Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Confirmation: Jimmy Smith on Hammond

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CONFIRMATION - JIMMY SMITH
The Blue Note CD album Confirmation by Jimmy Smith and his sextet is one of those little 1950s treasures in my collection I love to put into the spotlights today. The album contains three lenghty tunes recorded in 1957 and 1958, but the album itself was released in 1979.
The three tunes on the album were recorded at two sessions. What Is This Thing Called Love and Cherokee were both recorded at the Manhattan Tower studios in New York City on the 25th of August 1957. Present were: Lee Morgan - Curtis Fuller and George Coleman. Jimmy Smith on organ of course and Kenny Burrell and Donald Bailey in the rhythm section. Other tunes reorded on this one are release on the House Party and The Sermon album. The front line, Lee Morgan with some members of the front line; Curtis Fuller and George Coleman also recorded during that same date and place the Lee Morgan Blue Note album City Lights.
The second tune and title track is from the February 1958 session and titled Confirmation. Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson and Tina Brooks in the fron lines, Jimmy Smith on organ and Kenny Burrell and Art Blakey in the rhythm section. This tunes seems to be also a left over from the House Party and The Sermon albums. It puzzles me why these three tracks were rejected for twenty years as all three tunes, are excellent performances - no doubt ...... It is a fact that Jimmy Smith recorded a lot of stuff during these days and such lenghly tunes were maybe not suitable for a release; fact is that, when Blue Note released these three tunes Jimmy Smith was already a Verve artist for years.

I like the fact that the playing time is rather extended: from 10:31 minutes for Confirmation up to more then 20 minutes for Cherokee. This extensive playing time gives the possibility for lenghtly solos without the limit of the regular 3-minutes record.
Jimmy Smith - Confirmation. As far as I know this album was released on CD on a Japanese pressing; the album with the lady on the cover. Try to find a copy.
Hans Koert -
keepswinging@live.nl

SPIKE HUGHES (1908-1987).
Some days ago we commemorated the English band leader Spike Hughes who was born 100 years ago. I received a message from John W. who wrote: Nice interesting Newsletter, as usual. The piece to remind us all of the 100 years anniversary of SPIKE HUGHES is valuable - not many people still remember the great work this man did for our music. I remember as a small boy, back in the 1930s, that Spike had a radio programme on the BBC on which he played the very first jazz records I had ever heard. He had a soft voice, and a very pleasant style. The programme was always introduced and finished with his orchestra's recording of "Sirocco" (Decca F2844) - which I still enjoy playing from time to time! But his "Negro Orchestra" was the hottest! Keep swingin' - John
Keep swinging

Hans Koert


keepswinging@live.nl

NEAL HEFTI ( 1922 - 2008 ) OVERLEDEN

Een paar dagen geleden overleed Neal Hefti, componist, arrangeur en ooit begonnen als trompettist. Hij begon al vroeg om zijn composities te verkopen aan bands, zoals die van Nat Towles begin jaren dertig. In de jaren veertig schreef hij voor Charlie Barnet, Harry James en Woody Herman en voor de Charlie Ventura Big Band, die maar een kort leven beschoren was. In de jaren vijftig begon hij zich voornamelijk bezig te houden met het componeren en arangeren voor de film en de televisie en één van zijn bekendeste "creaties" is ongetwijfeld het thema voor Batman.

In de jaren vijfitg schreef hij ook voor de Count Basie band, waarbij een aantal van zijn arrangementen zoals Whirlybird en Li'l Darlin' hem veel bekendheid bracht.
Geniet van een uitvoering van het laatst genoemde nummer Li'l Darlin' door het orkest van Count Basie, met o.a. Sonny Cohn op trompet en Freddie Green op gitaar. Count Basie zit uiteraard aan het klavier. Deze opname dateert uit 1965 en werd live in Londen vastgelegd.

Neal Hefti is 85 jaar geworden en zaterdag 11 oktober 2008 in zijn huis in Toluca Lake overleden.

PHILIP CATHERINE en RITA REYS ( afzonderlijk dat wel): LIVE IN ANTWERPEN EN BRUSSEL
Op woensdag 22 oktober 2008 treedt Philip Catherine op met zijn trio ( Philip Catherine gitaar - Philippe Aerts op bas en Mimi Verderame op slagwerk) in de Zuiderkroon in Antwerpen.
Deze voorstelling begint om 20.00 uur en bevat één set van anderhalf uur.

Mocht je verhinderd zijn, dan kun je altijd nog zaterdag 25 oktober terecht in de Sounds Jazz Club in Brussel. Philip speelt dan echter solo; nummers van zijn schiterende CD "Guitars Two". Aanvang is 22.00 uur 9 maar de zaal gaat al om 10.00 uur open) en Philip speelt twee sets.

En als je toch in Antwerpen bent? Zondagmiddag 26 oktober treedt Rita Reys op in De Roma, in Antwerpen. Aanvang 15.00 uur. Zij brengt mee Ferdinand Povel op tenorsax, Martijn van Iterson giaar, Peter Beets op piano, Ruud Jacobs op bas en Joost Patocka op slagwerk.

Keep swinging

Hans Koert


keepswinging@live.nl

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