The Count Basie Trio - For The First Time

I would have bet I had some older Basie Trio stuff than this but apparently I would have been wrong.

I also think sometimes these Pablo records get overloked as it is assumed that damn near everything from the '70s sucked. But ol' Norman actually coaxed out a handful of interesting, and even great, records from some leaders whose careers could have easily coasted from there on out.

But these guys wouldn't have been leaders if they given up so easily, would they?

This record definately shows there was more to Basie's playing than the stride handle that was hung on him. One of the most interesting things on this record is the two completely different treatments he gives to Gershwin's Lady Be Good. There are also quite surprisingly a pair of tunes performed as an organ trio.
So for something a little different here is Pablo 2310 712 once again from my vinyl.

1. Baby Lawrence

2. Pres

3. I'll Always Be In Love With You

4. Blues In The Church

5. Lady Be Good (Concept I)

6. Laby Be Good (Concept II)

7. Blues In The Alley

8. As Long As I Live

9. Song Of The Island

10. Royal Garden Blues

11. (Un)Easy Does It

12. O.P.

Count Basie - piano and organ

Ray Brown - bass

Louie Bellson - drums

recorded May 22, 1974

produced by Norman Granz

Mc Coy Tyner Quartets - 4 X 4

When I first started actually listening to jazz, I thought that the cool shit had wrapped up in the late '50s, maybe an occasional 60's record. I was in high school, what did I know? My only hope was to move backwards and so I did. And that story will be told elsewhere... but my love of jazz never waned and my ears became more acceptable of new sounds...and lo and behold I found that there were records from almost every decade that I loved. But the 80's??? The 80's ???
I have since seen the error of my ways. I heard cuts from this while living outside of Chicago (on WDCB, DeKalb University station, Bruce Oscar, host). This is one of the records that rekindled my interest in jazz as the indie pop scene was waning and my net was thrown far and wide. I didn't lay my hands on a copy of this for a helluva long time. My copy has a different cover than pictured above - no cover blurbs.
While it's status as a milestone is still being debated, for me this record was a lifesaver.

This record features McCoy Tyner's Trio with additional guest stars for each side.
So not only on this Saturday night do you get a bonus lp but you get a double one.

Mc Coy Tyner Quartets- 4 X 4

Mc Coy Tyner - Piano
Al Foster - Drums
Cecil McBee - Bass
with guest artists...
Freddie Hubbard... trumpet

1.Inner Glimpse

2. Manha De Carnival

3. Paradox

John Amercrombie - electric mandolin

4. Backward Glance

5. Forbiddden Land

Bobby Hutcherson - vibes

6. Pannonica

7. I Wanna Stand Over There

8. The Seeker

Arthur Blythe - alto sax

9. Blues In The Minor

10. Stay As Sweet As You Are

11. It's You Or No One

The whole record was produced by Orrin Keepnews and engineered by RVG.

Art Pepper - So In Love

Now that we have finished our Duke tribute, it is time to turn our atention to some other fine lps that you don't see often.

I am very fond of Art Pepper's works and wonder why he doesn't seem to garner nearly the acclaim he should. This set is one that really seems overlooked perhaps because the label quickly folded. A standard quartet date with later period Pepper in fine form. I always seem to feel a joyful exuberence about his later playing. He seems to have rediscovered whatever it was that brought him so much joy in the first place. This would almost be attributted to his cleaner status but his autobiography belays that fact. These five tunes we recorded at two separate dates in 79 with two different quartets. I give a slight nod to the later performance but perhaps it is because I enjoy his interaction with Cables so much or perhaps because the Porter and Charmichael tunes are two of my all time favorite standards.
Here you have it Artists House 9412.

1. Straight, No Chaser

2. Blues For Blanche*

3. So In Love*

4. Diane

5. Stardust*

Recorded 2-23-79 NYC and * 5-26-79 Burbank

Art Pepper - alto sax

Hank Jones - Piano

George Cables - Piano*

Ron Carter - Bass

Charlie Haden - Bass*

Al Foster - Drums

Billy Higgins - Drums*

produced by John Snyder

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

To Duke With Love - Art Farmer

With Duke's "birthday" rolling around at the end of the month, I thought I might post some of my favorite Duke related stuff. This first is probably the least rare of all but as I was listening to the records I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed this one. At one time I had dismissed this record. A nice quartet date with some standards and a few surprises.

To Duke With Love Inner City Records 1978 (IC 6014)

1. In A Sentimental Mood

2. It Don't Mean A Thing

3. The Star Crossed Lovers

4. The Brown Skin Gal In The Calico Gown

5. Lush Life

6. Love You Madly

Art Farmer - flugelhorn

Cedar Walton - piano

Sam Jones - bass

Billy Higgins - drums

recorded March 5, 1975