Hook's Gems

Mingus Big Band - Glasgow

2012-01-25T20:20:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to get this up for awhile so with the great scare going on right now I figured this was the perfect time. I'm damn sure Mingus would be on our side in sharing these recordings.

The backstory - This recording appears to be taken from a radio broadcast. I acquired it when I belonged to the IAJRC. I made a copy of a pair of cassettes from their lending library...onto cassette because cd burners were not happening just yet for us regular folk. As soon as I was able to transfer to disc I did. Unfortunately I have since...uhhh...misplaced the original cassettes which certainly contain at the very least, recording info, if not also track listings.
I'm sure I will run across these in the near future but for now you too can enjoy the mystery of identifying these tracks. Feel free to post in the comments and I will assemble the info out front here.

UPDATE - check the comments. Couple of our friends came through with the info.

The last two tracks are a short interview with Sue Mingus recorded on the tour.

Mingus Big Band - live 1
Mingus Big Band - live 2

DJ Theme Somgs

2012-01-22T00:06:00.001-05:00

There was a time I was living on the outskirts of Chicago. I lived in a basement bedroom and WDCB was a ray of light in my dismal existence.Things are far better now but I still enjoy listening to these recordings of some of the shows I made back then. Saved my soul, they did.

This is just one of those shows. If I ran a radio station, I would love to play this stuff. It's short, but certainly worth your time. Enjoy.

Songs written for or inspired by Disc Jockeys

1. One For Daddy - O

2. Chicago

3. Coral Reef

4. At Long Last Love

5. Be-Bop Charlie

6. Nasty Magnus

7. The Mark of Jazz

1. The Cannonball Adderly Sextet

2. Count Basie/Tony Bennett

3. Neal Hefti

4. Frank Sinatra

5. Bob Florence

6. Count Basie

7. Maynard Ferguson

another radio show

Ran Blake - Vilnius Noir

2012-01-11T20:04:00.002-05:00

Ran Blake is a bit of an enigma to me. I know next to nothing about the fellah. Not a single person has ever tried to turn me onto his music, except perhaps inadvertently. There was a Ran Blake record mixed in with a pile of odd jazz lps my friend wanted burned. I was happy to oblige as I had not heard much of the stuff and I was curious. I don't even remember what record it was of his that caught my ear, but subsequent exploration was of little help. Some stuff was really cool and some just left me scratching my head. My biggest thing was that the songs were often so short without stretching out at all. Perhaps Blake likes to just say what he has to say and move on.
So why in the world would I take a chance on this lp? It's expensive and the only other featured performer is on guitar, which is not amongst my favorite jazz instruments.And I'm betting it is not very long.
Well I was right on that count, This clocks in just over 30 minutes. For the record... 30+ seamless minutes of some damn sweet music that these dudes played live in a church. Why is it that church recordings always seems so special?

Anyway this is a drink and smoke lp, and not one that will cause one's feet to move. So sit back and smolder.

Vilnius Noir

1. Vilna/Turning Point

2. Cry Wolf

3. In Pursuit

4. Shlof Mayn Kind

5. Jack's Blues/Stratusphunk

6. Driftwood

7. Sontagism

8. Watch What Happens/Papirosn

9. Thursday

10. Desifinado

11. My Cherie Amour

12. Mood Indigo

Ran Blake - piano

David "Knife" Fabris - guitar

recorded live on 10th December, 2010 at St. Catherine's Church

*after a nice conversation with Danas at NoBusiness he has informed me that since this is not available on disc, he will be more than happy to make a cd-r for people without turntables who might request it, making sure that a portion of the proceeds are funneled to the artist. This seems more than fair to me so I have removed the links even though he did not insist that I do so. His label much like this blog is a labor of love and I implore you to support him in any way you can.

Charlie Parker plays Cole Porter

2012-01-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

One of a set of Parker reissues from Verve in glorious mono. Also it was sadly reissued "electronically reprocessed for stereo". This is the shit boys and girls. Scraped right off the vinyl that is older than me.

The alternate take of "I Love Paris" is one of the sexiest songs ever recorded. Had I been aware it years ago, it would have ended up on one of those largely ineffectual seduction cassettes that lonely music geeks were known to make.
Recorded in 1955, I believe this lp reissue is from 1968. At 44 years of age, this platter is starting to show a little wear. Never the less it still feels good to wrap around it once in awhile.

This post is somewhat cobbed from my sadly neglected Cole Porter blog.

the genius of Charlie Parker #5
Charlie Parker plays Cole Porter

1. I Get A Kick Out Of You*
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You (alt.)*
3. Just One Of Those Things*
4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy*
5. I've Got You Under My Skin*
6. Love For Sale+
7. Love For Sale (alt.)+
8. I Love Paris+
9. I Love Paris (alt.)+

Charlie Parker - alto
Roy Haynes - drums *
Art Taylor - drums +
Jerome Darr - guitar*
Billy Bauer - guitar +
Kenny Kotick - bass
Walter Bishop, Jr. - piano

MG V-8007

Art Pepper - True Blues

2012-01-05T21:25:00.000-05:00

Aw hell yeah! this was like the holy grail for me. I searched long and hard for this record. Scored over the holiday season!!
One of a pair of lps released with Micho Leviev as the leader. The other lp was reissued in the "Laurie Pepper presents" series as "Live at Tony Scott's" but the original title is something about Fisherman's Blues but I can't seem to find the damn thing right now.
I paid far too much for this record so dig it cats, you won't see it around much.

The Milcho Leviev Quartet

True Blues

1. True Blues

2. Goodbye

3. G.I. Blues

4. Straight Life

Milcho Leviev - piano

Art Pepper - alto sax

Tony Dumas - bass

Carl Burnett - drums

Mole 5

David Murray - Flowers for Albert

2012-01-01T17:39:00.001-05:00

First let me say that while I was looking for a cover image, I found that one of my favorite blogs had already posted this lp. I do believe that they have a copy of the CD with the "Complete Concert" up though. Which in actuality is taken from two different sessions.

This is the original lp as presented except that I cut the tracks at the obvious spot even if the lp lists them as a single track per side.

Goddamn! Murray was 21 when this lp was recorded. It was his first as a leader and was a fixture in the loft scene. I was 18 and drinking beer and smoking weed in a 100 dollar a month apartment listening to Yes and Pink Floyd on some crappy little stereo. So to say this music is so far past the scope of what I would have listened to at that time that it is crazy is an understatement. Hell 35 years later, I still struggle with it at times, even though Murray has become one of my favorite performers.

Flowers For Albert

1. Joanne's Green Satin Dress

2. Ballad For A Decomposed Beauty

3. Flowers For Albert

4. Roscoe

David Murray - tenor sax

Phillip Wilson - drums

Olu Dara - trumpet

Fred Hopkins - bass

Recorded at The Ladies' Fort, NYC 6/26/76

India Navigation IN1026

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

Just want to take a minute to wish Happy New Year and best wishes to all my friends who visit here. All told it had been a pretty good year. I have seen a lot of nice new blogs and have met (ethereally) a few new friends. A few shoutouts, in no specific order; Emile for provided one of the most fun blogs on the planet, Arkadin for his continued top notch effort, Uri and Paolo for the great new additions, King Cake for keeping it real, and inconstant sol and orgy in rhythm for hanging in there so long. LePorc and the crew from you know where. Cheeba, where ever you are my friend, I hope you and yours are doing well and everything worked out. And last but not least, my constant debt of gratitude to Rab. As I have said time and again, I wouldn't even being doing this without his encouragement, and he has remained a staunch supporter.
I'm sorry if I left anyone out because I was truly blessed with many new acquaintances this year.
This has truly been a labor of love and despite the occasional moaning about the trolls without enough courtesy to say thanks once in awhile, it has been worth it. As long as people want to hear this music, I'll keep sharing it, if I am able.

Keep swingin', ya all

Hook

David S Ware - Surrendered

2011-12-31T23:59:00.003-05:00

I have had this record in the queue for awhile but I hesitated because I thought it might be to widely available still. I stand by that and yet here I am offering to whoever because I love it so much and it would be a shame to delete the file.
So on this New Year's Eve I offer this not so rare record (in the comments) while I wish y'all the most grooviest, stress-free and fulfilling wishes. Thanks to all who have made this blog a fun thing to share.

Keep swingin'. Direct orders from Chez Hook and we have never knowingly offered bad advice.

surrendered

Sam Rivers - R.I.P.

2011-12-27T19:42:00.001-05:00

Well I was hoping to not make a post until after the new year but sadly we have to say goodbye to Sam Rivers.

He played on some of my favorite records like Andrew Hill's Changes, Dave Holland's Conference of the Birds, and Bobby Hutcherson's Dialogue. He recorded that great lp with Don Pullen Capricorn Rising.

This was his first date as a leader. Dig around, there are a couple of Rivers' post on the blog.

R.I.P.

Walt Dickerson - Unity

2011-12-22T22:36:00.001-05:00

The vibes are cool, man. That's all they can be.They can swing. Oh, they can swing like a mother, but they always stay cool. Walt Dickerson is cool. Lionel Hampton was cool. Really cool. Bobby Hutcherson was soon to be cool. Probably the coolest of them all. But in between Dickerson showed 'em how to improvise.
These side long tracks sport a pair of drummers and not a horn to be seen!! I think this record shows a foresight rarely seen in 1964.

1. Unity

2. High Moon

Walt Dickerson - vibes

Walter Davis, Jr. - piano

Andrew Cyrille drums

Edgar Bateman - drums

George Tucker - bass

The cover photo is of the 1978 vinyl reissue you are currently digging...or at least should be soon.

CR 2011

David Murray Trio - The Hill

2011-12-19T19:16:00.001-05:00

My first thoughts about this aren't even going to be about the music but rather the cover itself. I love the photo and it is one of those that photos that looks so great on an lp cover even if it doesn't reproduce so well here. The dark curtains blowing in the old window sets a tone for the music inside I believe. As a cd cover it is shit. You can barely make the photo out and you're always drawn to that god awful typesetting. That lettering belongs on a Cheap Trick record but I digress.
I mentioned in my first David Murray post that for years I had a hit and miss relationship with his music. You see I came late to Murray and several other like minded musicians. I had no one to lead me. The only jazz my friends listened to was all too well known to me and I was the one looking ahead. So I didn't become an ardent fan of Murray's until a good 25 years after he started recording. Since then he has become a favorite.
This record has also been a standout in his career to me. What I like about sax trio records is there is nowhere to hide. You hire a crack rhythm section and you play your heart out. Murray opens with a smoking version of "Santa Barbara and Crenshaw Follies", a track I know from an octet outing recorded several years prior. Before this ends you know you've just gotten your money's worth and you have the rest of the lp to follow. And follow it does, without slowing down or missing a beat, that is until the last song when everyone takes a deep breath, the vibes are rolled out and we get what may be one of my favorite versions of Strayhorn's Chelsea Bridge. Link pulled, check comments

David Murray Trio

The Hill

1. Santa Barbara and Crenshaw Follies

2. The Hill

3. Fling

4. Take the Coltrane

5. Herbie Miller

6. Chelsea Bridge

David Murray - tenor sax, bass clarinet

Richard Davis - bass

Joe Chambers - drums, vibes

Black Saint, 1988 120 110-1

Lee Konitz Franco D'Andrea - Inside Cole Porter

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

This thing is too cool to just reside on the Cole Porter blog, which has laid neglected for far too long, so I'm gonna post it on both.

These are really nice duets between Konitz and relatively unknown pianist Franco D'Andrea. I say relatively unknown because our friends at wikipedia have very little information on him but I know he has recorded several lps that are not listed there. He hails from Italy (and damn don't they have a fine jazz scene there?) but even so he rarely shows up on the Italian jazz blogs. He may be on a half dozen Horo releases but always a sideman.

Additionally this was recorded "In celebration of Lee Konitz 70th Birthday" so he takes the majority of the solos. D'Andrea steps up and rolls out some fime solos himself while tastefully accompanying Konitz on these Porter songs that I am sure he was intimately familiar with already.

Lee Konitz - Franco DAndrea

Inside Cole Porter

1. The Song Is You

2. Medley: The Song Is You (intro); What Is This Thing Called Love; Everytime We Say Goodbye (intro)

3. Everytime we Say Goodbye

4. I Love You

5. Love For Sale

6. Medley: Easy To Love (intro); Night and Day (intro); Easy To Love

7. It's All Right With Me

Lee Konitz - alto sax

Franco D'Andrea - piano

recorded at Mu Rec studio, Milano on May 2, 1996

NLJ 0967-2

Coleman Hawkins - Crown LPs

2011-11-26T00:53:00.000-05:00

Even if you have never heard these records before they are as comfortable as that jacket that Woodie Allen has worn in his last 15 movies. You can be hipper than Woodie. Swing to these groovy tunes laid down in the early 60's.

Here's a pair of Hawk lps on the Crown label. How the hell do they end up there?
I upgrade these records every chance I get but ya just don't see em around much. As a matter of fact the current copy of the earlier lp was purchased sans cover but was still in better shape than the one I had at the time.

A double dose of Bean...same band both sessions.

Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra

1. Bean In Orbit

2. After Midnight

3. Hassle

4. Moodsville

5. Stalking

The Hawk Swings

6. Cloudy

7. Almost Dawn

8. Stake Out

9. Cross Town

10. Shadows

Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax

Thad Jones - trumpet

George Duvivier - bass

Eddie Costa - piano, vibes

Osie Johnson - drums

Crown Records CST 206 and CLP 5207

James P. Johnson - Watch Me Go

2011-11-16T20:31:00.001-05:00

I know damn well this won't appeal to everybody but I think some of my readers may enjoy it. I really do enjoy stuff like this from the very early days of jazz. While these are all accompaniments, I can't imagine what it was like to hear piano like that way back when.

Some of these songs are just plain silly as so many period pieces can be, it was after all a much simpler time so they say. That said there are still many awesome songs on this record that would never have seen the light of day if it weren't for true jazz collectors. we owe them a debt of gratitude. The back cover liner notes are extensive albeit spotted with typos, so if anyone really wants them e-mail and I will find a way to get them to you.

James P Johnson - Watch Me Go

Rare accompaniments: 1921~34

1. Watch Me Go

2. You'll Never Miss A Good Thing Till It's Gone

3. Original Black Bottom Dance

4. Nobody Worries About Me

5. Black Snake Moan

6. Fortune Teller Blues

7. Doggone Blues

8. Can't Be Bothered With No Sheik

9. Oh, Mr. Mitchell

10. Where Is My Man?

11. You've Got To Be Modernistic

12. Shout On

13. All That I Had Is Gone

14. Lucy Long

15. Jazzbo Dan and his Yodelin' Band

16. Syncopatin' Yodelin' Man

17. Ooh! Looka There, Ain't She Pretty

18. Uncle Sammy Here I Am

1, 2 - Lavinia Baker

3, 4 - Sadie Jackson

5, 6, 7, 8 - Rosa Henderson

9, 10 - Clara Smith

11, 12 - Great Day New Orleans Singers

13, 14 - Perry Bradford

15, 16 - Roy Evans

17, 18 - Clarence Williams

From my vinyl copy of IAJRC 52

Leonard Feather Presents: 52nd Street with Phil Woods

2011-11-05T07:45:00.001-04:00

Don't know much about this record. There is no recording dates listed on the sleeve, although it is apparent it is from two separate sessions. I'm not sure what was supposed to happen here but this record does a fine job of highlighting the early bop movement, coupling several veterans with some of the young up and comers at the time.

The liner notes kinda imply that this record is sorta wrapping up the bop movement, a silly idea at any time.

What is there to say about these tunes that hasn't been said a thousand times before. Pure bop standards performed for the joy of it it seems to me.

Many's a time when I wish I could have recorded and released a bunch of my friends jamming some tunes. Feather did it as well as anyone. Back when it mattered.

Leonard Feather Presents

52nd Street

1. Little Benny

2. Be Bop

3. Lemon Drop

4. Ornithology

5. Anthropology

6. Salt Peanuts

7. Groovin' High

8. Shaw "Nuff

9. Billie's Bounce

10. Hot House and 52nd Street Theme

George Wallington - piano

Phil Woods - alto

Curley Russell -bass

Idrees Sulieman - trumpet...

Denzel Best - drums (1-5)

Thad Jones - trumpet...

Art Taylor - drums (6-10)

VSOP 12

Pharoah Sanders - The Latin Jazz Quintet Featuring PS

2011-11-02T18:55:00.000-04:00

I was going to post this awhile back until someone asked for the Live at The East record so I want to get back to it now before it disappears in the stacks.

I picked this lp up for, not surprisingly, next to nothing. First off it is a reissue of an older scarcer lp and second the very idea may be a bit hard to swallow. I won't snow you and tell you this is a great lost classic or anything but it is a fun record. I'm always interested when I discover something that puts my favorites in a unusual setting. I wonder what the reaction was to this upon initial release.

Unfortunately there is very little info to go by on the sleeve. What I gather is that PS has actually joined a handful of musicians who play under the moniker "The Latin Jazz Quintet". These fellows hold their own and the compositions are theirs, nothing written by Sanders. One of the things I like about this record is that Sanders plays within the ensemble, and isn't necessarily the focus of the lp. He seems to be having fun playing some swinging solos including a couple on the soprano sax.
You're not gonna find anything even vaguely outside here.You won't walk away feeling like you have been cheated outta 40 minutes either.

The Latin Jazz Quintet featuring Pharoah Sanders

1. Oh! Pharoah Speak

2. Daria

3. The Dues Payer

4. Harlem

5. Midnight Monturo

6. P's and Q's

PHX309

Bud Powell - Radio Broadcasts Summer 1953

2011-10-31T20:10:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to get one last one in before the end of the month. I've had this ready to go for awhile. Wasn't really sure how much interest there would be in this. Enjoy...

