text:
Group & Last Name Index to Full History:
Tracks are listed in chronological order by year, then alphabetically.
Listings do not reflect proper order by month or day: later oft precedes earlier.
Not on this page? See history tree below.
|Walter Bishop Jr Paul Bley Claude Bolling Hadda Brooks Dave Brubeck Ray Bryant Milt Buckner Ralph Burns Jaki Byard
|Sonny Clark Nat King Cole Eddie Costa
|Tadd Dameron Wild Bill Davis Blossom Dearie Martin Denny Kenny Drew
|Charles Earland Bill Evans Gil Evans
|Dick Farney Victor Feldman Clare Fischer Tommy Flanagan Don Friedman
|Red Garland Erroll Garner George Gruntz Vince Guaraldi
|Al Haig Sir Roland Hanna Barry Harris Gene Harris Hampton Hawes Skitch Henderson Eddie Higgins Andrew Hill Jutta Hipp Elmo Hope Shirley Horn Dick Hyman
|Ahmad Jamal Bob James Hank Jones Duke Jordan
|Wynton Kelly Stan Kenton Krzysztof Komeda
|Michel Legrand John Lewis Ramsey Lewis Nils Lindberg
|Junior Mance Dodo Marmarosa Hank Marr Les McCann Brother Jack McDuff Marian McPartland Dave McKenna Barry Miles Thelonious Monk
|Phineas Newborn Charlie Norman
|Charlie Palmieri Big John Patton Duke Pearson Oscar Peterson Terry Pollard Bud Powell Mel Powell André Previn
|Sun Ra Freddie Redd Wally Rose Jimmy Rowles George Russell
|Shirley Scott George Shearing Lalo Schifrin Horace Silver Nina Simone Jimmy Smith Johnny Hammond Smith Martial Solal Lou Stein Ralph Sutton
|Horace Tapscott Billy Taylor Cecil Taylor Sir Charles Thompson Bobby Timmons Stan Tracey Lennie Tristano Bobby Troup
|Mal Waldron George Wallington Cedar Walton Randy Weston Mary Lou Williams Claude Williamson
|Joe Zawinul
Featured on this page loosely in order of first recording if not record release (as possible).
Names are alphabetical, not chronological, per year:
|Art Hodes
|Nat King Cole
|Stan Kenton
|Charlie Norman
|George Shearing
|Tadd Dameron
|Thelonious Monk Mel Powell Sir Charles Thompson
|Milt Buckner Ralph Burns Gil Evans Wally Rose Jimmy Rowles Lou Stein
|Dodo Marmarosa
|Tadd Dameron Dick Farney Victor Feldman Al Haig Bud Powell Billy Taylor
|Hadda Brooks Wild Bill Davis Erroll Garner Hank Jones Duke Jordan Oscar Peterson
|Skitch Henderson André Previn Sun Ra John Lewis Lennie Tristano
|Red Garland Hampton Hawes Junior Mance Charlie Palmieri George Russell Ralph Sutton George Wallington Claude Williamson
|Walter Bishop Jr Claude Bolling Ray Bryant Elmo Hope Wynton Kelly Marian McPartland Terry Pollard
|Dave Brubeck Jaki Byard Dave McKenna Phineas Newborn Randy Weston
|Kenny Drew Tommy Flanagan Barry Harris Dick Hyman Freddie Redd Shirley Scott
|Ahmad Jamal Wynton Kelly Lalo Schifrin Horace Silver
|Blossom Dearie Vince Guaraldi Jutta Hipp Hank Marr Stan Tracey Mal Waldron
|Toshiko Akiyoshi Paul Bley Sonny Clark Michel Legrand Martial Solal Bobby Troup Joe Zawinul
|Eddie Costa Bill Evans Jimmy Smith
|Don Friedman Gene Harris Andrew Hill
|Sir Roland Hanna Krzysztof Komeda Les McCann Barry Miles Big John Patton Cecil Taylor Bobby Timmons
|Mose Allison Martin Denny Clare Fischer Don Friedman Eddie Higgins Ramsey Lewis Johnny Hammond Smith
|Muhal Richard Abrams George Gruntz Bob James Nils Lindberg Nina Simone Horace Tapscott Cedar Walton
|Charles Earland Shirley Horn Brother Jack McDuff Duke Pearson
|Together with saxophone, piano is the main instrument
of modern and progressive jazz. This page is intended to list pianists releasing
their first recordings before 1960. Other early jazz pianists can be found
under Early Jazz and Swing Jazz. Pianists who played vibraphone are found in
Jazz Percussion.
