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

Kronos Quartet - live cassette

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.