The 20th Concord Festival All Stars

Here's a little gem to get your weekend movin the right way.  Some of you will remember the wonderful posts we had at the original Crypt, all taken from the first 300 Concord Jazz sides.  Infact, I had made it a regular feature of the blog - a look at Concord Jazz.  Perhaps with enough positive response and some input from you all, I could be prompted to put that project back on its tracks.  There were scores of titles I never got to, including this one here today.

This album is damn near perfect.  A blowing session of epic proportions, from some real legends.  There's not a single wasted note.  For me, Sweets takes first prize but Gene Harris was in a really amazing stage of his career here.  The fact is that they are all undeniably excellent on this album.

Matching the music is the excellent fidelity - typical Concord.  My copy is in absolute mint condition creating a perfect listening experience.  This is where being a vinyl fan pays off in spades.  We are treated to superb dynamics and tonally splendid analog.  I have never heard the CD but I would be interested if the vinyl egdes it at all.  Ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC, this is a post not to be missed!!!  Enjoy!!


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To celebrate the 20th Concord Jazz Festival, an all-star quintet of veterans was gathered together to play swinging jazz. With trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, Red Holloway on tenor, pianist Gene Harris, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jeff Hamilton comprising the group, it is not a surprise that this session is quite successful. Standards and ballads (along with a Ray Brown blues) make up the program and the results are satisfying. - 4.5 / 5.0 - Scott Yanow / AMG

Concord Jazz CJ-366
1989

1 Blues For Sam Nassi
2 Sophisticated Lady
3 Time After Time
4 Bye Bye Blackbird
5 I Wish I Knew
6 I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
7 Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Red Holloway (tenor saxophone), Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet), Gene Harris (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Jeff Hamilton (drums)

Plas Johnson - This Must Be The Plas!

I have a couple of local thrift shops which I check semi regularily for LPs.  As luck would have it I found this little gem for a dollar, in excellent condition at that!!  This will be the first Plas Johnson post here at the Crypt, and I think it's a good one.

Johnson's career has been a storied one.  Originally from N'awlins, him and his brother Ray (RIP Mar/13) moved out west where they became first call session players.  Most notably, Plas was the main sax in Henry Mancini's band for the performance of the Pink Panther Theme.  Now who doesn't know that little ditty??!!?

Over the years Johnson released many great albums, also playing under the pseudonym Johnny Beecher.  "This Must Be The Place" is hardly a classic, but a solid soul jazz album to be sure.  Plas plays alto, tenor and bari on these tracks - all with his relaxed and swingin style.  The tunes are mostly standards with one original put together for the session, "S'il Vous Plait".  Overall we get a light swing with a laidback feel.  In my opinion, Plas Johnson excels at ballads.  I think his style is most convincing when playing this type of tune.  There's plenty of solos on every track, and he's joined by guitar, vibes, piano, organ, bass and drums.

Here's the problem folks...  I can't for the life of me find a definitive personnel list for this session.  The pianist is Paul Smith, we know this as he is mentioned in the liner notes.  Aside from that I can offer a few guess-timates (although his pianist was generally his brother Ray) based on the players he was playing with during this period.  Perhaps if any of you have an account at Tom Lord we can get an answer.  I will be sure to edit this post with the info!!

OK thanks to Daver88 we now have the session info, thanks alot my man.

Aside from that, we have a really great condition hunk of wax here!!  It cleaned up very nicely, but i would guess that it's previous owner was using a poorly aligned needle, or a blunted needle.  This creates the anomolies you hear around the sax.  I digress, overall its a great listen ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  Never released on CD as far as I can tell.  Pour yourself a scotch and chill the hell out y'all... enjoy!!!