Here's one I found as I was cleaning out some old cassettes. The sound quality isn't that great, but i suspect it wasn't on the original source as I was using a Nakamichi deck at the time I would have grabbed this. I probably grabbed this from a late night radio show. The fact that the sound is muffled is probably why the cassette languished in a box all these many years. Despite that I found myself enjoying the music once I decided to give it a quick listen before converting or trashing. I'm thinking that may even be Mingus on bass and then, what the hell that has to be Bird on a couple of tracks. So yeah, we're keeping it and even sharing it here.

*While researching before posting I see now that ESP was offering digital dls of this but physical product. What's this world coming to? Also their track listings appear to be different than what I have on tape. I'll try to do my best to reconcile the two, as I sometimes have problems recognizing even the most common songs, or rather recognizing the titles of such. They also supplied all the info as I had nothing but a cassette in a plastic case.

Bud Powell

1953 Summer Broadcasts

1. I've Got You Under My Skin

2. Autumn In New York

3. I Want To Be Happy

4. Moose The Mooche

5. Cheryl

6. Budo

7. My Heart Stood Still

8. Dance Of The Infidels

9. Dance Of The Infidels

Bud Powell - piano

Charles Mingus - bass

Art Taylor - drums

add Bird (as) and Candido (cgs) to tracks 3 & 4

recorded at Birdland
1-5 - 5/30/53
6-8 - 6/20/53
9 - 7/11/53

here

Jorge Lopez Ruiz - Bronca Buenos Aries

2011-10-23T19:35:00.001-04:00

This came as a recommendation from an acquaintance. I am often suspect of recommendations, more often than not they turn out to be mediocre lps that someone has a personal affinity towards. Not that I don't have many lps in my collection that would easily fall into that category.
This on the other hand caught me off guard. I was fully expecting a decent '70's brazilian record. I had no idea how cool this thing was gonna be. It easily slides from quiet ensemble passages to Tranesque sax workouts to full modern big band arrangements. Never a misstep

From the liner notes.".recorded and composed in B.A. by Argentinian bassist Jorge Lopes Ruiz in 1971. Based on the writings of Jose tcherkaski and the "El Cordobazo" uprising,"

Bronca Buenos Aries

1. La Cuidad Vacia

2. Relatos

3. Amor Buenos Aries

4. Bronca Buenos Aries

Soloists

Horacio "Chivo" Borraro - tenor sax

Fernando Gelbard - Pianos and flute

Jorge Lopez Ruiz - bass

Carlos "Poncho" Lapouble - drums

Guests

Santiago Giacobbe - hammond

Alfredo Remus - electric bass

Enrique "Zurdo" Roizner - drums

the choir and orchestra appear are all locals.

recorded at Estudios Ion; Buenos Aries; 1971

this is a cd reissue and not the real thing...wmcd-0082

David S Ware Quartet - Live in Vilnius

2011-10-17T20:15:00.003-04:00

This isn't just a gem, it should be a classic. By far and away Ware's most solid quartet, this is a recording of their last show together. Just freaking superb.
It is odd that this was released by some dude in Lithuania. Don't get me wrong, he has a handful of fantastic releases in his catalog. It's just that he only released 1000 pressings of this lp and there are still some available.
When three people who have all released critically acclaimed records get together you have the potential for a clash of wills, that ends up muddled in mediocrity. Except in jazz. These guys revel in playing together, pushing each other. Ofttimes the live recordings overshadow the studio performances. As much as I love this band on Surrendered...this for me is the epitome of their recordings.

David S. Ware Quartet

Live In Vilnius

1. Ganesh Sound

2. Theme of Ages

3. Mikuro's Blues

4. The Stargazers

5. The Stargazers (con't)

6. Lithuanian Whirl

7. Surrendered

DSW - tenor

Matthew Shipp - piano

William Parker - bass

Guillermo E. Brown - drums

recorded 3/24/07
Lithuanian Russian Drama Theater

NBLP 4/5

Pharaoh Sanders - Live At The East

2011-10-12T21:00:00.004-04:00

I had actually forgotten how much I enjoy this record, until I was reminded recently that I owed someone a copy.
Around the time this was recorded, Sanders could easily venture off into free form territory or he could hold the course with more spiritual sounding stuff that was no less interesting. I love the way this gently slides between both.

Sanders assembled an odd and definitely smoking line up for this outing. From what I have read, this was not actually recorded at the East, but the audience was brought to the studio albeit still for a live recording

Most certainly this is a copy I got from someone's fine blog at one time, because my vinyl is not this clean and the second track is split on the lp. So I debt of gratitude is owed to whoever was kind enough to put an immaculate copy out there.

Pharaoh Sanders

Live At The East

1. Healing Song

2. Lumkili Pts 1 & 2

3. Memories of J. W. Coltrane

Pharaoh Sanders - tenor

Marvin Hannibal Peterson - trumpet

Carlos Garnett - flute

Harold Vick - tenor

Joe Bonner - piano

Cecil McBee, Stanley Clarke - bass

Billy Hart, Norman Connors - drums

Lawrence Killian - percussion

Prestige AS 9227

recorded NYC 1971

A Taste Of The Best From World Pacific

2011-10-04T20:31:00.002-04:00

Hell, I wanna post this record almost as much for the cover as the music. Everything about this record is just about its period. I can see this spinning on the Hi-fi at my bachelor pad, except I'm not that old and was never that cool. Prepared for the industry the year I was born, I wonder which of us has held up better? The competition may have been tougher if they had mined Pacific's vaults a bit more, but I realize that was not the intention.
There is nothing unreleased on here as far as I know although there a bit of stuff you won't find easily.
On the bright side..."all the selections were chosen for broad appeal and brevity..."
"All necessary information to facilitate and stimulate frequent play is included in the chart below."

The Major Names In Modern Music - On World Pacific

1. Let's Face The Music and Dance

2.The Folks Who love On The Hill

3. Siren Song

4. Smoke gets In Your Eyes

5. Put Away Your Dreams

6. 'Round About Midnight

7. In A Mellowtone

8. Lullaby Of The Leaves

9. Dance of The Siamese Children

10. Rhymes Have I

11. Disc Jockey Jump

12. Jersey Bounce

13. It Don't Mean A Thing

14. The Preacher

15. Don't Be That Way

16. That Old Feeling

17. Look For The Silver Lining

18. September In The Rain

19. Guitar For Sale

20. Raga Mishra Piloo

1. David Allen w/ Bill Holman Orch.

2. David Allen w/ Johnny Mandel Orch.

3. Pat Healy w/ Fred Katz Orch.

4. Bud Shank w/ Len Mercer Orch.

5. Bud Shank - Bob Cooper Orch.

6. Gil Evans and his Orch.

7. Chico Hamilton Quintet

8. Chico Hamilton Trio

9. The Mastersounds

10. The Mastersounds

11. Gerry Mulligan and the Sax Section

12. Gerry Mulligan Quartet

13. Annie Ross w/ Gerry Mulligan Quartet

14. Gerry Mulligan w/ Vinnie Burke Strings

15. Bob Brookmeyer - Jimmy Guiffre Quintet

16. Chet Baker Quartet

17. Chet Baker - Bill Perkins Quintet

18. Harry Edison Quartet

19. Shorty Petterstein!

20. Ravi Shankar w/ Charur Lal

World Pacific ST 779

Cecil McBee Sextet - Music from The Source

2011-09-21T20:04:00.000-04:00

It wasn't until I listened to this record a couple of times that I even realized it was a live set. I liked it but I never sat down to really listen to it. when I did it really clicked for me. I never really liked the flute much either but it may have been its use on this record that opened my ears a bit.
The record has a very spiritual feel to it. the sort of spirit you might feel if you were spending the evening under the stars in an oasis nestled somewhere just off screen from the front cover of the lp.
Side one, a single track, flows steadily from quiet through some raucousness and back to a steady lope before fading gently out. Side two lures you in quietly with a gentle serenade, sweet and pure. The next track reminds you that dancing to jazz is quite acceptable and even encouraged, until that saxophone needs to solo. Accomplished dancers may want to stay on their feet, while the rest of us will be content to listen and groovily sway our noggins.
One of my favorite things in life is to rediscover an lp with fresh ears and be astounded. More so, when the lp continues to sound fresh for many moons. So much for dismissing enja as a label so long ago.

Cecil McBee Sextet

Music from the Source

1. Agnez (with respect to Roy Haynes)

2. God Spirit

3. First Song In The Day

Cecil McBee - bass

Chico Freeman - flute, tenor sax

Joe Gardner - trumpet, flugelhorn

Dennis Moorman - piano

Steve McCall - drums

Don Moyes - conga

"recorded live at Sweet Basil, NYC under very difficult conditions"
8/2/77

mine is labeled IC 3023

Marion Brown - Sweet Earth Flying

2011-09-16T20:19:00.001-04:00

The first Marion Brown record I ever heard and still arguably his finest. My friend Mac turned me onto this when he wanted me to burn his lp onto disc. It was like a gateway drug, I was hooked. Even though his band had recorded a song named for Marion Brown, I had never really explored his music. I was in his hometown a few weeks after Marion's passing and I was thrilled to hear the band break this song out, if only for a few performances. Which has little or nothing to do with this actual record, which still takes my breath away each time I listen. It plays even now as I type and struggle for words.

This record has languished too long in limbo and needs to be rediscovered and added to many a Top 100 list.

Sounding very much of its time - mid 70's* - if you are a fan of jazz of that period - you need to hear this. If you are not such a fan, now is the time to give it a try - no better place to start than here.

Marion Brown

Sweet Earth Flying

1.Eleven Light City Part 1

2. Eleven Light City Part 2

3. Eleven Light City Part 3

4. Eleven Light City Part 4

5. Sweet Earth Flying Part 1

6. Sweet Earth Flying Part3

7. Sweet Earth Flying Part 4: Prince Willie

8. Sweet Earth Flying Part 5

1-4 Marion Brown (ss) Paul Bley (p, el-p, org) Muhal Richard Abrahms (el-p, org) James Jefferson (b, el-b) Steve McCall (d) Bill Hasson (per)

Boston, MA, May 6, 1974

5-8 Marion Brown (as) Muhal Richard Abrahms (p, el-p, org -2/4) Paul Bley (el-p -1,2) James Jefferson (b, el-b) Steve McCall (d, per -3) Bill Hasson (per, nar -3)

Boston, MA, May 7, 1974

Impulse AS 9275

* 1974 I was a sophomore in high school, and wouldn't even discover Miles Davis for another year.

Dave Brubeck Quartet In Berlin

2011-09-13T19:49:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the generosity in this community is overwhelming. My friend P___ encouraged me to post this recording. He could have easily kept it quiet, sharing only with a select few, but he would rather see it in the hands of jazz fans.
This is his record. I have uploaded a new link just to keep it alive but I take no credit for it's appearance. make sure you thank P__. Without him, this gem would not be here.

I'll let him tell the story.....

One of the hardest albums to acquire for most Dave Brubeck fans is In Berlin, a 1964 concert by his quartet released only in Germany by CBS. Since the set list includes two songs that were recorded at the 1963 Carnegie Hall concert, that may be why it wasn't also issued in the United States by Columbia, though the performances are sufficiently different and well played. Desmond is witty as usual in "St. Louis Blues," though Brubeck adds an amusing Charlie Parker lick in his solo and bassist Eugene Wright also shines. Brubeck's "Koto Song," which had just been recorded a few months earlier for the LP Jazz Impressions of Japan, gave the audience a taste of something new. The composer's economical solo contrasts with his supposed reputation for heavy-handed playing. The group's breezy rendition of "Take the 'A' Train" is followed by the inevitable "Take Five." Recorded for radio broadcast by WDR Cologne, the commercial release was an afterthought following the concert, when Brubeck asked about the possibility.

Dave Brubeck Quartet in Berlin
1. St. Louis Blues
2. Koto Song
3. Take the 'A' Train
4. Take Five

Paul Desmond - alto sax
Dave Brubeck - piano
Eugene Wright - bass
Joe Morello - drums

Berliner Jazztage 1964. Berlin GE, September 26/27,1964

Columbia CBS 62578 Japanese pressing

Nina Simone - Forbidden Fruit

2011-09-12T20:53:00.001-04:00

God bless Ella and Sarah, I do so love 'em. But as the years progressed I often found myself reaching more and more for Nina. Her almost hard-boiled approach to the songs sends shivers down my spine.

Recorded in 1960 - the label included no musician credits. We have geeks for that nowadays. Welcome geeks mind you.. I meant no disrespect. I love the archivists and compilers. Really I do...

Anyway I give you ..

Nina Simone

forbidden fruit

1. Rags and Old Iron

2. No Good Man

3. Gin House Blues

4. I'll Look Around

5. I Love To Love

6. Work Song

7. Where Can I Go Without You

8. Just Say I Love Him

9. Memphis In June

10. Forbidden Fruit

CP 419

Black Orpheus - OST

2011-09-05T17:50:00.001-04:00

I picked this little baby up on my last excursion. Pretty happy about it too. Not all that hard to lay your hands on but who wouldn't want to own a decent copy on vinyl?

So in this post, the music is almost secondary. I just wanted to say how cool it is to still hold in your hands records, actual records that were responsible for starting whole new trends.In this case a record older than I am. Yeah, the music is great as well. It wouldn't have caught on of it wasn't. And yeah, the samba thing quickly veered out of hand, but I'm holding a piece of history.

Unfortunately all I can offer you is to hear what an original slab of vinyl, in mono sounds like. Dig it, cats.

The Original Soundtrack from the Film

Black Orpheus

1. Generique

2. Felicidade

3. Frevo

4. O Nosso Amor

5. O Nosso Amor (tamborine and accordian)

6. Mahna De Carnaval

7. Scene de Lever do Soleil

8. Mahna De Carnaval

9. Scenes de la Macumba

10. O Nosso Amor

11.Mahna De Carnaval

12. Samba du Orfeu

13. Batterie de Capella

Produced by Sacha Gordine

Music Score by A. C. Jobin and Luis Bonfa

MGF 27520

Henry Threadgill - easily slip into another world

2011-09-04T18:51:00.000-04:00

Threadgill is one of those guys I haven't been able to grasp completely. He has recorded a lot of stuff that still leaves me...puzzled. But when he is on, he smokes!

This record is a real barnburner for me. It touches all the bases which could actually come off sounding contrived but in this case never does. The funk of the opening track lures you in as you wend you way through touches of big band, NOLA brass, post bop, and some damn fine ensemble playing. Even a vocal tune thrown in the mix.

The lp is dedicated to Muhal Richard Abrams. The final line of purple prose on the back cover sums it up nicely. And what is purple prose if not a little over the top? "Decoding; 'Easily Slip Into Another World" is an instant classic and it's out to get you."

easily slip into another world

1. I Can't Wait Till I Get Home
2. Black Hands Bejewelled
3. Spotted Dick Is Pudding
4. My Rock
5. Hall
6. Award The Squadtett

Henry Threadgill - alto, tenor saxes, clarinet and arrangements
Rasul Siddik - trumpet
Frank Lacy - trombone, french horn, flugelhorn
Diedre Murray - cello
Fred Hopkins - bass
Pheeroan Aklaff, Reggie Nicholson - drums
Aisha Putli - vocals

recorded 9/20/ 87 NYC

Novus 3025 - I-N

Archie Shepp - Attica Blues

2011-08-22T21:24:00.008-04:00

This one is a rarity around here because it was taken from a cd. Not sure if it is available easily or not. Just posted it to friend's site to fill in some blanks. Thought I would share it here.

Y'all want my opinion, Shepp handles the large ensemble nicely. In reflection of its namesake, it's gritty and urban. Because it's Shepp, its not always easy to take. One of my favorites.

1. Attica Blues

2. Invocation: Attica Blues
3. Steam, Part 1
4. Invocation to Mr. Parker
5. Steam, Part 2
6. Blues For Brother George Jackson
7. Invocation: Ballad For A Child
8. Ballad For A Child
9. Good Bye Sweet Pops
10. Quiet Dawn

Archie Shepp (ts, ss)
Henry Hull, Joshie Armstead, Albertine Robinson, Joe Lee Wilson, Waheeda Massey (voc)
Roy Burrowes, Michael Ridley, Charles McGhee (tp)
Clifford Thornton (cornett)
Charles Stephens, Kiane Zawadi, Charles Greenlee (tb)
Hakim Jami (euphonium)
Marion Brown (as, fl, perc)
Clarence White (as)
Billy Robinson, Roland Alexander (ts)
James Ware (bariton-sax)
Cal Massey (flugelhorn)
Leroy Jenkins, John Blake, L. Shankar (viol)
Ronald Lipscomb, Calo Scott (cello)
Walter Davis Jr., Dave Burrell (p)
Cornell Dupree (g)
Gerald Jemmott, Roland Wilson, Jimmy Garrison (b)
Beaver Harris (dr)
Ollie Anderson, Jumma Santos, Nene DeFense (perc)
William Kunstler, Bartholomew Gray (speech)
Romulus Franceschini (director)

Prestige AS-9222

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Blacknuss

2011-08-14T17:47:00.001-04:00

This is another one of those records that comes with a background story. I ran across this on a reissue label one day. After looking at it, I decided it wasn't something I was interested in. I mean all those pop songs...this has mistake written all over it.
Next stop and there it was again, beckoning me with a much cooler cover and on the original label. It made it to the buy pile but didn't make the cut before the register.

Enter record store number 3...a tiny joint way off the beaten path. A instrument joint with some records piled along the walls. Bet this shit is rarely picked over and yet here appears another freaking copy of Blacknuss. This time half the price of the last one and in far better shape. Who am I to buck kharma? This time the lp went home with me.

