The Jimmy Giuffre 3 - Music For People, Birds, Butterflies & Mosquitoes

180-gram vinyl

Remastered by Alex McCollough

Lacquers cut by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl

After a string of two dozen brilliant albums beginning in the 1950's, clarinetist, saxophonist, flutist, composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre stopped recording. For nearly 10 years he focused solely on live performance. This album, Music for People, Birds, Butterflies and Mosquitoes, marked his return to the studio after his self imposed hiatus.

Known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, Giuffre began his career as an arranger for Woody Herman's big band in the late 1940s. Playing primarily saxophone, he became a central figure in the West Coast cool jazz scene of the 1950's, with the Lighthouse All Stars in Hermosa Beach, CA. In the late 50's, he began working within different configurations of the trio format, on what he called "blues-based folk jazz." A prime example being his piece "The Train and the River" famously featured in 1958 Newport Jazz Festival concert film, Jazz On A Summer's Day.

The trio here is completed by drums and bass with Giuffre trading seamlessly between tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute and bass flute. The 12 original compositions are very much in Giuffre's signature style. The melody explorations have an eastern vibe, and are played in hushed tones with an almost chamber music like quality.

From 1973, originally on the Choice label, this album has been remastered and is being presented here as the artist intended, with its original title, track order and album artwork, for the first time since its original release.

 

Side A

Mosquito Dance

Night Dance

Flute Song

Eternal Chant

The Bird

The Waiting

Side B

The Butterfly

The Chanting

Moonlight

Dervish

Phoenix

Feast Dance

Be the first to write a review for this item OR just rate it