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Capitol ST-1281
1959

A1 Too Close For Comfort
A2 I Hadn't Anyone Till You
A3 Heart And Soul
A4 Poor Butterfly
A5 Memories Of You
A6 Just One Of Those Things

B1 There Is No Greater Love
B2 If I Had You
B3 My Silent Love
B4 Day In-Day Out
B5 My Old Flame
B6 S'Il Vous Plait

Plas Johnson (as,ts,bs) 

Paul Smith (p) 

Tony Rizzi (g) 

Morty Corb (b) 

Alvin Stoller (dm)

Unknown (vbp)

Unknown (org)

Gene Krupa - Krupa Rocks

I am sure that at this point, you are quite excited to see this cool lookin Krupa side.  Most authors would harness that potential and use the momentum to sell the post as such.  But that's not why you come to the Crypt is it?  To have jazzy smoke blown up your horn??  I didn't think so...

Does Gene Krupa rock?  Hell yeah!!

Does Gene Krupa rock on this album?  Hell yeah no!!!

But don't lose all faith people.  This happens to be a really great little album with a cool yet modern swing.  I can only assume that Granz figured Krupa's name would help to sell the record.  If that wasn't the case then I welcome all suggestions of possible scenarios because Krupa is surely not the leader.  Actually, little known black licorice player Gail Curtis is most certainly the highlight of the album.  As far as Krupa goes, his first solo is at the end of "The Gang That Sang" and no sooner than him grabbing your attention... it's over!!  It's as though Granz and the rest of the band cut him out.  The thing that's really frustrating, is the promise of the two bars he plays over is so immensely great.  After this, we don't really hear from him until "Three Little Words"... track 7!!!  Between this and a small closing solo on Indiana, we get nothing more from one of jazz's great stickmen.

Overall the vibe is laid back with a nice feel.  As I said earlier, Gail Curtis really gives this album it's melodic voice and we get something similar to a Buddy DeFranco record.  Not too bad a similarity.  The back cover includes a really nice write up by Nat Hentoff and is of course, included.  This album is an American pressed mono copy, and was ripped at 24/44.1 wav , dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  I would grade the vinyl at only VG. so we do have some fried chicken to contend with but I think it cleaned up really nicely.  Enjoy!!!
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Verve MG V-8276
1957

Bass – Mort Herbert;  Drums – Gene Krupa;  Piano – Teddy Napoleon;  Clarinet – Gail Curtis.

A1The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart
A2Gone With The Wind
A3Pick Yourself Up
A4Fire Place Blues
A5But Not For Me

B1Memories Of You
B2Three Little Words
B3Avalon
B4I Only Have Eyes For You
B5Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)

Cecil McBee - Alternate Spaces (1977) [vinyl>flac]

I've been listening to some Chico Freeman of late and I thought I'd resurrect this from the old Crypt. Although I prefer the contemporary Enja live recording 'Music From The Source', the calmer, more reflective music on offer here has much to recommend it. It was at one time available on CD, if you would like to own a copy, the last time I checked there was one available on Amazon for $480+...

Review by Scott Yanow:
Bassist Cecil McBee and Chico Freeman (who triples on tenor, soprano and flute) teamed up many times during the late 1970s and '80s. Their collaborations found them playing music that was a spiritual extension on hard bop, adventurous while moving forward. On this LP, they perform five of McBee's originals in a sextet that also includes trumpeter Joe Gardner, the percussive pianist Don Pullen (a major asset to the date), drummer Allen Nelson and percussionist Don Moye. The often melodic but unpredictable music definitely holds one's interest.

01 - Alternate Spaces
02 - Consequence
03 - Come Sunrise
04 - Sorta, Kinda Blue
05 - Expression

Bob Mover - On The Move

Listen carefully.....hear that? The Bluebird is singing once again outside my window as this summer heat wave continues across the entire Cryptverse. Hello my old friend.

For most of us who took the original Xanadu journey, that was our initial introduction to Bob Mover. Well apparently our English Bluebird was impressed enough to seek out more and Hallelujah; this little album is a joy! Not only are we treated to the sparkling alto and soprano of Mr. Mover here, we also get lovely trumpet from Tom Harrell, typically superb piano from my man Mike Nock, fat, round bass tones from George Mraz (particularly well captured), ...need I go on?

This was Mover's first session as a leader and given the artistic success of this and the Xanadu albums as well, it is a bit hard to figure how he remained so obscure, even amongst us Jazz fans.

Phil Woods~Jimmy Cleveland / Thelonius Monk / Max Roach - Europa Jazz [vinyl]

From the danair vinyl collection, sent to me for ripping.

