Happy Birthday, Duke '14

 

Another tribute to Duke. Just some of my favorite stuff from lps laying about, compiled in a less than sober state the weekend before Duke's birthday.
 I tried for a varied mix, with some covers both by Duke and others, some early stuff as well as some later. I'm really happy with the way this turned out.


1. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me - Duke/Ray Brown - This One's For Blanton
2. Backward Country Boy Blues - Money Jungle
3. Jungle Blues - 30's orchestra covering Jelly Roll
4. Beginning To See The Light - Woody Herman/Erroll Garner
5. Apes and Peacocks - Queen's Suite
6. Mood Indigo - Anatomy of a Murder soundtrack
7. Sophisticated Lady = Billy Mitchell w/ Bobby Hutcherson
8. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good - Johhny Hodges w/ Duke's Men
9. Echoes of Harlem - more classic old Duke, live from 1938
10. Satin Doll - Ella/Basie...'nuff said
11. I Can't Get Started - Duke Trio covering the classic tune.
12. Caravan - The Duke/Strayhorn All-Stars
13. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me - Billie Holiday
14. Solitude - Duke/Coleman Hawkins, but Ray Nance deserves a mention here!
15. Single Petal Of A Rose - Ben Webster
16. Sweet and Pungent - Blues In Orbit...Duke's cool.
17. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart - Terry Gibbs Quartet
18. Everything But You - Eugenie Baird w/ Duke's Men
19. Skunk Hollow Blues - Johnny Hodges Orchestra
20. C-Jam Blues - Shirley Scott



If you want a copy of this comp, contact me.

Jazz Classics In Stereo - an Introduction

Robert Parker was an Australian sound engineer who was passionate about early jazz. He also pissed alot of folk off with his technique for "cleaning up" these old 78's.
He explains his reasons for this at the beginning of this recording, the first in a series of 18 broadcast in the early 90's if I recall correctly.
 These are the Jazz Classics In Stereo shows not to be confused with the later "digital stereo" series of shows and discs. These, as far as I know never made disc format.

 This first one is aptly titled "Introduction to Jazz Classics". I'm gonna offer up a few of my favorites shows. Each show will be only 1 or 2 tracks without breaks.

As far as these recordings...well I probably would never have heard a lot of  them at all but for these shows so I'm not about to complain.

250 - Duke interview

A few months off never hurt anybody, did it? Got a few things I wanna get up in the new year. But until it gets really cold and I am forced indoors.....

Well anyway this little oddity is post # 250.

See ya soon...




Duke interview

Marian McPartland plays the music of Billy Strayhorn

 Such a beautifully understated record. Marian McPartland is a musician that I have learned to respect and enjoy but rarely seek out. This lp falls into a category of records that far too often fall by the wayside. I would take one of these records over a hundred common rock and roll records I grew up with.

 I've slowly come to believe that "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" Is one of these most enchanting tunes ever committed to vinyl.

Marian McPartland plays the music of Billy Staryhorn

1. Intimacy Of The Blues

2. Isfahan

3. Lotus Blossom 

4. Raincheck

5. Lush Life

6. U.M.M.G.

7. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing

8. Take The "A" Train

8. Daydream

9. After All

Marian McPartland - piano

Jerry Dodgion - alto sax

Steve La Spina - bass

Joey Baron - drums

1987 Concord Jazz lp CJ-326

Black Swan Quartet - s/t

 It took some time, but over the years I have come to love improvisational music. Or rather improvisational jazz, there are many other forms that still escape my attention. Heavens knows I love a good string quartet.
 What a better way to wind down a long hot weekend with a combination of the two? Add a strong summer rain that does not effect lounging in the back porch and you could be close to nirvana.

 I don't often see this lp offered so I was ecstatic when I scored it on my summer vacation. Well, more like really happy...ecstatic would be reserved for the whole haul as one. But I digress...

 If you thought you would recognize Lee Morgan's "Double-Up", you have a better ear than me.
Duke's "Prelude" is a bit more grounded and the rest are originals. Very very cool.

