Modern Touch

AMG Review of Modern Touch

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Modern Touch is a CD reissue that compiles the complete contents of two LPs led by arranger-pianist Marty Paich: The Broadway Bit and I Get a Boot out of You. Since the groups are similar (being 12 or 13 pieces depending on whether they have two or three trumpets), both of the albums were recorded in 1959, and the mixture of show tunes with jazz standards is logical; this is a very unified set. Paich's arrangements always swing, altoist Art Pepper is well showcased, and among the other key players are Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet and baritone), vibraphonist Victor Feldman, trumpeters Stu Williamson and Jack Sheldon, and either Paich or Russ Freeman on piano. This is fun if slightly conservative music that fits the modern mainstream of the era.