LEE WILEY - with BILLY BUTTERFIELD - A TOUCH OF THE BLUES 1957 - VINYL (FLAC)

1957
RCA LSP-1566
My Vinyl Rip
DR Value 14
Front & Back Covers
FLAC

AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny

The stellar A Touch of the Blues pairs Lee Wiley with an exceptional band led by trumpeter Billy Butterfield, whose warm, beautiful tone proves a sympathetic counterpoint to Al Cohn and Bill Finegan's otherwise dark, melancholy arrangements. While a title like A Touch of the Blues guarantees the listener few surprises, the album consistently avoids the familiar bluesy clichés -- Wiley's sensuality and sophistication suggest emotional depths to make such gestures redundant anyway. And like her more celebrated songbook sessions, the material here is expertly selected, complementing Wiley's inherent strengths while affording her the latitude to stretch out in new directions.

The Tracks:
01 The Memphis Blues / 02 From The Land Of The Sky Blue Water / 03 The Ace In The Hole / 04 Someday You'll Be Sorry /
05 My Melancholy Baby / 06 A Hundred Years From Today / 07 Blues In My Heart / 08 Maybe You'll Be There /
09 Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea / 10 I Don't Want To Walk Without You / 11 Make Believe / 12 A Touch Of The Blues

Various Artists - Blues For Tomorrow (1957) [vinyl>flac]

The success of this project will make listeners wish jazz of this ilk had been more frequently released in nifty compilations such as this. It is like some kind of heat-and-serve DJ set, complete with a cover that looks like a hand-colored landscape shot from a '50s science fiction movie, perhaps "Invasion of the Bluesy Snatchers." A key part of the success of any compilation is to avoid the issue of quality through careful programming or some other inexplicable mojo. Since it is impossible for every track to have the same equal value, a compilation relies on charades, presenting an image of the epic and universal appeal of music as pure enjoyment, song to song, whether it is a genius leading the band or...well, Herbie Mann. It is surely no question of fame, since the latter artist was at least for a time the commercial equal if not the better of tenor saxophone genius Sonny Rollins, whose "Funky Hotel Blues" is the ultimate performance here. In terms of quality, comparing his improvisations with the flute wheezing of Mann is like comparing Chateaubriand with "hot 'em" burgers. Yet few listeners will probably bail out of the flutist's "A Sad Thing," possibly because there is a kind of intense happiness that comes from knowing it is the sole track by this Mann in the collection, but also because it is actually an effective, moody instrumental, and not the only one to be hampered not by the lack of a really good jazz soloist. Guitarist Mundell Lowe, who could always use some more recognition, becomes a champion by suggesting to his quintet "Let's Blow Some Blues." His playing is so strong that one imagines that if this performance had actually followed that of Rollins on a stage, nobody in the audience would have complained. There are many classic jazz players lurking in the wings as this collection of tracks unfolds. The first 13 and a half minutes would make a tremendous first act in a play, a loose jam on a tune by Gigi Gryce that is full of the marvelously happy spirit of hard bop. ~ by Eugene Chadbourne, AMG.

Riverside Records, RLP-12-243, 1957

Original Jazz Classics, OJC-030, 1982

Recorded (#A1,B1-B3) At Reeves Sound Studios, New York

(#A2) At Capitol Tower, Los Angeles, California in 1957

Tracklist:

A1. East Coast All-Stars - Blues For Tomorrow {Gigi Gryce} (13:32)

Ray Copeland - Trumpet

Gigi Gryce - Alto Saxophone

John Coltrane - Tenor Saxophone

Coleman Hawkins - Tenor Saxophone

Wilbur Ware - Bass

Art Blakey - Drums

A2. Herbie Mann's Californians - A Sad Thing {Herbie Mann} (5:04)

Herbie Mann - Bass Clarinet

Jack Sheldon - Trumpet

Jimmy Rowles - Piano

Buddy Clark - Bass

Mel Lewis - Drums

B1. Sonny Rollins Quartet - Funky Hotel Blues {Sonny Rollins} (6:00)

Sonny Rollins - Tenor Saxophone

Sonny Clark - Piano

Paul Chambers - Bass

Roy Haynes - Drums

B2. Mundell Lowe Quintet - Let's Blow Some Blues {Mundell Lowe} (7:53)

Mundell Lowe - Guitar

Gene Quill - Alto Saxophone

Billy Taylor - Piano

Les Grinage - Bass

Ed Thigpen - Drums

B3. Bobby Jaspar Quartet - The Fuzz {Bobby Jaspar} (6:13)

Bobby Jaspar - Tenor Saxophone

George Wallington - Piano

Wilbur Little - Bass

Elvin Jones - Drums

Credits:

Producer, Liner Notes - Orrin Keepnews

Recording Engineer - Jack Higgins

Design - Paul Bacon

Cover Photo - Rapho Guillumette Pictures

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

____________________________________________________________________

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 

_____________________________________________________________________________

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).