John Laporta - Most Minor [CD]

The late, great John LaPorta, the Philadelphia bred composer, clarinetist and alto saxophonist, was an exceptional musician who became quite well known as a member of the "cool" school of modern jazz. He worked with Ray McKinley and Woody Herman as an alto saxophonist and composer, took over Buddy DeFranco's clarinet seat with the Metronome All-Stars in 1951 and was a founding member of the Jazz Composer's Workshop with Charles Mingus and Teo Macero in 1953. He recorded extensively with Mingus, the JCW, and pianist Lennie Tristano in the 1950s on both sax and clarinet. He was a highly influential jazz educator and helped create the curriculum at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston. Although he recorded often and was a much in demand session player, LaPorta only recorded a handful of albums as a leader. Recorded in 1959, "The Most Minor" is a wonderful showcase for LaPorta's alto sax and features a thoughtful selection of tunes including three original compositions plus works by composers as varied as Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington. One of the great audiophile recordings from the dawn of the stereo age, La Porta is joined on this classic album by the rhythm section of Jack Reilly on piano, Dick Carter on bass and Charles Perry on the drums. All selections newly remastered.