Oscar Moore

According to Barney Kessel, Oscar Moore (1916 - 1981) practically invented the role of the guitarist in small combo jazz. We don't know if this is true as is often the case with claims of this kind. What we do know however is that Moore's role in shaping the sound of the Nat King Cole Trio, the first drummerless trio in jazz, was of paramount importance. It is Oscar Moore's guitar we cherish on these 1937-1947 immortal sides the Cole Trio cut for various small labels. Unfortunately, Moore's solo career after leaving Cole never took off and he cut just a handful of records for the Verve and Tampa labels before retiting from the music business altogether and ending up working as a bricklayer in Los Angeles - a cryin' shame. This 1954 recording for the Tampa label with Carl Perkins amply demonstrates what an enormous talent and elegance in delivery Moore possessed.

personnel:
Oscar Moore: guitar
Carl Perkins: piano
Joe Comfort: bass
Mike Pacheco: bongos
Lee Young: drums


track listing:
1. Roulette
2. The Nearness Of You
3. Love For Sale
4. Body And Soul
5. Kenya
6. Blues In B Flat
7. Up Tempo
8. Buddy Can You Spare A Dime
9. There'll Never Be Another You
10. April In Paris
11. Samson And Delilah Theme
12. Moonlight In Vermont
13. Kiss Me Again
14. Dinner For One
15. Walkin Home
16. Warm Up

Rec. 1954 in Hollywood, CA

PS track #2 from this very album can be heard on youtube here (unfortunately the uploader has disabled embedding giving us all a hard time, but we'll cope somehow)