Art Tatum - Memories of You

Well I hope Monk's piano and the Black Lion sound got you sufficiently prepared for post number 100!

With it I want to share this awesome Art Tatum box set. 3 discs on Black Lion records!!! Close to 60 tracks of Tatum genius.

The 1st disc is V-discs, those elusive records you could not spin even if you could lay your hands on one. These are trio tracks.

Disc 2 is a solo discs of Standards. Does Art Tatum have extra fingers? It may seem so at times.

Disc 3 is also solo but for a couple of tracks. What this disc does is fill in some blanks spots with some real rarities, if you are so lucky to actually be a Tatum completist. For me, these are great tracks that I know I won't accidentally run across elsewhere. Especially when I get around to uploading more Tatum eventually.

Once again, what can be said about the genius of such a piano player? Goddamn, sometimes this stuff just turns me inside out! It is what the kids refer to as old school jazz. Be it roots jazz, 2nd generation, whatever, this is the shit. Once you understand that you will realize how awesome this stuff is.

Art Tatum
Memories of You

Disc One - The V-discs
1. Sweet Lorraine*
2. Cocktails For Two+
3. Liza+
4. She's Funny That Way
5. Gershwin Medley;
The Man I Love / Summertime / I've Got Plenty Of Nothin' / It Ain't Necessarily So
6. Body and Soul
7. Lover
8. Begin The Beguine
9. Indiana
10. Poor Butterfly
11. Where Or When
12. Song of the Vagabond
13. I'm Beginning To See The Light
14. 9:20 Special

Disc Two - Standards
1. I'll Get By ( As Long As I Have You)
2. Sweet Lorraine
3. Can't we Be Friends
4. I'll Never Be The Same
5. Make Believe
6. Judy
7. Body and Soul
8. Elegy
9. Happy Feet
10. Royal Garden Blues
11. Ain't Misbehavin'
12. Stardust
13. In A Sentimental Mood
14. The Man I Love
15. Running Wild
16. I Can't Get Started
17. Get Happy
18. Begin The Beguine
19. It Had To Be You
20. Humoresque
21. Hallelujah
22. Lullaby In Rhythm
23. Over The Rainbow

Disc Three - Tea For Two
1. Tea For Two+
2. Poor Butterfly
3. I've Got a Right To Sing The Blues
4. Tabu
5. Ain't Misbehavin'
6. Royal Garden Blues~
7. I Got Rhythm
8. Hallelujah
9. Hallelujah
10. Poor Butterfly
11. Song Of The Vagabonds
12. Lover
13. memories Of you
14. Running Wild
15. Yesterdays
16. Kerry Dance
17. Crystal Clear
18. Gang O'Notes
19. Between Midnight and Dawn
20. Apollo Boogie

Art Tatum - piano
Oscar Pettiford - bass*
Sid Catlett - drums*, ~
Tiny Grimes - guitar+
Slam Stewart - bass+, ~
Roy Eldridge - trumpet~
Charlie Shavers - trumpet~
Vic Dickerson - trombone~
Benny Morton - trombone~
Ben Webster - tenor sax~
Edmond Hall - clarinet~

The Standards disc was recorded between '38-'39
All others were recorded between '40 - '46


BL 7608-2
disc 1
disc 2
disc 3


Well there you have it... a minor milestone, but I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far and I hope you will all stick around for more.

Thelonious Monk - the man i love

What can possibly said about a Monk record that hasn't been said already. This one is another in a long line of classics. I was really surprised when I didn't find it uploaded all over the place, and even more surprised when I didn't find it readily available on disc. So this truly a pleasure to share.

But a little back story... I had heard Monks's version of The Man I Love on some cheap lp of Gerswhin covers but never knew where it came from. Not surprisingly, when I ran across this Black lion lp of monks, I snapped it up. It was one I was unfamiliar with and given Black Lions reputation, I was sure not to be disappointed.

During the first spin though was when I realized I had located that Gershwin cover that I loved so much. I'm sure I came as close to dancing as I ever do. Add to it one of the most balls out versions of Misterioso I have heard, and you end up with one first class lp.

Thelonious monk
the man i love

1. I Mean You
2. The Man I Love
3. Ruby My Dear
4. Little Rootie Tootie
5. Misterioso
6. Trinkle Trinkle
7. Crepescule With Nellie

Thelonious Monk - piano
Al McKibbon - bass
Art Blakey - drums

recorded at Chappell Studios, London, 11/15/71

BL-197

Phil Woods Quintet - Heaven

A sorely underrated lp, not that it will set the world on fire, but still...I wonder why I have never seen this around. Phil Woods is like Dexter Gordon in that these later lps ares filled with brilliance as opposed to fire. Each has its place.

Woods worked with this quartet for many years with splendid results, but adding the additional horn was really what makes the difference on this lp.

Not to be missed is the exceptional covering of two of Duke's over looked as well classics, in the title tune and Azure, which I have mistakenly always credited to Strayhorn.

Like I said in the previous post - part of the joy of doing this is finding these gems buried right under my nose.

