Keep (it) Swinging

MIJN DRAAITAFEL
boogie woogie/genius of boogie woogie - jacob do bandolim/volume 1 - three in one/we love music - dr. zilch/the next level - serge chaloff/blue serge - duke ellington/volume three studio sessions new york 1962 - cannonball adderley/cannonball & coltrane - ella fitzgerald-louis armstrong/ella and louis - gene ammons/a stranger in town
Laatste bijdragen: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Friday, March 30, 2007

Boogie Woogie

Boogie Woogie - A lot of noise for some; nostalgia for other. As a teenager and a piano in the house I improvised boogie woogies at a very low level. Not a note-for-note reproducing of the different versions of Meade Lux Lewis Honky Tonk Train Blues, but free rhythmical expressions in the key of C. ( C - F - C - G7 - C )

I remember I had a Joker LP with the traditional three great Boogie Woogie players, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson. Now these classical masterpieces have been reissued on better sounding CDs, but a 10 CD filled with boogie woogie classics I recently found in a record shop is still no part of my collection. As a frame of reference were popular Dutch boogie woogie piano players like Rob Hoeke, who had some hits late 1960s, early 1970s and Jaap Dekker who made hits from popular Dutch children tunes like In Een Groen Groen Knollenland and Wij Zijn Twee Eenzame Cowboys ( = Two Lonesome Cowboys) in boogie woogie style. For me an example of the most terrible decrease in popularizing serious music. (Maybe the LP Dixieland Festival by the Circus Square Jazzband is more worse then worse with tunes like Sarie Marais and The Towertop Of Bommel ( for people outside the Netherlands this is as bad as singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Chinese by a Hawaiian Orchestra ))

I never became Mr. Boogie Woogie and somewhere in the 1980s we sold the piano. Sorry 'bout that. At a reunion of my first class in 1973 I learned that the kids remembered me as the teacher who could play boogie woogie. Isn't that nice? Thanks to the contribution about Paul Asaro 's concert next weekend and a fragment Jerry sent me yesterday I love to share with you two fragments I like. First of all a classical 1941 soundie in which Lena Horn introduces Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson in Boogie Woogie Dreams. These films, to be played in cinema's, illustrate how these gatherings were arranged before the camera. Of course it has nothing to do with a boogie jam as they were held late 1930s; now it looks as if you have to put a nickle in the two piano players like in a jukebox and they're doing their tricks.

Sugar Chile Robinson was as a kid a child-star boogie woogie player. This nice fragment illustrates what happens if you don't give your little kid the opportunity to follow serious decent classical piano lessons.

Both fragments learn that boogie woogie is bad for your teeth.

More Boogie Woogie in my collection: Boogie Woogie/Genius of Boogie Woogie (Giants of Jazz CD 53053) // Boogie Woogie/Can't Stop Playing That Boogie Woogie

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

To my last contribution

MY TURNTABLE

claudio roditi-klaus ignatzek-jean louis rassinfosse/light in the dark - slam stewart-cozy cole/jumpin' at the deuces (2) - thelonious monk/in philadelphia 1960 with steve lacy - don cherry/featuring ornette coleman & steve lacy - sonny rollins/the freelance years-1 - bud shank/tomorrow's rainbow

Last contributions: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Boogie Woogie - Een berg herrie voor de één - nostalgie voor de ander. Als tiener met een piano in huis improviseerde ik boogie woogies op een vrij basaal niveau. Geen noot-voor-noot reproduceren van de verschillende licks in Meade Lux Lewis Honky Tonk Train Blues, maar ongegeneerde vrije improvisaties in C geinspireerd door boogie woogie ritme.

Ik had, herinner me, de Joker LP met traditionele boogie woogies van de drie grote iconen op dat gebied, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons en Pete Johnson. Nu heb ik deze klassieke meesterwerken op beter klinkende CDs, maar een tiendelige goedkope heruitgave met daarin 10 CDs vol klassieke boogie woogies heb ik voorlopig nog even in de winkel laten liggen. In mijn jeugd bepaalden popmuzikanten als Rob Hoeke en Jaap Dekker hoe je boogie woogie moest spelen. Rob Hoeke had verschillende hits eind jaren zestig en Jaap Dekker scoorde een grote bewondering bij oma's en opa's door kinderliedjes als In Een Groen Groen Knollenland en Wij Zijn Twee Eenzame Cowboys in rijke boogie woogie klanken en ritmes te vertalen. Toen ben ik, denk ik, afgehaakt - want dat is wat mij betreft een onpeilbaar dieptepunt in een poging serieuze muziek populair te maken. ( of misschien is de LP Dixieland Festival van de Circus Square Jazzband, die ik af en toe tegen kom in tweedehands platenbakken, met daarop vertolkingen als Sarie Marais en The Towertop of Bommel ( jazeker, gezongen in het Engels ) nog wel veel en veel erger )