Side One

Phil Woods Jimmy Cleveland Sextet
• Ow! (Gillespie) 6'55"
• There'll Never Be Another You
(Woods) 2'45"
• Penthouse Serenade
(Jason-Burton) 3'45"
• Out Of Nowhere
(Heyman-Green) 8'00"
In «0w!» Phil Woods (alto sax), Jimmy Cleveland (trombone), Francois Jeanneau (tenor sax), George Arvanitas (piano), Luigi Trussardi (bass), Michel Babault (drums). In «There'll Never Be Another You» George Arvanitas (piano), Luigi Trussardi (bass), Michel Babault (drums). In «Penthouse Serenade» Francois Jeanneau (tenor sax), George Arvanitas (piano), Luigi Trussardi (bass), Michel Babault (drums). In «Out Of Nowhere» Phil Woods (alto sax), George Arvanitas (piano), Luigi Trussardi (bass), Michel Babault (drums).
1961

Side Two

Thelonious Monk Quintet
• Blue Monk (Monk) 5'10"
Thad Jones (trumpet), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), John Ore (bass), Billy Higgins (drums), Thelonious Monk (piano).
NYC, 1957-1958

Max Roach Quintet
• Kardouba (Roach) 12'35"
Tommy Turrentine (trumpet), Julian Priester (trombone), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Bob Boswell (bass), Max Roach (drums).
live in Paris, France, February-March, 1960

Terry Gibbs And His Exciting Big Band - Explosion!

Who would have thought that Terry Gibbs could inspire such Olympian commenting??!!??  Why stop now??  Let's keep this party goin...

Here we find the exact same band, at the exact same venue, The Summit in Hollywood.  That's about where the similarities end.  Yes, Explosion is every bit as exciting, but everything has been elevated beyond where the last one left off.

When I say everything, I'm not exhagerating.  Firstly, the song times are longer which means more space for solos.  Gibbs takes a step back and we get to hear more from the trumpet section, as well as the saxes.  The solos themselves are much more pronounced and longer as well.  The arrangements are much more detailed and complex, but not to the detriment of the song.  Infact this complexity I'm speaking of finds the band jamming in more exciting grooves and feels.  Of course, with so much more in the pot, the level of intensity amongst the players is elevated as well.  This is heard through audible soul calls and shouts of joy.  When I say shouts, I am talkin about some of the fellas screaming in ecstacy - it's awesome!!

Finally, even the recording itself is a step above.  Aside from clarity, there's an immediacy from the music that simply wasn't there on the last post.  A wonderful tonal balance which is best defined by the horn section.  The ensemble work is powerful and punchy, but always warm and thick.  When soloing, we get that biting detail that gives emotional weight to the music.

Overall it's a great testimony to how incredible Gibbs was as a leader, able to get the best out of so many huge talents.  Where "The Exciting Big Band" LP seems more for dancing, on Explosion we get all that plus a show of pure technical prowess.  I know you guys are gonna dig it!!  Contemporary added this to their series, if anyone has it I would love to hear some thoughts on the comparison.  I'm sure the disc is much cleaner, but the music on this LP is really rich.

This Mercury (MG-20704) side is in excellent condition.  As we have discussed how everything is elevated, the noise is no exception.  As always, I have worked as closely as I can without disturbing the tunes.  Overall it comes and goes, mostly getting buried within the signal.  I think it's a real enjoyable listen regardless.  Ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC, the Gibbs fest continues -  at the Crypt!!  Enjoy!!

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Mercury MG-20704

Recorded Live At The Summit, Hollywood, CA

1961

Bass – Buddy Clark
Drums – Mel Lewis
Piano – Pat Moran
Saxophone – Bill Perkins, Charlie Kennedy, Jack Nimitz, Joe Maini, Richie Kamuca
Trombone – Bob Edmondson, Frank Rosolino, Vern Friley
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Conte Candoli, Frank Huggins, Ray Triscari, Stu Williamson
Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs

The Exciting Terry Gibbs Big Band

Ah one! Two! Ah three! FOUR!!