The Phil Woods Quintet
Heaven

1. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
2. Heaven
3. The Duke
4. Azure
5. 222
6. Occurrence

Phil Woods - alto sax, clarinet
Tom Harrell - trumpet, flugelhorn
Hal Galper - piano
Steve Gilmore - bass
Bill Goodwin - drums

1986
Blackhawk Records BKH 50401-1 D

Headed towards 100

As I head for post 100, I want to share a few thoughts. This blog did not start out as a jazz blog but quickly moved in that direction. And I could not be happier. Through this blog and my love of jazz I have made some pretty cool connections out in blogland. I have gotten and shared many a wonderful records that might have just fallen by the wayside. Who knows maybe to disappear forever. (Yeah, right!)

Anyway, I have every intention on keeping Hook's Hidden Gems focused on jazz but the title (hopefully) will be changed to simply Hook's Gems. Since my hidden stash is running relatively low.

I also want to focus in several different directions that I have only maybe touched on. More vocalists, some cassette copies that need to be transferred, a handful of 7"ers. And last but not least some compilations I have put together exclusive to this blog.

I also want to take some time to work on my most neglected first love - Malathion Risk. What was once a simple paper fanzine, it now languishes in cyberspace.

I may even occasionally share stories of some of my jazz related travels. Like the time I had to ask several people in the little town of Richmond, IN where the Starr Piano Factory was, only to be greeted with blank stares.

I would encourage anyone to share their stories here as well.

But mostly I want to thank everyone who visits here with any regularity, especially the 9 who have opted to "follow me". I especially want to thank those who have linked me to their sites, a greater compliment I cannot think of. And most especially a small few who wish to remain unnamed but are my greatest asset.

The thing I have loved the most about doing this has been the joy in rediscovering records that were right under my very nose. It has been a very pleasant awakening. Unfortunately you can't take it with you when you go - so after transferring many of these records to a format more easily transportable - many lps will go up for sale. Stay tuned for further developments.

In the mean time - enjoy the next couple of posts. I am looking forward to #100. It will be a killer!

Oh and all you lurkers and grabbers, a thank you once in awhile wouldn't hurt. Where are your manners?

Gil Evans - Live at the Public Theater

I've been playing it safe the last few posts it seems. Time to offer something different again.

This record is something I picked up on a whim once, and it took many many years of barely occasional listening for it to click. Eventually it did.

Gil's electric piano is sometimes distracting as are the blips and beeps from a couple of synths, but on the whole this record is what jazz can be when we don't limit ourselves to conventional thinking.

One thing I did notice when ripping this record is that two of the ensemble players that I was sadly unaware of are now to be listed among my favorites. A situation that i can credit directly to my involvement with CIA, and those are Arthur Blythe and Hamiet Bluiett.

While this records is purported to be a live recording, the audience noise is kept to a bare minimum until near the close of the show. And of course there is the inclusion of a Hendrix track as we have come to expect from Evans.

Settle back and see if the genius of Gil Evans doesn't show through for you, as it finally did for me.

Gil Evans
Live at the Public Theater

1. Anita's Dance
2. Jelly Rolls
3. Alyrio
4. Variations On The Misery
5. Gone, Gone, Gone
6. Up From The Skies

Gil Evans - Electric Grand Piano
Masabumi Kikuchi - organ, synthesizers
Pete Levin - clavinet, synthesizers
Tim Landers - electric bass
Billy Cobham - drums
Alyrio Lima - percussion
Arthur Blythe - alto and soprano saxes
Hamiet Bluiett - baritone sax, tenor flute
John Clark - french horn
Lou Soloff - trumpet
John Faddis - trumpet
Hannibal Marvin Peterson - trumpet
George Lewis - trombone
Dave Bargeron - trombone, tuba

recorded 2/8-9/80


Trio records PAP-9233

Art Pepper with The Sonny Clark Trio

Early, early Art Pepper from 1953. You can see the guy emerging easily here. What a sax player he would become!
I know very little about this date. My cover is a black and white affair in a ridiculous checkerboard format. This rip is taken from a Straight-Ahead Jazz records reissue, date unknown.
The original recording was done in Pepper's stomping ground of Hermosa Beach, CA. and I suspect was nothing more than a pick up date that someone recorded.

Art Pepper with the Sonny Clark Trio
1. Brown Gold
2. These Foolish Things
3. Tickle Toe
4. Tenderly
5. Strike Up The Band
6. Night and Day

Art Pepper - alto sax
Sonny Clark - piano
Harry Babasin - bass
Bobby White - drums

recorded May 31. 1953 @ The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach.

SAJ-1001

Dexter Gordon - Blues a' la Suisse

I have a weird relationship with Dexter Gordon's records. Not necessarily a love/hate thing because I don't ever really hate them. His earliest stuff is entertaining but not necessary. A single Bethlehem compilation will suffice. The Blue Note post bop dates are excellent and essential to any decent jazz collection, but more often than not, they are not the records I quickly reach for.
What I have really come to appreciate is his later period stuff where he feels like he has settled into his older, wiser statesman status. He was rarely boring and he played with an ease that seemed to just settle my nerves.
Sure there were a few clunkers that occasionally, on paper should have been better, but I find myself more accepting of even those lately.

