1 to A4, B2, B4)
Baritone Saxophone – Buddy Collette (tracks: A1 to A4, B2, B4)
Bass – Buddy Clark
Drums – Larry Bunker
Xylophone, Timpani – Larry Bunker (Track:A2)
Flute – Buddy Collette (tracks: A3, A4, B2)
French Horn, Arranged By – John Graas
Piano – Paul Moer
Tenor Saxophone – Art Pepper (tracks: B1, B3), Bob Cooper (tracks: A1 to A4, B2, B4)
Trumpet – Conte Candoli (tracks: A1, B2, B4), Pete Candoli (tracks: A2, A3)
Tuba – Red Callender (tracks: A1 to A4, B2, B4)
Written-By – John Graas (tracks: A1 to A4, B3, B4)

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Label: Mercury ‎– SR 80020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1958
Recorded: Los Angeles, August 15, 1957.