Steve Kuhn & Toshiko Akiyoshi - The Country & Western Sound Of Jazz Pianos (1963)

This is surely one of the more unusual jazz LPs to emerge during the 1960s, featuring pianists Steve Kuhn and Toshiko Akiyoshi and bassists Dave Izenzon and John Neves, along with guitarist Barry Galbraith and drummer Pete Laroca Sims, playing country & western songs in jazz arrangements. A lot of jazz fans overlook the fact that there were some strong melodies written by country musicians in the 1950s and 1960s, and many of these songs work very well in the hands of this sextet. Akiyoshi leans more toward bop, with Kuhn usually lagging behind the beat; while Izenzon plays the higher often arco bass parts as Neves walks underneath him. "Hang Your Head in Shame" is particularly adventurous, while Akiyoshi switches to celesta for the ballad "May the Good Lord Bless You and Keep You." This record will likely appeal to the small minority of jazz fans who enjoy duo pianos and songs that are a bit off the beaten path. Finding this long out of print record on the long defunct Dauntless label may be the biggest challenge that collectors face. ~  by Ken Dryden, AMG.

Dauntless Records, DS-6308, 1963
Chiaroscuro Records, CR 2026, 1980
Dauntless Records, DC 6003, 2002
Recorded in New York, 1963

Musicians:
Steve Kuhn - Piano, Harpsichord
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Piano, Celesta
Barry Galbraith - Guitar
Dave Izenzon, John Neves - Bass
Pete LaRoca - Drums 

Tracks:
A1. Trouble In Mind {Richard Mariney Jones} (4:40)
A2. Hang Your Head In Shame {Edward G. Nelson, Fred Rose} (3:53)
A3. May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You {Robert Reiniger, Meredith Willson} (3:20)
A4. Someday You’ll Want Me To Want You {James S. Hodges} (4:21)
A5. Down In The Valley {Traditional} (3:41)
B1. Beautiful Brown Eyes {Grace Walters} (4:21)
B2. It’s No Secret What God Can Do {Carl Stuart Hamblen} (4:47)
B3. Nobody’s Darling But Mine {James Houston Davis} (3:23)
B4. Along The Navajo Trail {Eddie DeLange, Larry Markes, Dick Charles} (3:23)
B5. Foggy, Foggy Dew {Traditional} (4:32) 

Total Time: 40:21

Credits:
Producer - Jordi Pujol [CD release]
Recording Engineer - Richard Olmsted
Re-recording - William Hamilton
Mastering - Ray Hagerty
Photography - Ray Ross
Design - Irving Sloane
A&R - Tom Wilson
Arranger, Conductor, Liner Notes - Edgar Summerlin 

"Steve Kuhn and Toshiko Akiyoshi are relatively unknown outside of jazz circles. Both are modernists and have styles that are quite different. Toshiko's playing is more of Bud Powell school, with long lines and explosions of notes in the right hand, and a more percussive, brittle approach than Steve. On the other hand, Steve has a more introspective, reflective way of playing -more behind the beat than Toshiko. The two styles compliment and offset each other beautifully. I wrote the arrangements for this album knowing that with these musicians it had a good chance of being successful. After conducting the sessions, I knew that my faith had been well-founded. I think their playing is great. I think you will too." ~ Edgar Summerlin (from the inside liner-notes).