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

Pat Bowie with Charles McPherson - Feelin' Good! (1965) [vinyl]

Like its predecessor, Out of Sight!, Feelin' Good! saddles Pat Bowie with a collection of predictable standards that compromise the singer's distinctly modern and hip approach. Unlike its predecessor, the session features contributions from altoist Charles McPherson, one of his few dates in support of a vocalist, and McPherson's rich solos ripple below the lyrics, caressing the contours of Bowie's voice. Pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Al Hall, and drummer Osie Johnson further underscore the set's moody, spacious approach, updating chestnuts like "Summertime" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me" with style and sophistication. ~ by Jason Ankeny, AMG.

Prestige Records, PR 7437, 1965

Recorded 7^th (#A1-A4,B5) & 9^th (#A5,B1-B4) September, 1965
At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Pat Bowie - Vocals

Charles McPherson - Alto Saxophone

Tommy Flanagan - Piano

Al Hall - Bass

Osie Johnson - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Baby Won't You Please Come Home {Charles Warfield, Clarence Williams} (2:15)

A2. Since I Fell For You {Buddy Johnson} (3:42)

A3. They Can't Take That Away From Me {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (3:42)

A4. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (3:47)

A5. Summertime {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (3:35)

B1. Why Don't You Do Right? {Kansas Joe McCoy} (3:42)

B2. Wonder Why {Nicholas Brodszky, Sammy Cahn} (4:07)

B3. I Wanna Be Loved {John Green, Billy Rose} (3:45)

B4. Look Down That Lonesome Road {Nathaniel Shilkret, Gene Austin} (3:07)

B5. Feeling Good {Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse} (4:11)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Jack Yard (Dec. 1965)

Pat Bowie - Out Of Sight! (1965) [re-rip]

This LP is the first of two albums that Pat Bowie ever made. It was released on Prestige Records in 1965 and features a mighty line-up of jazz artists including: Seldon Powell on Tenor Sax & Flute; Guitarist Kenny Burrell; Ray Bryant on Piano; Milt Hinton on bass and drummer Osie Johnson. Pat performs a broad and vivid selection of tunes and the players get ample opportunity to showcase their talents whilst supporting her dynamic range of soulful vocalisations. Overall a lovely record; it's such a pity she didn't maintain her momentum and evolve her skills beyond just familiar ballads and standards, who knows how celebrated she could have become. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PR 7385, 1965

Recorded 23^rd, 26^th & 27^th October, 1964 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Pat Bowie - Vocals

Seldon Powell - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Kenny Burrell - Guitar

Ray Bryant - Piano

Milt Hinton - Bass

Osie Johnson - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Get Out Of Town {Cole Porter} (1:59)

A2. Lilac Wine {James H. Shelton} (5:05)

A3. Don't Cha Go 'Way Mad {Al Stillman, Illinois Jacquet, James J. Munday} (2:30)

A4. Will I Find My Love Today {Alex Fogarty, Sydney Shaw} (4:02)

A5. Joey, Joey, Joey {Frank Loesser} (3:05)

B1. Moon And Sand {Alec Wilder, Morty Palitz, William Engvick} (2:29)

B2. The Music That Makes Me Dance {Bob Merrill, Jule Styne} (2:57)

B3. What Is This Thing Called Love {Cole Porter} (3:18)

B4. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over {Allie Wrubel, Herbert Magidson} (4:26)

B5. The Sounds Of The Night {Gerald Fried, Johnny Mercer} (3:08)

B6. I've Got Your Number {Carolyn Leigh, Cy Coleman} (2:46)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Jack McKinney (Jan. 1965)

Junior Mance - The Soul Of Hollywood (1962)

The Soul of Hollywood was an interesting departure for Junior Mance. Most of the time he has been heard in small-group settings, but on this album the pianist is backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by trombonist Melba Liston. With Orrin Keepnews serving as producer, Mance and Liston turn their attention to film music -- and the films that they acknowledge range from musicals (West Side Story) to Westerns (One-Eyed Jacks). Because the material is heavily arranged, Mance doesn't have as much room to stretch out and improvise. Nonetheless, he manages to get in his share of noteworthy solos, and Liston's tasteful arrangements make The Soul of Hollywood well worth the price of admission. In some cases, albums of film music can become albums of background music, but that isn't a problem on this release (which was recorded in 1961 and early 1962). Liston's arrangements are always in good taste, and that is true whether the participants are tackling "Maria" from West Side Story, "Tara's Theme" from Gone With the Wind, or Greek star Manos Hadjidakis' charming theme from Never on Sunday. Meanwhile, "On Green Dolphin Street" and the haunting "Invitation" are both well-known Bronislaw Kaper standards from films that starred Lana Turner. The interesting thing is that, even though "Invitation" has been recorded countless times over the years, the movie that Kaper wrote it for was far from a box office smash; "Invitation" is from 1950's very underrated A Life of Her Own, which stars Turner as a supermodel who falls in love with a married man but ultimately decides against breaking up his marriage. The Soul of Hollywood isn't quite in a class with Gil Evans or Oliver Nelson's best work, but it's still a decent example of orchestral jazz. ~ by Alex Henderson, AMG.

Jazzland Records, JLP 63, 1962

Recorded October, December, 1961 and January, 1962 At Plaza Sound Studios, New York City

Personnel:

Junior Mance - Piano

Ernie Royal, Clark Terry - Trumpet

Jimmy Cleveland, Britt Woodman - Trombone

Romeo Penque - Flute

Jerome Richardson - Flute, Tenor Saxophone

Danny Bank - Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet

George Duvivier - Bass

Osie Johnson - Drums

Melba Liston - Conductor, Arranger

+ Unidentified Orchestra

Tracks:

A1. Never On Sunday {Manos Hadjidakis} (2:48)

A2. Maria [From West Side Story] {Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim} (2:51)

A3. Tara's Theme [From Gone With The Wind] {Max Steiner} (4:00)

A4. Fanny {Harold Rome} (4:01)

A5. On Green Dolphin Street {Bronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington} (2:37)

A6. One-Eyed Jacks {Hugo Friedhofer} (2:33)

B1. Exodus {Ernest Gold, Miklós Rózsa} (2:30)

B2. Invitation {Bronislaw Kaper} (4:03)

B3. The Apartment {Charles Williams, John Moran} (3:36)

B4. Goodbye Again {Georges Auric, Dory Langdon} (4:09)

B5. Spellbound {Miklós Rózsa} (3:33)

Credits:

Producer - Orrin Keepnews

Recording Engineer - Ray Fowler

Mastering Engineer - Neal Ceppos, Plaza Sound, NYC

Album Design - Ken Deardoff

Photography - Steve Schapiro

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

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