It may not be the most essential record I own, but I sure have a great time listening to it. The one disclaimer I have to make is that even though RRK pulls off a bangin solo on the bridge of Bread's Make It With You...that song is a bad choice by all standards.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Blacknuss

1. Ain't No Sunshine*
2. What's Goin' On/Mercy Mercy Me
3. I Love You Yes I Do
4. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready
5. My Girl
6. Which Way Is It Going
7. One Nation
8. Never Can Say Goodbye*
9. Old Rugged Cross
10. Make It With You
11. Blacknuss

RRK - flute, tenor sax, stritch, manzello, police whistle, gong and vocals
Billy Butler - guitar*
Sonelious Smith - piano*
Henry Pearson - bass*
Kahli Mhrdi - drums*
Richard Landrum - conga*
Joe Habad Texidor - percussion*
Charles McGhee - trumpet
Dick Griffin - trombone
Cornell Dupree, Keith Loving - guitars
Richard Tee - piano
Mickey Tucker - organ
Bill Salter - bass
Bernard Purdie - drums
Arthur Jenkins - conga, cabassa

produced by Joel Dorn
recorded 1972

Atlantic SD1601

Hoagy Carmichael - The Classics

2011-08-07T16:20:00.000-04:00

So we are at 200. Hardly a milestone for some. But a monster for me. This is my turning point. It seems most of the stuff I own is now available. I've got maybe a handful of radio shows and very little else. So maybe I should just wind this thing down. Except I like being part of this little jazz blogger community. So maybe we just plug along with cool things we like and see where it goes.

Back to the subject at hand. A three lp boxset dedicated to one of the greatest songwriters ever. Hoagy's own vocals here are the highlight for me.
The great set spans from his earliest recordings to a Wynton Marsalis cover closer. While a clever lyricist, Hoagy more often than not worked as the melodicist in the company of his peers. I bought this set at a garage sale for $3. I didn't even try to barter. Chock full of some of the greatest evergreens ever composed. And then somewhere among all those covers, you get Ray singing Georgia On My Mind, a song that still stops me in my tracks to this day. For the record, my mom's 7' of Artie Shaw's Stardust is one of the records that pointed me towards jazz at a younger age than my friends.
There's not a lot I more I can say without breaking the thing down song by song...not my style. You'll know what you like and hopefully you will find some gems in here.

Originally released jointly by The Indiana Historical Society and The Smithsonian Collection of Recordings. Taken from my vinyl....

Hoagy Carmichael
The Classic Box Set

Disc One
1. Riverboat Shuffle - Frankie Trumbauer
2. Washboard Blues - Paul Whiteman
3. Stardust - Louis Armstrong
4. Lazy River - Louis Armstrong
5. Charlie Two-Step - The Boswell Sisters
6. New Orleans - Bennie Moten
7. Judy/Moon Country - Hoagy Carmichael
8. Rockin' Chair - Mills Brothers
9. Moonburn - Bing Crosby
10. Lazybones - Claude Hopkins
11. Ballad in Blue - Benny Goodman
12. Sing Me a Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) - Benny Goodman
13. Lyin' To Myself - Louis Armstrong
14. Jubilee - Louis Armstrong
15. Rockin' Chair - Mildred Bailey
16. Small Fry - Mildred Bailey
17. Two Sleepy People - Bob Hope and Shirley Ross
18. Kinda Lonesome - Maxine Sullivan
19. Old Man Harlem - Ethel Waters
20. Bread And Gravy - Ethel Waters
21. Blue Orchids - Glenn Miller

Disc Two
1. Ooh! What You Said - Bob Crosby
2. Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind - Kate Smith
3. Stardust - Artie Shaw
4. Georgia On My mind - Billie Holiday
5.The Lamplighter's Serenade - Frank Sinatra
6. Hong Kong Blues - HC
7. Lazy River - HC
8. The Old Music Master - HC
9. Don't Forget To Say No Baby! - HC
10. Stardust - HC
11. Ole Buttermilk Sky - HC
12. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief - Betty Hutton
13. Ivy - Jo Stafford
14. The Monkey Song - HC
15. In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening - Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman
16. Stardust - Ella Fitzgerald
17. I Guess it Was You All Along - Ray Anthony
18. The Nearness Of You - Jo Stafford
19. Heart And Soul - Hank Jones
20. Memphis in June - Lucy Ann Polk
21. One Morning In May - Mel Torme
22. The Rhumba Jumps - Mel Torme

Disc 3
1. Skylark - Carmen McRae
2. Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles
3. Serenade To Gabriel - HC
4. Stardust - Frank Sinatra
5. Baltimore Oriole - Sheila Jordan
6. Skylark - Bob Brookmeyer
7. How Little We Know - Susannah McCorkle
8. The Nearness Of You - Sarah Vaughn
9. Winter Moon - Art Pepper
10. I Walk With Music - Marlene VerPlank
11. Ole Man Moon - Marlene VerPlank
12. Come Easy, Go Easy Love - Dave McKenna
13. I Get Along Without You Very Well ( excepts sometimes) - Margaret Whiting

14. Stardust - Wynton Marsalis

One

Two

Three

Thunderball - Jazz All-stars

2011-07-19T21:26:00.001-04:00

To cheese or not to cheese... I used to have scads of these type records. Dudes who could actually play some decent jazz but being on the west coast they could find decent bucks in the film studios...who could blame em?

But, but this isn't from some soundtrack. This is some goofy studio set up. Yeah its kinda cool, but really, the harpsichord was just a bad idea.

The real back story on this lp is that it was nabbed by one of my very best friends that visited several years ago. That trip cost him plenty. He had to leave his cache of lps behind while I dubbed them onto disc for him. This one slipped through the cracks and was only discovered during the recent move.

What I really needed was something to lead up to post 200.
This is post 199.

Thunderball and Other Secret Agent Themes
The Jazz All-Stars

1. Thunderball
2. From Russia With Love
3. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
4. Win, Lose Or Spy
5. UnderCover Agent Theme
6. I Spy
7. Iprcress File Theme
8. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
9. The Saboteur
10. Majorca Express

Secret Agents 001 J.J. Johnson
002 Mundell Lowe / 003 Ernie Royal
004 Milt Hinton / 005 Joe Newman
006 Bobby Crowe / 007 Johnny Knapp
008 Sy Saltzberg / 009 Larry Charles

..and while I have heard of most of these folks, I don't recognize them all. But I don't think they are using pseudonyms, but what the hell do I know? All I know is some dude named Johnny Knapp got to smooze chicks with that "007" moniker for a very short time. Right place, right time.

DLP - 206

Cole Porter Swings Easy In Stereo

2011-07-11T19:15:00.002-04:00

This was too cool to just leave on the Cole Porter blog.

This is actually one of the cooler things I have nailed down. A reel-to reel tape that professes to be "Produced by Soundcraft and Directed by Larry Clinton exclusively for use as a promotional bonus - NOT FOR SALE"

While not necessarily a huge fan of the assembled musicians, several have done some interesting stuff over the years. Thrown together here though they form a tight little unit. The music and performance is exactly why I like to champion pre bop jazz sometimes. To borrow a phrase I heard recently, it swings like a gate. Even though I have never heard the names of the pianist or the clarinetist outside if these sessions, they manage to hold their own with the journeymen.

This session was assembled as part of a special series Soundcraft Magnetic Tape was releasing to showboat their product. And in wonderful new stereo as well.

Cole Porter Swings Easy In Stereo

1. What Is This Thing Called Love?
2. It's Delovely
3. Begin The Beguine
4. It's All Right With Me
5. I Love Paris
6. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
7. Night And Day
8. Just One Of Those Things

Bob Haggart - bass
Cozy Cole - drums
Charlie Shavers - trumpet
Sam Taylor - tenor sax
Buddy Weed - piano
Sol Yaged - clarinet
Barry Galbraith - guitar
Urbie Green - trombone

From what I can tell this was recorded in 1957 or 58
Soundcraft - no matrix number assigned.

Teddy Wilson Trio - Mr. Gershwin

2011-06-28T20:23:00.007-04:00

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in new jazz that I forget just how much fun it can be. I think it is the no frills approach that gets me.

Here's a straight ahead recording of Gershwin tunes. Yup, heard a million of em. Good thing they hold up.

Particularly when played as well as these.

Teddy Wilson Trio
Mr. Gershwin

1. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
3. Oh, Lady Be Good
4. Somebody Loves Me
5. But Not For Me
6. I Got Rhythm
7. The Man I Love
8. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
9. Embraceable You
10. Our Love Is Here To Stay
11. I Got A Crush On You
12. Summertime
13. Our Love Is Here To Stay*
14. But Not For Me*
15. Liza...*

Teddy Wilson - piano
Arvell Shaw - bass
Bert Dahlander - drums

recorded 1.19.59

*alt. takes

Columbia CL 1318

some time off

2011-01-20T16:08:00.003-05:00

As you may have noticed, I took a little time off. Well I still need a little more. I am in the process of moving my mess from one residence to another. As soon as I am situated I will be back with the usual nonsense.

Thank everyone who as taken the time to check out this humble little blog and a great big thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment.

In the mean time, keep checking out the wonderful sites listed in the sidebar.

Keep swingin', y'all!

The groovy painting is by Orville Bulman, crdit where credit is due.

John Hicks - s/t

2010-12-24T02:21:00.003-05:00

Every so often you end up with a recording that a friend gives you just because he thinks it is something you might like, not necessarily something you had been asking about. This record falls completely into this category. I assume the impetus was a shared admiration for Bobby Hutcherson coupled with a recent discussion about his work. What ever the reasoning, he was correct in his assessment of my taste. I like this little lp a lot.
I knew Hicks' name as he has been around awhile, floating in and out of The Jazz Messengers at times, but I was oblivious to any solo career which started rather late in his career. I knew he had done a Maybeck Recital session and a session with David Murray. Even though this is self titled, it appears to be his 4th lp as a leader.
While this session is not essential or life changing, we all have a lot of those very sessions laying about. This record relaxes me, untwisting the knots, smiling even, at some of the twists particularly from the leader. I'm glad it was passed along. I'm glad I have friends like that.

John Hicks

1. Pas De Trois (Dance for Three)
2. Steadfast
3. For John Chapman
4. Star-Crossed Lovers
5. Littlest One Of All
6. After The Morning
7. That Ole Devil Called Love
8. Gypsy Folk Tales
9. Beantown Blues

John Hicks - piano
Bobby Hutcherson - vibes
Walter Booker - bass

1984

Evidence ECD 22224

This friend has contributed several recordings and has offered more. Make sure to thank Six String in the comments.

Shorty Rogers - Chances Are It Swings

2010-12-23T02:42:00.004-05:00

Shorty Rogers records often took, and maybe still do take some heat from the "serious" jazz critics. Me? I've always dug him. He stood by his conviction to continue in the swinging big band traditional long after it had fallen out of favor. His arrangements always feel fun.
Let's be honest here, just how serious do you think Rogers took himself? Lps about martians and outer space!! The dude definitely had a sense of humor about it. I think that's is why the lps feel the way they do.
On this session all the songs were written, or co-written by a single composer, Robert Allen. For me Allen's claim to fame will always be the Christmas tune "Home For The Holidays". The performers themselves are only credited as the "Orchestra featuring the Giants." The solos are all shorty and punchy in keeping with the feel of the whole lp which is rather short itself. - In retrospect the lp is not all that short but it seems to fly by far too quickly - hook
Released on the Living Stereo imprint, I'm betting this lp was the tits (which is way better than the cat's meow) when it was first released. It's always been my pleasure to do my part to keep this stuff alive!

Shorty Rogers - Chances Are It Swings

1. Chances Are
2. No Such Luck
3. It's Not For Me To Say
4. Lilac Chiffon
5. I Just Don't Need You
6. Who Needs You
7. Everybody Loves A Lover
8. Come To Me
9. My Very Good Friend In The Looking Glass
10. You Know How It Is
11. A Very Special Love
12. Teacher, Teacher

The personnel of the orchestra cannot be found anywhere on the sleeve, so it seems worth while to list it here. Shorty Rogers was directing Al Porcirio, Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli, Ray Triscari and Ollie Mitchell (trumpets); Harry Betts, Dick Nash, Kenny Shroyer and Bob Enevoldsen (trombones); Bill Holman, Bud Shank, Richie Kamuca, Chuck Gentry and Paul Horn (reeds); Pete Jolly (piano), Mel Lewis (drums) and Red Norvo or Gene Estes (vibes). Don Fagerquist (trumpet) and either Barney Kessel or Howard Roberts (guitar) are featured in a small group ("The Giants") which is heard on some tracks.

Personnel info was taken from a Gramaphone article.

Recorded Hollywood, 12/12 and 12/20, 1958 (I was a squalling six month old.)

LSP-1975

My lp has the Living Stereo bar across the top AND the blue" for jazz fans" box in the corner. Can't find a picture with both, and even sharing that with you means I am a geek.

Eddie Bert - Kaleidoscope

2010-12-16T02:26:00.004-05:00

C'mon now. Admit it, Eddie Bert looks so freaking cool on this cover. Far hipper than Kai Winding, the other white dude playing trombone with any recognition at the time. Just dig that mustache. That mustache alone is worth the price of admission.

I love this Savoy session for a ton of reasons. First off, Savoy had a grittier sound than the more popular BN releases. And they tended to showcase lesser appreciated artists of their time. Eddie Bert was kinda second string trombone at the time. Eddie was probably aware of that. It didn't stop him from making some fine music. He appears on many fine recordings as a sideman. Yet when he takes center stage here, he really allows this to be a group effort. I never get the feeling he needs to be the star even though he is the de facto leader on these dates.

If I was hard pressed, I would say the most overlooked player on the dates is Duke Jordan. His piano is an integral part of the bebop revolution and he shines here.
And while I would normally frown upon a vocal track as a novelty, Bert doesn't embarrass himself on the single outing included here.

Look for Joe Morello of Brubeck Quartet fame on the last session.

Eddie Bert - Kaleidoscope

1. Love Me Or Leave Me
2. Little Train
3. Prelude To A Kiss
4. Conversation Piece
5. Interwoven
6. Around Town
7. Kaleidoscope
8. Broadway
9. Melting Pot
10. Ripples
11. Conversation
12. He Ain't Got Rhythm
13. Cherokee

Eddie Bert - Trombone; Duke Jordan - piano; and Clyde Lombardi - bass with...

1-4: Sal Salvatore - guitar; Mel Zelnick - drums
recorded 5/11/53 - Van Gelder studios, NJ
5-8: Vinnie Dean - alto sax; Art Madigan - drums
recorded 8/20/54 - NYC
9-13: Vinnie Dean - alto sax: Joe Morello - drums; EB - vocals (12)
recorded 11/3/54 - NYC

Savoy Jazz SJL 1186

Dollar Brand - African Portraits

2010-12-14T02:30:00.004-05:00

I have been digging this guy's recordings so much lately that it was a welcome surprise when, as I was filing away some vinyl that I ran across this. I was a bit stunned. I had forgotten even finding it.
Sometimes life is a grand!

A solo outing from Toronto in 1973, this is the second of two volumes. There is no apparent breaks between songs so each side is presented as originally recorded. A superb recording. From Canada! Who knew?

Dollar Brand - African Portraits

1. Cherry / Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro
2. Blues For Hughie / Kippie / Gafsa - Life I s For The Living, Death Is For Us All / Little Boy / Easter Joy / Jabulani / Xaba

Abdullah Ibrahim - piano

recorded 2/18/73, Toronto

Sackville ST3009

Skip Martin's Scheherajazz

2010-12-13T14:45:00.002-05:00

OK - so I never promised this thing would only be high art, and if we poll the critics among you, I doubt this would qualify as the first exception. Although it may be the most obvious example...yet.

This is only of those completely geek lps that contain as much info on the back cover about the recording process as it does the musician's involved. Except of course, the now completely unknown arranger who was, nominally I would bet, in charge of the session.
In this case we have Skip Martin, saxophonist with stints in the bands of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Charlie Barnett. Add a few Basie arrangements and this guy should be a household name. Instead we are informed that at the time he was a bachelor, sharing his apartment with a dog, flies his own planes and collects dames, Aston-Martins and empty bottles. Dudes like him had no use for match.com!

Before I get into the personnel on the session, let's touch base on the all important recording details.

"This is the first in a series of classical works for symphony orchestra and jazz band to be released on Stereo-Fidelity records." Yup - that's what it says. And just so know they are serious, the label informs us "This stereophonic 33 1/3 R.P.M long playing record has been mastered employing the Westrex cutter head system driven by a Scully lathe." There's more but they do not claim full fidelity when played on a monaural phonograph, in case you were contemplating such foolishness.

About the musicians - all were West Coast session men - some far more recognizable than others. I can't imagine this originating anywhere else. Many of these fellows found work in the burgeoning Hollywood scene. Now lest you think these fellows did this just for the cash, let me leave you with this last blurb...
Scheherajazz is just not another recording - it is a jazz project that by it's very dimension and unique nature immediately fired the enthusiasm of all concerned with producing it.

Despite all the hyperbole, this is actually quite fun, in a lazy afternoon sorta way, even though it was very late at night when I put this together. Pshaw - high art, indeed!!

adapted from Rimsky-Korsokov's Scheherazade

1. First Movement
2. Second Movement
3. Third Movement
4. Fourth Movement

Gus Binova, Ted Nash, Paul Horn, Jules Jacob, Chuck Gentry - reeds; Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach, Joe Trescari - trumpets; Joe Howard, Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino, George Roberts - trombones; Vince DeRosa, Jack cave, Dick Perissi - french horns; Clarence Carella - tuba, Al Hendrickson - guitar; Jimmy Rowles - piano; Larry Bunker, Irv Cottler, Lou Singer - drums; Red Callender - bass; Eudice Shapiro - solo violin; Ed Lustgarten - first cello.

