''First Time Out'' is the debut album by American composer/arranger/keyboardist

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorat ...

, recorded and released in 1962 by

Pacific Jazz Records Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles–based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-fou ...

Reception

Aside from the overwhelmingly positive response that greeted Fischer's debut, the most pervasive reaction was sheer surprise; indeed, ''

Down Beat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

's'' 5-star review dubbed it "the biggest surprise of the year." As jazz historian and critic Martin Williams observes, writing in '' The Saturday Review'':

First Time Out is from a rather unexpected source: it is a recital by a piano trio, led by Clare Fischer, a man previously known for his arranging and composing. Fischer's piano is not 'interesting,' as an arranger's piano is apt to be. It is much more accomplished than that."

While struggling to pinpoint Fischer's pianistic forebears, finding elements of both

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, block chords, innovative chord voicings, a ...

and

Dodo Marmarosa Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa (December 12, 1925 – September 17, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marmarosa became a professional musician in his mid-teens, and toured with several ...

, critic

Leonard Feather Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing. Biography Feather was born in London, England, into an u ...

echoes Williams' essential point, noting Fischer's "complete command of the keyboard; unlike

Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian Americans, Canadian–American jazz pianist, Music arranger, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators i ...

Tadd Dameron Tadley Ewing Peake Dameron (February 21, 1917 – March 8, 1965) was an American jazz composer, arranger, and pianist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dameron was the most influential arranger of the bebop era, but also wrote charts for swi ...

, and other arrangers who are secondarily pianists, he can be judged entirely by a pianistic yardstick."Leonard Feather's liner notes for ''Surging Ahead''
livedoor Blog. Retrieved 2013-03-20. ''

Gramophone A phonograph, later called a gramophone, and since the 1940s a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue reproduction of sound. The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding physic ...

s review praises "this superlative album," in part for preventing Fischer from "becoming one of the most neglected figures in jazz." '' The Atlanta Daily World's'' Albert Anderson stops short of such hyperbole, but does acknowledge his own surprise:

I knew well before reviewing this record that Fischer was a composer of note. What I didn't know, though, was that he is such an outstanding pianist. However, after listening to these tracks (five of which are Fischer originals), I was tremendously impressed by his facility with a tune - He plays with mastery, melody and perhaps, too, with his audience in mind. The latter is suggested clearly in shifting moods and tempos; there is never a dull moment.

Track listing

All compositions by Clare Fischer except where noted. Side 1 # "Nigerian Walk" (

Ed Shaughnessy Edwin Thomas Shaughnessy (January 29, 1929 – May 24, 2013) was a swing music and jazz drummer long associated with Doc Severinsen and a member of The Tonight Show Band on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Biography Shaughnessy ...

) - 7:02 # "Toddler" - 4:40 # "Stranger" (

Gary Peacock Gary George Peacock (May 12, 1935September 4, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist. He recorded a dozen albums under his own name, and also performed and recorded with major jazz figures such as avant garde saxophonist Albert Ayler, piani ...

) - 4:00 # "Afterfact" - 4:06 Side 2 # "Free Too Long" - 7:30 # "Piece for Scotty" - 3:13 # "Blues for Home" - 5:09 # " I Love You" (

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

) - 5:13

Personnel

- piano *

- bass *Gene Stone - drums

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:First Time Out (Clare Fischer album) 1962 debut albums Clare Fischer albums Jazz albums by American artists Pacific Jazz Records albums