Patrolman Lem Winchester - New Faces At Newport / A Tribute To Clifford Brown (2012)

Active for some years as a semi-professional jazz vibist, Lem Winchester, a police officer in Wilmington, Del., was largely unknown when jazz critic Leonard Feather first heard him in 1958 and brought him to the Newport Jazz festival that year. There, his stellar performance astounded audiences, musicians and critics alike. Issued as part of the album New Faces at Newport, it opened up for him the prospect of a career in jazz. Backed by Ramsey Lewiss well integrated trio, he made his first record as leader a few months later, working beautifully with Lewis on the tribute album to the late trumpeter, Clifford Brown, a boyhood friend of the vibist, included here.

As a cop, however, Winchester was violating police regulations by working as a weekend musician in his home town and in Philadelphia jazz spots. So, having recorded few highly praised albums, after eleven years of trying to decide between pounding a beat and keeping one, he turned in his badge and gun in the summer of 1960 and joined the jazz fraternity full time. Unfortunatelyand ironicallya few months later he shot himself in a tragic bit of pistol horseplay in an Indianapolis club.

Lem Winchester (vib), Ray Santisi, Ramsey Lewis (p), John Neves, Eldee Young (b), Jimmy Zitano, Issac Redd Holt (d). Tracks #1-4 originally released on Side B of the album "New Faces at Newport" (Metrojazz E 1005); Recorded in Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, R.I., on July 6, 1958. Tracks #5-12, from the Lem Winchester-Ramsey Lewis Trio LP "Perform a Tribute to Clifford Brown" (Argo LP(S) 642); Recorded in Chicago, on October 8, 1958.

Tracklist:

01. Presentation
02. Now's The Time
03. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
04. Take The A Train
05. Joy Spring
06. Where It Is
07. Sandu
08. Once In A While
09. Jordu
10. It Could Happen To You
11. Easy To Love
12. A Message From Boysie