Even something as simple as a count-in oozed with ethusiasm when Terry Gibbs was at the helm.  This is not your typical big band however, and certainly not your typical big band album.  Desert island album?  Pretty damn close.  This one has it all.  An incredible energy, translated from the live performance to us, the listener.  All star line up of players.  The best in composers/arrangers, with originals wrote just for Terry, and by Terry.  To top it all off, this has to be one of the best recorded, live big band shows on record.

This side is quite rare.  It's not that it's impossible to find, but to find one in reasonable condition is another story.  In the late 80's and early 90's, Contemporary began releasing a series of albums with this group.  They changed the name to "The Terry Gibbs Dream Band".   Certainly an appropriate name when one looks at the roster.   But this group is more than just a bunch of star power and hype...much, much more.

They were called the "Exciting" big band for a reason.  This group could do it all, but always with a flare for fun and excitement.  Clearly, with the skill level available, the arrangers went to town.  Bill Holman, Al Cohn, Shorty Rogers and Manny Albam spun these tunes into absolute gold.  Gibbs could lead his group to huge dynamic heights - glorious, crisp brass soaring overtop a driving and pulsing swing.  But he could strip it down to a quiet calm, enough to make you forget that there are 17 players getting ready to pounce!   In my mind, the Gibbs big band are up there with Eckstine and Basie in terms of dynamics. 

Stylistically, the tunes range nicely, from slow pokin' blues, to high flying, dance worthy swing.  Gibbs takes many solos, but always in great taste.  We also hear from the saxes, probably more so than the trumpets which is unusual for a big band.  The best part of this album is it's undeniable live energy, best defined by the soul callin' between Gibbs and the rest of the band.  Audible are the shouts of joy, encouragement and just plain fun the band is clearly having.

I worked really hard on this one guys, and it paid off big time.  I am really proud of the finished product, albeit not perfect.  I think you'll agree, the fidelity is incredible making this a dynamite listen.  This original Verve (V-2151) was ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC, there is little to no noise here folks.  Just 100% swingin jazz...enjoy!!!

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Verve (V-2151)

Recorded Live At The Summit, Hollywood, CA

January, 1961

Bass – Buddy Clark
Drums – Mel Lewis
Piano – Pat Moran
Saxophone – Bill Perkins, Charlie Kennedy, Jack Nimitz, Joe Maini, Richie Kamuca
Trombone – Bob Edmondson, Frank Rosolino, Vern Friley
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Conte Candoli, Frank Huggins, Ray Triscari, Stu Williamson
Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs

Dorothy Ashby - Hip Harp (1958) [vinyl>flac]

Great stuff by the grooviest artist ever to play a harp! Dorothy Ashby had a unique soul jazz harp sound, and although the instrument she used is probably more thought of in terms of bedtime lullabies, she actually makes it swing nicely, and with a soulful sound that draws back to traditions of African stringed instruments. Ashby was part of the same scene as Yusef Lateef, and like Lateef, she managed to use odd instrumentation in new contexts, to get a very unique jazz sound. This set's got harp and flute in the lead, and features the tracks "Pawky", "Charmaine", "Jollity", and "Back Talk". © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Dorothy Ashby has added to the basic territory that the harp previously occupied. In fusing her sometimes guitar-like, swinging line to the expected harp effects, she has added another step to the instrumental-scope of jazz. ~ Excerpt from Liner Notes by Ira Gitler.

Prestige Records, PR 7140, 1958

Recorded 21^st March, 1958 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey

Personnel:

Dorothy Ashby - Harp

Frank Wess - Flute

Herman Wright - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Pawky {Dorothy Ashby} (7:04)

A2. Moonlight In Vermont {John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf} (5:15)

A3. Back Talk {Dorothy Ashby} (5:04)

B1. Dancing In The Dark {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (4:43)

B2. Charmaine {Lew Pollack, Erno Rapee} (4:02)

B3. Jollity {Dorothy Ashby} (3:36)

B4. There's A Small Hotel {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (5:51)

Credits:

Supervisor - Bob Weinstock

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Ira Gitler

The Exciting Terry Gibbs Big Band 1959

Some of you old school Cryptheads will recall the series we ran on Terry Gibbs big band back at the old Crypt.  During the late 80's, Contemporary reissued several of these fantastic albums originally released on Mercury and Verve.  They dubbed the band the "Terry Gibbs Dream Band" and using new artwork, titled the albums by volume.  As great as their efforts were, they missed this great debut album - Launching A New Band.