Ik ben nooit uitgegroeid tot Mr. Boogie Woogie himself en ergens in de jaren tachtig hebben we de piano verkocht ( Ja, ik weet het ... ) Tijdens een klassenreunie met mijn eerste groep uit 1973 herinnerden de kinderen van toen me nog steeds als de meester die boogie woogie speelde. Grappig toch? Dankzij de bijdrage, die ik maakte over Paul Asaro, die binnenkort een optreden heeft en een film fragment wat Jerrie me stuurde ben ik weer eens in het verleden gedoken. Het eerste fragment is een soundie, een korte geluidsfilm, een clip zouden we tegenwoordig zeggen, uit 1941 waarin Lena Horn de pianisten Albert Ammons en Pete Johnson introduceert in Boogie Woogie Dreams. Dit fragment illustreert weer eens hoe weinig spontaniteit in zulke gearangeerde opnamen zit. Het heeft weinig te maken met de boogie jams, zoals die in die tijd gehouden werden. Het lijkt nu net alsof de twee heren, geladen met nieuwe batterijen, aangezet worden en op commando hun truukjes laten horen.

Sugar Chile Robinson was een kind-sterretje op de piano en werd uitgebuit als boogie woogie speler. Dit aardige fragment laat maar weer eens een waarschuwing zijn aan al die ouders, die hun kinderen een gedegen klassieke piano-opleiding op jonge leftijd onthouden en alleen laten met het toetsenbord zonder ouderlijk toezicht. U bent gewaarschuwd.

Beide filmfragmenten leren dat boogie woogie slecht is voor je gebit.

Meer Boogie Woogie in mijn verzameling op deze twee verzamel CDs: Boogie Woogie/Genius of Boogie Woogie (Giants of Jazz CD 53053) // Boogie Woogie/Can't Stop Playing That Boogie Woogie

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

MIJN DRAAITAFEL

Laatste bijdragen: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Pardon The Glove

Three days - high fever - an obstinate flu. How to survive this? Your body needs time to conquer the virus. Thanks to Joergen I didn't worry about this blog - it survives always. Thanks Jo.

Eighty years ago a then very popular dance band in the eastern part of the US recorded some tunes. They were very popular in the 1920s white society. Listen to Pardon The Glove

This group, the California Ramblers contained some great musicians, but it were the arrangements and close teamwork that made this music to an success. On the 29th of March 1927 this tune, Pardon The Glove, was recorded with Frank Crush and Chelsey Quealey on trumpet, Ivan Johnston on trombone, Bobby Davis and an unknown musician on clarinet and alto saxophone, Sam Ruby on tenor, Al Duffy violin, Adrian Rollini bassax, Jack Russin piano, Tommy Felline banjo and guitar and Herb Weill on drums.

Last nigth I played this music and learned how new and fresh this music sounds, as if it was recorded last week ( and not eighty years ago). Isn't it remarkable that but few people have ever heard about this group, about Chelsey Quealey or about Adrian Rollini's bassax? As if each new generation throws away the past and has to rediscover the fire or the wheel and think that music is only good when it is create today by a young generarion. I know - I'm getting an old man .... This discussion if from all times and places I guess. Never mind .... maybe the fever hasn't gone completely .....

If you have time, please listen to an online radio program dedicated to the California Ramblers. You may like it.

