RCA Fs Imports
1959
Take Me Along
About This Album
Marty Paich was hired to do a four-piano arrangement of Bob Merrill's Broadway musical Take Me Along in 1959, so Paich recruited Pete Jolly, Jimmy Rowles, and John Williams, along with a mix of top studio players and the likes of Jack Sheldon, Victor Feldman, Stu Williamson, Shelly Manne, and Alvin Stoller, none of them strangers to the world of jazz. While Paich had some doubts about the viability of the project, producer Dick Peirce suggested that he write the score for a single pianist with eight hands. The music is pleasant, with the pianists complementing one another and staying out of each other's way, but neither the music nor the arrangements (which are sometimes a bit corny) end up being particularly memorable. Although Paich describes his work as a jazz concept of the show rather than a jazz version of it, this release seems like it would have targeted the pop audience of the era more so than jazz fans. The title song, "Take Me Along," was the only piece to remain prominent for a time, helped by its use in an airline television commercial during the 1960s. Long out of print, this RCA album was reissued by Fresh Sound in 1998. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7)

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