Skylark Buy Now
Chuck Hedges and the Johnny Varro Trio
Chuck Hedges: Clarinet
Johnny Varro: Piano
Ray Leatherwood: Bass
Gene Estes: Drums

1. When You’re Smiling
(Fisher/Goodwin)
2. Here’s That Rainy Day
(Burke/Van Heusen)
3. Autumn Leaves
(Prevert/Mercer/Kosman
4. ‘Round Midnight
(T. Monk)
5. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(Rodgers/Hart)
6. Jitterbug Waltz
(T. “Fats” Waller)
7. There Will Never Be Another You
(Harry Warren)
8. Skylark
(Mercer/Carmichael)
9. I Found A New Baby
(Palmer/Williams)

Delmark Records – DD - 483
Producer: Dan Grant – Associate Producer: Shirley Grant
CD Production: Robert G. Koester
Recorded at: Music Lab Studios; Hollywood Ca.
Engineers: Rod Van Der Heidt & Chuck Conklin
Cover Photo: Monique C. Churchill
Art Direction/Design: Kate Hoddinott
Recorded May, 1983

Liner Notes

Chuck Hedges was introduced to me by Wild Bill Davison when Chuck came out to play clarinet with Bill at the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in 1982. That weekend was an experience, running around with Bill and Chuck and their various entourages to sit in, be featured and to play with all of Bill’s old friends around Los Angeles. The next time was the Ojai Jazz Festival and bringing Chuck back to Los Angeles for a feature at one of our local membership jazz clubs. By this time Chuck and I had developed a great friendship and respect. I for his playing, he for my musical naiveté and plain blind luck in bringing out the Miller! Varro album. We started talking “album.” Chuck was a great admirer of Johnny Varro, considering him one of the best jazz pianists in the United States. He had worked with Johnny, Gene Estes and Ray Leatherwood at the Playboy and Ojai Festivals and knew that with them along we had a sure fire group. I, having used Johnny, Ray and Gene on the previous album, had already dubbed them the “World’s Greatest Rhythm Section.” When Chuck finished his gig at the Sacramento Jazz Festival in May, 1983, we all came down to Los Angeles and got to work. After one night at Gatsby’s in Brentwood, where Johnny is staff pianist, we were ready to record, and boy, did we. We had a list of fourteen tunes worked out, but by the time we did the nine you hear on this album, we figured anything else they did would be anticlimatic and so left it at that. What a great nine they are!

Chuck was born in Chicago and played with George Brunis, Danny Alvin and Mugsy Spanier in the early ‘50s. He later joined Dave Reming - ton’s band at the Wagon Wheel Lodge in Rockton, IL. In the ‘60s he toured with Wisconsin trumpet great Dick Ruedebusch and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. He also played at Chicago’s famous Jazz Ltd. Club in a band led by owner Bill Reinhart. Milwaukee has become his home while touring and playing every major jazz festival throughout the U.S. and Europe. He currently leads the Swingtet out of Andy’s in Chicago, as recorded on Delmark 465.