Nick Travis Featuring Al Cohn - How About You? (2016)

Though Nick Travis (1925-1964) spent his brief life in the shadow of other mas- ters of his instrument, he was one of New York’s jazz elite, part of the formida- ble clique of first-call trumpet players for recording sessions in the city and a key man in the trumpet sections of the Ray McKinley, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Sauter-Finegan, Elliot Lawrence and Gerry Mulligan bands. Technically impressive, with great range and crisp articulation, he was also a reliable and sometimes brilliant soloist. It was little wonder he was in great demand.

Despite this, he made only one album as leader, The Panic Is On, a quintet recorded with his great musical buddy, tenor saxophonist Al Cohn. Their undoubted rapport and Cohn’s arrangements contribute much to the success of this assured and pleasurable album. Cohn also wrote most of the charts for the quartet, octets and big band dates in which Travis is a featured soloist in this tribute to his talent. If a glance at the stature of the players involved shows he belonged at the top table, a listen to the opening How About You? confirms it.

While not a profoundly original improviser, Nick Travis was always profession- al, usually interesting and sometimes exceptional. It’s time for a re-evaluation to give him the credit he deserves.