This side sounds just as the others do and includes that amazing cast of all star west coast players.  Bill Holman provides the impeccable arrangements.  I would say that overall the band is a touch less frantic when it comes to their pace, but not Gibbs soloing!!!  The vibes are definitely the centerpiece here and Gibbs doesn't disapoint delivering high flying solos everywhere he can.  The tunes run short and yet he somehow still manages to get his chorus' in.

Along with this album, I am including the first volume of Contemporary's Dream Band series.  This album was not a reissue and was infact debuted to ring in this look at Gibbs' big band.  It's a live concert recorded at the Seville in Hollywood from 1959.  This is the same year that "Launching" was released and we find the band giving live treatments of several tunes from the album.  The two albums make a great pair.  Personally, I prefer the live album as the band feels much more loose.

Each album has been ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  Dream Band is absolute mint with wonderful recording while "Launching" is near mint with great fidelity as well.  If there is interest for me to re-up some of the older Gibbs posts, please let me know in your comments and I will consider it in the upcoming weeks.  Have fun listening to one of the greatest big bands ever assembled...  enjoy!!!

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Launching A New Band

Mercury SR60112
1959

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Kennedy, Joe Maini
Baritone Saxophone – Jack Schwartz
Bass – Joe Mondragon (tracks: A3, A4, B3, B4), Max Bennett (tracks: A1, A2, A5 to B2, B5, B6)
Drums – Mel Lewis
Piano – Pete Jolly
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Holman, Med Flory
Trombone – Bob Enevoldsen, Frank Rosolino, Vern Friley
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Conte Candoli, Phil Gilbert (tracks: A3, A4, B3, B4), Ray Triscari (tracks: A1, A2, A5 to B2, B5, B6), Stu Williamson
Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs

A1 Opus No.1 2:47 

A2 Moten Swing 3:01
A3 I'm Getting Sentimental Over You 2:37
A4 Let's Dance 3:29
A5 Stardust 3:30
A6 Cottontail 2:56
B1 Begin The Beguine 2:30
B2 Jumpin' At The Woodside 2:46
B3 Prelude To A Kiss 3:04
B4 Don't Be That Way 3:55
B5 Midnight Sun 3:28
B6 Flyin' Home 2:53

It is ironic that the Contemporary label came out with five CDs worth of unknown material by the Terry Gibbs Big Band while Polygram has completely neglected its studio sides by the same group. The music on this set, last available as a Trip LP, was the first by Gibbs' "Dream Band," a swinging outfit of top studio musicians who were based in L.A. at the time. This album is comprised of two arrangements apiece by Bill Holman, Bob Brookmeyer, Manny Albam, Al Cohn, Med Flory and Marty Paich, which pay tribute to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Tommy Dorsey. The tunes are mostly overly familiar (including "Stardust," "Cotton Tail," "Begin the Beguine" and "Flying Home") and clock in around three minutes, meaning that the solos are quite concise, but there are some good individual moments from the vibraphonist/leader, trumpeter Conte Candoli, and trombonist Frank Rosolino. - Scott Yanow / AMG

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The Terry Gibbs Dream Band Vol.1

Contemporary C-7647
1986
Recorded live at the Seville, Hollywood 1959

1 Begin The Beguine 2:28
2 Don't Be That Way 6:26
3 Cottontail 3:43
4 Stardust 3:12
5 Opus One 6:00
6 After You've Gone 3:42
7 You Go To My Head 5:17
8 Let's Dance 3:25
9 The Subtle Sermon 8:24
10 Kissin' Bug 4:45
11 Jumpin' At The Woodside 4:30

