Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson - Kidney Stew (1969-1978, 1996)

Here’s another remastered compilation of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson output spanning the years 1969 through to 1978 by Black & Blue Records and released in 1996. It is accurately packaged with more information, liner notes and photos. Most remarkedly, it includes two additional tracks Person To Person and Alimony Blues from a session in 1972 with Al Grey & Wild Bill Davis. Eddie truly showcases his versatility as great altoist and jazz-blues singer. 

Black & Blue Records, BB 878.2 ND 215, 1996
Recorded 28th March, 1969 (#1-10) at Pathé Studio, Paris, France
Recorded 28th July, 1972 (#11,12) at Seed Studio, Vallauris, France
Recorded 14th July, 1978 (#13,14) at Black & Blue Studio, Nice, France 

Musicians:
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - Alto Sax, Vocals
Al Grey - Trombone (#11,12)
Hal Singer - Tenor Saxophone (#1-10)
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Tenor Saxophone (#13,14)
Jay Mc Shann - Piano (#1-10)
Wild Bill Davis - Organ (#11,12)
Bill Doggett - Organ (#13,14)
T. Bone Walker - Guitar (#1-10)
Floyd Smith - Guitar (#11,12)
Roland Lobligeois - Bass (#1-10)
Milt Hinton - Bass (#13,14)
Paul Gunther - Drums (#1-12)
J.C. Heard - Drums (#13,14)

Tracks:
01. Kidney Stew {Leona Blackman, Eddie Vinson} (3:04)
02. Wait A Minute Baby {Eddie Vinson} (3:16)
03. Old Maid Boogie {Eddie Vinson} (3:49)
04. Somebody's Got To Go {B.B. Broonzy} (3:20)
05. Things Ain't What They Used To Be {Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons} (4:50)
06. Wee Baby Blues {Pete Johnson, Big Joe Turner} (3:21)
07. Juice Head Baby {Eddie Vinson, Louis Zito} (4:35)
08. I Had A Dream {B.B. Broonzy} (3:40)
09. I'm In An Awful Mood {T-Bone Walker} (3:20)
10. Please Send Me Someone To Love {Percy Mayfield} (4:12)
11. Person To Person {Eddie Vinson} (2:55)
12. Alimony Blues {Eddie Vinson} (5:44)
13. Hey Little Doggey {Bill Doggett} (7:24)
14. Totsy {Eddie Vinson} (5:25) 

Total Time: 58:55 

Credits:
Recording Engineer - Serge Remi
Digital Remastering - Gilbert Préneron
Photograph - Jean-Pierre Tahmazian
Design, Liner Notes - Jean-Marc Fritz, Jean-Michel Proust
English Translation - Jeff and Patricia Kresser 

Alimony Blues

Eddie Vinson - Cleanhead Blues (1995)

These numbers are the perfect synthesis of jazz and the blues; clean-cut sounds from Cleanhead. Eddie Vinson had been recently 'rediscovered' when most of these tracks were recorded. A new lease of life is evident as he takes a few blues classics for a spin. The quality of the 'sidemen' here is notable as is their willingness to let Eddie stretch out and take center stage. T-Bone Walker, for example, confines himself to accompaniment, adding a second instrumental voice as Vinson sings, and soloing in his riff-based, dramatic style. ~ Liner Notes. 

Orbis Records, BLU NC 057, 1995
Recorded 28th March, 1969 (#1-10) in Boulogne-Billancourt, France;
Recorded July, 1978 (#11,12) Nice, France 

Musicians:
Eddie Vinson - Alto Saxophone, Vocals (#1-10)
Hal Singer - Tenor Saxophone (#1-0)
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Tenor Saxophone (#11)
Jay McShann - Piano (#1-10)
Bill Doggett - Organ (#11,12)
T-Bone Walker - Guitar (#1-10)
Roland Lobligeois - Bass (#1-10)
Milt Hinton - Bass (#11,12)
Paul Gunther - Drums (#1-10)
J.C. Heard - Drums (#11,12) 

Tracks:
01. Wee Baby Blues {Pete Johnson, Big Joe Turner} (3:20)
02. Wait A Minute Baby {Eddie Vinson} (3:14)
03. I Had A Dream {B.B. Broonzy} (3:38)
04. Kidney Stew {Leona Blackman, Eddie Vinson} (3:02)
05. Old Maid Boogie {Eddie Vinson} (3:47)
06. I'm In An Awful Mood {T-Bone Walker} (3:18)
07. Juice-Head Baby {Eddie Vinson, Louis Zito} (4:34)
08. Things Ain't What They Used To Be {Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons} (4:48)
09. Somebody's Got To Go {B.B. Broonzy} (3:19)
10. Please Send Me Someone To Love {Percy Mayfield} (4:12)
11. Hey Little Doggey {Bill Doggett} (7:23)
12. Totsy {Eddie Vinson} (5:24) 