Black Swan Quartet

1. Double-A

2. Justification

3. Prelude To A Kiss

4. Komor

5. For Rita

6. Inside Mr. Outside

7. Libation Suite

8. Spider Dance

9. All Talk

Akbar Ali - violin

Abdul Wadud - cello

Eileen M. Folson - cello

Reggie Workman - bass

recorded live in studio, NYC 1985

Minor Music 009

Duke Ellington plays

Alright I know I've been a complete slacker lately, but honestly there is so much great music out there that it is difficult sometimes to offer something different. I'm hoping this all too short offering will keep the wolves at bay.
 In keeping with tradition, I'm offering you all this Duke Ellington 10"er. I know it is next to impossible to offer rare Ellington, the dude is well documented after all. Just the same, I have just shy of 100 Ellington lps and this is the only place I have all but 2 of these tracks. Of those two tracks, "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream" melts me every time.

Duke Ellington plays

1. Hiawatha 

2. Minnehaha

3. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream

4. Diminuendo In Blue

5. Happy Go Lucky Local - Pt 1.

6. Happy Go Lucky Local - Pt.2

7. Tulip Or Turnip

No recording credits are printed on the sleeve but I am sure some ambitious soul could easily dig these up on a Duke discography somewhere.

Allegro 4038

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

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 1 - Impulse Comp

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

The Women / Classic Female Jazz 1932 - 1952

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

Duke Ellington - Monologue

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

Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra - Hodge Podge

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

Art Pepper - The Intimate Art Pepper

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

Sonny Stitt and the Giants

A really cool record for several reasons. First it is up to Stitt's usual high standards.

As you probably know the comparisons between Stitt and Bird were the main reason Stitt switched to the tenor as his main instrument. On this outing he switched back to the alto.

Which is the second reason this record shines. Stitt's choice to pick up the alto for this session are his cohorts, The Giants, all veterans of Parker's bands.

The first two tracks are outstanding blues work outs by the whole band. Loverman sees the band with just Stitt on a song made infamous by Bird.

Satin Doll is the rhythm section's chance to shine, while they join McGhee on Don't Blame Me.

The blues reassert themselves as the entire band closes out on a clever choice, Hello.

Sonny Stitt & The Giants

1. Night Work
2. Matter Horns
3. Loverman
4. Satin Doll
5. Don't Blame Me
6. Hello

Sonny Stitt - alto sax
Howard McGhee - trumpet
Walter Bishop, Jr - piano
Tommy Potter - bass
Kenny Clarke - drums

Recorded at Turicop Studios, Zurich
18th October 1967

Black Lion records BL-307

And a big thanks to rviti for locating this cover for me!!!

Earl Hines/Paul Gonsalves - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing

Here's a gem I don't play enough. A straight forward session with half of the tunes being Ellington compositions, I doubt you'll find much in the way of surprises. Yet the whole session exudes that joie de vivre that separates off the cuff recordings from the completely structured recordings we most often hear these days. It had to be quite something to arrive at a studio and hear two masters just go on without any preconceived arrangements, just a handful of songs they wanted to record together.
I always perceive Hines in a solo format. I'm not sure he always plays well with others but this session belays those fears.

My cover is different that the one pictured above and is as credited in this post.
Here is BL-306

1. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
2. Over The Rainbow
3. What Am I Here For?
4. Moten Swing
5. Blues Sands
6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

Paul Gonsalves - tenor sax
Earl Hines - piano
Al Hall - bass
Jo Jones - drums

produced by Stanley Dance and Michael James
Recorded in NYC 12/15/70
Blues Sands was recorded 11/29/72 and is an unaccompanied piano solo.

1974 Black Lion Records

Duke Ellington's Spacemen - The Cosmic Scene

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUKE!!!!!

This is the second of fairly easy to find Duke records but once again it reflects how much I loved the way the man could make a small band just swing like crazy.

Once again taken from my Columbia lp CL 1198.