Other tunes recorded at this session: Yes She Do - No She Don't,

Lazy Weather and Vo-Do-Do-De-O Blues

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

To my last contribution

MY TURNTABLE
jazzadelic/high-fidelic jazz vibes-04-4 - guillermo hernan oliva/selected victor sessions (1944-1949) - benny green trio/live at the village vanguard - testifyin' - oscar aleman/sus presentaciones en vivo - vol. 5 - le petit jazzband de mr. morel/au petit journal saint michel - sidney bechet/volume 1 (1932-1941) - tico tico no fuba/choro project ( 65 x tico tico no fuba) (2) - toppers van toen-6/hit of the week - philip catherine/summer night - michael brecker/don't try this at home - orpheon celesta/shim me sha wabble - jean goldkette bands/1924-1929 - rein de graaff trio-ronnie cuber-nick brignola/baritone explosion - coleman hawkins-johnny hodges/the vogue recordings - california ramblers/1925-1928 - timeless all stars/timeless heart - oscar aleman/el increible swing de oscar aleman - oscar aleman/sus presentaciones en vivo - vol. 6 - dave apollon/the man with the mandolin

Last contributions: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Drie dagen - hoge koorts - een hardnekkige griep. Hoe overleef je dat? Je lichaam moet het virus zien te vernietigen. Dankzij Joergen heb ik me geen zorgen hoeven maken over deze web log - die overleeft altijd. Bedankt Jo.

Tachtig jaar geleden maakte een toen heel populaire band uit het oosten van de Verenigde Staten een paar plaatopnamen. Ze waren vooral populair in de jaren twintig bij het blanke deel van de samenleving. Luister maar eens naar Pardon The Glove

Deze groep, de California Ramblers, bevatte een aantal grote muzikanten, maar het waren vooral de samenhang en de arrangementen die de muziek tot een zo groot succes maakte. Op 29 maart 1927 werd dit nummer Pardon The Glove, opgenomen met Frank Crush en Chelsey Quealey op trompet, Ivan Johnston op trombone, Bobby Davis en een onbekende muzikant op klarinet en altsax, Sam Ruby op tenor, Al Duffy op viool, Adrian Rollini op de bassax, Jack Russin achter de piano, Tommy Felline op banjo en Herb Weill op drums.

Gisteravond was ik weer toe aan wat jazz en leerde ik hoe nieuw en verfrissend deze muziek klinkt, alsof het eergisteren opgenomen is en niet tachtig jaar geleden. Is het eigenlijk niet vreemd dat maar zo weinig mensen van deze band gehoord hebben, over Chelsey Quealey of over de bassax van Adrian Rollini? Het lijkt wel of dat elke generatie opnieuw het oude weggooid en alles opnieuw moet ontdekken - het vuur - het wiel - de muziek, alsof alleen dat wat nu door de jonge generatie gemaakt wordt, er toe doet. Ach ik wordt oud, zullen we maarcdenken ... Een discussie van alle plaatsen en tijden - Ach wat geeft het .... misschien is de koorts nog wel niet helemaal verdwenen.

Als je tijd hebt kun je luisteren naar een online radiouitzending over en met de California Ramblers. Ik denk dat je dat wel leuk vindt.

Meer titels gemaakt tijdens deze opnamesessie zijn: Yes She Do - No She Don't , Lazy Weather en Vo-Do-Do-De-O Blues

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

MIJN DRAAITAFEL

jazzadelic/high-fidelic jazz vibes-04-4 - guillermo hernan oliva/selected victor sessions (1944-1949) - benny green trio/live at the village vanguard - testifyin' - oscar aleman/sus presentaciones en vivo - vol. 5 - le petit jazzband de mr. morel/au petit journal saint michel - sidney bechet/volume 1 (1932-1941) - tico tico no fuba/choro project ( 65 x tico tico no fuba) (2) - toppers van toen-6/hit of the week - philip catherine/summer night - michael brecker/don't try this at home - orpheon celesta/shim me sha wabble - jean goldkette bands/1924-1929 - rein de graaff trio-ronnie cuber-nick brignola/baritone explosion - coleman hawkins-johnny hodges/the vogue recordings - california ramblers/1925-1928 - timeless all stars/timeless heart - oscar aleman/el increible swing de oscar aleman - oscar aleman/sus presentaciones en vivo - vol. 6 - dave apollon/the man with the mandolin

Laatste bijdragen: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The Hottest Man In Town!

Cliff Edwards (1895 – 1971), also known as "Ukelele Ike", was an American singer and musician who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, and also did voices for animated cartoons later in his career.

