Artist: 
Serge Chaloff

Blue Serge

Tone Poet Vinyl
€39,99

Release date: 6 June 2025

Article Number: 515244000

A little-known Boston-born baritone saxophonist, Serge Chaloff was one of the earliest bebop practitioners on his instrument and possessed a remarkable agility and lyricism. He first gained wider recognition as a member of the "Four Brothers" saxophone section in Woody Herman’s band in the late-1940s alongside Stan Getz and Zoot Sims. His career path was unsteady due to personal problems, but in 1954 he made a comeback with a stellar pair of recordings for Capitol Records: "Boston Blow-Up!" and "Blue Serge". The latter would be his defining album with Chaloff joined by pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The quartet simmers on a laid-back 7-song set of standards including "A Handful of Stars" and "All The Things You Are" plus the sole original "Susie’s Blues."

BLUE NOTE TONE POET EDITION: Mono, produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a single sleeve with deluxe tip-on jacket. 

Tracklisting:

Blue Serge (1954)

A1. A Handful Of Stars
A2. The Goof And I
A3. Thanks For The Memory
A4. All The Things You Are
B1. I've Got The World On A String
B2. Susie's Blues
B3. Stairway To The Stars

Serge Chaloff (baritone sax); Sonny Clark (piano); Leroy Vinnegar (bass); Philly Joe Jones (drums)