Jutta Hipp Quintet - New Faces - New Sounds From Germany

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:23
Size: 63,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Cleopatra
(3:05)  2. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:33)  3. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:26)  4. Mon Petite
(4:45)  5. What's New
(2:54)  6. Blue Skies
(3:07)  7. Laura
(3:09)  8. Variations

This date, rather brief at under 28 minutes, originally appeared as a 10" LP in the U.S., although it was recorded in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. It features Jutta Hipp leading an all-German quintet through a session consisting mostly of American standards, including "Variations," an enjoyable group improvisation based on the chord changes to "Tea for Two." Alto saxophonist Emil Mangelsdorff has a soft, dry tone comparable to Paul Desmond, most noticeable in "Ghost of a Chance." Tenor saxophonist Jaki Freund's "Cleopatra"'s sound could easily be mistaken for West Coast jazz. Hipp is joined by the rhythm section only for the intriguing fugue-like treatment of "What's New" and a brisk run through "Don't Worry 'Bout Me." She also wrote "Mon Petit," which has superb interplay between the two saxophonists. 

This reissue is labeled as part of the RVG series, though legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's name is never specifically listed in English anywhere in the packaging, he evidently did the remastering. Long out of print on LP and an unlikely reissue candidate for Blue Note due to its brevity and obscurity, this session was briefly available as a CD reissue through the Japanese label Toshiba-EMI, but was soon deleted. The Spanish Fresh Sounds imprint picked it up and re-released it as part of its New Faces series. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/jutta-hipp-quintett-new-faces-new-sounds-from-germany-mw0000372886

Personnel:  Piano – Jutta Hipp; Alto Saxophone – Emil Mangelsdorff; Bass – Hans Kresse; Drums – Karl Sanner; Saxophone – Joki Freund

New Faces - New Sounds From Germany

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Jutta Hipp Quintet - Cool Dogs & Two Oranges

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:57
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Yogi
(3:54)  2. Cool Dogs
(3:00)  3. Frankfurt Bridges
(3:48)  4. Two Oranges
(3:37)  5. Mon Petit
(2:53)  6. Anything Goes
(2:28)  7. Simone
(3:44)  8. Ghost Of A Chance
(3:19)  9. Don´t Worry About Me
(3:18) 10. Laura
(3:33) 11. Chloe-Patra
(3:19) 12. Variations

Jutta Hipp had a strangely brief career, dropping out of music altogether shortly after emigrating to the United States. She studied painting in Germany and played jazz during World War II. When the Soviets took over East Germany, she moved with her family to Munich. Hipp played locally and in 1952, recorded with Hans Koller. She led her own quintet in Frankfurt in 1953-1955 and recorded for several labels, including a session that was later released by Blue Note. Moving to New York in November 1955, Hipp played at the Hickory House for much of the first half of 1956, recording two trio albums for Blue Note. Although originally inspired by Lennie Tristano, she was criticized at the time for being too influenced by Horace Silver; however, a studio album from July 1956 with Zoot Sims finds her showing a fairly original style. Unfortunately, that was her final recording, for Jutta Hipp soon dropped out of music, returned to painting, then worked as a seamstress. She lost contact with the music world to the extent that Blue Note didn't know where her royalties should be sent until 2000. Three years later, at the age of 78, Jutta Hipp passed away in the Queens apartment where she lived alone. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jutta-hipp-mn0000258387/biography               

Personnel:  Piano – Jutta Hipp;  Alto Saxophone – Emil Mangelsdorff;  Bass – Hans Kresse;  Drums – Karl Sanner;  Tenor Saxophone – Joki Freund

Cool Dogs & Two Oranges

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Jutta Hipp - Jutta's Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:39] 1. Wee Dot
[6:13] 2. Violets For Your Furs
[6:20] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[8:46] 4. Just Blues
[6:49] 5. Down Home
[7:03] 6. Too Close For Comfort

“As Hipp…matured artistically, she had defined her own artistic standards and revolted when pressured to record music she did not like. She also suffered from severe stage fright throughout her career. Thus being the featured artist at a large performance venue was more of a daunting chore for Hipp than a joyful public celebration of her talent.” ~ All About Jazz

The lore of jazz is filled with stories of musicians of prodigious gifts who appeared on the scene in a starburst and disappeared back to whence they came just as quickly; leaving behind perhaps a few recordings and the often faulty memories of those who worked with them. Pianist Jutta Hipp epitomizes these musicians.

Ms. Hipp was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1925. She learned to play the piano as a child, but in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War she studied painting at the Leipzig Kunstakademie. By this time her interest in jazz had begun. When the Soviets took over what would become East Germany in the late ’40’s, she moved with her family to Munich. There, Jutta began to play piano professionally, starting her own group. In the early 50’s, she joined a group led by saxophonist Hans Koller.

