William Russo & Leonard Bernstein - Blues Band / West Side Story (1973) Vinyl LP

Catalog Number: 2530-309

Record Grading: Excellent (EX), Sleeve Grading: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition Details:

Vinyl plays with occasional light-crackles (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; surface impressions (front/back); light-scuffing on front, heavier on back. Inner-sleeve is poly-lined paper. Spine is mostly easy-to-read. Minor shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

• Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony Orchestra, Op. 50 (1968)
• Symphonic Dances From “West Side Story” (1961)

About The Record:

Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony Orchestra / Symphonic Dances From West Side Story, by William Russo, Siegel-Schwall Band, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and Seiji Ozawa, is a groundbreaking 1973 double-feature album that juxtaposes Russo's innovative fusion of blues and orchestral elements with Bernstein's dramatic symphonic adaptation of his West Side Story score. Historically significant as an early experiment in blending Chicago blues with classical symphony, the first side features the Siegel-Schwall Band—comprising harmonica wizard Corky Siegel, guitarist Jim Schwall, bassist Al Radford, and drummer Shelly Plotkin—integrated into the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for Russo's Three Pieces For Blues Band And Symphony Orchestra, Op. 50 (1968), including a standout violin solo by Stuart Canin on the second movement. A unique aspect is the seamless collaboration between the raw electric blues ensemble and the full orchestra, capturing the era's push toward genre-blending in contemporary music. The second side delivers the expansive Symphonic Dances From West Side Story (1961), conducted masterfully by Seiji Ozawa, encompassing fan-favorites like the explosive Prologue, the poignant Somewhere, the rhythmic Mambo, the tense Cool fugue, the chaotic Rumble, and a sweeping Finale, all reimagined in vivid orchestral color. Critically praised for its bold ambition and virtuoso execution, this recording remains a cult treasure for enthusiasts of crossover jazz, blues, and Broadway orchestration.