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

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 2 - Impulse Comp

The second set of amazingly unreleased (at the time) sessions from the Impulse stable. Other than the Ray Charles track this is easily as strong as the last batch. Not that the uncle Ray track is a slouch, it just seems a tad outta place. Granted it does make a fine opener.

Highlights for me this time include Shirley Scott doing an instrumental version of the song that was her vocal debut, Coltrane's massive take on contemporary Stan Getz' signature tune and Oliver Nelson making his septet sound huge!

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Vol. 2
1. Without A Song
2. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But Some Pain
3. Moon Over My Annie
4. Night Lights
5. Gloria
6. Dear Old Stockholm
7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
8. Blues Company
9. Anything I Do

1. Ray Charles - piano; and a whole crapload of people of whom you have never heard. 7/10/63
2. Shirley Scott - organ; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Otis Finch - drums 5/14/64
3. Lionel Hampton - vibes; Clark Terry - flugelhorn; Ben Webster - tenor sax; Hank Jones - piano; Milt Hinton - bass; Osie Johnson - drums 10/28/64
4. Oliver Nelson - arr.; Thad Jones - tp; Phil Woods - alto sax; Phil Bodner - french horn; Pepper Adams - baritone sax; Roger Kelleway - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Grady Tate - drums 11/11/64
5. J.J. Johnson - tb; Harold Malbern, Jr. - piano; Arthur Harper, Jr. - bass; Frank Gant - drums 5/1/64
6. John Coltrane - tenor sax; McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Elvin Jones - drums 4/29/64
7. McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Albert Heath - drums 6/4/63
8. Manny Alban - arr.; Johnny Coles - tp; Urbie Green - tb; Phil Woods -slto sax; Oliver Nelson - tenor sax; Jim Hall - guitar; George Duvivier - bass, Gus Johnson, Jr. - drums; others 1/12/62
9. Tommy Flanagan - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Connie Kay - drums


Impulse A-100

Charlie Parker - Bird Of Paradise

No images for this were found online and the mindless zombies at Kinko's refused to scan it for me citing copyright concerns. Yeah, I'm sure there are no previous violations involved. Anyway, we have the next best technological invention - the cellphone photo.

The record itself contains no performance info whatsoever, other than the subtitle "Broadcasts of rare and Vitriolic Quality".

I grew up on Dylan and Kinks bootlegs. It never occurred to me what a labor of love some of them must have been. It took far more to get this stuff out there back then than it does now in this digital age.

Oh yeah.. the music itself... Well, Bird does not disappoint, but he rarely does. Highlights include this version of Star Eyes, and Cheryl, which I am not familiar with otherwise. Easy to Love is recorded with live with strings.

Hopefully some Bird aficionado can come along and tell us where these songs originated.

Charlie Parker
The Effervescent Indomitable Bird of Paradise

1. Cool Blues
2. Bernie's Tune
3. Don't Blame Me
4. Wahoo
5. Ornithology
6. Embraceable You
7. Star Eyes
8. Ornithology
9. Dynamo A
10. Embraceable You
11. Your Father's Moustache
12. Moose The Mooche
13. Cheryl
14. Easy To Love

This lp was "styled for Custer billings Jr. Fargo ND. I hope he enjoyed it.

Elysium 8008

Hank Jones - Swings Gigi

Hank Jones could have been a star. Maybe he should have been. I'm not sure what Hank wanted. While his personality may have been understated, his playing was not. But he was never the star.
Here we have an infrequent turn as leader. Even better we have a go at the Lerner/Lowe masterpiece. I love the soundtrack to this musical. It has been translated fantastically many different ways. Put this near the top of the list.

Let us also thank the BCB denizen who passed this record my way. This is a rip from his original vinyl We are humbled.

Hank Gones
Swings Gigi

1. Gigi
2. I'm Not Young Anymore
3. Thank Heavens For Little Girls
4. It's A Bore
5. Say A Prayer For Me Tonight
6. Gossip
7. Waltz At Maxim's
8. The Parisians
9. I Remember It Well
10. The Night They Invented Champagne

Hank Jones - piano
Donald Lamond - drums
Arnold Fishkin - bass
Joe Galbraith - guitar

Golden Crest Records
CR 3042

Okeh Jazz

Okeh was a really cool label. This double lp reissue of some of their jazz stuff is a must own, although they have taken some liberties.
While not strictly bebop, there is enough crossover between these sides and the last couple of lps I posted, to make me want to share it now...while I have your attention.
The first side is all big Texas tenor dude, Arnett Cobb. Dig out some old Lionel Hampton to hear Cobb come of age. These sides are macho and swinging, a trend that was soon to make an appearance.
Side two starts with "Little Johnny Griffin", joined by Babs Gonzales on a couple. On the lp next up would be Red Rodney, but I just posted the same songs on the IAJRC post.
Side Three is the one that sends me to my happy place. Early Ahmad Jamal. With the so sublime original "Ahmad's Blues"
Finishing the records off is some crazy organ trio stuff by Wild Bill Davis. I love his stuff with Johnny Hodges that came about much later. And lastly we get some sides by Mary Ann McCall, which were not actually released on Okeh, presumably because the label was on brief hiatus. Apparently whoever assembled this comp felt they belonged. Hmmm...well they are fun songs from a great band.