Recorded in Hollywood by the Studio Symphony and the Video All-Stars
Skip Martin - conducting

SF-9700

Sam Rivers - Contrasts

2010-12-06T02:00:00.002-05:00

I realize this makes an occasional appearance out there in blogland but it's been awhile since I have seen it. And for some reason I never grabbed it, so I was beside myself when my friend Six String sent me a copy. A giant thanks to him for ripping this.

For many many years I avoided ecm because of their reputation for, well, what I considered "pastoral landscapes". I may have been a bit harsh and ecm seems to have found a warm corner in my heart.

This lp definately sounds like an ecm record, and yet it var more brazen than most. I seem to be among a fair group that is mystified at the non cd release of this incredible set.

Seven original Rivers' tunes, all single word titles that typify the recordings themselves. The trombone and bass weave in and about Rivers' almost slinky lines. A fantastic record.

Sam Rivers
Contrasts

1. Circles
2. Zip
3. Solace
4. Verve
5. Dazzle
6. Images
7. Lines

Sam Rivers - soprano & tenor sax, flute
George Lewis - trombone
Dave Holland - bass
Thurman Baker - drums, marimba

recorded 12/79

ecm 1-1162

Artie Shaw - Blue Room / Cafe Rouge

2010-11-27T02:00:00.003-05:00

Swing is still the thing, kids!!
Just look at that cover...Artie Shaw was a rock god. These radio sessions are a whole lotta fun. In the liner notes, Artie Shaw commented, listening to these old recordings, how tight and how much fun the bands were having at the time. He's right on, but he remains the star.

Here are two sessions, recorded about a year apart, at NYC nightclubs. 1938/39

I love the fact that these radio shows seem so loose but still sound so perfect. As each session winds to an end, the band seems rock a bit harder leading up to a swinging finale. These sets are all over the place...some standards, some covers but a really nice amount of ...well oddball shit. Just what we like.

In The Blue Room

1. Nightmare
2. Together
3. My Reverie
4. Sobbin' Blues
5. Jeepers creepers
6. In The Mood*
7. Non-Stop Flight
8. Begin The Beguine
9. The Old Stamping Ground
10. The Chant
11. Stardust
12. The Carioca

In The Cafe Rouge

1. At Sundown
2. I'm Sorry For Myself
3. Maria, My Own
4. Diga Diga Do
5. Moonray
6. Everything Is Jumpin'
7. St. Louis Blues
8. I've Got My Eye On You
9. My Blue Heaven
10. El Rancho Grande
11. Sweet Sue
12. Man From Mars

RCA Victor LPT-6000
part one
part two

*I cannot be help responsible for the ridiculously long version of "In The Mood". At the time, the swapping of popular tunes was common practice, but there is no excuse for this.

Mal Waldron / Marion Brown - Songs of Love and Regret

2010-11-25T02:00:00.002-05:00

Sometimes your hands shake when you stumble across a recording that you have been searching for. And sometimes you stumble across one, and think "this looks cool, I wonder why I never heard of it."
I had the second reaction when I should have had the first. Why some fool dumped this off is beyond me. Praise be to the fool behind the counter that sold it to me for 8 bucks because it was still in an unsorted pile and he didn't feel like dicking around.

As is understood I am a huge Waldron fan and though I haven't posted any Marion Brown I love him as well. I had meant to post this shortly after Marion's passing but it slipped my mind.
This set is mostly covers , although a couple are pretty obscure. "A cause.." is a Waldron original as is "To the Golden Lady" by Brown. "Contemplation" is by Tyner and "Hurry Sundown" by Clarence Williams. The others should not need an introduction. The one remark I will say is Blue Monk (take 2) doesn't feel like an alternate take but mostly just a different take that was always headed for this session.

This has recently become one of my favorite recordings. The lyricism these two share shines on this lp.

1. Blue Monk
2. A Cause de Monk
3. To The Golden Lady In Her Graham Cracker Window
4. Contemplation
5. Hurry Sundown
6. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
7. Blue Monk (take 2)

Marion Brown - alto sax
Mal Waldron - piano

recorded 11/9-10/85 - Yerres, France on FreeLance records.

FRL-CD006

Illinois Jacquet & Will Bill Davis

2010-11-14T02:00:00.000-05:00

This post goes out to Cheeba. A simple, swinging recording that I'm sure he'll dig. I'd have gone with a moldy oldie but that would be cruel. Now that jazzman is back on the scene, let's hope that Cheeba and the family are on the mend. You're missed in the blogosphere.

These recordings from a session in Paris, early 73, saw a very limited release on lp. Somehow or another they made the digital leap in 1986. Is it really possible that the cd has become a viable collector's item? It breaks my pvc heart. Just the same, this disc is over 25 years old. A respectable age for an lp, in my youth. And most of them age didn't wear so well. So here again I am forced again to bring you a cd.

1. No Sweat
2. Blues Skies
3. It Don't Mean A Thing
Blue And Sentimental
4. Pamela's Blues
5. The Man I Love
6. Cottontail
7. What Am I Here For?
8. Blues From New Orleans

Illinois Jacquet - tenor sax
Wild Bill Davis - organ
Al Bartee - drums

Recorded at Barclay studio on 1/15-16/73 by Dominique Samarcq. Originally released on Black & Blue 33044 (1-4, 9) and 33082 (5-8).

Black and Blue 233044

Joe Williams - Music Masters radio show

2010-11-10T02:00:00.001-05:00

An overview of Joe William's career. Just short of an hour long. Nothing ground breaking but a nice way to spend 50 mins. Oddly about 12-15 minutes in there seems to be a weird detour that focuses in Ella Fitzgerald more than Williams. The songs they perform together here are fun but once again re-enforce my position that Ella was just too "nice" sometimes. Joe swings.

The funniest line from the show is when the host compares Joe's '80's touring schedule as "more intense than a punk band". Sure.

This is just a single long track. Maybe someday I will have the time too break it down. Till then...

WDCB Joe Williams

Jam Session - ARS recording

2010-11-06T02:00:00.000-04:00

From the Jazz Division of the American Recording Society. This one is billed as "Jam Session" - and How The Blues Began. A heady title to be sure. While there were many fine dates later released as "blowing sessions" nothing ever beat the JATP blowing sessions. They set the standard for many recordings to come.
I did some (very little) research and it appears these tracks were not included with the "official" release of these sessions. I would assume time constraints were a major factor.

As much as I tend to dismiss Oscar Peterson as a utilitarian pianist, he gets a pass here. He deserves more credit than I usually give him.

Somehow ARS had the vision to release these tracks so that we can now enjoy them. I decided to tack on an extra track from another similar recording just because it makes me happy.

From what I can tell, this is how it all goes down....

Jam Session

1. Jam Blues No.1
2. Funky Blues No. 2
3. Funky Blues No.2 (cont.)
4. Mail Order Blues

in order of appearance -
1 - Ensemble, Flip Phillips (ts), Benny Carter (as), Oscar Peterson (p), Charlie Parker (as), Barney Kessell (g), Johnny Hodges (as), Charlie Shavers (tpt). J.C. Heard - drums, Ray Brown - bass.
recorded Hollywood 6/52 culled from Norman Granz Jam Session #1

2/3 - Roy Eldridge (tpt), Flip Phillips (ts), Bill Harris (tb), Herb Ellis (g), Dizzy Gillespie (tpt), Oscar Peterson (p), Buddy DeFranco (cl), Roy (again - over chorus). Louis Bellson - drums, Ray Brown - bass
recorded 10/30/54, NYC, culled from Norman Granz Jam Session #9

and the bonus track...
4. Flip Phillips, Illinois Jacquet, Lester Young (ts); Roy Eldrige, Dizzy Gillespie (tpt); Buddy Rich (d); Ray Brown (b); Oscar Peterson (p); Herb Ellis (g)
recorded 10/2/55 Chicago Opera House

ARS G-404/416

Billy Bang - Distinction Without Difference

2010-10-12T02:00:00.000-04:00

Is this record really from 1979? Damn, I was three years outta high school. I was the only person I knew who was really "into" jazz. No one I knew had an inkling about this shit. I had no inkling about this shit. I can only look back and think that this would have flattened me at the time.
This is a solo outing. Some solo recordings work better than others but most often are only necessary to the dire hard fan. This is short enough and entertaining enough to appeal to any one with interest in Bang's work.

This Swiss label has been responsible for some of the most under the radar great jazz lps of all time. My pleasure to offer...

Billy Bang:
Distinction Without Difference

1. Improvisation on Sweet Space
2. Loweski
3. part of a Distinction Without A Difference
4. Thenme For Masters
5. Sometime Later
6. Skip To My Lou (traditional)

Billy Bang - violin

recorded live on Sunday August 12 1979 at GAKU Gallery NYC

1980 hat Hut records 1R04

Yes Sir, That's My Baby - The Golden Years Of Tin Pan Alley

2010-10-09T21:42:00.011-04:00

Here is one of the more obscure lps I have offered. A compilation of Tin Pan Alley tunes from the 20's. There are a few unknowns sprinkled among a handful of names that should nag at the back of your brain, and a couple that should be in every music fan's vocabulary.

This is absolutely one of those lps that deserves a back story. I bought this at a library sale of some sort, in nothing but a paper sleeve. I have several other lps that were released on this label. All have nice gatefold sleeves complete with booklets sporting each track's details. I don't have that. Bummer. My research turned up nothing specific for this lp. Diligence may turn up info on individual songs, you're on your own.

These are great early recordings of these songs, some filled with hope and splendor, some guttural and raw, and most a sign of things to come. Except the part where those guys sing through the megaphone, and maybe the part where it's sounds like they are singing into one. Nah, that's shit's cool too. By time you get to the Armstrong track this stuff sounds almost refined.

Once again a huge shoutout goes to a friend who did a massive clean up job on the lp. Without him this record was barely presentable.

Yes Sir, That's My Baby
The Golden Years of Tin Pan Alley 1920-1929

1. Whispering - Paul Whiteman Orch.
2. April Showers - Al Jolson
3. Collegiate - Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
4. Dinah - Ethel Waters
5. A Good Man Is Hard To Find - Ted Lewis and his Orch.
6. Gimme Little Kiss, Will Ya Huh? - Jack Smith
7. Deed I Do - Ruth Etting
8. There'll Be Some Changes Made - Sophie Tucker
9. Sunday - Cliff Edwards
10. Yes Sir, That's My Baby - Blossom Seely
11. - Mississippi Mud - Paul Whiteman/The Rhythm Boys
12. My Blue Heaven - Gene Austin
13. Deep Night - Rudy Vallee
14. Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong & His Orch.

New World Records NW279

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol. 3 - Impulse Comp.

2010-09-30T16:20:00.004-04:00

The last in this series of vinyl treasures. Again these tracks were all unreleased when the lp was issued. This is probably the most forward looking of all three lps.
A few personal observations and notes about this lp. The Coltrane piece features him on a soprano, an instrument that I struggled with liking for many years. then I just outright dismissed it except for the occasional Trane pieces which I mildly suffered through. Now I have come to embrace it again albeit still in smaller doses.
The Archie Shepp blows me away far more than it did 10 years ago when I first landed this lp. as do the Oliver Nelson and Shirley Scott tracks.

The Chico Hamilton track is adapted from an old Bob Crosby Dixieland swinger. The Russians never did make a splash but the tune is fine in it's own right. I love a clarinet. And only two of them are russian.

Sometimes it seems unfortunate that most people quickly relegate McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones to Trane sideman status as they were both exceptional leaders on their own. These tracks
support that admirably.

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Volume 3

1. Vilia
2. The Chased
3. One For Phil
4. Five Spot After Dark
5. Big Noise from Winnetka
6. March For Igor
7. Time After Time
8. That Five-Four Bag

1. John Coltrane Quartet - JC - soprano sax; McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Elvin Jones - drums NYC 3/6/63
2. Archie Shepp Trio - AS - tenor sax; David Izenzon - bass; JC Moses - drums NYC 3/9/65
3. Oliver Nelson's Septet - Thad Jones - trumpet; Phil Woods - alto sax; Phil Boner - tenor sax and English Horn; Pepper Adams - baritone sax; Roger Kelleway - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Grady Tate - drums; Nelson - arr. and conduct NYC 11/10/64
4. McCoy Tyner Trio - Tyner -piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Tootie Heath - drums
NYC 6/4/63
5. Chico Hamilton Trio - CH - drums; Willie Bo Bo - drums; Al Stinson - bass NYC 3/15/65
6. Russian Jazz Quartet - Boris Midney - clarinet and alto sax; Roger Kelleway - piano; Igor Berukshtis - bass; Grady Tate - drums NYC 11/13/64
7. Shirley Scott Quartet - SS - organ; Stanley Turrentine - tenor sax; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Otis Finch - drums NYC 9/23/64
8. Elvin Jones Quartet - EJ - drums; Charlie Mariano - alto sax; Roland Hanna - piano;
Richard Davis - bass NYC 2/23/65

A-9101

David Murray - Live At The Lower Manhattan Ocean Club

2010-09-28T21:18:00.000-04:00

I've had a copy of this recording from a cool blog for quite awhile. Considering that I will never see a vinyl pressing of this record, it is the collector geek in me that had to buy this disc when I ran across it at some local cd exchange. I mean c'mon, you don't see this floating around everyday for under 10 bucks.

This is a reissue disc of what was originally released on 2 records by what was basically a labor of love, India Navigation records. I jnow this was also posted on the tribute site to IN but all the links seem to be gone from there now. As I said earlier as well, I have had a copy from another blog and it very well may be up there still. I don't remember if it was a private blog or not. I don't want to step on anybody's toes but this could use a little bump now and again, so here is my upload from my disc.
Murray was someone I overlooked for a long time. What caight my attention was he was an outspoken c5ritic of a bunch of the new lions who were performing basically hard bop. Foremost amongst these was Wynton Marsalis. While I had all the respect in the world for Marsalis, especially his study of history and his work with youth, not to mention his technical ability, but he didn't display soul, or feeling. Christ he was just boring. And Murray was the first I saw to say it. (Well actually I said it to the teacher at my very first trumpet lesson. It did not go over well. I paid my 20 bucks and looked for a hipper teacher.)
So anyway, that is how I discovered David Murray. Unfortunately he did not knock me off my feet right away and I spent several years in a hit and miss love for the dude. Still do. But when he hits it just right, its a thing of beauty....

This was one of those night, those records. This thing is just spot on. Lester Bowie on trumpet was an awesome choice. Being able to lay my hands on this IN disc has rekindled my love of the lp and I have probably played it a half dozen times in the last couple of weeks. I hope somebody new discovers this and searches further down the corridors of jazz, discovering people who were doing all they could to keep jazz interesting.

David Murray
Live At The Lower Manhattan Ocean Club

1. Nevada's Theme
2. Bechet's Bounce
3. Obe
4. Let The Music Take You
5. For Walter Norris
6. Santa Barbara and Crenshaw Folies

David Maurray - tenor and soprano saxes
Lester Bowie - trumpet
Fred Hopkins - bass
Phillip Wilson - drums

no recording date was provided but hold your breath, because someone will supply it in the comments shortly.

more minutia - track 6 was edited for the cd, and there was an additional song played but not presented on either vinyl or plastic.

IN 1032 CD

Johnny Hodges & All The Duke's Men

2010-09-22T16:20:00.002-04:00

Once again the trusty internet fails me and I have to take a picture of the lp.

I was gonna post something a bit more modern for a change but I ran into a few glitches. I have been promising someone I would get this up and it sure seemed like a good idea to give it a spin this afternoon, so here we are.

A short but essential lp. The kind of swinging records that just make you grin. The small band version of Satin Doll is Jeep at his smoothest. This should be on everyone's "seduction" disc. Amongst the Ellington standards are a few overlooked gems which give this record a more original feel than the usual knock off tribute lp that it easily could have been. Almost all the solos are Hodges but they never feel as though he is showing off nor just resting on his laurels. I want to listen to this record under the stars someday. With a cool breeze.

Johnny Hodges and
All The Duke's Men

1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
2. Jeep's Blues
3. The Gal From Joe's
4. Satin Doll*
5. Azure
6. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
7. Saturday Afternoon Blues*
8. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
9. I Didn't Know About You*
10. Day Dream

*The early session is a small band consisting of
Johnny Hodges - alto sax
Ben Webster - tenor sax
Roy Eldridge - trumpet
Vic Dickenson - trombone
Billy Strayhorn - piano
Jimmy Woode - bass
Sam Woodyard - drums
Recorded in 8/58 by Norman Granz

The other session was an all star, all Duke sidemen orchestra featuring
Hodges - alto
Billy Strayhorn - arranger and conductor
Shorty Baker, Cat Anderson, Bill Berry, Ed Mullens. Howard McGhee - trumpets
Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Chuck Connors - trombones
Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney - reeds
Jimmy Jones - piano
Aaron Bell - bass
Sam Woodyard - drums
Recorded 12/11-12/61 by Rudy Van Gelder

Verve VSP/VSPS-3

Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk In Holland

2010-09-14T16:20:00.002-04:00

Goddamn Hawkins. What can you say? I think The Ramblers had the time of their life. I think Hawkins had a blast. These recordings have the ability to take my breath away at times.
Hawk is in top form...so freaking cool...and he leads these guys completely down his path.
This is pre WWII. WTF? Somebody pulled off these recordings?
The lp this is taken from was released in 1968. What we have are at the time 30+ year old recordings on a 40+ year old record. And I have to worry about disturbing my neighbor because I like to hear this stuff swing...loud!