Clifton A. Edwards was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at age 14 and soon after moved to St. Louis, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. Edwards taught himself to play ukulele to serve as his own accompanist. He got the nickname "Ukelele Ike" from a club owner who couldn't remember his name. Edwards played on Vaudeville circuits. He made his first big hit in 1918 at a cafe club in Chicago, where he introduced a tune by the club's pianist, Bob Carleton, "Ja Da". The tune, Edwards, and Carleton made a hit. After this Edwards was hired as part of an act, which played at The Palace in New York, the most prestigious theater in Vaudeville, and then in the 'Ziegfeld Follies'.

Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he was signed to a contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular singers of the decade, during which he also appeared in several Broadway shows.

Listen to samples of Edwards' recordings, click here

After performing in some short films, Edwards was one of the stars in the movie feature 'Hollywood Revue of 1929', doing some comic bits and singing some numbers, including giving the film debut of his hit "Singin' in the Rain". He would make a total of 33 films for MGM through 1933.

Edwards' voice was featured in Walt Disney's 'Pinocchio' as the character Jiminy Cricket (1940). In the 1950s and early 1960s he made a number of appearances on the Mickey Mouse Club television show, in addition to reprising his Jiminy Cricket voice for various Disney shorts.

Edwards was broke in his later years, living in a home for indigent actors. He had disappeared from the public eye at the time of his death as a charity patient at a hospital in Hollywood. His body was initially unclaimed and donated to the University of California, but when Walt Disney Productions found out about this, they purchased the corpse and paid for burial.

I found a scene from the 1935 MGM short "Starlit days at the Lido" featuring Edwards singing and playing, audio quality not the best, unfortunately

To end this small profile of Cliff Edwards, enjoy his rendition of "It's Only a Paper Moon" for Brunswick, 1933

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

QHCF, Django - and Robert!

The Quintette of the Hot Club of France (QHCF) is generally considered to be the greatest of all European string Swing ensembles. The group started out as an informal jam session unit in Paris in 1933. Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, Roger Chaput and Louis Vola were playing in a hotel dance band at the time. Between sets they would play jazz together in a backroom at the hotel. One day Charles Delaunay of the Hot Club witnessed one of these sessions and arranged that the group (- enlarged with Django's brother, Joseph, as secound rhythm guitarist), record it's first records for the Ultraphone label in December of 1934. The group went on to become very popular in Europe both on records and as a live act. The group disbanded in 1939 as war broke out in Europe.The band was playing in London when England declared war on Germany. Stéphane Grappelli decided to stay in London while Django Reinhardt returned to Paris.

You may listen to samples of recordings by the QHCF following the link, click here

I found a filmed documentation of the QHCF, a seldom opportunity to view Django playing, enjoy this great film noire

As said above the QHCF was popular in Europe before WW II, their records sold well and helped spreading the reputation, and the group supported its own succes by going on concert tours through most European countries. In February 1939 the Quintet visited Oslo, Norway, where they held two concerts. Back stage after the ball a young Norwegian guitarist, Robert Normann, was passed Django's guitar to play some improvised solos in honour of the visiting master. It has been told that Django should have smiled and said: "Why do you want me? You have got Robert Normann".

Robert Uno Normann (1916-1998) was born in Sarpsborg, a small spot in the Nothern part of Norway near the border of Russia. He started at an early age as a travelling musician, finally made it to Oslo, played with local bands and attracted attention as a solo guitarist in Freddy Valier String Swing 1938-1939. He soon gained a reputation as a musician of international standard, played here and there with bands of his own and with various local and visiting swing musicians. He was a popular soloist at swing concerts during the first years of the German occupation, a soloist in the group 'String Swing' 1940-1941 (several brilliant recordings), with Rowland Greenberg 1941, Frank Ottersen 1942 (also recordings) and the studio band 'Syv Muntre' (recordings 1942 and 1943) in addition to various radio and restaurant bookings outside Oslo.

After the 1945 Robert Normann worked mostly as a soloist or in trio formats, apart from playing in cabarets and revue orchestras. He was less active as a jazz musician, although he still won all the 1950s polls as the best guitarist in Norway. He still was an outstanding instrumentalist, was frequently used by the NRK (The National Broadcasting System), was booked by the Norwegian Touring Theatre 1968-1982, and has been presented through 5 CD releases on Hot Club Records 1988-1996.

