David S Ware - Surrendered

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.

 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.

David Murray Trio - The Hill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pharaoh Sanders - Live At The East

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.