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Kennedy, Joe Maini
Baritone Saxophone – Jack Schwartz
Bass – Max Bennett
Drums – Mel Lewis
Piano – Pete Jolly
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Holman, Med Flory
Trombone – Bob Enevoldsen, Joe Cadena, Vern Friley
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Conte Candoli, Ray Triscari, Stu Williamson
Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs

The music on this CD, not released for the first time until 1986, features the formerly little-known Terry Gibbs Big Band, an orchestra that worked fairly regularly in Los Angeles from 1959-1962. The repertoire is primarily swing-era standards, but the arrangements (by Bill Holman, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Marty Paich, and Manny Albam) are fairly modern for the time; the all-star group's ensembles are tight and such colorful soloists as vibraphonist Gibbs, valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, trumpeters Stu Williamson and Conte Candoli, tenorman Bill Holman, pianist Pete Jolly, and altoist Joe Maini are heard from. There would be five CDs released by this band; this is an excellent set to start with. - 4.5/5.0 "Album Pick" Scott Yanow / AMG

Coleman Hawkins - Hawk Eyes (1959) [vinyl>flac]

Tenor-great Coleman Hawkins tended to be at his best when challenged by another horn player. On this highly enjoyable album, Hawkins is joined by the superb trumpeter Charlie Shavers and a strong rhythm section that includes guitarist Tiny Grimes and pianist Ray Bryant. With such superior songs as "Through for the Night," "I Never Knew" and "La Rosita," in addition to long jams, plenty of fireworks occur during this frequently exciting session. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

One thing Coleman Hawkins can never be accused of is being dull. His dynamic personality should be the envy of his confreres young and old. Hawk Eyes stands for keen visual perception. In the jazz vernacular it indicates a desire to hear "Bean" (another of Coleman Hawkins' nicknames) play or a general preference for his playing. To have Hawk Eyes in this sense means acute aural perception. ~ excerpts from Liner Notes by Ira Gitler.

Recorded 3^rd April, 1959 in Hackensack, New Jersey

Prestige Records, PR 7156, 1959

Prestige Records, PRT 7857, 1971; 1987

Personnel:

Coleman Hawkins - Tenor Saxophone

Charlie Shavers - Trumpet

Ray Bryant - Piano

Tiny Grimes - Guitar

George Duvivier - Bass

Osie Johnson - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Hawk Eyes {Coleman Hawkins} (10:19)

A2. C'mon In {Coleman Hawkins} (13:18)

B1. Through For The Night {Trummy Young} (5:12)

B2. I Never Knew {Gus Kahn, Ted Fio Rito} (5:44)

B3. La Rosita {Paul Dupont, Allan Stuart} (6:10)

B4. Stealin' The Bean {Osie Johnson} (4:32)

Credits:

Supervisor - Bob Weinstock

Recording Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder

Liner Notes - Ira Gitler; Dan Morgenstern

The Commodore Years - Tenor Sax: Coleman Hawkins And Frank Wess

I am really excited to be sharing this great album of classic jazz.  This was released in 1973 as part of a reissue program at Atlantic.  They involved Milt Gabler and unlike the overwhelming (but incredible) complete discography that Mosaic released, they selected some of the best performances for this 2LP offering.  For those of you who have the Mosaic set, this post is probably not too interesting but for everybody else - you're in for a real treat!!!

                                                                                                                                                            
             

Commodore Records was a United States-based independent record label known for issuing many well regarded recordings of jazz and swing music.  Commodore Records was founded in the spring of 1938 by Milt Gabler, who in 1926 had founded the Commodore Music Shop in Manhattan, New York City, originally at 136 East 42nd Street (diagonally across the street from the Commodore Hotel), and from 1938–41 with a branch at 46 West 52nd Street – an address commemorated in Chu Berry's 'Forty-six, West Fifty-two'. The bulk of Commodore's issues were of Dixieland jazz, though other styles also sometimes appeared on the label. Eddie Condon recorded frequently for the label, with such notables as George Brunies and Pee Wee Russell often

in his band. Commodore was one of the first labels to list the full personnel of bands on the label.
Billie Holiday also recorded for Commodore (in 1939 and 1944), with "Strange Fruit" and "Fine and Mellow" first appearing on that label.
Like his UHCA label, Gabler initially arranged for recording and pressing made by ARC, then Reeves Transcription Services and Decca, so both Commodore and UHCA used various matrix number series, depending on where the session originated from.
After World War II Gabler went to work for Decca Records, and his Commodore label was later used by Decca for reissuing earlier jazz recordings on LP. In the early 1960s a series of Commodore albums were compiled by Gabler and part of the Mainstream label. Mosaic Records issued three LP sets of the label's complete output. - Wikipedia

