Eddie Jefferson - Hipper Than Thou (1959, 1961)

Eddie Jefferson, one of the great jazz singers and an important pioneer of vocalese, is heard in peak form on this Evidence CD which reissues an Inner City LP and adds six previously unissued selections to the program. The bulk of the music is from 1959-1961, with Jefferson backed by several horns including trumpeter Howard McGhee and tenor saxophonist James Moody, and sometimes three other vocalists. There are many highlights including Jefferson's original classic versions of "Body and Soul" (a tribute to Coleman Hawkins, the "king of the saxophone") and "So What" (dedicated to Miles Davis), a remake of "Moody's Mood for Love" and vocalese adaptations of a few Lester Young and Charlie Parker solos. Most of the unissued tracks are from these sessions, but there is also "Silly Little Cynthia" from 1964 (a duet with pianist Tommy Tucker) and a meeting with guitarist Louisiana Red on 1965's "Red's New Dream." When one considers that Jefferson otherwise did not record during 1963-1967, it makes those two numbers not only enjoyable but historic. This CD is highly recommended for all jazz collections. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Le Chant Du Monde, LDJ 274 946, 1989
Recorded 1959 (2,4-12,17-18) / 1961 (1,3,13-16) in New York

Tracks:
01. So What {Miles Davis} (3:30)
02. Moody's Mood For Love {Fields, McHugh, Moody} (3:10)
03. Sister Sadie {Horace Silver} (2:44)
04. It's Only A Paper Moon {Arlen, Harburg, Rose} (3:03)
05. TD's Boogie Woogie {Pinetop Smith} (2:26)
06. Now's The Time {Charlie Parker} (3:01)
07. Body And Soul {Eyton, Green, Heyman, Sour} (3:33)
08. Workshop {Gil Fuller} (2:57)
09. Sherry {Hank Crawford} (3:04)
10. Baby Girl {Eddie Jefferson} (3:18)
11. Memphis {Eddie Jefferson} (2:52)
12. Honeysuckle Rose {Andy Razaf, Fats Waller} (2:18)
13. The Preacher [A Crazy Romance] {Horace Silver} (2:27)
14. Night Train {Forrest, Simpkins, Washington} (2:34)
15. NJR [I'm Gone] {Quincy Jones} (3:18)
16. I Got The Blues {Lester Young} (2:41)
17. Silly Little Cynthia (Eddie Jefferson} (1:57)
18. Red's New Dream (Eddie Jefferson} (4:43) 

Total Time: 52:43 

Credits:
Producer [Original] - Herb Abramson (#1-12)
Compilation Director - Jean-Louis Méchali
CD Release Coordinator - Nicole de Pretto
Photography - D.R.
Liner Notes - Jacques Denis 

#1-12 originally released as The Jazz Singer [Vocal Improvisations On Famous Jazz Solos]
Inner City Records [IC 1016] 1976 

Baby Girl

James Moody - Cookin' The Blues (1961) [vinyl>flac]

The genius of Moody! It's an album like this that you need to prove to your friends that Moody was way more than a simple bopper. The set was recorded live in San Francisco in 1961, and it's got a hip mix of soul jazz, filtered through some modernist ideals, all played by a great little group that includes Bernard McKinny on trombone, Howard McGhee on trumpet, Musa Kaleem on baritone, and Sonny Donaldson on piano. Eddie Jefferson sits in for 2 numbers - "Disappointed" and "Sister Sadie" - and other tracks include "One For Nat", "Bunny Boo", "Moody Flooty", and "Home Fries". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

“Cookin’ the Blues”, features his septet recorded live at the Jazz Workshop in June 1961, during his tour on the West Coast. Moody, wonderfully relaxed and in good form, fronts a band (with trumpeter Howard McGhee in his come back to the coast) offering inspired performances and more musical content than groups with a bigger name. Eddie Jefferson was also was one of the moving forces behind the whole show, with his humorous, and happily frantic singing. ~ Fresh Sound Records.