Total Time: 50:08 

Kidney Stew

Oscar Peterson + Harry “Sweets” Edison + Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (1986) [vinyl>flac]

All Star Mainstream Jazz

This is a top notch, grade A, disc of Mainstream Swing Jazz. Not complicated. Straight ahead in your face. Shades of Duke Ellington (represented here with "Satin Doll"). State the theme, improvise, state the theme. Jazz standards, up-tempo, and slow. The Oscar Peterson Trio (with Dave Young and Martin Drew), and 2 of the greatest players that ever were; Harry "Sweets" Edison and Joe Pass. Surprisingly, the player who absolutely carries this session is Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on alto. His solos make this disc. Just terrific playing. "Cleanhead" was a blues player and singer, but listen to him in this Jazz context. As great as everyone is, he stands out. The disc just rolls along from Coleman Hawkins' "Stuffy" at the start to "Satin Doll" at the end, with the theme inverted to make a very different reading. No bebop here, straight ahead from the swing era played by small ensemble. If you are a Jazz person you really will enjoy this. If you are a fan of improvised music you really will enjoy this. If you are new to Jazz, this is a great education of how they used to play it. Old time Jazz played by great players. Anyone who buys this disc will be very surprised. This is one of these discs that is undiscovered. Get this while you can. ~ by Steven Meyerson, Amazon, 2001

The "Gray Lions" Don't Disappoint

Many of the recordings featuring aging jazz musicians are disappointing because the players are naturally facing diminished capacity. But not this one. Recorded in 1986 when most of the headliners here - Edison, Peterson, Vinson and Joe Pass on guitar (who for some reason fails share the top billing) - were in their 60's or 70's, this Pablo (ie. Norman Granz) session is tight, well-conceived and swings with abandon. Everyone sounds great, no stragglers. It's just amazing. There are two medium tempo pieces (Stuffy and Satin Doll), two barn burners (This One's for Jaws and Broadway), two ballads (Everything Happens to Me and What's New) and a slow blues (Slooow Drag). Nice mix. If you like small group swing and blues executed by some of the legends of the swing era, this one's highly recommended. ~ by William Fauston, Amazon, 2000

Source: Top Amazon Customer Reviews

Pablo Records, 2310-927, 1987

Recorded 12^th November, 1986 At Ocean Way Studio, Hollywood, California

Personnel:

Oscar Peterson - Piano

Harry "Sweets" Edison - Trumpet

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - Alto Saxophone

Joe Pass - Guitar

Dave Young - Bass

Martin Drew - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Stuffy {Coleman Hawkins} (9:10)

A2. This One's For Jaws {Miles Davis, Harry "Sweets" Edison} (4:52)

A3. Everything Happens To Me {Tom Adair, Matt Dennis} (4:35)

A4. Broadway {Billy Bird, Ray Henderson, Teddy McRae, Henri Woode} (5:12)

B1. Slooow Drag {Harry "Sweets" Edison, Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (10:33)

B2. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (4:26)

B3. Satin Doll {Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn} (7:30)

Credits:

Producer, Artwork, Design, Layout Design - Norman Granz

Recording Engineer - Allen Sides

Mastering Engineer - George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley)

Artwork, Design, Layout Design - Sheldon Marks

Photography - Phil Stern

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - The "Clean" Machine (1978) [vinyl>flac]

This classic ‘Texas Blues’ LP by Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson truly entertains. Eddie as Scott states below is in a grand setting showcasing his virtuosity on Alto. He is backed by a highly compatible crew of equally great jazz musicians. If you get down to the ‘Blues’ you’ll definitely dig this, Enjoy!

What makes this album different from many of Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's is that four of the seven selections are taken as instrumentals. Vinson's alto playing has long been underrated due to his popularity as a blues singer, so this release gives one the opportunity to hear his bop-influenced solos at greater length. With the assistance of a strong rhythm section led by pianist Lloyd Glenn and some contributions from trumpeter Jerry Rusch and Rashid Ali on tenor, Vinson is in excellent form throughout this enjoyable set. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Muse Records, MR 5116, 1978

Recorded 22^nd February, 1978 At Wally Heider Studio, Hollywood, California

Musicians:

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - Alto Saxophone, Vocals (#A2,B1,B2)

Jerry Rusch - Trumpet

Rashid Ali - Tenor Saxophone

Lloyd Glenn - Piano

Gary Bell - Guitar

Larry Gales - Bass

Bruno Carr - Drums

Tracks:

A1. The Clean Machine {Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (5:30)

A2. Taxi Driver Blues {Leonard Feather} (5:05)

A3. Corn Fed {Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (6:38)

B1. When My Baby Left Me {Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (4:54)

B2. Old Maid Boogie {Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (2:59)

B3. Tenderly {Walter Gross} (4:32)

B4. Non-Alcoholic {Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson} (4:37)

Credits:

Executive-Producer - Joe Fields

Engineer - Peter Granet

Art Direction - Tamar Zinn

Liner Notes, Cover Photo - Pete Lowry