You may learn more about Robert Normann at the official website devoted to his legacy, managed by members of his family with the aim of researching this remarkably musician. Click here to visit the Robert Normann Website.

Last year a DVD featuring TV recordings of Robert Normann was released, learn more about this item at the mentioned website and enjoy the promotion shots inserted below

Monday, March 26, 2007

Abracadabra

This magic record is in my collection for quite a long time and it puzzles me. The title of the CD suggests that it contains a cooperation between Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, but due to the lack of information on the record that might be true on only one track. There are even tracks on this compilation without Freddie Hubbard or Miles Davis. It really seems a real Abracadabra album, as the label name suggests.

The information on this CD, which includes, according to the information a 4 Page Booklet With Extensive Notes On These Artists ( sorry, that's the information on the reverse - the 4 page booklet is only one leaf of paper, fold one time and printed with the front (as above), the track list (as below) and two poor articles the two trumpet players). I could destilate the following discographical information from the track list:

1. bird house - donald byrd-pepper adams quintet - ny 610000 ( no MD or FH)

2. curro's - donald byrd-pepper adams quintet - ny 610000 ( no MD or FH)

3. shaw' nuff - No idea - should be MD with Clark Terry)

4. stop, look and listen; no idea - should be MD with Clark Terry)

5. chantized - curtis fuller sextet - 601200 ( has FH)

6. court - curtis fuller sextet - 601200 (seems to have both MD as FH)

7. yardbird suite - No idea - should be MD with Clark Terry

8. cool blues charlie parker quartet / 470219 (MD)

Clark Terry, who inspired Miles Davis, seems to be a key-figure on several tracks. He played late 1940s - early 1950s with Charlie Barnett, Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

Maybe visitors of this blog have some suggestions to date this remarkable and a bit magic Abracadabra ( AB 3012 ) compilation. The music on the album is too nice to stay anonymous.

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

MY TURNTABLE
miles davis-freddie hubbard - chet baker/boppin' with the chet baker quintet - dexter gordon/the complete prestige recordings/CD 9-10 (2) -slam stewart-cozy cole/jumpin' at the deuces (2) - banda mantiqueira/aldeia - freddie hubbard/recorded october 24th 1991 warshaw poland

Last contributions: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Deze wat magische plaat zit al een tijdje in mijn collectie en houdt me al jaren bezig. De titel suggereert dat het hier gaat om een samenspelen van Miles Davis en Freddie Hubbard, maar, vanwege het gebrek aan informatie, lijkt dat alleen voorbehouden op één nummer. Het is echt, wat je noemt, een Abracadabra compilatie, zoals de naam van het label suggereert.

De informatie op de CD, die, volgens informatie op de CD een 4 pagina groot boekje bevat met uitgebreide notities over de artiesten ( in werkelijkheid één dubbelgevouwen velletje, met voorop de afbeelding boven en de lijst met titels zoals hieronder en verder een schamel biografietje van beide trompettisten), heeft tenslotte onderstaande lijst met nummers opgeleverd:

1. bird house - donald byrd-pepper adams quintet - ny 610000 ( no MD or FH)

2. curro's - donald byrd-pepper adams quintet - ny 610000 ( no MD or FH)

3. shaw' nuff - No idea - should be MD with Clark Terry)

4. stop, look and listen; no idea - should be MD with Clark Terry)

5.chantized - curtis fuller sextet - 601200 ( has FH)

6. court - curtis fuller sextet - 601200 (has both MD and FH)

7. yardbird suite - No idea - should be MD with Clark Terry

8. cool blues charlie parker quartet / 470219 (MD)

Clark Terry, inspirator voor Miles Davis, schijnt een sleutelpositie in te nemen, maar ik heb geen sessies kunnen vinden waarin beide spelen. Clark Terry speelde eind jaren veertig begin jaren vijftig bij Charlie Barnett, Count Basie en Duke Ellington.

Misschien dat regelmatige bezoekers van deze web log de nummers kunnen dateren van deze enigszinds raadselachtige en magische Abracadabra CD, die zijn naam eer aandoet. De muziek is in ieder geval interessant genoeg om niet zomaar anoniem te laten.