Mary Lou Williams
Source: All About Jazz
Born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs in 1910 in Atlanta, Mary Lou Williams (aka First Lady of Jazz) married saxophonist John Williams in 1927. But she first made her debut recordings in January that year with the band in which John played, Jeanette James and the Synco Jazzers (Jeanette James was a vocalist.) Those tracks made for Paramount in Chicago were: 'Downhearted Mama', 'Midnight Stomp', 'The Bumps' and 'What's That Thing?'. Upon Jeanette vacating, John assumed leadership, Mary to attend sessions with that band from February to May. Williams next recorded with Andy Kirk's Twelve Clouds of Joy in Kansas City on November 7, 1929, titles like 'Mess-s-Stomp' and 'Cloudy' which she also arranged. John was also in on those titles, with whose Memphis Stompers she recorded 'Somepin' Slow and Low' and 'Lotta Sax Appeal' two days later, she also arranging those. Kirk' would be a huge figure in Williams' career, she contributing to countless titles in his band throughout the thirties. Her last recordings with Kirk are thought to have been on July 17, 1941, she again arranging titles like '47th Street Jive' and 'No Answer'. Another huge presence was clarinetist, Benny Goodman, she arranging her first title for his orchestra in Hollywood per a session on July 7, 1937, with Jess Stacy at piano: 'Roll 'Em', which she also composed. Williams would work for Goodman numerously in '41, '46, '48, '55 and, finally, a reunion on January 17, 1978, for 'Goodman's '40Th Anniversary Concert'. Williams was also known for her work with Mildred Bailey, first accompanying Bailey's Oxford Greys on March 16, 1939, for such as 'Barrelhouse Music' and 'Arkansas Blues'. She would join Bailey again in 1944 and '45 for numerous CBS Radio broadcasts of 'Music 'Til Midnight'. The first on November 24 of '44 wrought titles like 'Don't Fence Me In' and 'Roll 'Em'. Her last session with Bailey fell on February 9 of '45, also for 'Music 'Til Midnight', putting down such as 'Sleigh Ride in July' and 'Rockin' Chair'. Williams had long since made her first name recordings, those a couple piano solos in Chicago on April 24, 1930: 'Night Life' and 'Drag 'Em'. Her first session as a leader followed five years later in NYC on March 7 of 1936 with Booker Collins (bass) and Ben Thigpen (drums) for 'Corny Rhythm', 'Over Hand' and 'Isabelle'. 'Swingin' for Joy' and 'Clean Pickin' followed on the 11th. Of Williams' well above 200 sessions 87 of those were her own projects. Her last piano solos, issued as 'Solo Recital', were recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on July 16, 1978, such as 'Over the Rainbow' and 'Offertory Meditation'. Her final recordings are thought to have been on November 14 of 1979 for 'At Rick's Cafe Americain' with Milton Suggs (bass) and Drasheer Khalid (drums). She died on May 28, 1981. The two tracks below for year 1945 are from her album, 'Zodiac Suite'. The three tracks for 1963 are from the album, 'Black Christ of the Andes'.
Mary Lou Williams 1927
Mary Lou Williams 1930
Mary Lou Williams 1936
Mary Lou Williams 1944
Mary Lou Williams 1945
Mary Lou Williams 1963
Mary Lou Williams 1974
Mary Lou Williams 1976
Album: 'Free Spirits'
Nat King Cole was born in 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama. He made his first recordings in 1936 with his brother, bassist, Eddie Cole's, Solid Swingers for Decca: 'Honey Hush' (vocal: Eddie Cole), 'Stompin' at the Panama', 'Bedtime' and 'Thunder'. The next year he formed the King Cole Trio with bassist, Wesley Prince, and guitarist, Oscar Moore. The majority of Cole's 225 sessions were his own, others claiming his talents on occasion, such as several sessions in 1944 for Norman Granz' Jazz at the Philharmonic at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Cole's 'Nat King Cole Show' debuted in November of 1956, which he pulled thirteen months later, unable to acquire sufficient sponsorship (he being black). He recorded his last album, 'L-O-V-E', in December 1964, that issued before his death of lung cancer on February 15, 1965, in Santa Monica, CA. Vocals by Nat King Cole can be found at Modern Jazz Song. Yet more Nat King Cole in a Birth of Rock & Roll 2 and under guitarist, Oscar Moore, in Modern Jazz Guitar. Per 1936 below, tracks are by Eddie Cole and the Solid Swingers, Eddie the vocalist. Unfortunately, Cole's piano recordings from 1938 through 1941 at YouTube's Overjazz channel have long since been made unavailable, making something of a footnote of Cole as a fine pianist on this page.
