Thesaurus (album)

Thesaurus
Studio album by Clare Fischer
Released	1969
Recorded	August 16 and 17, 1968 at T.T.G. Studios
Genre	Jazz
Length	40 min
Label	Atlantic SD 1520
Producer	Albert Marx
Clare Fischer chronology
ONE - to get ready: FOUR..... to – GO! (1968) Thesaurus (1969) GREAT WHITE HOPE! (and his Japanese friend) (1970)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Coda	favorable[2]
High Fidelity	favorable[3]
The New York Times	favorable[4]

External audio

You may listen to "UMMG" here

Thesaurus is an album by American composer/arranger/pianist Clare Fischer, recorded and released in 1969 by Atlantic Records.^[5] Reissued in 1979 as 'Twas Only Yesterday by Discovery Records,^[6] and on CD, again by DIscovery, in 1988 as part of a CD entitled Waltz, encompassing both Thesaurus and the 1980 LP, Duality.^[7] In 2000, Thesaurus received a dedicated CD reissue under its original title from Koch Records.^[8]

Reception

Ken Dryden reviewed Theasurus for Allmusic and wrote that "...Fischer's potent originals and first-rate arrangements bring out the best in his musicians...A well-conceived chart of Billy Strayhorn's "Upper Manhattan Medical Group" swings mightily. The leader even makes a rare appearance on alto sax in the brief "In Memoriam," dedicated to the assassinated Kennedy brothers.^[1] The New York Times' review, written shortly after the album's release by jazz historian Martin Williams, is equally high on Thesaurus, at least as regards the leader's arranging prowess; somewhat less so regarding the originality of some of Fischer's featured improvisers:

West Coast pianist Clare Fischer has done what I wish Monk would do: he has written his own big band arrangements; the results are admirable. Fischer can make his ensembles whisper, sing, shout, praise, explain, cajole, proclaim. He is not afraid to be simple when simplicity will work; he can write for a mere quintet within the ensemble when he wants to. The solos by tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh, particularly, and baritone saxophonist Bill Perkins are the best I've heard from these men, but, the leader excepted, some of the other improvisers confine themselves to other people's ideas.^[4]

Track listing

All selections composed by Clare Fischer except where noted.
All selections arranged by Clare Fischer with the exception of "Calamus," which is arranged by the composer.
Side One

1. "The Duke" – 4:53
2. "Miles Behind" – 5:03
3. "Calamus" (Stewart Fischer) – 4:44
4. "Lennie's Pennies" (Lennie Tristano) – 5:22

Side Two

1. "Twas Only Yesterday" – 6:29
2. "Bitter Leaf" (Strewart Fischer]) – 6;58
3. "Upper Manhattan Medical Group" (Billy Strayhorn) – 4:11
4. "In Memoriam (John F. & Robert F. Kennedy)" – 1:55 (alto sax solo – Clare Fischer)

Personnel

• Clare Fischer – piano, Fender-Rhodes electronic piano
• Gary Foster – lead alto sax
• Kim Richmond – alto sax
• Louis Ciotti & Warne Marsh – tenor saxes
• Bill Perkins – baritone sax
• John Lowe – bass sax
• Larry McGuire, Buddy Childers, Conte Candoli, Steve Huffsteter & Stewart Fischer – trumpets
• Gil Falco, Charley Loper & David Sanchez – trombones
• Morris Repass – bass trombone
• Chuck Domanico – bass
• Larry Bunker – drums

On "Calamus," "Bitter Leaf" & "Upper Manhattan Medical Group," Buddy Childers is replaced by John Audino.

Notes

References