Coleman Hawkins with The Ramblers
The Hawk In Holland

1. Some Of These Days*
2. After You've Gone*
3. I Only have Eyes For You*
4. I Wish I Were Twins*
5. Chicago~
6. Meditation~
7. What Harlem Is To Me~
8. Natcha's Dream~
9. I Wanna Go Back To Harlem+
10. Consolation+
11. A Strange Pact+
12. Original Dixie Land One-Step+
13. Smiles+
14. Something Is Gonna Give Me Away#

recorded in Holland on (*) 2/4/35. (~) 8/28/35. (+) 4/26/37, and (#) 4/28/37

GNP-9003

The Blue Note Lost Sessions comp.

2010-09-03T16:20:00.002-04:00

Embarrassingly I am offering up another cd copy. Once again though, I don't believe it ever saw light as a vinyl release.
It was also apparently made available as part of a 7 disc set for the Connoisseur series. Popular opinion is that this disc is the only only one really worthwhile.
There are many fine players spread across these tracks as one might expect from what made have been the world's most "perfect" label at one time.
Any flaws these tracks may have that kept them from being released originally are beyond my scope.

A few observations... apparently the opening Charlie Rouse track was the only thing salvageable from his two sessions. I have always enjoyed his work with Monk so I am surprised. I also have a Charlie Rouse lp that I will share soon that I think is swell.
Tadd Dameron's arrangements always astound me, and Ike Quebec is highly under rated.

Blue Note Records presents
THE LOST SESSIONS

1. One For Five
2. The Elder Speaks
3. Bevan Beeps
4. Lament For The Living
5. Aloof Spoof
6. For All We Know
7. I See Your Face Before Me
8. Sweet Slumber
9. Lady Be Good
10. Blues On Trial
11. Cowbell Boogie
12. Don't Even Go There

1. Charlie Rouse - tenor; Freddie Hubbard - trumpet; McCoy Tyner - piano; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Billy Higgins - drums 1/22/65
2 -5. Tadd Dameron - piano; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Curtis Fuller; Julius Watkins - french horn; Sam Rivers - tenor sax; Cecil Payne - baritone; Paul Chambers - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums 12/14/61
6-8. Duke Pearson - piano; Ike Quebec - tenor; Israel Crosby - bass; Vernel Foournier - drums 6/26/60
9. Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon - tenor sax; Don Patterson - organ; Paul Weeden - guitar; Billy James - drums 5/14/62
10. Ike Quebec - tenor sax; Gene Harris - organ; Andrew Simpkins - bass; Bill Dowdy - drums 2/4/62
11. Fred Jackson - tenor sax; John Patton - piano; Grant Green - guitar; Herbie Lewis - bass; Ben Dixon - drums 6/12/62
12. Herbie Hancock - piano; Melvin Lastie - cornet; Stanley Turrentine - tenor sax; Eric Gale, Billy Butler - guitars; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Bernard Purdie - drums 7/19/66

BN 21484

I'm betting many of these tracks have ended up tacked to individual lps as bonus cuts. The "leader" of each date is in bold.

Dizzy Gillespie Big Band - Chester, PA 1957

2010-09-01T16:20:00.005-04:00

Here's one from disc. Was this ever even released on vinyl? Can't imagine why not. Can't be bothered to dig around and find out. We're here for the music.
I love the fact that Diz is mostly famous for his stripped down lightning fast bebop heritage, but his heart always seemed centered on the big band stuff he grew up on. I love this transitional period between bebop and hard bop. For a brief couple of years you had the best of all worlds at the time.

For some reason this disc languishes on the shelf far too much. I like this record more than I like all of the known official releases I have heard from this period. This is a monster.

Back yard, hot night, grill is dying down. Try not to piss off the neighbor but doesn't Dizzy's trumpet sound far too good really loud, cracking the starlit sky?

I have no idea where I scored this disc. My cover is a bit different.

Dizzy Gillespie Big Band
Live In Stereo At Chester, PA

1. Introduction
2. A Night In Tunisia
3. Autumn Leaves
4. Dizzy's Business
5. Anitra's Dance
6. Begin The Beguine
7. Left Hand Corner
8. I Love You Much Too Much
9. Yesterdays
10. Wonder Why
11. Cool Breeze

Sorry kids - no info on the insert. I'm betting we have a good neighbor that may come along and supply the details. watch the comments.

Recorded 6/14/57

Jazz House cd JH-1029

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 2 - Impulse Comp

2010-08-26T17:12:00.004-04:00

The second set of amazingly unreleased (at the time) sessions from the Impulse stable. Other than the Ray Charles track this is easily as strong as the last batch. Not that the uncle Ray track is a slouch, it just seems a tad outta place. Granted it does make a fine opener.

Highlights for me this time include Shirley Scott doing an instrumental version of the song that was her vocal debut, Coltrane's massive take on contemporary Stan Getz' signature tune and Oliver Nelson making his septet sound huge!

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Vol. 2
1. Without A Song
2. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But Some Pain
3. Moon Over My Annie
4. Night Lights
5. Gloria
6. Dear Old Stockholm
7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
8. Blues Company
9. Anything I Do

1. Ray Charles - piano; and a whole crapload of people of whom you have never heard. 7/10/63
2. Shirley Scott - organ; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Otis Finch - drums 5/14/64
3. Lionel Hampton - vibes; Clark Terry - flugelhorn; Ben Webster - tenor sax; Hank Jones - piano; Milt Hinton - bass; Osie Johnson - drums 10/28/64
4. Oliver Nelson - arr.; Thad Jones - tp; Phil Woods - alto sax; Phil Bodner - french horn; Pepper Adams - baritone sax; Roger Kelleway - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Grady Tate - drums 11/11/64
5. J.J. Johnson - tb; Harold Malbern, Jr. - piano; Arthur Harper, Jr. - bass; Frank Gant - drums 5/1/64
6. John Coltrane - tenor sax; McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Elvin Jones - drums 4/29/64
7. McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Albert Heath - drums 6/4/63
8. Manny Alban - arr.; Johnny Coles - tp; Urbie Green - tb; Phil Woods -slto sax; Oliver Nelson - tenor sax; Jim Hall - guitar; George Duvivier - bass, Gus Johnson, Jr. - drums; others 1/12/62
9. Tommy Flanagan - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Connie Kay - drums

Impulse A-100

Charlie Parker - Bird Of Paradise

2010-08-22T16:20:00.000-04:00

No images for this were found online and the mindless zombies at Kinko's refused to scan it for me citing copyright concerns. Yeah, I'm sure there are no previous violations involved. Anyway, we have the next best technological invention - the cellphone photo.

The record itself contains no performance info whatsoever, other than the subtitle "Broadcasts of rare and Vitriolic Quality".

I grew up on Dylan and Kinks bootlegs. It never occurred to me what a labor of love some of them must have been. It took far more to get this stuff out there back then than it does now in this digital age.

Oh yeah.. the music itself... Well, Bird does not disappoint, but he rarely does. Highlights include this version of Star Eyes, and Cheryl, which I am not familiar with otherwise. Easy to Love is recorded with live with strings.

Hopefully some Bird aficionado can come along and tell us where these songs originated.

Charlie Parker
The Effervescent Indomitable Bird of Paradise

1. Cool Blues
2. Bernie's Tune
3. Don't Blame Me
4. Wahoo
5. Ornithology
6. Embraceable You
7. Star Eyes
8. Ornithology
9. Dynamo A
10. Embraceable You
11. Your Father's Moustache
12. Moose The Mooche
13. Cheryl
14. Easy To Love

This lp was "styled for Custer billings Jr. Fargo ND. I hope he enjoyed it.

Elysium 8008

Hank Jones - Swings Gigi

2010-08-17T16:20:00.000-04:00

Hank Jones could have been a star. Maybe he should have been. I'm not sure what Hank wanted. While his personality may have been understated, his playing was not. But he was never the star.
Here we have an infrequent turn as leader. Even better we have a go at the Lerner/Lowe masterpiece. I love the soundtrack to this musical. It has been translated fantastically many different ways. Put this near the top of the list.

Let us also thank the BCB denizen who passed this record my way. This is a rip from his original vinyl We are humbled.

Hank Gones
Swings Gigi

1. Gigi
2. I'm Not Young Anymore
3. Thank Heavens For Little Girls
4. It's A Bore
5. Say A Prayer For Me Tonight
6. Gossip
7. Waltz At Maxim's
8. The Parisians
9. I Remember It Well
10. The Night They Invented Champagne

Hank Jones - piano
Donald Lamond - drums
Arnold Fishkin - bass
Joe Galbraith - guitar

Golden Crest Records
CR 3042

Okeh Jazz

2010-08-12T16:20:00.002-04:00

Okeh was a really cool label. This double lp reissue of some of their jazz stuff is a must own, although they have taken some liberties.
While not strictly bebop, there is enough crossover between these sides and the last couple of lps I posted, to make me want to share it now...while I have your attention.
The first side is all big Texas tenor dude, Arnett Cobb. Dig out some old Lionel Hampton to hear Cobb come of age. These sides are macho and swinging, a trend that was soon to make an appearance.
Side two starts with "Little Johnny Griffin", joined by Babs Gonzales on a couple. On the lp next up would be Red Rodney, but I just posted the same songs on the IAJRC post.
Side Three is the one that sends me to my happy place. Early Ahmad Jamal. With the so sublime original "Ahmad's Blues"
Finishing the records off is some crazy organ trio stuff by Wild Bill Davis. I love his stuff with Johnny Hodges that came about much later. And lastly we get some sides by Mary Ann McCall, which were not actually released on Okeh, presumably because the label was on brief hiatus. Apparently whoever assembled this comp felt they belonged. Hmmm...well they are fun songs from a great band.

Okeh Jazz
1. Smooth Sailin'
2. Walkin Home
3. Jumpin The Blues
4. I'm In The Mood For Love
5. Whispering
6. Open House
7. Lil Sonny
8. The Shy One
9. For Dancers Only
10. Flying Home
11. Chicago Riffin'
12. Till We Meet Again
13. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
14. Will You Still Be Mine
15. Aki and Ukthay
16. Billy Boy
17. Ahmad's Blues
18. A Gal In Calico
19. Azure Te
20. Rough Ridin
21. April In Paris
22. Money Is Honey
23. I Want A Big Butter and Egg Man
24. On Time

Arnett Cobb 1-8
NYC 9/12/50 (1), 8/7/51 (2-4), 11/20/51 (5-6), 8/52 (7-8)
Johnny Griffin - bs (2-4)

Johnny Griffin 9-12
NYC circa 1954
Babs Gonzales - vcl (9-10)

Ahmad Jamal 13-17
Chicago 10/25/51 (13-14), 5/5/52 (15-17)
Ahmad Jamal - p, Ray Crawford - b, Eddie Calhoun - d

Wild Bill Davis (18-20)
NYC 11/20/51 (1), 2/4/52 (2), 1/8/53 (3)
Bill Davis - organ, Bill Jennings - g, Chris Columbus - d

Mary Ann McCall 21-23
LA 6/19/47
Howard McGhee - tp, Dexter Gordon - ts, Jimmy Rowles - p, Barney Kessel - g, Red Callender - b, Jackie Mills - d, Willie Smith - as

EG 37315

Capitol Jazz Classics Vol 13 - Strictly Bebop

2010-08-07T16:20:00.001-04:00

A little more bebop. This one from the Capitol Classics series. Some really great stuff on this one including a couple of vocal tracks by the ever entertaining Babs Gonzales.
As much as I love the fiery intensity of the the small bebop combos, I really enjoy this big band stuff. Particularly when no one is about and you can crank it up on the stereo. The way the orchestra punches is like a loving kick in the chops.
The line up on these tracks is beyond measure, but just the same I have to mention how much I enjoy picking Art Pepper's short solo on Prelude To A Nightmare. On the other hand, trying to pick out Coltrane (on rare alto sax) is like looking for Waldo.

Strictly Bebop
Capitol Jazz Classics Vol .13

1. Sid's Delight
2. Casbah
3. John's Delight
4. What's New
5. Heaven's Doors Are Wide Open
6. Focus
7. Capitolizing
8. Professor Bop
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Real Crazy
11. Prelude To A Nightmare
12. Say When
13. You Stole My Wife You Horsethief
14. Tally-Ho
15. Oo-la-la
16. Coast To Coast

Tadd Dameron and His Orchestra
1-2: Fats Navarro (tp), Kai Winding (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Dexter Gordon (ts), Cecil Payne (s),
Tadd Dameron (p), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Vidal Bolado 9conga), Rae Pearl (vcl) - New York City 1/18/49
3-6: Miles Davis (tp), JJ Johnson (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Benjamin Lundy (ts), Cecil Payne (bs), Tadd Dameron 9p0, John Collins (g), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Kay Penton (vcl) -
NYC 4/21/49

Babs Gonzales and His Orchestra
7-8: Bennie Green, JJ Johnson (tb), Julius Watkins (fhn), Jordan Fordin (as), Sonny Rollins (ts), Linton Garner (p), Art Phipps (b. vcl). Jack Parker (d), Babs G (vcl) - NYC 10/20/49
9-10: JJ Johnson (tb), Alberto Socarras (fl), Son Redman (ss), Sonny Rollins (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Bruce Lawrence (b), Roy Haynes (d), BG (vcl) NYC 4/27/49
11: JJ Johnson (tb), Art Pepper (as), Herbie Stewart (ts), Wynton Kelley (p), PeeWee Tinney (g, vcl), Bruce lawrence (b), Jackie Mills (d), BG (vcl) - LA 3/20/49

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra
12-14: DG (tp, vcl), Willie Cook, Don Slaughter, Elmon Wright (tp), Matthew Gee, Sam Hurt, Hameefan Mageed (tb), Jimmy Heath, John Coltrane (as), Jesse powell, Paul Gonsalves (ts), Al Gibson (bs), John Aces (p), Al McKibbon (b), Specs Wright (d) - NYC 11/21/49
15-16: same except replace with Floyd Smith (g). Add Chino Pozo (bongo), Joe Carroll (vcl)
NYC 1/10/50

Capitol Jazz M-11059

Modern Trumpet Leaders - IAJRC

2010-08-05T04:20:00.005-04:00

I've really been on a bebop kick lately so I thought I might share a little. This is another fine record given us by the venerable IAJRC.

Other than the "schmaltzie" Flamingo by Candoli, this lp is a bristling documentary bebop just before the age of 78's came to a close.

In the internet age it is hard to appreciate how awesome records like this are. From the back cover "Twenty five to thirty years ago after these recordings were made... Art Zimmerman, Dec. 1976". Well now we are 30+ years passed when this lp came out. Some of the songs have surfaced elsewhere, some may have not. But you can bet your ass the only place you would find these tunes in 1976 was on this lp, or the very rare 78's. And pressing records was a far bigger labor of love than just disseminating some mp3's.

What, you might ask, has this to do with music. It doesn't. The music will speak for itself. One of the traditions of jazz has always been to acknowledge those they came before you. So as I do my best to keep this music alive, I bow to those who worked far harder at it than me.

As far as the music...I'd bet my bottom dollar I have these Dizzy songs elsewhere but the fog won't lift.

Modern Trumpet Leaders
IAJRC 25

1. Dig This Menu, Please
2. Red's Mambo
3. Honeysuckle Rose
4. Buckle My Shoe
5. Flamingo
6. Mambo Junior
7. Chris and Diz
8. Purple Sounds
9. Ornithology pt 1
10. Ornithology pt 2
11. Sweet Potato
12. Hoggin'
13. Blues Ala King
14. Night Mist
15. Yardbird Suite
16. Donna Lee

1-4
Red Rodney Orchestra
Red Rodney, tp; Buddy Savitt, ts; Jimmy Golden, p; unknown, b; Morton Perry, dr, vcl
NY Sept. 1052 Okeh 6899, 6922

5-6
Conte Candoli
Conte Candoli, tp; Bob Winn, as; Ira Sullivan, ts; Gene Esposito, p; Chubby Jackson, b; Tony Papa, dr. Chicago June 1953 Chance CH-1153

7-8
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet
Dizzie, tp; Sahib Shihab, bs; Wade Legge, p; Lou Hackney, b; Al Jones, dr
NY June 1953 Showcase 4401

9-10
Junior Jazz At The Auditorium
Howard McGhee, tp; Lucky Thompson, Jack McVea, ts; Jimmy Bunn, p; Irving Ashby, g; Red Callender, b; Jackie Mills, d; LA, 1946 Imperial 5075

11 - 14
Howard McGhee Orchestra
McGhee, tp; J D King, Teddy Edwards, ts; Jimmy Bunn or Vernon Biddle, p; Robert Kesterson, b; Roy Porter, drums LA spring 1946 Melodisc M1002

15-16
Howard McGhee Sextet
McGhee, tp; Jimmy Heath, as; Milt Jackson, vibes; Will Davis, p; Percy Heath, b; Joe Harris, dr; Earl Coleman, vcs Chicago, late 1948 The Old Swingmaster....

IAJRC 25

Pee Wee Russell - Everest recordings

2010-07-23T22:23:00.001-04:00

I was gonna do a clarinet week, this was to be the first offering. I plan to do lots of things. Sometimes things don't work out as planned. You should still give an ear to this lp. An Everest recording, there is little info to be gleaned from the sleeve.

I remember a time when I would have viewed this music as "simple". I could not have been farther off base and I am so glad I came to appreciate the long history of jazz.

Pee Wee Russell

1. Out of Nowhere
2. Pee Wee Blues
3. I Used To Love You
4. Oh! No!
5. That Old Feeling
6. I've Got The World On A String
7. Exactly Like You
8. It All Depends On You
9. If I Had You

Pee Wee Russell - clarinet
Ruby Braff - trumpet
Bud Freeman - tenor sax
Vic Dickenson - trombone
Karl Kiffe - drums
Charles Potter - bass
Nat Pierce - piano and arrangements

FS-233 stereo

Mel Torme - radio transcriptions

2010-07-09T19:32:00.000-04:00

These recordings could not sound better on this stifling summer evening.
These sides are from radio transcriptions recorded in the late 40's, the formative years in Torme's career. These are nothing more than a fascinating bit of nostalgia.

This no additional info provided with the lp, which was reissued in 1978 on Glendale records.

I keep threatening to post some vocal lps and hopefully I can get some more up here eventually.

Mel Torme

1. Isn't It A Lovely Day
2. I Can't Get Started
3. Stranger In Town
4. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
5. I Cover The Waterfront
6. Country Boy
7. How Are Things In Glocca Morra
8. The Blues
9. April In Paris
10. How Long Has This Been Going On?
11. Cottage For Sale
12. Gone With The Wind

material licensed from the C. P. MacGregor library

GL 6007

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 1 - Impulse Comp

2010-07-06T16:20:00.002-04:00

It seems like I have owned this record forever, pulling it out every couple of years to be floored once again at all the great music it has that I just never run into elsewhere. Cah-rist! Ellington and Hawkins! Coltrane! Webster! Mingus! Tyner! and more Hawkins!
Of the series of three, and none of them are weak, this is probably my favorite. The two Bean tracks are simply outstanding. And this is the part where I mess with you...this issue has far more detailed notes about the recordings sessions including anecdotes, which the following lps tended to lack. Of course I can't share them with you due to the digital block in my brain.

But I will share as much info as my poor tired fingers will allow....

The Hawkins/Ellington tune was recorded after the session had ended and Hawk talked a few guys into playing one of his favorite Ellington themes, Basie looks back at his roots with a new incarnation of his Kansas City Six. Mingus makes my soul soar with this version of Freedom, while I dig the soprano version of Trane's selection. Hawkins sneaks in again with Shelley Manne on an outtake from their lp. Ben Webster showcases Ellington's "Single Petal Of A Rose". Webster shows up again on Clark Terry's bonus track.
You're gonna have to trust me here...there ain't a bad track on this compilation.
Without doing a whole lot of homework, I will assume that most of these tracks have appeared across the board on the respective artist's releases, but at the time this vinyl was the shit!!

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Vol. 1

1. Solitude
2. Trey of Hearts
3. Single Petal of a Rose
4. Tippie
5. Lisa and Pam
6. Big Nick
7. Avalon
8. Freedom
9. Hammer-Head Waltz
10. Flapstick Blues

1. Duke Ellington - piano, Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax, Ray Nance - violin, Sam Woodyard - drums, Aaron Bell - bass 8/18/62
2. Count Basie - piano, Thad Jones - trumpet, Frank Wess, Eric Dixon - flutes, Freddie Green - guitar, Ed Jones - bass, Sonny Payne - drums 3/22/62
3. Ben Webster - tenor sax, Hank Jones - piano, Richard Davis - bass, Osie Johnson - drums 3/11/64
4. Terry Gibbs - vibes, Kenny Burrell - guitar, Sam Jones - bass, Louis Hayes - drums 1/16/64
5. Shirley Scott - organ, Earl may - bass, Jimmie Cobb - drums 8/22/63
6. John Coltrane - soprano sax, McCoy Tyner - piano, Jimmy Garrison - bass, Elvin Jones - drums 8/11/62
7. Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax, Shelley Manne - drums, Hank Jones - piano, George Duvivier - bass 2/5/62
8. Charles Mingus - bass, narration, Eddie Preston, Richard Williams - trumpets, Britt Woodman - trombone, Don Butterfield - tuba, Jerome Richardson, Dick Hafer, Booker Ervin, Eric Dolphy - saxophones, Jaki Byard - piano, Walter Perkins - drums 10/20/63
9. Clark Terry - trumpet, Phil Woods - alto sax, Ben Webster - tenor sax, Roger Kellaway - piano, Milt Hinton - bass, Walter Perkins - drums 3/13/64
10. McCoy Tyner - piano, Jimmy Garrison - bass, Albert Heath - drums 6/4/63

Impulse A-99

Benny Golson - The Other Side Of Benny Golson

2010-06-28T16:20:00.000-04:00

I love the warmth Golson coaxed out of his horn on these early lps, this being his fourth as leader.
The addition of Curtis Fuller on the front line and the absence of a trumpet, give this lp a laid back summer night feel.

There's not much I can tell you jazz fans about the band, all familiar faces. This is just a nice record I don't see much. Enjoy!

And don't you dig the cover, a precursor to what would become standard in the hippie movement in just a few years.

Benny Golson
The Other side of..

1. Strut Time
2. Jubilation
3. Symptoms
4. Are You Real?
5. Cry A Blue Tear
6. This Night

Benny Golson - tenor sax
Curtis Fuller - trombone
Barry Harris - piano
Jymie Merrit - bass
Philly Joe Jones - drums

recorded Nov 12, 1958

Riverside 290

The Women / Classic Female Jazz 1932 - 1952

2010-06-25T23:21:00.002-04:00

Ever find yourself killing time in a mall? You might find yourself wandering around some chain store. Used to be that they would always have these dump bins with ridiculously priced cds. And certainly not worth digging through...50 to 1 you find something even remotely interesting.

Whoever kept me waiting in this mall, deserves a kiss on the cheek..forever. Sadly I don't remember the girl, but I remember standing in that store and thinking "This looks pretty cool" and buying the disc. Obviously my priorities are skewed.

There is so much old fashioned goodness spread across this disc, it's crazy. How this stuff ends up in dump bins is beyond me.

The Women / Classic Female Jazz Artists 1939 - 1952

1. Harmony Grits
2. Boogie Misterioso
3. Conversation

Mary Lou Williams' Girl Stars

4. Hesitation Boogie

Mary Lou Williams Trio

5. Oops! My Lady!
6. Low Ceiling

Beryl Booker Quintet

7. A Woman's Place Is In The Groove
8. Operation Mop

Vivien Gary Quintet

9. Blitzkrieg Baby (You Can't Bomb Me)
10. Beautiful Eyes

Una Mae Carlisle

11. Vi Vigor
12. Don't Get It Twisted

International Sweethearts Of Rhythm

13. Calling All Bars
14. Mighty Like The Blues

Hazel Scott w/ The Sextet of the Rhythm Club of London

15. Nice Work If You Can Get It

Edythe Wright w/ Tommy Dorsey and the Clambake Seven

16. My Castle's Rockin'

Alberta Hunter

17. Baby What Else Can I Do

Ethel Waters

18. Rockin' Chair
19. Georgia On My Mind

Mildred Bailey

20. Mutiny On The Bounty

Helen Ward w/ Gene Krupa and his Swing Band

21. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You

Helen Forrest w/ Lionel Hampton

22. Barbara's Carol

Barbara Carroll Trio

23. Transblucency (A Blue Fog That You Can Almost See Through)

Kay Davis w/ Duke Ellington and his Orchestra

Bluebird 6755-2-RB

Kronos Quartet - live cassette

2010-06-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

Pre-internet days, somebody sent me or I bought this cassette. Through the mail. After reading a trade magazine, most likely printed on newspaper quality stock.That's what we did back then.

You remember...you could always run across great deals in the back of Goldmine...if you had a magnifying glass.

Kronos can be difficult to pin down. You may think that they flit from genre to genre a bit, given all they have recorded. I sat in a hotel room with David Harrington one night. I saw the cds strewn around the room that he was listening to the night before a performance. The man absorbs everything. And yet, I was able to turn him on to a cassette of Cannonball Adderley's "Accent On Africa" lp the next night after the performance.

Without Kronos flitting from genre to genre, I would have overlooked a lot of music I have come to enjoy. It's not often when you can actually cite one single group that led you down many paths you may have missed.

This recording is from Terry Riley's 50th birthday celebration. Kronos was also on the verge of releasing their new record, as you will hear.

Unfortunately the years have not been kind and I have lost any specific info I may have had about this recording.

Since today is Terry Rileys birthday, I give you this.

Kronos Quartet
Live
1. Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector
2. G Song
3. The Wheel/Mythic Birds Waltz
4. Cadenza On The Night Plain

Kronos is at this time...
David Harrington - violin
Hank Dutt - Viola
John Sherba - violin
Joan Jeanrenaud - cello

Kronos tape

Duke Ellington - Monologue

2010-06-22T00:11:00.000-04:00

More of the indomitable Duke. Nice stuff from a powerful time. 11 of the 16 tracks are from 1947, the other 5 from '51. While these bands don't always contain Ellington's most famous players, there are no slouches in this bunch and plenty that would achieve fame with Duke in the ensuing years.
I see a smattering of these songs elsewhere but I would have to do research to see if they are the same recordings. I rarely indulge in research. Sometimes I indulge in a buzz and read the credits. I have not read enough credits to be considered an authority but I know that in my bones these are fine Duke Ellington songs. Some swing like a mother, while others paint that panorama that only Duke can create. Sometimes I wonder if these versions were released elsewhere, but not often.

Duke Ellington
Monologue

1. Three Cent Stomp
2. On A Turquoise Cloud
3. New York City Blues
4. Hy' A Sue
5. Golden Cress
6. Lady Of The Lavender Mist
7. The Clothed Woman
8. Monologue (Pretty and the Wolf)
9. Stop Look, and Listen
10. Rock-Skippin' at the Blue Note
11. Change My Ways
12. Sultry Serenade
13. Women
14. Fancy Dan
15. Brown Betty
16. Smada

The 1947 sessions include at various times Sheldon Hemphill, Harold Baker, Al Killian, Francis Williams, Wilbur Bascom, Ray Nance, Claude Jones, Lawrence Brown, Tyree Glenn, Wilbur DeParis, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Al Sears, Harry Carney, Fred Guy, Oscar Pettiford, Junior Raglin, Sonny Greer.

The 1951 sessions featured Harold Baker, Fats Ford, Cat Anderson, Nelson Williams, Ray Nance, Juan Tizol, Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, Willie Smith, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Wendell Marshall, Louis Bellson. (tracks 3, 8, 10, 14, 16)

CBS 63 563

Jack Sheldon Big Band - Jack's Groove

2010-06-11T22:02:00.012-04:00

Shit photo, I know. Sorry. (Actually thanks to Old Hippie Rick for supplying a better cover. The shit one is reproduced below.) Great record. And one I don't see around much.
Serious West Coast cool in a large band format. There is a small window of time when these dudes were awesome at this.

Sheldon was a veteran of the scene and assembled a crack crew for these sessions.

Recorded at two different sessions, I have no idea why the latter date is presented first.

Jack Sheldon and his Exciting All-Star Big Band
Jack's Groove

1. Green Dolphin Street
2. I'm Also A Person
3. I Had The Craziest Dream
4. Arrivederci
5. Brown Cow
6. Anyhow
7. Julie Is Her Name
8. Aplomb
9. Sunset Eyes
10. J.S.

1 - 5
Jack Sheldon, Conte Candoli - trumpets
Stu Williamson - valve trombone
Vince DeRosa - french horn
Lennie Niehaus - alto sax
Billy Root - baritone sax
Pete Jolly - piano
Red Callender - tuba
Buddy Clark - bass
Mel Lewis - drums

recorded LA, 12/58

6-10
Sheldon and Chet Baker - trumpet
Art Pepper, Herb Geller - alto sax
Harold Land - tenor sax
Paul Moer - piano, arrangements
Buddy Clark - bass
Mel Lewis - drums

recorded LA 8/57

Fresh Sounds cd FSR-CD 70

Shit cover...

Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra - Hodge Podge

2010-06-09T20:17:00.001-04:00

Recently a discussion about "swing era" bands came up with a few friends. The usual was bandied about. But surprisingly when Duke was mentioned, most folk almost always referred to the the Blanton/Webster phase.
I spent a couple of days wrestling with whether or not Duke was a swing band and how I was going to explain my position. A listen to Cottontail chased those thoughts straight from my head.

It's simply crazy how much Duke recorded back in the day. Even crazier is how there was enough time for his compatriots to record all this stuff under their own names.

However they worked it out, we are all richer because of it.
Nary a famous orchestra song among the bunch. Awesome...but I bet you could track these songs down elsewhere easily enough.

Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra
Hodge-Podge

1. Jeep's Blues
2. Rendevouz With Rhythm
3. Empty Ballroom Blues
4. Krum Elbow Blues
5. I'm In Another World
6. Hodge - Podge
7. Dancing On The Stars
8. Wanderlust
9. Dooji Woodji
10. Savoy Strut
11. Rent Party Blues
12. Good Gal Blues
13. Finesse
14. Home Town Blues
15. Dream Blues
16. Skunk Hollow Blues

Johnny Hodges - alto and soprano sax
Cootie Williams - trumpet
Lawrence Brown - trombone
Harry Carney - baritone sax
Duke Ellington - piano, arrangements
Billy Taylor - bass
Sonny Greer - drums

track 13 - Hodges, Ellington, Greer only
track 15 - Billy Strayhorn replaces Ellington on piano
track 16 - Jimmy Blanton replaces Taylor on bass

recorded 1938/39
1974 Columbia products reissue

JEE22001

Clifford Brown - all stars

2010-05-22T00:14:00.006-04:00

I know I just offered up some Clifford Brown recently, but during one of those massive filing sessions I ran across this. And lest it get lost in the shuffle, I present it now....

Just two long tracks. Caravan feels like it was shot out of a blunderbuss, while Autumn takes its time developing. Each has their merits. I can't even for the life of me, imagine what it would have been like to see this stuff in a small bar!

Caravan is one of my favorite all time songs. I freaking love the way this band treats it.

Clifford Brown
all stars

1. Caravan
2. Autumn In New York

Clifford Brown - trumpet
Max Roach - drums
Herb Geller - alto sax
Joe Maini - alto sax
Walter Benton - tenor sax
Kenny Drew - piano

Emarcy EXPR-1007

in glorious mono

The George Wallington Quintet - Jazz at Hotchkiss

2010-05-14T21:01:00.000-04:00

I love this record. I think it is a perfect example of the leap made from bebop to hard bop. It's not about virtuosity, but the ability to get you off your seat.
Two bebop standards, an obscure cover, and two originals, this date should be better known.

Alas this appears to be the only session by this group, a fly by night recording rather than a working quintet.

Somewhere I have more Wallington recordings but they are MIA at this point.

The George Wallington Quintet
Jazz at Hotchkiss

1. Dance of the Infidels
2. Strange Music
3. Before Dawn
4. Ow
5. 'S Make 'T

George Wallington - piano
Donald Byrd - trumpet
Phil Woods - alto sax
Knobby Totah - bass
Nick Stabulahs - drums

recorded Hackensack, NJ. 11/14/57

Savoy MG 12122

Milt Jackson - Plenty Plenty Soul

2010-05-13T20:29:00.007-04:00

I think this lp is actually seeing a new release soon on one of those discs that contain 4 lps. A bargain, yes. A bad idea throwing all that stuff to together, hell yes! I think it is even being thrown on with Telefunken Blues, which was originally released under Kenny Clarke's name but didn't garner enough attention that way so was remarketed under Jackson's name.

Ok so record company rant over, here is my vinyl copy for you to enjoy!

So my first exposure to Milt Jackson was in the mid/late 70's. We used to get colossally baked and sit in the attic and listen to Sunflower and Olinga along with lots of other CTI jazz, George Benson, Deodato, Airto, Freddie Hubbard....

Hmmm, I wish I had known this date back then...

Milt Jackson
Plenty Plenty Soul

1. Plenty Plenty Soul
2. Boogity, Boogity
3. Heartstrings
4. Sermonette
5. The Spirit Feel
6. Blues At Twilight

Side One:
MJ - vibraharp
Ronnie Peters - alto
Frank Foster - tenor
Sahib Shihab - baritone
Joe Newman - trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland - trombone
Horace Silver - piano
Percy Heath - bass
Art Blakey - drums

Side Two:
MJ - vibraharp
Lucky Thompson - tenor
Joe Newman - trumpet
Horace Silver - piano
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Connie Kay - drums

arrangements by Quincy Jones

Atlantic 1269

Jimmy Smith - Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

2010-05-09T21:25:00.004-04:00

The last time I saw this record offered in the blog-o-sphere was almost 4 years ago. It was at Orgy In Rhythm, a fine place to visit. It's time for my copy and my tale.

First, my Jimmy Smith introduction story. I don't know where I first heard of him, I suspect it was through the NPR station outside Chicago. However I was enlightened, my first purchase was a Verve "Best of" collection. Or so I thought...
Usually I pull every record out of the sleeve and check the condition... must've missed this one because when i got home I found I had a copy of Organ Grinder Swing stuffed into the wrong sleeve.
Later as I was to discover I enjoyed this lp far more than I liked the "best of" that I should have purchased. I am confident to this day that had I ended up with that "best of" record it would have taken far longer to explore Smith's catalog. As it was, I thought the lp swing like a mofo.

Many years later I ran across this lp, which I had not even seen, not even so much as a review. Why? Was it that shitty? By now I knew Smith has crossed over into cheese at times (re: Verve - best of). I took the chance for a couple of bucks. What the hell? Even if no musicians are listed, arrangements were by Oliver Nelson, his rep was good enough for me. So the arrangements are shared by some fellow named Claus Ogerman... this is nice stuff. Recorded by Van Gelder and produced by Creed Taylor, we've heard those names before.