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

MIJN DRAAITAFEL
miles davis-freddie hubbard - chet baker/boppin' with the chet baker quintet - dexter gordon/the complete prestige recordings/CD 9-10 (2) - slam stewart-cozy cole/jumpin' at the deuces (2) - banda mantiqueira/aldeia - freddie hubbard/recorded october 24th 1991 w poland
Laatste bijdragen: Keep Swinging Oscar Aleman Flexible Records Choro Music Hit of the week - Durium

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Paul Asaro

Tom Warner read my blog about Bo Grumpus with the film fragments of Craig Ventresco made at the Cafe Devine in San Francisco, November 2006. On the first of April 2007 Craig Ventresco will perform as a member of the Paul Asaro Trio in Kansas City. He sent me some fragments to introduce Paul Asaro.

Paul Asaro is a piano player in the tradition of the old stride piano players like Willie The Lion Smith, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton. His music sounds great to me and while surfing through his website I learned that he has made a lot of tours all around the US and Canada, but also to Europe.

He toured with Leon Redbone and played with Neville Dicky, Marian McPartland, Dan Barrett, Jon Faddis, Orange Kellin and Vince Giordano,

Thanks to Tom I can show you some fragments of Paul playing the stride piano. Enjoy it.

Paul Asaro playing Duke's Caravan.

Fats Waller's Your Feet's Too Big

Christopher Columbus

I wish Tom a great concert at the first of April and if I happen to be around ..........

It's time to find a CD of this great piano player !!

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

To the last Keep Swinging contribution

MY TURNTABLE
cliff jordan-john gilmore/blowing in from chicago - frank strozier/fantastic - lee morgan/live at the lighthouse - volume 3 - al cohn-zoot sims quintet/you'n me - mccoy tyner/time for timer - carlos barbosa-lima/plays the music of antonio carlos jobim & george gershwin - johnny griffin/introducin'

Tom Warner bezocht mijn web log die ging over Bo Grumpus met de filmfragmenten waarin Craig Ventresco gitaar speelde in de Cafe Devine in San Francisco, November 2006. Op 1 april 2007 speelt Craig Ventresco als onderdeel van het Paul Asaro trio in Kansas City. Hij stuurde me wat filmfragmenten van deze interessante pianist, Paul Asaro.

Paul Asaro is een pianist, die speelt in de traditie van de grote stride pianisten Willie The Lion Smith, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller en Jelly Rol Morton. Zijn muziek klinkt lang niet gek en daarom heb ik hem als onderwerp van deze weblog gekozen. Paul Asaro speelde de afgelopen jaren in de Verenigde Staten, Canada en ook op festivals in Europa.

Hij toerde rond met Leon Redbone en trad op met grote namen als Neville Dicky, Marian McPartland, Jim Galloway, Dan Barrett, Jon Faddis, Orange Kellin en Vince Giordano

Dankzij Tom kan ik een aantal van deze filmpjes laten zien, waarin Paul stride piano speelt. Geniet ervan.

Paul Asaro speelt het nummer Caravan.

Fats Waller's Your Feet's Too Big

Christopher Columbus

Het wordt tijd dat ik op zoek ga naar een CD van deze pianist.

Uiteraard wensen we Tom een schitterend concert toe op 1 april en als ik in de buurt ben ...............

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

MIJN DRAAITAFEL

cliff jordan-john gilmore/blowing in from chicago - frank strozier/fantastic - lee morgan/live at the lighthouse - volume 3 - al cohn-zoot sims quintet/you'n me - mccoy tyner/time for timer - carlos barbosa-lima/plays the music of antonio carlos jobim & george gershwin - johnny griffin/introducin'

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Saxes Inc

The concept was not new, when Bob Prince started his ideas arranging tunes for a record entirely dedicated to the saxophone. Saxes Inc. 13 Of The Country's Top Sax Men In A Musicians - And Listeners - Holiday. This recording was a logical follower from the Trombones Inc. recordings a few month earlier. Both records have been reissued for the Lonehill Jazz label. The Coleman Hawkins - Zoot Sims - Phil Woods Saxes Inc. Arrangements by Bob Prince ( LHJ10270 )also contains a bonus album titled Trombone Scene, a 1956 record, with the same concept, with Eddie Bert, Jimmy Cleveland, Utrbie Green and Jimmy Knepper on the bones and Elliot Lawrence as the arranger.