The whole album is great, even the alternates.  My copy is mint condition and was ripped at 24/44.1 wav, dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  The anomolies you may hear are from the source recordings. Aside from that the fidelity on these recordings is brilliant, especially considering the age!!  I am assuming they did some
ripping of their own to get all of this music together!!  Enjoy!!

This attractive two-LP reissue (whose contents have since been reissued in Mosaic's massive Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings box set) consists of four interesting swing sessions. The first two are quite classic. The great tenor saxophonist Coleman

Hawkins is heard with a pianoless sextet in 1940 that also stars altoist Benny Carter and trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Their four selections (plus two alternate takes) are all impressive but it is this brilliant version of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" (during which Carter takes solo honors) that is most memorable. The other Hawkins date is with a septet from 1943. Trumpeter Cootie Williams and clarinetist Edmond Hall are in fine form, but it is the participation of the remarkable pianist Art Tatum that makes the set particularly historic. The other two sessions, among the final ones for Commodore, showcase Frank Wess (on tenor and 

flute) with a variety of Count Basie's sidemen (including trombonists Henry Coker, Benny Powell and Urbie Green, trumpeter Joe Wilder and pianist Jimmy Jones) on some lightly swinging modern jazz.     -  4.5 / 5  Scott Yanow/AMG

Dexter Gordon - Homecoming (LP rip)

Ahhhh yes, it is actually me over here for a moment! Given the major sparks being thrown off this last week by all my beloved blog-mates, I just HAD to chip in with a bit of a firework of my own!

My coffee mate Cliff has pointed out to me that this particular album is more than a little over-looked in the Dex catalog, largely due to some unfortunate decisions at Columbia/Sony. Clifford recently went and bought a crispy promo copy of the original LP and gave it to me to rip; couldn't leave y'all out of the Lagniappe.

These marvelous live tracks were recorded shortly after Dex's return from Europe but I seem to recall there was a Xanadu date just prior to this. In a surprising but savvy move, Dex chose to play his first Vanguard booking with Woody Shaw and his magnificent working band of the time.

Michael Cuscuna and Columbia had the good sense to show up and record the gigs and this very well received double album set (subsequently released in 1977) was the fortunate result. Now comes the confusing part.....Despite the relative popularity (jazz-wise) of both Dex and Woody in the ensuing years, this album sees only two pressings and then disappears from print until 1990. In 1990 Columbia reissues the set with two additional tunes on a double disc CD. Great news, eh? Well....not so much... do you remember those first Columbia digital remasters on the blue cover Jazz Masterpieces series? Do you remember the way they absolutely butchered their first CD issue of Kind Of Blue? They may have done an even worse job on their reissue of this jewel! Even more baffling is the idea that they have yet to rectify this travesty to this day!

Soooo...here we are - my buddy scored this lovely copy and I've ripped it to FLAC, of course. We enter the Way-Back Machine to 1976 at the Village Vanguard, the bill says Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James and Louis Hayes....You buying a ticket?

Stuff Smith ~ Dizzy Gillespie ~ Oscar Peterson (1957)

This exemplary reissue from 1994 is long out of print and I can't imagine that it will see a reissue except on some European out of copyright label - excellent sound from the original master tapes, full discographical info, liner notes, artwork - all praise to Polygram!

