Ruby Braff-Buddy Tate - With The Newport All Stars (1967)

Cornetist Ruby Braff and tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate make for a very complementary team on this fine CD reissue which also includes pianist George Wein, bassist Jack Lesberg, and drummer Don Lamond. Several alternate takes and a previously unreleased "Lullaby of the Leaves" expand this fine session which has among its highlights are enjoyable versions of "Mean To Me," "My Monday Date," "Take The "A" Train," and "The Sheik of Araby." This is high-quality small-group swing by some of the best which was recorded at a time when the idiom was considered very much out of style by the modernists. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Black Lion Records, BLCD 760138, 1990
Recorded 28th October, 1967 at Chappell Studios, London, England 

Musicians:
Ruby Braff - Cornet
Buddy Tate - Tenor Saxophone
George Wein - Piano
Jack Lesberg - Bass
Don Lamond - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Mean To Me [Take 1] {Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk} (6:33)
02. Body And Soul {Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour} (4:40)
03. I Surrender Dear {Harry Barris, Gordon Clifford} (5:01)
04. My Monday Date {Earl Hines} (6:13)
05. Take The "A" Train [Take 2] {Billy Strayhorn} (3:49)
06. Don't Blame Me {Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh, David Raksin, F. Wess} (4:30)
07. Pan Am Blues {George Wein} (3:20)
08. These Foolish Things {Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey} (5:10)
09. The Sheik Of Araby [Take 2] {Harry Beasley Smith, Ted Snyder, Francis Wheeler} (5:33)
10. Lullaby Of The Leaves {Bernice Petkere, Joe Young} (2:41)
11. Mean To Me [Take 2] {Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk} (7:28)
12. Take The "A" Train [Take 1] {Billy Strayhorn} (4:25)
13. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone {Sidney Clare, Sam H. Stept} (4:12)
14. The Sheik Of Araby [Take 1] {Harry Beasley Smith, Ted Snyder, Francis Wheeler} (4:37) 

Total Time: 68:19 

Credits:
Producer - Alan Bates
Recording Engineer - John Timperley
Supervisor - Jack Higgins, Terry Brown
Design [Sleeve] - Malcolm Walker
Photography [Back Sleeve] - Fred Warren
Photography [Front Sleeve] - David Redfern
Liner Notes - Alun Morgan 

Take The "A" Train

Various Artists - Dixieland Main Stem New Orleans

Wait!!!  Don't scroll yet!!!

I know it says "Dixieland" and you are probably uninterested, but there's more than meets the eye here.  This is a recording of a live show at the Savoy Cafe in Boston, 1949.  The music is essentially mainstream, but more of a hot jazz/Chicago style, and the tunes are far from typical Dixie fare.  The Dixieland in the title would have been more for marketing than representation.

That said, this album is a really fun romp which maintains a jam feel throughout.  Side 2 plays like a medley, right up to Limehouse Blues which is infact a superb drum solo by Crawford.  Crawford's solo is a real banger too, something to behold.  Everybody gets a ton of shine, including Braff who is described as "new to the jazz scene" in the notes.  

The crooked cover is due to the application of the stickered sleeve, which was done at the factory.  Like most live recordings from this era (originally on 78), the sound quality is far from perfect.  However I think it's more than listenable.  I won't share anything which doesn't meet a certain standard.  The music is super fantastic and enjoyable as such.  This was ripped at 24/48 wav and transferred to 24/48 FLAC for your convenience.  I have it tagged under Edmond Hall.  As you probably assumed, it's in glorious mono... enjoy!!!

Regent MG 6076

"Savoy Cafe", Boston, MA, 1949

Ruby Braff (trumpet) Vic Dickenson (trombone) Ed Hall (clarinet) Kenny Kersey (piano) John Field (bass) Jimmy Crawford (drums)

Careless love
Please don't talk about me when I'm gone.
Bugle call rag.
Black and blue.
When a woman loves a man.
You made me love you.
My ideal.
Limehouse blues.

