December 1998

Jimmy Rowles Septet
Weather in a Jazz Vane
V.S.O.P.

By Miles Jordan

Derminedly low key, Rowles was mainly known as an accompanist for singers like Billie, Peggy, Ella, Carmen, and Sarah. Earlier he'd worked with Prez, Benny and Woody (among-many-others) and his lack of public renown was due to his being blessed/cursed with phrase "a musician's musician." Here Rowles and his septet (two saxes, trumpet, trombone, bass and drums) are heard on nine weather-themed songs (e.g., "Heat Wave," "Let It Snow," "Some Other Spring") with superb arrangements by Rowles and tenorman Bill Holman. Rowles, who says Lee "made me sing," essays a vocal on "Too Hot for Words." Three alternate takes round out this 1958 date originally released on the Andex label. Highly prized for his harmonic imagination, Rowles found a perfect outlet on this project. Those early years served him well more swinging than "precious," this is a CD to savor.