Jutta's Swing

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Jutta Hipp & Zoot Sims - Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 123.3 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1956/1996/2008
Art: Front

[8:38] 1. Just Blues
[6:06] 2. Violets For Your Furs
[6:38] 3. Down Home
[6:12] 4. Almost Like Being In Love
[7:25] 5. Wee-Dot
[6:48] 6. Too Close For Comfort
[6:09] 7. These Foolish Things
[5:51] 8. 's Wonderful

Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik; Drums – Ed Thigpen; Piano – Jutta Hipp; Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims; Trumpet – Jerry Lloyd. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ; July 28, 1956.

Jutta Hipp, a talented German pianist, came to the United States in the mid-'50s and quickly gained some attention. However, she was soon criticized for sounding too close to Horace Silver and, after recording this final Blue Note album, she gradually dropped out of music. Reissued in 1996 on CD with two extra selections, Hipp's boppish music on the set is very enjoyable and swinging. Oddly enough, she does not sound at all like Silver on the date, making one wonder why she soon left the jazz world. Teamed up with great tenor Zoot Sims (who dominates the music), somewhat hesitant trumpeter Jerry Lloyd (who briefly came out of retirement), bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and drummer Ed Thigpen, Hipp sounds excellent on a couple of basic originals and such standards as "Violets for Your Furs," "Almost Like Being in Love," and J.J. Johnson's "Wee Dot." This formerly rare set is well worth picking up by straight-ahead jazz collectors. ~Scott Yanow

Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims

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Jutta Hipp - The Lost Tapes (The German Recordings 1952-1955) [Extended Version]

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:30
Size: 166.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:33] 1. Blues After Hours
[3:26] 2. Erroll's Bounce
[2:34] 3. Gone With The Wind
[4:48] 4. Out Of Nowhere
[5:02] 5. You Go To My Head
[3:47] 6. Stompin' At The Savoy
[6:32] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:10] 8. Fool That I Am
[2:57] 9. The Lonesome Road
[2:29] 10. Fine And Dandy
[1:57] 11. What's New
[2:10] 12. These Foolish Things
[4:34] 13. Stompin' At The Savoy (Alt)
[2:29] 14. Sound Koller
[3:06] 15. Come Back To Sorrento
[3:36] 16. Moonlight In Vermont
[4:34] 17. Daily Double
[3:58] 18. Indian Summer
[3:36] 19. Everything Happens To Me
[4:01] 20. Serpentinen

German-born pianist Jutta Hipp (1925-2003) was enticed to travel to New York in 1955 by jazz writer/historian Leonard Feather. She was signed by Alfred Lion to Blue Note Records where she very quickly—within an eight month period—recorded three albums for the label: At the Hickory House, Vol. 1 (1955); At the Hickory House, Vol. 2, and Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, a teaming with the tenor saxophonist which was her most successful album. Then it was over. Hipp left the music world in 1958 and supported herself in New York City as a seamstress and painter. She never returned to Germany, never again performed or recorded. The "why" of her retreat has never been fully explained, and she remains a "What If? artist. What if she had been able to achieve her considerable potential? The potential is revealed in Lost Tapes: The German Recordings 1952-1955. This is the sound that enchanted Leonard Feather, and convinced Alfred Lion that Blue Note Records had a spot on its roster for Jutta Hipp.

The set opens with Hipp working the piano trio format with a deeply blue "Blues After Hours," followed by Erroll Garner's "Erroll's Bounce." The pianist is in a very percussive frame of mind on the first of these, before gliding into a mesmerizing glissando that introduces a brief but sweet bit of improvisation. The second of these trio efforts sparkles—the way its author, pianist Garner, would have it.Tenor saxophonist Hans Koller joins the trio for the next eleven tunes. "Gone With the Wind" is a lilting effort, and Hipp proves herself a very capable and straight-forward accompanist—this is before pianist Bill Evans and his trios democratized the piano trio format. She shines as inspired soloist, though one who certainly could have stretched out more. Then this was in the end of the days of the 78 rpm records (1952), when the three minute limit was still in effect. "What Is This thing Called Love" is laid down in a haunting fashion, with Koller's sax sounding especially resonant. Again, Hipp is restrained and tasteful in the accompaniment mode, and beautifully inspired when she gets her solo spot, with some long, serpentine lines that bring fellow pianist Lennie Tristano to mind. The familiar "What's New" has a fetching, cool jazz lightness, with trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff joining the front line, and features Hipp swaying into a lovely sing-song solo.

This is a generous very welcome helping of early Jutta Hipp, an artist, sadly, without a big discography. And it's another of Jazzhuas' Records first-rate offerings of previously unreleased gems from some of the early jazz artists—American and European—performing in Germany. ~Dan McClenaghan

Jutta Hipp: piano; Franz "Shorty" Roeder: bass (1-13); Karl Sanner: drums (1-10, 14-17); Albert Manglesdorff: trombone (8-13); Hans Koller: tenor saxophone (3-13); Rudi Sehring: drums (11-13); Joki Freund: tenor saxophone (14, 17); Atilla Zoller: guitar (14, 17); Harry Schell: bass (14, 17).

The Lost Tapes (The German Recordings 1952-1955) [Extended Version]

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