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

Ahmad Jamal Quintet - Listen to...

 When I lived in Chicago you could find Ahmad Jamal lps in every basement of every "antique" store you wandered into. Most times they were beat to death, but with diligence I found all that I wanted for only a couple of bucks apiece. The years go by and I dig these lps out occasionally and ponder how much I like them late at night. Recently one night while flipping through a pile of rock and roll records, I happened across this...woefully misfiled and certainly forgotten for many a year.
 Now I can share it with you. This is a crazy lp with Jamal using his stellar working group at the time but adding some strings in the form of guitar and violin. How cool is that?

Listen To The Ahmad Jamal Quintet

1. Ahmad's Waltz

2. Valentina

3. Yesterdays

4. Tempo For Two

5. Hallelujah

6. It's A Wonderful World

7. Baia

8. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis

9. Lover Man

10. Who Cares

Ahmad Jamal - piano

Israel Crosby - bass

Vernel Fournier - drums

Joe Kennedy - violin

Ray Crawford - guitar

Recorded 8/15, 16,17/60 Ter-Mar Studios, Chicago

Argo 673

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

Billie Holiday Vol 2 - Everest lp

I remember when I first bought this lp. It was a used record store sorta. The dude sold records on the landing of his parent's furniture shop. There were maybe 20 stacks of records around the floor, no crates or shelves.This was also the first time we had any access to used vinyl without driving the better part of 100 miles.
Years later this is a destination shop for me in the midwest. He has taken over the entire second floor and most of the first. Of course more space is dedicated to digital than vinyl, but the dude remains a collector at heart and there is always cool stuff to be unearthed at his shop.

 I love these Everest records. I have no doubt that these sessions were culled from many sources and given the artists represented I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't released any many other forms...but this is one of those jazz records I grew up with,  different from what was readily available and just cool as hell. This lp's heritage includes a period when it was the go-to choice when the rain was pattering on the roof of my house, I was safely ensconced in my mancave in the unfinished and rarely comfortable attic.Playing this brings back many fond memories. Enjoy.

Billie Holiday

Volume II

1. Fine And Mellow

2. What A Little Moonlight Can Do

3. Fooling Myself

4. Easy To Remember

5. You've Changed

6. Ghost Of A Chance

7. Willow Weep For Me

8. Stormy Weather

Musicians include Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Mingus, Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Gerry Mulligan, Vic Dickerson, Milt Hinton, Doc Cheatham, Danny Barker, Mal Waldron, Osie Johnson, Tyree Glenn.

recorded 8/29/56, 12/8/57, and 6/18/58

FS 310

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

Wayne Shorter - Second Genesis

 This is Shorter's 2nd lp is a leader. Originally released on the VeeJay label, this was recorded during his tenure with Art Blakey. Without a doubt, a formative record, often overlooked as he quickly gained fame in Blakey's Messengers and with Miles shortly hereafter.
 Shorter's association with the Messengers is reflected in the straight ahead hard bop playing. Not quite up to par with those great solo BN's in his near future but a damn fine record no the less.
 Oddly enough I own some odd Portuguese reissue, which I now share with you gentle souls and kind folk.

Wayne Shorter

Second Genesis

1. Ruby And The Pearl

2. Pay As You Go

3. Second Genesis

4. Mister Chairman

5. Tenderfoot

6. The Albatross

7. Getting To Know You

8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Wayne Shorter - tenor sax

Cedar Walton - piano

Bob Cranshaw - bass

Art Blakey - drums

Recd NYC 10/11/60 (although I have seen discographies say it was Chicago not NYC)

VJS 3057

Oliver Lake - Heavy Spirits

 I'm always amazed at the great jazz records that came out while I was in high school. Great records that I never heard and probably would have completely dug given my frame of mind at that time.Unfortunately I sheepishly followed some of the more far out trends but never discovered the music I would really come to admire.
 Two recording dates, three bands, one of which consists of Lake and 3 violins, and a solo outing. Now that's how to make a great record.

Oliver Lake

Heavy Spirits

1. While Pushing Down Turn

2. Owshet

3. Heavy Spirits

4.Movement Equals Creation

5. Altoviolin

6. Intensity

7. Lonely Blacks

8. Rocket

Oliver Lake - alto sax

 Tracks 1 - 3

  Olu Dara - trumpet

  Donald Smith - piano

   Stafford James - bass

  Victor Lewis - drums

 Tracks 4 - 6

  Al Philemon Jones, Steven Piesch and C. Panton - violins

Track 7

  solo lake

Track 8

  Joseph Bowie - trombone

  Charles Bobo Shaw - drums

1-3,8 recorded 1/31/75

remaining recorded  2/5/75

Arista AL 1008

Ron Carter - Where?

 Come on y'all....an overlooked classic. Well an MOR classic at the very least. Still a lovely lp.
I love the fact that Dolphy is the single horn, that alone should make it worth your time but he is not the star!! Nor does the impressive placement of Mal Waldron's moniker make this a must have. This is totally Ron  Carter's lp and he makes that known. The other dudes fall in line.
 The cello/bass interplay on Duet is lovely in its simplicity. I wish I saw the cello used more often.
 Anyway enjoy this gem on our nation's birthday. Any excuse for a cookout and great music for the background.

Ron Carter 

Where?

1. Rally

2. Bass Duet

3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise

4. Where?

5. Yes, Indeed

6. Saucer Eyes

Eric Dolphy - alto sax, bass clarinet, flute

Ron Carter - cello, bass

Mal Waldron - piano

George Duvivier - bass (except on "Softly" and "Saucer Eyes"

Charlie Persip - drums

Recorded 1/20/61 at Van Gelder Studios

New Jazz 8265

The Great Jazz Trio - Love For Sale

 I have never understood why these guys chose such an ridiculous name...not that they didn't hold up to it. Still....it just seems such a bad idea. But moving on...
 Something just happens when a classic trio locks into it and covers classic tune after tune. It's after dark and the temperature is still hovering over the 80 degree mark and yet the music makes me feel cool and comfortable. How nice is that?

The Great Jazz Trio

Love For Sale

1. Love For Sale

2. Glad To Be Unhappy

3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You

4. Secret Love

5. Someone To Watch Over Me

6.  Autumn Leaves

Hank Jones - piano

Buster Williams - bass

Tony Williams - drums

recorded 5/22/76, Vanguard Studios NYC

originally released on East West records this is from my vinyl copy of an Inner City reissue.. IC 6003




 

Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet - Come To My Meadow

 I don't remember who recommended this record. I don't even remember why it stuck out in my memory but it must have because when I ran across it in the folk section at some off the beaten path music shop, a light went off and I took it home with me along with about a half dozen bluegrass records.
 Turns out that while I liked my hillbilly records the dude had soaked me on some records the were e-bayable for considerably less. My ignorance caught me off guard. And unfortunately I was less than happy with this as well, guilty by association.
 But time has change my feelings. This is a really nice record. Perfect for the backporch as the sun is setting, the embers from the grill are dying and all is at peace with the world. Kellaway is an accomplished pianist, the quartet is interesting in it's arrangement and there is a distinctively open folk feel to it after all, even if the knuckle head filed by cover only.

Come To The Meadow

1. Come To The Meadow

2. Chant D'Amour

3. Ballade

4. Seventide

5. Time

6. Arcades II (Stravinsky In Memoriam)

7. Mostly on a "D" String

8. Jorjana #7

Roger Kellaway - piano

Edgar Lustgarten - cello

Chuck Domanico - bass

Emil Richards - percussion

recorded Capitol Studios "A"...11/14/73

here