This record has been reissued and I am sure is readily available so I won't list song titles here. But if you are like me nothing beats the feeling of knowing you are listening to the real deal.

Duke Ellington - Blues In Orbit

This Duke's "hippy" record. I don't know what else to call it. A small session from 1960 this record has the my favorite version of "C Jam Blues" ever. "The Swingers Get The Blues Too" quotes Summertime far cooler than anything you might imagine. There is Duke's paean to the ganja "Sweet and Pungent" And let's not forget that Villes Ville Is The Place, Man.

from the Columbia lp CS 1445

Like I said above - the song titles are readily available but nothing beats the warthm of vinyl.

Duke Ellington - Liberian Suite

Now we have the real shit. Easily one of my favorite Duke pieces and one you rarely see posted. Not a rip from the original but a rip from of those goofy CBS "Do You Like Jazz" Euro reissues. This one is Dutch and has "A Tone Parallel to Harlem" on the other side. Given that I was well into my 30's before learning to appreciate this music, the originals were far out of my reach. This record has always mesmerized me. These two pieces were composed less than 5 years apart.
Does it really take me to say that Duke Ellington is probably America's greatest composer? Probably not. I have more Duke Ellington lps than any other artist in my record collection, and yet there are still a few I search for. I hope this record brings you as much joy as it has me over the years.
CBS mono 62 686

liberian suite

1. i like the sunrise

2. dance no.1

3. dance no.2

4. dance no.3

5. dance no.4

6. dance no.5

(1947)

a tone parrallel to harlem

7. the harlem suite

(1951)

Shirley Scott - Satin Doll

Nowhere could I find an image of Shirley Scott's Satin Doll lp*, which is too bad because it's a good one. This is another in my ongoing Duke tribute and by far one of my favorites. Ripped from my original Prestige lp from 1963. It's Shirley in a straight organ trio setting, swinging Duke like a mutha'! I don't know that I can say much about this record, it speaks for itself. This record was the reason I put the Duke stuff up.

I humbly offer Prestige 7283.

1. Satin Doll

2. It Don't Mean A Thing

3. C Jam Blues

4. Perdido

5. Mood Indigo

6. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

7. Solitude

Shirley Scott - organ

George Tucker - bass

Mack Simpkins - drums

*Thank you cooljazz for locating the cover and passing it my way.

Terry Gibbs plays The Duke

A tribute to Duke by this unusual quartet.
Gibbs is known for his west coast feel and this lp conveys that feeling very much. Of course Jolly and Vinegar are stalwarts of that scene as well.
This was ripped from my vinyl copy of a record that is as old as I am. I wish I could say I have held up as well.

Once again the driving force behind this record is the way it swings. Terry Gibbs plays the vibraharp, xylophone and marimba while Jolly switches from piano to accordian for this session. Leroy Vinnegar is still on bass while Gary Frommer joins on drums.
This session was recorded in LA on 12/04/57.

1. Rockin' In Rhythm

2. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

3. Caravan

4. Solitude

5. Take the A Train

6. Sophisticated Lady

7. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

8. Don't Get Around Much Any More

9. Johnny Come Lately

10. C-Jam Blues

Emarcy MG 36128

Eugenie Baird Sings..

...Duke's Boys Play...Ellington.
The second in this series brings us a vocalist and a later day and somewhat stripped down version of the orchestra. My copy is an old Pickwick release I believe although it has a catalog number DLP 93 and a stereo compatible sticker covering some info. the band listing is limited to the front cover and lists only:
Tyree Glenn - Trombone and Vibes
James Taft Jordan - Trumpet
Ben Webster - Tenor Sax
Wendell Marshall - Bass
David Rivera - Piano
and others..
Mercer Ellington - Arranger and Conductor

Other than this I know nothing but enjoy these...

1. I'm Beginning To See The Light
2. In A Sentimental Mood
3. Something To Live For
4. Mood Indigo
5. Everything But You
6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
7. Lush Life
8. Solitude
9. Pass Me By
10. Well Well

Duke