This one has always felt like a gem to me, and I don't see it around much, so here it 'tis.

Dexter Gordon
Blues a la Suisse

1. Gingerbread Boy
2. Blues a la Suisse
3. Some other Spring
4. Secret Love

Dexer Gordon - tenor sax
Hampton Hawes - electric and acoustic piano
Bob Cranshaw - electric bass
Kenny Clarke - drums

recorded live @ Montreaux Jass festival, 7/7/73

Prestige P-10079

Art Farmer Quartet - A Work Of Art

Not to be confused with Farmer's very first session as a leader. That was titled Work of Art. This much later session later session finds Farmer working exclusively with the flugelhorn. I generally shy away from the flugelhorn as it always seems to lack the fire, the sharpness I have come to associate with the trumpet. As I have grown older I have come to appreciate the fluidness and lyrical nature that the masters coax out of this horn.

This session from 1982, is on a label that I usually connected with an almost third stream sensibility. That and the completely horrid cover caused me to pass this record over several times.

I know now that Concord has a nice reputation and has released many fine records, but no one is getting let off the hook for that cover.

The Art Farmer Quartet
A Work Of Art

1. Red Cross
2. You Know I Care
3. (I Got A Woman Crazy For Me) She's Funny That Way
4. Change Partners
5. Summersong
6. Love Walked In
7. One For Sam

Art Farmer - flugelhorn
Fred Hersch - piano
Bob Bodley - bass
Billy Hart - drums

recorded Sept. 1981, NYC

CJ-179

Art Pepper - Among Friends

I had never heard of Art Pepper when I was in high school. Hell, I was just learning to dig Miles and Trane. Couple of years later, it was Monk, Mingus and Duke. But never Art Pepper. Shame really as he was going to be turning out some exceptional records over the next few years. Completely oblivious.

Lets hope these posts can save some poor soul from the same fate.

This a great Pepper date where he hooks up with a few former compatriots. No matter how fucked up he must have been at the time, he rarely laid down a bad track.

You may notice that the sidemen on this date have already worked with Pepper on previous dates. Apparently he (or somebody) gathered them together for this session. It seems to have worked out well.

You don't see this one around much.

Art Pepper - Among Friends

1. Among Friends
2. 'Round About Midnight
3. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
4. Blue Bossa
5. What Is This Thing Called Love?
6. What's New?
7. Besame Mucho
8. I'll Remember April

Art Pepper - alto sax
Russ Freeman - piano
Bob Magnusson - bass
Frank Butler - drums


Recorded from Discovery lp DS-837

Dizzy Gillespie - Have Trumpet.../ The Ebulliant...

Tonight, a pair of overlooked Dizzy lps on the Verve label.
The first one is covers, mostly standards, with the exception of his own Woody'n You which has found its way into the bop standards in it's own right. Full of grace and lyricism and no less tha a dash of humor and you'll find this recording can hold its own against any middle period Gillespie lp. Upon archiving these, the one thing that took me by surprise was Les Spann's flute and guitar work. I have long considered those to be some of my least favorite instruments in the jazz idiom. The guitar I had come to accept as a necessary evil but the flute I still avoided like the plague. Turns out the flute is like cold beets. I don't mind at all, and even enjoy them in medium doses. Surely wouldn't want a steady diet of beets (or flute, for that matter) but damn if I didn't find myself digging it way beyond what I had ever thought I would. I guess growing older does open the possibilities for new things. Who knew?

The second lp, finds Dizzy sporting the same band but with the inclusion of Chino Pozo on congas, it takes a decidedly more percussive flair. While nothing will top the Cole Porter cover on the last record, over all I find this lp more interesting.
Since he takes great liberties with Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac; Always, and Willow Weep For Me are the only straight forward standards on this lp.

As Dizzy had been working this combo in the clubs for awhile, I'm assuming these songs were comfortable for all, and so the recording sessions were very relaxed and highly entertaining.

For the record, Chino Pozo was said to be the nephew of the more famous Chano Pozo.

I have not been able to listen to one of these records without pulling out the other immediately for many years now. I hope you enjoy this pair together as I have.

Dizzy Gillespie
Have Trumpet, Will Excite

1. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
2. My Man
3. Moonglow
4. St. Louis Blues
5. Woody'n You
6. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
7. There Is No Greater Love
8. I Found A Million Dollar Baby In The Five And Ten Cent Store

Dizzy Gillespie
The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie

1. Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac
2. Always
3. Willow Weep For Me
4. Ungawa
5. Lorraine
6. Girl Of My Dreams
7. Constantinople
8. The Umbrella Man

Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet. vocals
Junior Mance - piano
Les Spann - flute, guitar
Sam Jones - bass
Lex Humphries - drums
Francisco "Chino" Pozo - conga drums


MG V-8313

MG V-8328

Once again - my apologies as these were taken from my less than perfect vinyl copies.