This album was recorded live in San Francisco and the band sound on good form with well worked and, most likely, well-rehearsed ensembles. The opening blues, The Jazz Twist, has Moody playing alto although he sounds equally at home on this or tenor sax. These are very well cooked blues and Moody is on sparkling form on both this and the studio set that follows. He digs into the blues on the opening selection and again on Bunny Boo, measuring his solo phrasing carefully as the rhythm section pulses along beside him. Moody Flooty has the leader showing how well he can perform on flute, his tone strong and his ideas forming unimpeded. The rhythm section plays well throughout. Arnold Enlow, who is aka Buddy on some discs, is steady on all selections. Moody is the only soloist but the group sound overall, is impressive. ~ Derek Ansell (Jazz Journal, March 2015)

“Cookin’ the Blues” finds Moody with a medium sized group which includes trumpeter Howard McGhee unfortunately none of the group get to solo except pianist Sonny Donaldson. Moody plays alto, tenor and flute, on alto he displays his debt to Parker but on tenor and flute he is more his own man. This is a live recording and may have been exciting in person but this does not transfer to the recording. Apart from “It Might As Well Be Spring” all the compositions are originals and includes to vocals by Eddie Jefferson in his vocalese style. ~ Roy Booth, Jazz Views.

Argo/Cadet Records, LPS-756, 1965

Recorded at the Jazz Workshop, San Francisco, 1961

Musicians:

James Moody - Tenor & Alto Saxophones, Flute (#A4)

Howard McGhee - Trumpet

Bernard McKinney - Trombone

Musa Kalleem - Baritone Saxophone

Sonny Donaldson - Piano

Steve Davis - Bass

Arnold Enlow - Drums

Eddie Jefferson - Vocals (#B2,B3)

Track Listing:

A1. The Jazz Twist {James Moody} (6:36)

A2. One For Nat {Gene Kee} (5:53)

A3. Bunny Boo {James Moody} (5:32)

A4. Moody Flooty {James Moody} (4:16)

B1. It Might As Well Be Spring {Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II} (5:55)

B2. Disappointed {Eddie Jefferson} (2:10)

B3. Sister Sadie {Horace Silver} (2:50)

B4. Little Buck {James Moody} (2:12)

B5. Home Fries {Gene Kee} (6:17)

Credits:

Supervisor, Producer - Jack Tracy

Sound Engineer - Paul Gayten

Photography [Cover] - Don S. Bronstein

Design - Michael Reid Design

Liner Notes - Ira Gitler

James Moody - Hey! It's James Moody (1959) [vinyl>flac]

It remains remarkable, how fresh James Moody sounds, even when some of the arrangements show their age. Indeed, some of these tracks have passed into jazz lore, including "Last Train from Overbrook (the salute to Moody's return to the scene) with Eddie Jefferson's ebullient vocal. The leader excels on tenor, but his full-bodied, soulful and technically sure flute playing deserves special mention. He shines on a languid "Indian Summer that is far too short, and "Trouble In De Lowlands finds him appropriately mournful. "Tali is a bit too precious, but Moody almost salvages it with a far-too-short swinging segment. On tenor, Moody soulfully explores "Don't Blame Me, taking his time to build a compelling solo. On "Woody'N You (aka "Algo Bueno), Dizzy Gillespie's tribute to Woody Herman, he soars again on tenor, using fragments of the melody to launch segments of blowing choruses. His tenor playing, individualised with gruff, acidic traces, is always compelling. This release is a snapshot of James Moody's output from the late '50s. Here and there it can sound a bit dated, however Moody's warm, passionate, focused voice, however, stands out. Whether in the studio or in the band box, he was then - and remains now - exciting, soulful and expressive. ~ extracts from review by Andrew Rowan, allaboutjazz.com

Argo Records, LP-666, 1960

Recorded 29^th December, 1959 at Ter-Mar Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois

Musicians:

James Moody - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A3-A5,B2,B3), Flute (#A2,B1,B4,B5)