Okeh Jazz
1. Smooth Sailin'
2. Walkin Home
3. Jumpin The Blues
4. I'm In The Mood For Love
5. Whispering
6. Open House
7. Lil Sonny
8. The Shy One
9. For Dancers Only
10. Flying Home
11. Chicago Riffin'
12. Till We Meet Again
13. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
14. Will You Still Be Mine
15. Aki and Ukthay
16. Billy Boy
17. Ahmad's Blues
18. A Gal In Calico
19. Azure Te
20. Rough Ridin
21. April In Paris
22. Money Is Honey
23. I Want A Big Butter and Egg Man
24. On Time

Arnett Cobb 1-8
NYC 9/12/50 (1), 8/7/51 (2-4), 11/20/51 (5-6), 8/52 (7-8)
Johnny Griffin - bs (2-4)

Johnny Griffin 9-12
NYC circa 1954
Babs Gonzales - vcl (9-10)

Ahmad Jamal 13-17
Chicago 10/25/51 (13-14), 5/5/52 (15-17)
Ahmad Jamal - p, Ray Crawford - b, Eddie Calhoun - d

Wild Bill Davis (18-20)
NYC 11/20/51 (1), 2/4/52 (2), 1/8/53 (3)
Bill Davis - organ, Bill Jennings - g, Chris Columbus - d

Mary Ann McCall 21-23
LA 6/19/47
Howard McGhee - tp, Dexter Gordon - ts, Jimmy Rowles - p, Barney Kessel - g, Red Callender - b, Jackie Mills - d, Willie Smith - as

EG 37315

Modern Trumpet Leaders - IAJRC

I've really been on a bebop kick lately so I thought I might share a little. This is another fine record given us by the venerable IAJRC.

Other than the "schmaltzie" Flamingo by Candoli, this lp is a bristling documentary bebop just before the age of 78's came to a close.

In the internet age it is hard to appreciate how awesome records like this are. From the back cover "Twenty five to thirty years ago after these recordings were made... Art Zimmerman, Dec. 1976". Well now we are 30+ years passed when this lp came out. Some of the songs have surfaced elsewhere, some may have not. But you can bet your ass the only place you would find these tunes in 1976 was on this lp, or the very rare 78's. And pressing records was a far bigger labor of love than just disseminating some mp3's.

What, you might ask, has this to do with music. It doesn't. The music will speak for itself. One of the traditions of jazz has always been to acknowledge those they came before you. So as I do my best to keep this music alive, I bow to those who worked far harder at it than me.

As far as the music...I'd bet my bottom dollar I have these Dizzy songs elsewhere but the fog won't lift.

Modern Trumpet Leaders
IAJRC 25

1. Dig This Menu, Please
2. Red's Mambo
3. Honeysuckle Rose
4. Buckle My Shoe
5. Flamingo
6. Mambo Junior
7. Chris and Diz
8. Purple Sounds
9. Ornithology pt 1
10. Ornithology pt 2
11. Sweet Potato
12. Hoggin'
13. Blues Ala King
14. Night Mist
15. Yardbird Suite
16. Donna Lee

1-4
Red Rodney Orchestra
Red Rodney, tp; Buddy Savitt, ts; Jimmy Golden, p; unknown, b; Morton Perry, dr, vcl
NY Sept. 1052 Okeh 6899, 6922

5-6
Conte Candoli
Conte Candoli, tp; Bob Winn, as; Ira Sullivan, ts; Gene Esposito, p; Chubby Jackson, b; Tony Papa, dr. Chicago June 1953 Chance CH-1153

7-8
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet
Dizzie, tp; Sahib Shihab, bs; Wade Legge, p; Lou Hackney, b; Al Jones, dr
NY June 1953 Showcase 4401

9-10
Junior Jazz At The Auditorium
Howard McGhee, tp; Lucky Thompson, Jack McVea, ts; Jimmy Bunn, p; Irving Ashby, g; Red Callender, b; Jackie Mills, d; LA, 1946 Imperial 5075

11 - 14
Howard McGhee Orchestra
McGhee, tp; J D King, Teddy Edwards, ts; Jimmy Bunn or Vernon Biddle, p; Robert Kesterson, b; Roy Porter, drums LA spring 1946 Melodisc M1002

15-16
Howard McGhee Sextet
McGhee, tp; Jimmy Heath, as; Milt Jackson, vibes; Will Davis, p; Percy Heath, b; Joe Harris, dr; Earl Coleman, vcs Chicago, late 1948 The Old Swingmaster....


IAJRC 25