Don Ewell

I just can't say enough about this album - a real gem.  Ewell is a name often attached to "Dixieland" via his work with the Dukes.  We also associate "Stride" with him because of his incredible style.

The fact is, those are both horrendous cliches which do nothing to really describe Don Ewell.  This self titled release for Chiaroscuro shows us that you simply can't put this pianist in a box.  For the sake of giving you something to relate him with, I would go with Traditional / NOLA jazz.

The music is bluesy, hard swingin and always joyous no matter the tempo or tune. This album is perfect, all the way through.  You won't find any filler or musical misgivings here, instead, we are given sides which display the best jazz has to offer.

Side 1 is a trio with Hall & Leeman, while side 2 is a quartet with Tate, Duvivier & Leeman.  The sidemen bring their A-game to these tunes, and are given plenty of room to shine.  Ewell himself gives us every reason to believe he is one of the more underrated pianists of his time.  It would be easy to overlook this album from it's unexciting cover, to it's 70's publishing date... but that would be a large mistake.  From start to finish this record delivers on all fronts and leaves you feeling upbeat.

I ripped this minty vinyl at 24/48 wav and transferred it to 24/48 FLAC for your convenience.  Superb stereo recording... enjoy!!!

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Chiaroscuro Records ‎– CR 130
1974

A1 Sweethearts On Parade
A2 Creole Love Call
A3 Diane
A4 Apex Blues
A5 All By Myself
B1 Coquette
B2 It Must Be True
B3 Let´s Fall In Love
B4 I Cover The Waterfront

Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: B1 to B4)
Clarinet – Herb Hall (tracks: A1 to A5)
Drums – Cliff Leeman
Piano – Don Ewell
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate (tracks: B1 to B4)

Roullette: At The Roundtable

By 1959 Herman had broken up his Third Herd and was utilizing a sextet filled with important young players. This live LP from 1959 (the only recording of this group) finds him well-featured on both alto and clarinet with a band that also boasts trumpeter Nat Adderley, acoustic guitarist Charlie Byrd and Eddie Costa on piano and vibes. All 12 selections (mixing together standards and forgotten originals) have their enjoyable moments. A rare chance to hear Woody Herman as a key soloist in a small group. - Scott Yanow

Forum (F 9016)

1959





A1  Black Nightgown   

A2  Pea Soup   

A3  Just A Child   

A4  Petite Fleur   

A5  Lullaby Of Birdland   
A6  Inside Out   
B1  The Swingin' Shepherd Blues   
B2  The Deacon And The Elder   
B3  Princess "M"   
B4  Moten Swing   
B5  Early Autumn   
B6  The Late Late Show   

Bass – William Betts;  Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Woody Herman;  Drums – Jimmy Campbell
Guitar – Charlie Byrd;  Piano – Eddie Costa;  Trumpet – Nat Adderley

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Recorded at the Roundtable nightclub in New York City on July 1, 1959, this performance marked the beginning of a new, penultimate phase of Jack Teagarden's recording career. His Capitol Records contract having ended the previous spring, he then performed for the portable recording equipment of Roulette Records, which would release some of the sides recorded at this gig as a live album, and which would, for a time, revive his fortunes. Although he's a little less agile and powerful, having reached his late 50s after a career's worth of constant work, and some health problems (later resolved), the cohesiveness of the band makes this release well-worth hearing. The group, in a typical live set, plays seven Dixieland warhorses and the obscure "When" (which was written by the King of Thailand). Teagarden, trumpeter Don Goldie, clarinetist Henry Cuesta, the great stride pianist Don Ewell, bassist Stan Puls, and drummer Ronnie Greb put on a lively, crowd-pleasing show highlighted by "South Rampart Street Parade," "St. James Infirmary" (sung by Teagarden), "St. Louis Blues," and Ewell's feature on "Honeysuckle Rose." [Note: as of 2005, At the Roundtable has never been reissued on its own, but is part of Mosaic's Complete Roulette Jack Teagarden Sessions, augmented with a significant body of unreleased track from this same performance.]  - Bruce Eder

Roullette R25091

Roundtable Nightclub, NYC 1959

Don Goldie (tp, vcl);  Jack Teagarden (tb, vcl);  Henry Cuesta (cl);  Don Ewell (p),

Stan Puls (b);  Ronnie Greb (d).

A1  South Rampart Street Parade   

A2  St. James Infirmary   

A3  Big Noise From Winetka   
A4  When   

B1  St. Louis Blues   

B2  Honeysuckle Rose   

B3  Stardust   

B4  When Tha Saints Go Marching In 

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Steve Allen was a jack of all trades as a comedian, television star, author, musician, and prolific composer, but he has been dismissed by a lot of critics as a lightweight performer and songwriter. Allen never clamed to rival Art Tatum as a pianist, or the likes of Cole Porter or Duke Ellington as a composer; he saw himself as an entertainer first. Surrounded by a strong supporting cast during this live engagement at the Roundtable (with Allen hamming it up on the cover photo in a suit of armor), Allen doesn't hog the spotlight but keeps his solos rather brief and gives his sidemen plenty of solo space. His opener "Roundtable Boogie" features guitarist Mundell Lowe, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, and clarinetist Gus Bivona; while Allen isn't in the league of Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson, he is a more than competent boogie-woogie player (he was once complimented on his boogie-woogie playing by Teddy Wilson, who confessed he had problems playing it himself!). Gibbs swings like mad in a fun-filled take of "I Got Rhythm." "Even Stephen" is actually a wild reworking of "Jeepers Creepers." Doc Severinson adds his swinging trumpet to Allen's rousing closer, "Baby, But You Did." Although this won't be an essential recording for the average jazz fan, anyone who enjoys Steve Allen will be delighted to acquire this record.  - Ken Dryden

Roullette Records
SR-25053
1959

A1 Roundtable Boogie   
A2 Why Don't You Want to Go Home   
A3 I Got Rhythm   
B1 Even Stephen   
B2 I Thought About You   
B3 Baby, But You Did

Steve Allen (piano); Mundell Lowe (guitar); Gus Bivona (clarinet, saxophone, alto saxophone);
 Doc Severinsen (trumpet); Terry Gibbs (vibraphone); Gary Peacock (bass instrument);
Gary Frommer (drums).