Nat King Cole 1936
Nat King Cole 1944
Jazz at the Philharmonic
What Is This Thing Called Love
Nat King Cole 1947
Nat King Cole 1957
Nat King Cole
Photo: William P. Gottlieb
Source: Circulo de Estudios
Stan Kenton
Photo: Dave DeCaro
Source: Duduki
Born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1911, pianist, composer and band leader Stan Kenton started his career playing with dance bands in the thirties. He is thought to have first popped up on disc as a pianist in the Gus Arnheim Orchestra per a session on May 15, 1937, bearing such as 'The Image of You' and ''I'm Happy, Darling' with Ray Foster at vocals. Sessions with Arnheim ensued into summer before he joined the Vido Musso Orchestra in 1938, that followed by the Manny Strand Orchestra in '39 and '40. Sessions with Strand would eventually see release in 1999 as 'Night at Earl Carroll's'. Kenton's name would come to be a household word while working largely as an orchestra leader whose highly prolific recording career saw above 530 sessions, nearly all of them his own. Tom Lord's Discography shows his first session as a leader circa September of 1940 likely in Hollywood, those unissued titles: 'Reed Rapture' and 'Body and Soul'. November 1 has him arranging a string of the titles with only 'Etude for Saxophones' issued by Capitol. His first big affair as a bandleader was in 1941 upon getting booked at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California. He began broadcasting from there on July 25 of '41 for the Mutual Broadcasting System: 'Artistry in Rhythm' (composed by Kenton) and 'Reed Rapture'. Another MBS broadcast ensued on September 1 before a Decca session on the 11th yielding 'Taboo', 'Adios', et al. Putting the Boom! to Kenton's career that year were numerous transcriptions for McGregor beginning on the 20th with such as 'Artistry in Rhythm' and 'Two Guitars'. Kenton ran a nonstop dead-ahead operation in the decades to come, including international tours. He would become something of a surveyor over American orchestral jazz, the go-to guy who knew everyone and all that was happening, the man to see for musicians who needed something, like a job. Many a musician got started with Kenton and many a prominent name performed with him at one time or another. Lord's disco has him playing piano with his orchestra on a final session at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, on April 21, 1978. That was released posthumously as 'A Time for Love (The Final Chapter)' in 1980, as Kenton had passed away on August 25, 1979.
Stan Kenton 1941
Vocal: Red Dorris
Vocal: Earl Collier
Vocal: Red Dorris
Stan Kenton 1942
Film: 1944 Vocalist: Cyd Charisse
Stan Kenton 1943
Stan Kenton 1945
Film Vocalist: June Christy
Stan Kenton 1952
Stan Kenton 1953
Stan Kenton 1954
Stan Kenton 1956
Stan Kenton 1958
Stan Kenton 1972
Stan Kenton 1976
George Shearing
Photo: Bettmann/Corbis
Source: France Musique
Born in London in 1919, blind pianist, George Shearing, first recorded in 1937 in association with Leonard Feather, a radio broadcast for the BBC which wasn't his only. Neither transcriptions nor record issues are known to have been made. Shearing began recording en force in 1938 with Vic Lewis and Carlo Krahmer, laying tracks with their ensembles into 1939. Sessions with Lewis, beginning with 'Ja-Da' and 'In de Ruff' in June of '38, are well-documented but releases per Lincon [sic] Rhythm Style and Day's Rhythm Style aren't. Shearing's first certain issue therefore doesn't arrive until his own session with his trio on March 2, 1939, for Decca 7102 ('How Come You Do Me Like You Do?'/'Stomp in F') and 7038 ('Blue Boogie'/'Squeezin' the Blues'). Shearing had earlier recorded a couple of unissued piano solos for Decca on January 19: 'Blue Boogie' and 'Nagasuckle Rose'. Shearing's first sessions in U.S. to where he would soon immigrate were in February in 1947 with his Trio in NYC, the first for Savoy yielding 'Bop's Your Uncle' et al, the second for Decca bearing 'The Nearness of You' et al. Two years later he formed his Quintet, his first session with that on January 31 of '49 in NYC for such as 'Cherokee' and 'Four Bars Short'. Such as 'September In the Rain' followed on February 17. That would get retitled 'Lullaby of Birdland' by Verve on a later album. Shearing became a citizen of the U.S. in 1955. Approaching 260 sessions during his career, Shearing led 181 of them. 1966 or '67 found him contributing piano to 'Cuckoo in the Clock' on 'The Airmen of Note & Friends'. The Airmen of Note were a US Air Force band in the tradition of Glenn Miller. Shearing's later career saw vocalist, Mel Tormé, on a handful of sessions between 1982 and 1990. Their first on April 16 of '82 at the Hotel Mark Hopkins in San Francisco wrought 'An Evening with George Shearing and Mel Torme'. Their last on November of 1990 at the Paul Masson Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, bore 'Mel & George 'Do' World War II'. The majority of Shearing's latter twenty years were spent working intermittently between the U.K. and the U.S. November of 1987 found him in Japan recording 'Dexterity'. His last session is thought to have been for 'Like Fine Wine' in 2004. Shearing died on February 14 of 2011.
