The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol. 3 - Impulse Comp.

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

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

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

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.

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

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