Johnny Gray - Guitar

Eldee Young - Bass

Clarence Johnson - Drums

Eddie Jefferson - Vocals (#A4,B4)

Track Listing:

A1. Stella By Starlight {Victor Young, Ned Washington} (3:05)

A2. Indian Summer {Al Dubin, Victor Herbert} (2:36)

A3. Don't Blame Me {Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields} (4:28)

A4. Last Train From Overbrook {James Moody} (2:32)

A5. Please Say Yes {Tom McIntosh} (3:58)

B1. Blue Jubilee {Tom McIntosh} (6:15)

B2. Woody'N You {Dizzy Gillespie} (3:12)

B3. Trouble In De Lowlands {James Moody} (2:23)

B4. Summertime {George Gershwin} (2:29)

B5. Tali {Tom McIntosh} (2:48)

Credits:

Supervision - Jack Tracy

Recording Engineer - Ron Malo

Cover Photo - Chuck Stewart

Cover Design - Don Bronstein

Liner Notes - Leonard Feather

Eddie Jefferson - Letter From Home

Ahhhh yes.  Sunday, laziest of them all.  Back at our old digs, I was trying to make Sunday about posting something special, yet laid back.  I think I'll bring that idea here, and start the next few weeks by posting vocal and piano based sides.

So I'm opening up with a big one.  I'm sure plenty of you have this or have at least heard it.  No doubt that it's a classic.  Aside from Jefferson's vocalese, there may be a couple of players you recognize from his band. (wink, wink)

All that said, this is presented in marvelous 320 CBR mp3... enjoy!!!







Riverside Records
RLP-411

Ernie Royal, Clark Terry (tp) Jimmy Cleveland (tb) James Moody (as, fl) Johnny Griffin (ts) Arthur Clarke (bars) Joe Zawinul (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Sam Jones (b) Osie Johnson (d) Eddie Jefferson (vo)

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, December 18, 1961

	Letter From Home
	Things Are Getting Better
	I Feel So Good

Johnny Griffin (ts) Junior Mance (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Sam Jones (b) Louis Hayes (d) Eddie Jefferson (vo)

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, January 12, 1962

	Billie's Bounce (take 4)
	Soft And Furry
	Keep Walkin' (take 4)
	Bless My Soul

Joe Newman, Ernie Royal (tp) Jimmy Cleveland (tb) James Moody (as, fl) Johnny Griffin (ts) Arthur Clarke (bars) Wynton Kelly (p) Barry Galbraith (g) Sam Jones (b) Osie Johnson (d) Eddie Jefferson (vo)

Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, February 8, 1962

	Take The "A" Train
	Back In Town
	A Night In Tunisia

Charlie Parker Memorial Concert

Charlie Parker Memorial Concert
Cadet Records – 2CA 60002
 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, 1970

A1 Billie's Bounce        
A2 Just Friends        
B1 Scrapple From The Apple        
B2 Summertime        
C1 Ornithology        
C2 Groovin' High        
D1 Yardbird Suite        
D2 Now's The Time        
D3 Parker's Mood        
D4 Disappointed/Oh, Lady Be Good (Medley)

    Alto Saxophone – Vi Redd (tracks: C1)
    Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: B1, C2, D1 to D4)
    Bass – Rufus Reid
    Drums – Philly Joe Jones* (tracks: B1, C2, D1 to D4), Roy Haynes (tracks: A1), Wilbur Campbell (tracks: A2, B2, C1)
    Piano – Jodie Christian (tracks: A1, C1), John Young (16) (tracks: B1, C2, D1 to D4), Richard Abrams* (tracks: A2, B2)
    Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon (tracks: A1), Joe Daly* (tracks: A2, B2), Von Freeman (tracks: A1)
    Trumpet – Howard McGhee (tracks: C1), Kenny Dorham (tracks: A2, B2), Red Rodney (tracks: A1)
    Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Arthur Hoyle (tracks: B1, C2, D1 to D4)
    Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance (tracks: A2, B2)
    Vocalese – Eddie Jefferson (tracks: B1, C2, D1 to D4)