I listened last night to the Saxes Inc. part. Bob Prince started to arrange his tunes as soon as he knew what saxophone players should be present. There were three recording sessions ( July-August 1959) all with different sax combinations, but always with the same rhythm session ( Dick Katz piano, George Duvivier bass and Osie Johnson drums). On the first date there were ten saxophone players, devided in two groups. One group was like the Four Brothers concept, three tenors and one baritone saxophone ( Al Cohn - Zoot Sims - Morty Lewis and Sol Schlinger). The other section consisted all different shapes from soprano sax up to bass sax. ( Hal McKusick, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Seldon Powell, Al Epstein and Shelly Gold.)

On the second date Herb Geller, Coleman Hawkins and George Auld were added to the ensemble. The third date had most of the saxophone players mentioned before around. I liked this album very much as Bob Prince happened to be a great arranger. The liner notes of the Lonehill Jazz release has a list of solos for each tune, so it is a joy to recognize the different soloists.

As I wrote before - the second part of the Lonehill Jazz release has the 1956 Trombone Scene album and I learned that that part sounds great too. Of course I'll have a search for the Trombone Inc. release of Lonehill Jazz too - Has someone heard that one already?

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

To my last contribution

MY TURNTABLE
frank ricotti quartet/our point of view - charlie christian/the original guitar hero - jazz and swing accordion/a lesson in bebop - emmett miller/the minstrel man from georgia ( 1928-29) - charlie hunter quartet/songs from the analog playground - jimmy smith/the unpredictable jimmy smith - bashin' - bft # 40/eloe omoe (2) - two durium ads/which do you prefer-chevy x-30 - erroll garner/the best of erroll garner most happy piano - wynton marsalis/marsalis standard time volume 1 - coleman hawkins-zoot sims-phil woods/saxes inc

Het idee was niet nieuw, toen Bob Prince het Saxes Inc. project startte, een aantal opnamen sessies, geheel gewijd aan de saxofoon: Saxes Inc. 13 Of The Country's Top Sax Men In A Musicians - And Listeners - Holiday. Deze opnamen waren een logisch vervolg op het album the Trombones Inc. dat een paar maanden eerder opgenomen werd. Beide albums zijn opnieuw uitgebracht op het Lonehill Jazz label. The Coleman Hawkins - Zoot Sims - Phil Woods Saxes Inc. Arrangements by Bob Prince ( LHJ 10270). Deze heruitgave bevat ook het bonus album Trombone Scene, uit 1956, met hetzelfde concept, waarin Eddie Bert, Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green en Jimmy Knepper op de bones aantreden, gearrangeerd door Elliot Lawrence.

Gisteravond luisterde ik naar het deel Saxes Inc. Bob Prince begon pas te arrangeren, toen hij wist op welke saxofonisten hij kon rekenen. Er werden drie sessies gepland ( juli-augustus 1959), steeds met andere saxspelers, maar steeds met dezelfde ritme sectie ( Dick Katz piano, George Duvivier bas en Osie Johnson drums). Tijdens de eerste datum waren er tien saxofonisten, verdeeld in twee groepen. Eén groep werd samengesteld volgens het Four Brothers concept ( drie tenoren en één bariton) ( Al Cohn - Zoot Sims - Morty Lewis en Sol Schlinger). De anderen speelden met alle denkbare saxofoons, van sopraan tot bassax ( Hal McKusick, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Seldon Powell, Al Epstein en Shelly Gold.)

Bij de tweede opnamedatum vinden we Herb Geller, Coleman Hawkins en George Auld toegevoegd aan het ensemble en de derde datum bevatte zo'n beetje alle saxofonisten van de eerste twee ronden. Bob Prince is een ervaren arrangeur gebleken - de muziek klinkt fris en innovatief. In het bijbehorende boekje heeft George Avakian voor LoneHill Jazz voor elk nummer de solo's in kaart gebracht, zodat het een genoegen is aan de hand van de informatie de verschillende solisten te vergelijken.

Zoals ik eerder schreef bestaat de tweede helft van deze heruitgave uit het Trombone Scene album ( opgenomen in 1956) en een eerste kennismaking leerde me dat ook dit naar meer smaakt. Uiteraard ga ik proberen de Trombone Inc. opnamen, ook uitgebracht door Lonehill Jazz te vinden. Heeft iemand deze plaat al gehoord?

Keep swinging

Hans Koert