George Shearing 1940
George Shearing 1941
George Shearing 1945
George Shearing 1948
George Shearing 1949
George Shearing 1952
George Shearing 1954
George Shearing 1956
George Shearing 1958
George Shearing 1960
George Shearing 1961
Vocal: Nat King Cole
Vocal: Nancy Wilson
George Shearing 1974
George Shearing 1989
George Shearing 1997
Born in Cleveland in 1917, composer, arranger and pianist Tadd Dameron is thought to have first appeared on disc via Harlan Leonard and his Rockets on January 11, 1940, in Chicago, he a contributing arranger to unspecified titles. Lord's disco has him arranging 'Louisiana' for Count Basie on March 7, 1940, per a radio broadcast from the Southland Theater Restaurant in Boston. That would be included much later on 'Rock-A-Bye Basie: Live in '38 & '39' (VJC 1033) in 1991. He arranged 'Louisiana' again for Count Basie for Columbia on March 19 in NYC. A couple more interesting sessions were held with Harlan Leonard on on July 15 in Chicago and November 13 likewise. The first included Dameron's compositions, 'Rock and Ride' and '400 Swing'. He also arranged 'A la Bridges'. The second included his composition, 'Dameron Stomp'. Those were later released on 'Harlan Leonard and His Rockets 1940' in 1992 by Classics Records in France. Dameron would contribute to arrangements for Leonard once again circa 1943 for an AFRS 'Jubilee' broadcast from Hollywood. He began arranging for Jimmie Lunceford in latter '41, sticking with that operation in to summer of '43. December 5 of 1944 saw him arranging 'I Want to Talk About You' and 'Ill Wait and Pray' for Billy Eckstine with Sarah Vaughan on vocals for the latter. Dameron's career was largely that of an arranger and bandleader, periods in which he didn't record on piano. Lord's disco lists his first contribution on piano per a session for Vaughan on May 25, 1945: 'I'd Rather Have a Memory Than a Dream'. He doesn't show up on piano again until May 7, 1946, again for Vaughan. Vaughan sang Dameron's composition, 'If You Could See Me Now' on that date. He began recording on piano continuously in 1947 with Fats Navarro and his Thin Men, titles such as 'Fat Girl' and Eb Pob'. Later that year his first session as a leader arrived on which he contributed piano to 'I Think I'll Go Away' and 'Don't Mention Love to Me' with Kay Penton at vocals on both. His next name session soon ensued on September 27 with his sextet including Navarro. Titles for Blue Note would also be later issued on the LP, 'The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol 1' in 1957, to include his composition, 'Our Delight'. A later session for Blue Note on September 13, 1948, with Navarro in Dameron's septet would also get issued on 'The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol 2' in 1957, to include his composition, 'Lady Bird'. Dameron's composition, 'Hot House', first saw recording on September 29, 1947, at Carnegie Hall by Dizzy Gillespie and his Legendary Big Band. Dameron's first album as a leader was recorded October 28, 1947: 'The Dameron Band'. His composition, 'Good Bait', was first recorded by Dizzy Gillespie as well on December 30 of '47 for Victor. He was a part of trumpeter, Clifford Brown's, circle to co-lead sessions in June of '53 that can be found on the 2009 CD 'Clifford Brown Lost Rehearsals 1953-56'. On June 11 of '57 they filled 'Clifford Brown Memorial' with Dameron's compositions such as 'Choose Now'. Other compositions by Dameron. Dameron tickled the keys from '47 through the fifties and into the early sixties before gradually focusing on only arranging and directing again. Lord's has his last recordings on piano in November and December of 1961, both unissued. The first was the piano solo suite, 'Improvisation 1-7', with 'Autumn in New York'. The second consisted of titles to be included on the LP by various artists, 'The Lost Sessions', in 1999. Dameron's last session as an arranger was for Chet Baker's quintet in May of 1964, putting together titles on the latter's confident 'The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964-65'. Dameron died relatively young at age 48 of cancer on March 8, 1965. A quarter century of recording had him contributing to above 120 sessions. Among those with whom he worked on multiple occasions were Georgie Auld, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, Artie Shaw and Woody Herman, usually arranging with the exception of playing piano for Davis, who also backed Dameron for a couple sessions in '49, including titles to be included on 'Big Ten & Royal Roost Jam' per Beppo Records (503).