Stuff Smith - Have Violin Will Swing (Verve MGV 8282)

Carl Perkins (piano) Stuff Smith (violin) Curtis Counce or Red Callender (bass) Frank Butler or Oscar Bradley (drums)
Capitol Tower Studios, Hollywood, CA, January 21 & February 5, 1957

1-01 - It's Wonderful
1-02 - Comin' Thru The Rye
1-03 - Ja-Da
1-04 - (Back Home Again In) Indiana
1-05 - Calypso
1-06 - Blow, Blow, Blow
1-07 - I Wrote My Song
1-08 - Oh, But It Is
1-09 - Stop, Look
1-10 - Would You Object
1-11 - Crazy Rhythm

Stuff Smith (Verve MGV 8206)

Oscar Peterson (piano) Barney Kessel (guitar) Stuff Smith (violin) Ray Brown (bass) Alvin Stoller (drums)
Glen Glenn Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 7&12, 1957

1-12 - Desert Sands.
1-13 - Soft Winds.
1-14 - Things Ain't What They Used To Be.
1-15 - Time And Again (Aka 'don't You Think').
1-16 - I Know That You Know.
2-01 - It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing).
2-02 - In A Mellotone.
2-03 - Heat Wave.
2-04 - Body And Soul.

Dizzy Gillespie And Stuff Smith (Verve MGV 8214)

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) Wynton Kelly (piano) Stuff Smith (violin) Paul West (bass) J.C. Heard (drums)
NYC, April 17, 1957

2-05 - Rio Pakistan.
2-06 - It's Only A Paper Moon.
2-07 - Purple Sounds.
2-08 - Russian Lullaby.
2-09 - Oh, Lady Be Good!.



Review by Richard Palmer, Jazz Journal, February 1995:

This handsome and generous package collates three of Stuff Smith's finest IPs, recorded within three months of each other—Have Violin, Will Swing, Stuff Smith and Dizzy Gillespie and Stuff Smith. The first named, in particular, has long been a £50-plus collector's item, so to have it available with its two splendid companions for under £15 is welcome indeed.
In my view, Stuff was and remains by some distance the finest violinist jazz has produced, Amongst his rivals, only Nance and Ponty got anywhere near his marvellous sound—sonorously melodious, yet resonating with the kind of joyously sneering insolence that one associates with tenorist Lockjaw Davis. In addition, while nobody has remotely approached him for virility of swing or harmonic imagination, he had subtler qualities that captivate always, without slipping into the kind of saccharinity that jazz violin can be prone to. Stuff was a very special talent noticeably under-recorded almost throughout his career, and jazz owes Norman Granz a very large round of thanks for resuscitating his career when and in the way he did.
The two-and-a-half hours' music on offer is remarkably consistent in both inspiration and delivered satisfaction. All three pianists are marvellous: Perkins, especially, is a revelation, and it is sad to reflect on how little studio work he got, too. Particularly rewarding tracks from this date are Rye, where Stuff switches from blithe lyricism to red-blooded stomping with insouciant mastery, and virtually all the cuts with the great Red Callender—most of them Smith's own compositions that reflect his no-nonsense yet intriguingly sophisticated personality. The Peterson tracks are flawless, with Brown's remastered sound colossal and Kessel at the very top of his game: Desert Sands and Soft Winds are the pick here, though the three * tracks are valuable additions.
Nearly 40 years on, the Gillespie session still strikes one as breathtakingly audacious. Dizzy was from the start one of the most catholicly literate musicians jazz ever produced (only Ellington surpasses him in boldness of range and sure-footed encyclopedic eclecticism); even so, a trumpet-violin front line was taking quite a chance, and put a burden on Kelly which that wonderful West Indian shoulders triumphantly. Rio is I think the outstanding track, with Heard magnificent and the two horns exceptional both in solo and in partnership, but Lullaby and Moon are hardly less fine. The final cut with the Gordon Family's added vocalising isn't too bad, all things considered, but it is a pronounced anti-climax, and the only thing on the entire double-CD that in retrospect looks like a mistake. By then, however, it doesn't really matter.
Verve's releases over the last 18 months or so have been the best and noblest possible tribute to the man who founded the label and who is synonymous with all that is best in modern-mainstream. There could be no better or more fitting tribute to Norman Granz's enterprise, daring and imagination than this particular reissue, and it would also be hard to think of a more enjoyable and instructive one. A 1995 Top Ten choice for sure.