Jimmy Smith
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

1. Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
2. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (pt.1)
3. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (pt.2)
4. John Brown's Body
5. Wives And Lovers
6. Women Of The World
7. Bluesette

Jimmy Smith - Hammond B3
other personnel unnamed

recorded in NYC, Jan. 20, 21, and 27, 1964

Verve records V6-8583

Elmo Hope - Informal Jazz

2010-05-07T04:20:00.004-04:00

A nice hard bop date that doesn't seem to make its way around much. Granted it didn't retain this title long and was reissued several times, under eitherTrane's moniker or Mobley's and often titled Two Tenors, which unfortunately detracts from the real leader on this date.

At the time this date was recorded Hope was still struggling for recognition. I'm kinda surprised he managed to surround himself with such fine players.

I like Elmo Hope but I think that there is a good reason he remains basically unknown outside of jazz circles. Just for the record I feel the same way about Hank Mobley. And to an extent, Donald Byrd. All have released fine, fine records, but not a consistently long line of them.

During this time so many players were playing on each others dates, always sharing the spotlight, that I have I come to the conclusion that on many of these recordings that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a perfect example.

Elmo Hope
Informal Jazz

1. Weeja
2. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
3. On It
4. Avalon

Elmo Hope - piano
John Coltane, Hank Mobley - tenor sax
Paul Chambers - bass
Philly Jo Jones - drums

recorded 5/7/56

Prestige 7043

but actually taken from a 1976 Milestone reissue.

Yusef Lateef - Morning

2010-05-04T18:15:00.007-04:00

This here's a double lp reissue from 1976. I was a senior in high school and this shit never crossed my radar. Hell I had barely discovered Miles and Trane at this point.

These are Lateef's first recordings as a leader yet they stray into crazy rhythms and strange instrumentation as much as any of his later lps did. These records are as accessible as they are adventurous. A delightful combination.

These sessions were originally spread across 3 Savoy lps. I gotta be honest, I have no idea how these tracks have been marketed since. I've owned this lp for well over ten years and have not run across reissues, although I probably wasn't looking.

Yusef Lateef
Morning - The Savoy Sessions

1. Morning
2. O'Blues
3. Ameena
4. Metaphor
5. Yusef's Mood
6. Blues In Space
7. G. Bouk
8. Polarity
9. Midday
10. Happology
11. Space
12. The Beginning
13. Beauregard

Lateef - tenor, flute, argol, scraper
Curtis Fuller - trombone, tambourine
Hugh Lawson - piano
Ernie Farrow - bass, rabat
Louis Haynes - drums
Doug Watkins - finger cymbals, misc. percussion

recorded 4/5/57 and 4/9/57

originally released as Savoy lps 12003, 12009, and 12115 - these are taken from Savoy SJL-2205

Benny Goodman 45s

2010-04-27T21:39:00.007-04:00

Yessiree..more vinyl dug out from the depths... it will take me longer to type this post than the recording will last! (actually it already has.)

This is just a little box set that I acquired somewhere long ago. Benny revisiting his early 30's success. I'm pretty sure these recording are from the 50's.

When I was a kid, I wanted to play a musical instrument. We're talking early on, 7 - 8 yrs old. I wanted to play the coronet! I had seen someone play one on TV and I thought it was cool as hell.

Nope I was told - I would need braces and the trumpet, as I now knew it, was out.
How about a clarinet? Well, I spent the next year or so in a small class without another males. Clarinets were not cool.
My clarinet teacher was not cool, or he would have convinced me what I found out on my own. I love that woody sound.

This story will continue shortly....

20 minutes of swing...

Benny Goodman Trio

1. Blue
2. After Hours
3. Bye, Bye, Pretty Baby
4. At Sundown
5. When You Are Smiling
6. All I Do Is Dream Of You

Benny Goodman - clarinet
James Crawford - drums
Teddy Wilson - piano

Capitol Records CCF 343

Clifford Brown - Pure Genius Vol 1

2010-04-26T19:28:00.001-04:00

Now this is a hard bop date!!! Brownie wails, Rollins hangs tough and Roach pounds on these live tracks. Ritchie Powell managed to hold his own. George Morrow is solid. And now I am not listing the personnel below!!

These tracks were produced from private recordings in the possession of Brownie's wife. The tapes were in less than perfect shape and Roach was instrumental in restoring them.

Was there ever a Vol 2?

Clifford Brown/Max Roach
Pure Genius Vol. 1

1. i'll Remember
2. What's New
3. Dahoud
4. Lover Man
5. 52nd St. Theme

Elektra E1-60026

Gigi Gryce Quintet - The Hap'nin's

2010-04-25T09:55:00.005-04:00

** OK just so you know up front, this is not just a posting but a plea for a better recording!!! ***
The back story is that I probably borrowed this from one of the Chicago area libraries that I strip mined for great jazz records shortly after my second awakening. Unfortunately I either did not notice, or I had no way to fix it, but the left channel is virtually non existent, leaving many fine solos as only a whisper.
I'm sure there must be one kind soul out there that can help me revise the first paragraph.

This is just one of those subtly exceptional post bop dates that seems to get lost in the crowd. Tis a shame...this date swings like a mother!!!

Read carefully!!! My link has been deleted...it was faulty. The pristine link is placed in the comments sextion...and make damn sure you thank the fellow who left!!

Gigi Gryce Quintet
The Hap'nin's

1. Frankie and Johnny
2. Lover Man
3. Minority
4. Summertime
5. Nica's Tempo
6. Don't Worry About Me

Gigi Gryce - alto sax
Richard Williams - trumpet
Richard Wyans - piano
Julian Euell - bass
Mickey Roker - drums

Prestige - 8246

1960

Benny Carter in Hollywood

2010-04-24T19:53:00.003-04:00

Here at Chez Hook, we occasionally like to look way back to the swing era and see where some of our heroes have come from. These Benny Carter tracks are all live and I would assume taken from radio transcriptions.

There is not a lot i can say about this stuff. I am by no means an expert on swing era jazz, but as the old saying goes, "I know what I like". This I like quite a bit.

This is taken from a Swedish import lp that I honestly have no idea how I came into.

Benny Carter
In Hollywood

1. Jump Call (d)
2. I Can't Get Started (d)
3. Sunday (b)
4. Somebody Loves Me (b)
5. Early Boyd (c)
6. Rose Room In Sunny Roseland (a)
7. Love For Sale (c)
8. Sweet Georgia Brown (a)
9. Jubilee Jump (b)
10. Habanera (from Carmen) (c)
11. Sleep (b)
12. Without A Song (d)
13. Slick Mix (b)
14. Oofdah! (d)

(a) possibly Claude Dunson, Vernon Porter, Teddy Buckner, Freddie Webster (tpts); Alton Moore, J J Johnson, John Haughton (tbns); Benny Carter (alt/tpt/arranger);Porter Kilbert (alto); Hubert Myers, Gene Porter (ts); Willard Brown (bari/alto); Ted Branson (piano); Ulysses Livingstone (guitar) Curley Russell (bass); Oscar Bradley (drums)
recorded late 43 or early 44

(b) probably from the same period as (a) but with Sonny White on Piano

(c) possibly Irving Lewis, Fred Trainer, Gerald Wilson, Emmett Berry, Paul Cohen (tpt); Henry Coker, Alton Moore, George Washington, Lewis Taylor (tbn); Benny Carter (alto/arr); Jewell Grant, Porter Kilbert (alto); Bumps Myers, Harold Clark (ts); John Taylor (bari); Rufus Webster (paino); Herman Mitchell (guitar); Charlie Drayton (bass); Max Roach (drums)
Hollywood 1945

(d) including PaulCohen, Ira Pettiford, Walter Williams (tpt); Al Grey, Clarence Ross (tbn); Benny Carter (alto/tpt/arr); Bumps Myers (ts); Willard Brown (bari/alto); Sonny White (piano); Jimmy Cannady (gtr); Thomas Moultrie (bass); Percy Brice (drums)
c. August 1946

Jazz Society AA 502

Benny Carter/Phil Woods - My Man Bennie My Man Phil

2010-04-14T19:56:00.004-04:00

Hard to believe this record was recorded over 20 years ago. I like to think of these great old jazz guys as eternal.

Here's a Hooks Gems admission. Somehow I always think of alto sax as...second tier...thinking the real masters played the tenor...but then I think of these two, and Pepper and Bird...and well the list goes on.

Admission #2 - the record languished on the shelf unplayed for many years. It wasn't until I was trying to unclutter than I decided to give it a spin with fresh ears. Kinda glad I did. It's a great record. Not a scorcher, but one of those records you can pull out once in awhile and really enjoy. Let's be realistic, that was a way of life with rock and roll records for the first 20 - 25 years of record collecting, at least a cd doesn't take up much room.
And at this point I enjoy a blowing session far more than a mediocre rock record.

Benny Carter/Phil Woods
My Man Benny, My Man Phil

1. Reet's Neet
2. Just A Mood (II)
3. Sultry Serenade
4. We Were In Love
5. My Man Benny
6. My Man Phil
7. Just A Mood (I)
8. M.A. Blues
9. People Time
10. I'm Just Wild About Henry

Benny Carter - alto, trumpet (4, 9), vocals (6)
Phil Woods - alto, clarinet (4)
Chris Neville - piano
George Mraz - bass
Kenny Washington - drums

recorded 12/21-22/89 NYC

This is actually taken from a cd for a change...
Music Masters MM 5036-2-C

Yusef Lateef - Jazz "Round The World

2010-04-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

First off let me ask, is there anything cooler than holding these old heavy duty jazz lps with the great gatefold covers? Impulse especially. I just love that fat orange stripe in the middle of the lps collection. This is taken from the lp, as I try to do as often as possible.

As it might suggest, this lp tended to roam all over the place. long before world music was a popular term, many jazz musicians were exploring music from many different locales.

Lateef has mostly based these tunes on folk songs from various places around the globe and at least one will be instantly recognizable to all but a cave dweller.

This was Lateef's first outing for Impulse and his more far out stuff would come later, although this must have sounded fairly uncompromising back in its day.

The unfortunate thing is no song even clocks in at over 5 minutes, so their is little stretching out, something this very short lp would have benefited from immensely. Even so, I find that the 30 minutes I spend with this lp is always gratifying. I hope you do as well.

Yusef Lateef
Jazz 'Round The World

1. Abana
2. India
3. You, So Tender and Wistful
4. Yusef's French Brother
5. The Volga Rhythm Song
6. Trouble In Mind
7. The Good Old Roast Beef of England
8. Raisins and Almonds
9. Utopia
10. Ringo Oiwake

Yusef Lateef - tenor sax, bassoon, flute, oboe, and shanas.
Richard Williams - trumpet
Hugh Lawson - piano
Ernie Barrows - bass
Lex Humphries - drums

recorded 12/19-20/63

again with the mono...

Impulse A-56

Kenny Drew Quartet - Talkin' & Walkin'

2010-04-09T20:08:00.005-04:00

This lp from 1955 was originally released on the Pacific Jazz imprint, and includes several prominent musicians from their roster at the time. Although from what i understand, at the time of this recording they were actually Drew's working quartet.

Instead of being just a straight ahead post bop date, it is fun to hear them stretch out a bit while the sax seems to being looking backwards with some serious bebop chops.

Im pretty sure this would happen to be another record I tracked down in the Chicago library system. Then I promptly transferred it to cassette and then finally moved to disc some years ago.

talkin' & walkin' with the
Kenny Drew Quartet

1. talkin' - walkin'
2. in the prescribed manner
3. wee dot
4. hidden channel
5. deadline
6. i'm old fashioned
7. minor blues
8. walkin' - talkin'

Joe Maini - alto, tenor sax
Kenny Drew - piano
Leroy Vinnegar - bass
Lawrence Marable - drums

recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, CA, December, 1955

Jazz West JWLP 4

Gil Evans - Live at the Public Theater

2010-04-07T19:34:00.004-04:00

This is the second record of the Evans stuff I posted months ago. I wanted to offer both but at the time I could not locate this lp. Creative record filing once again takes its toll.

I'm not about to relist the cast of characters on this lp, so look up the older post for that info. The recordings were made on the same nights.

Taken from my lp, which has a different cover than that shown.

Ifr you missed the first post about this ensemble, let me say once again. Now that these recordings worked their way into my head, I would be disappointed if I could no longer listen to them when the need arose. I like records like that. Records that just sit in a dusty corner of your collection but never fail to shine when brushed off and brought out.

This time out we get a Mingus cover AND a Hendrix cover.

Gil Evans
Live at the Public Theater
(New York, 1980)

1. Copenhagen Sight
2. Zee Zee
3. Sirhan's Blues
4. Stone Free
5. Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress

Trio records PAP-25016

My cover

Bill DeArango - Live @ Barkin Spider

2010-04-05T17:42:00.007-04:00

Without fail, the best thing about running this blog the last few years has been reaching out to other fans about the music I love so much. Consequently I have met some great folk and learned about so much music they I may have missed on my own.
Bill DeArango falls into this category completely. While seeing in retrospect that I should have been aware of him, I was not. That is until a fan of my blog dropped this short set in my inbox and asked if I would be gracious enough to post it. I listened and I enjoyed it immensely. Certain that it would make the blog, i needed to do a little research first.

He is what the donor had to say to me... " hi hookfinger, i have a tape of bill de arango from 1992 in a club in cleveland called the barkin spider a friend of mine knew bill and use to go and see him play he asked bill if he could record him and bill said yes. bill use to live in cleveland and used to play this club once a month. well anyway if interested let me know and i will send it to you."
Not much to go on so now I give you details I located on Classic Jazz Guitar site...
"Bill DeArango (1921-2005), played with some of the world's great jazz musicians. The list reads like a who's who in jazz from the 1940's. Ben Webster, Charlie Ventura, Coleman Hawkins, Red Norvo, Dizzy Gillespie and others. By 1950 this player had laid down some of the most inventive and creative jazz guitar solos known at that time. And, all this creative output was accomplished playing in the shadows of the great horn players of that period in New York.

DeArango left New York and the national jazz scene at the close of the forties and made his home in Cleveland, Ohio. He surfaced again in 1954 with a recording entitled DeArango on which he displayed the same great playing that set him apart from other guitarists of that time.

Bill DeArango was active in the music business through the 1990s. He owned a music store in Cleveland for many years and participated in the whole music scene in Cleveland from jazz to rock. He appeared on some rock and free jazz recordings from the 1970's and 1980's. He was often billed at places like the Barking Spider Tavern in Cleveland.

In 1993, DeArango made a free jazz CD with Joe Lavano called Anything Went. This CD also contained some standards that, along with the free jazz forms, demonstrated the amazing musical range of this musician.

I've done my best to identify the songs properly.

Bill DeArango
Barkin Spider 1992

1. You and The Night and The Music
2. unknown
3. Summertime
4. Yesterdays
5. Lullabye of The Leaves
6. Autumn Leaves

No other info was supplied.

Well there you have, Phil. Sorry it took so long to get this wonderful set up. I am honored that you share it with us.
If you people like this make sure to thank Phil in the comments.

BDA_BS

Dizzy Gillespie - The Cool World soundtrack

2010-04-04T16:49:00.004-04:00

I have a soft spot for this period of Dizzy's work and this is no exception. Dizzy seemed to hit a surprisingly productive stretch in the mid 60's. This is one is somewhat odd. The soundtrack for Shirley Clarke's 1964 film, all of the tunes were written by Mal Waldron, though he does not appear on the lp.

I have never run across the movie but I would sure like to at some point, just to see how the whole thing fits together. Otherwise this soundtrack stands quite well by itself.

I don't think it is terribly hard to track down so what I offer here is the mono version burned from my lp.

The Cool World
Dizzy Gillespie

1. Theme from "The Cool World"
2. The Pushers
3. Enter, Priest
4. Duke's Awakening
5. Duke On The Run
6. Street Music
7. Bonnie's Blues
8. Duke's Fantasy
9. Coney Island
10. Coolie
11. Duke's Last Soliloquy

Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet
James Moody - tenor sax and flute
Kenny Barron - piano
Chris White - bass
Rudy Collins - drums

PHM 200-138

The Ted Brown Sextet - Free Wheeling

2010-04-03T16:47:00.005-04:00

This classic has been long OOP, seeing occasional reissues over the years often times incorrectly credited to its most famous member, Art Pepper. Indeed it was Peppers presence that first caused me to seek out this fantastic record.
I only know of one other outing with Ted Brown as a leader. Shortly after recording this record, he headed back east to NYC, where seems to have worked intermittently in relative obscurity. Such a shame.

Not to be overlooked is the inclusion of another of my favorite saxes, Warne Marsh.

As is sometimes the case here at Hooks Gems, there is a back story to this lp. When I first moved to this area about 7 years ago, I really knew no one. I had no friends and sole mode of transportation was still a cargo van decked out for my business. At some point I found myself either watching or bidding on item on ebay with someone in my area. Im a little fuzzy on this part, but I seem to remember that you could see where the bids were coming from and even contact the ebay user. I may be way off base but anyway, I emailed this dude, out of the blue, introduced myself as another jazz fan, and asked if he would like to chat jazz sometime. He was very nice and we did indeed chat jazz. A very knowledgeable fellow but as it turned out a good 25 yrs older than me. The fellow invited me to his place for appetizers and wine one night, so I went and met him and his lovely wife. As we retired to the basement, he had a simple but astounding stereo and a jazz collection that surpassed anything I had ever seen. I asked if he listened to anything but jazz and he said "very little".
Still confident, I handed him my copy of this Ted Brown record in hopes I was bringing something he was unfamiliar with. He smiled with delight at the sight of the record, as he showed it to his wife. Apparently Ted Brown had played at their wedding. I never really pressed him on this and we spent a few fun evenings listening to jazz, with him turning me on to many a rare lp.
His name was Joe Hunt.

Sorry for the rambling. Here is a great jazz lp, from the vinyl source.