Tadd Dameron 1940
Count Basie Orchestra
Arrangement: Tadd Dameron
Tadd Dameron 1947
Trumpet: Fats Navarro
Trumpet: Fats Navarro
Trumpet: Fats Navarro
Tadd Dameron 1948
Composer: Count Basie
Trumpet: Fats Navarro
Tadd Dameron 1955
Featuring Clifford Brown
Tadd Dameron 1956
Tenor Sax: John Coltrane
Tenor Sax: John Coltrane
Tadd Dameron 1962
Vocalist: Barbara Winfield
Tadd Dameron
Photo: William P. Gottlieb
Source: Keep Swinging
Thelonious Monk
Photo: Herb Snitzer
Source: World of Duke Ellington
Thelonious Monk, composer, was born in 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He began his piano career as a teenager touring with an evangelist. He first recordings were in 1941 for numerous sessions at Minton's Playhouse in NYC. As none of those sessions are dated we go by Tom Lord's expertise to hazard his first recordings with the Joe Guy Orchestra, titles like 'The Sheik of Araby', 'Mean to Me' and four renditions of 'Epistrophy' gone unissued. Monk is listed next with Don Byas, contributing to 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love' and 'Indiana' on 'Midnight at Minton's' issued that year. Next listed is Hot Lips Page for 'Sweet Georgia Brown'. Among others joining Monk at Minton's were guitarist, Charlie Christian, and trumpeter, Roy Eldridge. Nigh the whole of Monk's around 150 sessions were applied to his own catalogue. Monk was here to do his own thing as a composer and pianist, not hang out a shingle as a studio musician or board the train of some orchestra. Exceptions didn't happen randomly, but by Monk's particular criteria. Among them was saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins, with whom he first recorded on October 19, 1944, Monk joining Hawkins Quartet with Bass Robinson (bass) and Denzil Best (drums) to put out 'Recollections', 'Drifting on a Reed', et al. Hawkins would later join Monk's Septet on June 26, 1957, for 'Monk's Music' Another exception was Dizzy Gillespie whom Monk first joined at a performance at the Spotlight Club in NYC on June 18, 1946, for 'Live at the Spotlight'. The two reunited in 1950 in the Charlie Parker Orchestra for such as 'Bloomdido' and 'An Oscar for Treadwell'. Twenty some years later they would reunite in Europe in autumn of 1971 for sessions in Milan, Belgrade, Berlin and London which would find their way onto several Giants of Jazz LPs. Gillespie and Monk last reunited at the July 8, 1972, 'Newport Jazz Festival New York' as the Giants of Jazz, recording such as 'Blue 'n' Boogie' and 'I Can't Get Started'. Another exception was drummer, Art Blakey, who had joined Monk's Sextet on October 15, 1947, for Monk's first tracks as a leader such as 'Humph' and 'Evonce'. Blakey sided for Monk into 1948 and numerously from '51 to '58. The latter year saw the issue of their 'Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk' recorded in May of '57. Blakey and monk reunited in a trio in London on June 28, 1971, with bassist, Al McKibbon, for titles like 'Chordially' and 'Trinkle Tinkle'. 1972 found them at the 'Newport Jazz Festival New York' per above, again at the Monterey Jazz Festival on October 16 for 'Art Blakey and the Giants of Jazz: Live at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival'. Drummer, Max Roach, also saw service siding Monk on several occasions in '52 and '56. Having already noted Charlie Parker above in 1950 with Gillespie, Monk had earlier been in Parker's Quintet on July 11 of '48 at the Onyx Club in NYC for titles like 'All the Things You Are' and 'Well You Needn't'. Another significant exception was saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, who had joined Monk's Quintet on November 13, 1953, for such as 'Let's Call This', 'Think of One' and 'