Hear 1964 Jeremy Steig Quartet Jazz 45 - Oleo b/w Dark as a Dungeon.
Jeremy Steig Quartet - Oleo b/w Dark as a Dungeon (Columbia 42980). Good February of 1964 release by this group featuring flutist Steig with Ben Riley (drum), Ben Tucker (bass), and Denny Zeitlin (piano) from their first LP, "Flute Fever." By the age of 15, Steig was playing jazz professionally in Greenwich Village coffee houses. He came to the attention of music producer and critic John Henry Hammond, a Greenwich resident who would go on to produce Steig's debut album, Flute Fever (Steig consequently created the album's cover art). In 1962, Steig was involved in a motorcycle accident which left his face paralyzed with loss of hearing in one ear. Despite an operation, the right side of his face was still partially paralyzed leaving him unable to play flute. He took up drawing and contemplated becoming a muralist where he could make a steady living. According to Steig, he took one "tortured" week to decide whether to be musician again. Upon deciding to become a musician full-time, he crafted a "blinder-like" mouthpiece which he inserted into his mouth to blow air. He relied on this device to play flute and went on to release 23 LPs as a band leader and multiple other releases as a sideman. Oleo is taken from the LP, Flute Fever while Dark as a Dungeon was a single only cut. Take a listen. Record is in VG+ condition.