The Ted Brown Sextet
Free Wheeling

1. Aretha
2. Long Gone
3. Once We Were Young
4. Foolin' Myself
5. Avalon
6. On A Slow Boat To China
7. Crazy She Calls Me
8. Broadway
9. Arrival

Ted Brown - tenor sax
Warne Marsh - tenor sax
Art Pepper - alto sax
Ronnie Ball - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Jeff Morton - drums

rec 11/26/56

Vanguard VRS-8515

John Zorn - Spillane

2010-04-02T23:02:00.003-04:00

...and now for something completely different... or not. I have been trying to introduce new elements to the blog, so here's a start.

The title track is a rambling jazz track with all the cool elements of noir thrown in, while side two sports a very cool blues track and and a track with the unparalleled Kronos.

The whole mess is gonna take more time typing in players than it takes to listen to, so you will have to take my word for it that this is 50 minutes (or so) worth your effort.

Did I mention Kronos on the final track?

John Zorn - Spillane

1. Spillane
2.Two Lane Highway
3. Forbidden Fruit

Personnel track one -
Anthony Coleman - piano, organ, celeste
Carol Emanuel - harp
Bill Frisell - guitar
David Hofstra - bass, tuba
Bob James - tapes, compact discs
Bobby Previte - drums, percussion
Jim Staley - trombone
David Weinstein - sampling keyboards, celeste
John Zorn - alto sax, clarinet
John Lurie - voice of Mike Hammer
Robert Quine - voice of Hammer's conscience

recorded 6/86

personnel track two
Albert Collins - guitar, vocals
Robert Quine - guitar
Big John Patton - organ
Wayne Horvitz - piano, keyboards
Melvin Gibbs - bass
Ronald Shannon Jackson - drums
Bobby Previte - drums

recorded 6/87

personnel track three
David Harrington - violin
John Sherba - violin
Hank Dutt - viola
Joan Jeanrenaud - cello
Christian Marclay - turntables
Ohta Hiromi - voice

recorded 9/87

Nonesuch 9 791172-1

Yusef Lateef - Outside Blues

2010-03-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

While this recording is taken from a Trip records reissue, as far as I can tell, this was originally released on the Charlie Parker label.

The lp is far more bop oriented than most of Lateef's stuff, and he tends to share the spotlight with the trumpet.

For a relatively unknown line-up this record is a great nugget. 35 minutes of hard bop.

Yusef Lateef
Outside Blues

1. Dexterity
2. Train Stop
3. Big Foot
4. Soul Blues
5. Blue Rocky
6. Trudy's Delight
7. Introlude
8. Outside Blues

Yusef Lateef - tenor saxophone
Vincent Pitts -trumpet
John Hormon -piano
Ray McKinny -bass
George Scott, Cliff Jarvis - drums

Recorded at Peter Ind Studio, New York, New York on August 14, 1961.

TLP-5018

pharaoh sanders quintet - 1st lp

2010-03-27T23:25:00.004-04:00

Here is a copy of his 1st leader date issued on ESP. Taken directly from the lp. Recently I believe, ESP has reissued this on disc with an interview tacked on.

Buy a copy from them, then dl this copy of the lp for reference purposes.

Or just dig this lp. Should have posted it here long ago.

Pharaoh Sanders Quintet

1. seven by seven
2. bethera

Pharaoh Sanders - sax Stan Foster - trumpet Jane Getz - piano William Bennett - bass Marvin Pattillo - percussion

recorded 10/10/64

ESP 1003

Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra

2010-03-26T20:59:00.006-04:00

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in modern jazz or hard bop from he 50s and 60s that I forget where it all started. I know it really started with Dixieland but I still struggle with that. But sometimes early swing is where it is at. Bunny seems to always reside in the shadow of Bix (who passed before him), and Louis, but for my money he was every bit as fascinating. I first became aware of Bunny when living in Wisconsin so I felt an affinity for the local boy. Too bad his weakness was stronger than he was.

Im not at all sure where these records were originally released. All the tracks but the 1st three, which were recorded in 1936, were recorded in 1938. I hadn't played this record in years when I pulled it out and it has since resided in the play pile for at least the last month. Time to share it with my friends.

Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra
1936-8

1. On Your Toes
2. Dardanella
3. That's a Plenty
4. I Never Knew
5. Wearing Of The Green
6. Sunday
7. Will You Remember Tomorrow Tonight
8. Black Bottom
9. I'll Always Be In Love With You
10. Sing You Sinners
11. Mahogany Hall Stomp
12. Taint So, Honey Taint So

Featured performers include Georgie Auld, Joe Dixon, Joe Bushkin, Ray Coniff, and Johhny Blowers.

QSR 2414 MONO

Because the record is so short, it afforded me the opportunity to also include an lp of Bunny's more commercial recordings from the same period. Who couldn't forgive me for including the absolutely golden standard I Can't Get Started. This version will never be topped.

This is why i love jazz more than any other music. I can stumbled across something that i haven't heard in years and it has lost none of its lustre. And it was recorded about the time my parents were born!!

Interesting to note is Benny Goodmans inclusion on Bix' "Davenport Blues." Kathleen Lane sang on "I Cried..."

Bunny Berigan
I Can't Get Started

1. I Can't Get Started
2. Peg O My Heart
3. Davenport Blues
4. I Cried For You
5. Ain't She Sweet
6. Walkin The Dog
7. Can't Help Lovin Dat Man
8. Night Song

QJ - 25081 MONO

Both of em

Art Pepper - The Intimate Art Pepper

2010-03-20T22:16:00.004-04:00

What I offer today is an Analogue Productions heavy vinyl release of what are basically some AP outtakes. It is a great companion piece to his "New York Album" even though that band appears on only single track. The remastering was done at Acoustech so the bar is high.
I am always in awe at the amount of Pepper stuff that was released posthumously that is of such a high caliber.

Liberally recorded during his Artist House period (So In Love lp), these are mostly the West Coast sessions, except Yesterdays, as I mentioned earlier is the sole NY track.

Art schools us again on the clarinet on the Duke standard, while also pulling off the heart wrenching solo pieces he was doing near the end. In retrospect, you wonder if you can't hear the guy pouring his soul into some of these songs like he may never have another chance.

Yeah, I'm a big Art Pepper fan.

The Intimate Art Pepper

1. In A Mellow Tone
2. Yesterdays*
3. You Go To My Head
4. Tin Tin Deo
5. Body and Soul
6. Landscape

Art Pepper - alto and clarinet
George Cables - piano
Charlie Haden - bass
Billy Higgins - drums
Hank Jones - piano*
Ron Carter - bass*
Al Foster - drums*

recorded 2/23/79 Burbank, CA & 5/26/79 NYC

APR 3014

Red Norvo Quintet - HI-FIve

2010-03-18T00:53:00.000-04:00

In light of my recent faux pas and not thoroughly researching musicians I had never heard, so rather than make that mistake again...here are the story on the players on this 1957 Red Norvo date...

The bass player was a scenester from 52nd St. The drummer was a Central Ave. denizen and a bit of a swing veteran. The horn player went on to compose many TV soundtracks, and the guitar player was already reknown for his western swing playing, and unfortunately passed away just earlier this year.

While only listed as "supervision", Shorty Rogers fingerprints are all over this thing.

Aaah, once again, warts and all, a mono lp copy...

Red Norvo Quintet
HI-FIve

1. First Things First
2. IF I Love Again.
3. Confessin' That I Love You
4. Everything I've Got Belongs To You
5. Live and Let Live
6. Soft Winds
7. Punkin' Head
8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
9. Easy Does It
10. Cabin In The Sky
11. Copy Cat
12. Move

Red Norvo - vibes
Bill Douglass - drums
Bob Carter - bass
Bob Drasnin - flute, clarinet & alto sax
Jimmy Wyble - guitar
Shorty Rogers - supervision

RCA Victor LPM- 1420

Oscar Pettiford Sextet

2010-03-08T07:22:00.000-05:00

Later reissued on cd, these are the Vogue masters. recorded in NY in 1954, these sessions are an almost perfect example of laid back swing. Straddling the line between the classic and that new bop shit, Pettiford never ceases to amaze me. Of the very short list of the stuff I have in his name, this one seems to rise to the top. I even find myself overlooking Farlow's guitar.

Oscar Pettiford
Sextet

1. Burt's Pad
2. Marcel the Furrier

3. Stardust
4. E-Lag
5. Rhumblues
6. Ondine

Oscar Pettiford - bass and cello
Al Cohn - tenor sax
Kai Winding - trombone
Tal Farlow - guitar
Henri Renaud - piano
Max Roach - drums

3/21/54, NYC

Dexter Gordon Quartet - There Will Never Be Another You.

2010-03-07T16:28:00.005-05:00

The back story - this recording is taken from a cassette that I have carried around for what seems an eternity. I hadn't played it years for fear of wearing it out, breaking it or something else stupid since I never ran across another copy.
I suspect I dubbed it from a disc which I checked out from the library when I was living outside of Chicago. The library system in that area was fantastic and my interest in jazz had been recently rekindled by some local djs. I was dubbing off as much stuff as I could while I had access to it in an attempt to learn more about what I did and didn't like in jazz. At the time Dexter did not click with me and so it went unlistened to for a very long time. I have since rectified that mistake and filled my life with many later period sessions by Gordon. I was ecstatic to find this in a box of cassettes set aside for conversion.

A little research shows me that these tracks were originally released by Black Lion as part of "Dexter Gordon - The Montmartre Collection" - a pair of lps.

There Will Never Be Another You

1. But Not For Me
2. There Will Never Be Another You
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. Doxy
5. For All We Know

Dex - tenor
Kenny Drew - piano
Al Heath - drums
Niels Orsted Pederson - bass

recorded Copenhagen 7.20.67

I have also attached an orphan track that I have had laying about for years. I'm pretty sure I got it off a Smithsonian set at some point. It has never turned up on any of Gordon's early compilations that I have. Since I am not a huge fan of his early work, chances are this will be the only way I own this track. The songs is -

6. Bikini (Blues Bikini)

and is a Dial Session. The players listed are -
Dex - tenor
Jimmy Bunn - piano
Red Callender - bass
Chuck Thompson - drums

Recorded 6/12/47 Hollywood, CA

It's all here.

Wardell Gray - Central Avenue

2010-03-05T21:35:00.010-05:00

I really dig Wardell Gray. I love the way he embraces bebop and swing both and yet manages to be the precursor to that whole west coast sound.

Gray later became semi-famous for his battles with Dex but I think these sessions stand up as well as anything he did.

Most have been reissued in various forms but were originally released as Prestige 78's.

Everything here comes from a Prestige twofer released the year I graduated high school. I can't imagine how I missed it. Due to time constraints I have not included a couple of alternate takes.

Wardell Gray
Central Avenue

Twisted*
Easy Living*
Southside*
Sweet Lorraine*
Scrapple from The Apple #
Move #
A Sinner Kissed an Angel ~
Blue Gray ~
Grayhound ~
Treadin ~
April Skies ^
Bright Boy ^
Jackie ^
Farmer's Market^
Sweet and lovely ^
Lover man ^
The Man I Love +
Lavonne +
So Long Broadway +
Paul's Cause +

Wardell Gray - tenor sax with
Al Haig - piano
Tommy Potter - bass
Roy Haynes - drums
Clark Terry - trumpet
Sonny Criss - alto sax
Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Jimmy Bunn - piano
Billy Hadnott - bass
Chuck Thompson - drums
Phil Hill - piano
John Richardson - bass
Art Madigan - drums
Art Farmer - trumpet
Hampton Hawes - piano
Harper Crosby - bass
Lawrence Marable - drums
Robert Collier - conga
Frank Morgan - alto sax
Sonny Clark - piano
Teddy Charles - vibes
Dick Nivison - bass

* nyc - 11/11/49
# hula hut, LA - live - 8/27/50
~ Detroit - 4/25/50
^ LA - 1/21/52
+ LA - 2/20/53

Prestige P-24062

Johnny Hodges - Rippin' & Runnin'

2010-02-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while a Saturday night needs to be about fun. Not perfection, not whats great...just fun. This lp is all about that premise.
The only real star here is Hodges, the rest... a bunch of unknowns who share the same 15 minutes.

Who can ever fault Johnny Hodges? He's a freaking legend.

Johnny Hodges

Rippin & Runnin'

1. Cue Time
2. Rio Secundo
3. Jeep Bounces Back
4. Rippin' and Runnin'
5. Touch Love
6. Tell Everybody's Children
7. Moonflower

Hodges - alto sax
Freddie Waits - drums
Ron Carter - bass
Wilie Gardner - organ
Jimmy Podner - guitar

recorded 12/68

Verve V6-8753

Cecil Payne - Patterns Of Jazz

2010-02-20T22:00:00.007-05:00

I am a sucker for the deep registers of a baritone sax. While not the flights of fancy of an alto, nor the stand firm posturing of of the tenor, baritone players seem to be of a different breed. Whether performing their own material or covering a standard there is always such a leisurely feeling to their playing.

This is Cecil Payne's first recording as a leader and it is no exception. Swinging as hard as any post bop lp, it still manages to seem laid back. Perfect for late in the evening as things wind down, just before the vocalists go on.

Cecil Payne
Patterns In Jazz

1. This Time The Dream's On Me
2. How Deep Is The Ocean
3. Chessman's Delight
4. Arnetta
5. Saucer Eyes
6. Man of Moods
7. Bringing Up Father
8. Groovin' High

CP - baritone sax
Kenny Dorham - trumpet
Duke Jordan - piano
Tommy Potter - bass
Art Taylor - drums

recorded 5/19-22/56 by R. Van Gelder.

this reissue is labeled Savoy SJl 1167

Herbie Hancock Trio - NYC 1993

2010-02-18T20:40:00.006-05:00

Here's another recording supplied by Six String - make sure you thank him.

This is actually a very good live date by Hancock, a player I had given up on many years before.

Not that I thought any less of Hancock, anyone with a career as long lived as his is gonna be susceptible to ups and downs. I just really hadn't given him much thought at all.

Of course he had a string of classic BN lps and that is where these performances are mined from. Bookended with a pair of Cole Porter classics...we're gonna need some help with track 4.

Herbie Hancock Trio
NYC 1993

1. I Love You
2. One Finger Snap
3. Maiden Voyage
4.
5. Cantaloupe Island
6. Just One Of Those Things

HH - piano
Jeff Littleton - bass
Gene Jackson - drums

unknown venue

Here Tis

Thelonious Monk - Jazz Profiles

2010-02-17T19:34:00.003-05:00

This is an NPR broadcast that I captured on what would have been Monk's 80th birthday. The broadcast is hosted by Nancy Wilson and while it contains no surprises, it is still a bit of fun listening.

The show has not been broken down into individual tracks and is presented here in a single 45 min. track.

I was originally going to schedule this to post on Monk's b-day but I had to look that up. Then I see that the man actually passed away on this date so I thought I would honor him by offering this little token to the blogosphere.

For your enjoyment, Monk

Ahmad Jamal - Count 'Em 88

2010-02-16T20:15:00.005-05:00

When I lived just outside of Chicago, I was lucky enough to stumble across an "antique store" a couple of towns over that had loads of lps in the basement, including an extensive jazz section. Careful mining only yielded a couple of real killers though. Just the same, Jamal was a local somewhat and all of his Argo/Cadet lps were in abundance and cheap as hell.

Despite the fact that Miles says I should love Jamal, more often than not he leaves me cold. I wish I would have seen him live when I had so many chances. That may have added more perspective to my opinion.

Despite that, Jamal put out a couple of records that stun me. Not just OK records but really really good ones. This is one of them.

Count Em 88
Ahmad Jamal Trio

1. Volga Boatman
2. Green Dolphin Street
3. How About You
4. I Just Can't See For Lookin'
5. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
6. Beat Out One
7. Maryam
8. Easy To Remember
9. Jim Love Sue

Ahmad Jamal - piano
Israel Crosby - bass
Walter Perkins - drums

recorded 10/4/56

Argo 610

Art Pepper Shelly Manne - Pepper Manne

2010-02-13T21:04:00.003-05:00

I've listened to these tracks pretty closely and I am fairly sure I don't have these versions of the Art Pepper tracks elsewhere.

I know I don't have the Shelly Manne tracks but I know very little of him. Assuming that those tracks are different that previous versions as I suspect the Pepper tracks are then you truly have a little gem here. The Art Pepper tracks would have been recorded during his mid 50s period.

I bit of research turned up this from dustygroove...

Excellent work by both players -- even if the source of the material's a bit sketchy! This set probably has less to do with the Charlie Parker imprint than most albums on that label -- and we suspect that the material was taped by Apex in LA, and later relased by Charlie Parker in a dodgy one-off deal. Who cares, though? Side one features some incredible work from Art Pepper -- playing here in a quartet with Russ Freeman on piano, and sounding incredibly sharp, with an edge that's missing from some of his bigger-known sides at the time. The group plays "Diane", "Pepper Pot", and "Besame Mucho", as well as a great version of "I Surrender Dear". Side two features Shelly Manne leading a very unusual group -- a sextet with piano by Robert Gil, and a heavily percussive lineup that includes extra drums, bongos, and conga. The sides have a strong Latin flavor, in keeping with the red peppers on the cover of the album.

Art Pepper Shelly Manne
Pepper Manne

1. Pepper Pot
2. Besame Mucho
3. Diane
4. I Surrender Dear

Art Pepper - alto
Russ Freeman - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Gary Frommer - drums

5. Move
6. Sometimes I'm Happy
7. Fascination
8. Caravan
9. Rhumba
10. Magitos

Shelly Manne - drums
Mike Pacheco - bongos
Carlos Vidal - congos
Roberto Gil - piano
Julio Ayala - bass
Frank Guerrero - drums

Charlie Parker Records PLP836

In Glorious Mono