Ruby Braff & Scott Hamilton Concord Session

When Ruby Braff joined the Scott Hamilton quintet in 1985, magic ensued.  Recording for the Concord Jazz label, these two giants laid down enough material for two albums.  A First and A Sailboat In The Moonlight are both treasures in the mainstream/straight-ahead jazz category.

Anyone who was here at the Crypt when I was sharing my Hamilton sides, knows how great this group was.  With Flory on the guitar, the group was a working unit touring and recording together.  With Ruby Braff added to the fray, I dare say that this is a perfect combination of players.  I'll leave that decision up to you guys.

"Moonlight" was ripped from CD using EAC, dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  A First was ripped from my LP at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  The latter has some noise issues which come and go throughout the album.  The vinyl appears perfect, like all of my Concord sides, but clearly has some groove damage.  It's listenable but certainly not up to my standard.  The good news is that it's available for purchase, and I have decided to publish it here at The Crypt to give everyone a taste.  I have not published many great titles in the past because the fidelity is simply not there.  I have quite high standards for the Crypt, as do all of the great authors here.  We only wish the best for our followers.  So now that my novella is complete... enjoy!!!

Concord Jazz CJ 274/296
1985

Bass – Phil Flanigan;  Cornet – Ruby Braff;  Drums – Chuck Riggs;  Guitar – Chris Flory;
Piano – John Bunch;  Tenor Saxophone – Scott Hamilton

____________________________________________________________

A First (CJ-274)

Although it is implied with its title that this was the first collaboration between cornetist Ruby Braff and tenor-saxophonist Scott Hamilton, they had recorded a date back in December 1983 for the Swedish Phontastic label. Accompanied by Hamilton's regular quartet of the period (pianist John Bunch, guitaristChris Flory, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Chuck Riggs), Braff and Hamilton inspire each other and play some explosive and consistently passionate solos. Highlights include a surprisingly hard-swinging "Rockin' Chair," "Dinah," "All My Life" and "Bugle Blues." Recommended. - Scott Yanow

        A Sailboat In The Moonlight (CJ-296)

Taken from the same sessions as A First, this collaboration between veteran cornetist Ruby Braff and the relatively young tenor great Scott Hamilton lives up to its potential. With strong assistance from pianist John Bunch, guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Chuck Riggs, Braff and Hamilton are a perfect team on such joyful swing tunes as "A Sailboat in the Moonlight," "'Deed I Do," "Jeepers Creepers" and "Sweethearts on Parade." All eight selections (even the obscure "Milkman's Matinee") are well worth hearing, making this a highly recommended set. - Scott Yanow

Vic Dickenson Septet

Well I hope everybody had a great New Years!!  Me?  Well I took my family downtown for the 'kids' New Years celebration, which included fireworks at 9:00pm.  We had a great time and with the kids in bed, my wife and I quietly brought in the New Year with some 20 year Scotch.

This album is something I am wildly excited to share.
Compilations/reissues of this kind are exactly what we need as jazz fans.  Taking really rare and pricy albums from the past, and making the music available for a reasonable price.

The liner notes are extremely well written, and tell the whole story behind this comp, so I won't go into too much detail.  What I will say is that there is no doubt this music represents Dickenson's greatest contribution to jazz.  This double LP set, released in 1972, was taken from 4 - 10" LPs recorded in the early 50's for the Vanguard imprint.  What we now call mainstream or small group swing, really got it's beginnings from the players on these tracks.  There was a time when the big band players were in a kind of limbo, in between bebop and Dixie.  They managed to carve a niche for themselves, and Dickenson's septet help lead the charge.

Musically, most of the tunes are laid back with a jam-like feel.  The soloing is top notch and inspired.  Luckily, the fidelity is incredible from vinyl which I would categorize as only being very good.  I cleaned it up and the results are excellent.  I think you'll find there's wonderful clarity and the soloists are up front with lots of immediacy.  From what I can tell, this collection was released to CD at some point but definitely appears to be OOP.  Perhaps somebody can shed some light on that for us.  Ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC...enjoy the first post of 2013!!!

Vanguard VRS 8520/1
1972

Vol. 1

Vol. 2

Record 1 

Tracks 1 - 5

Vol. 3

Vol. 4

Record 2 

Tracks 6 - 12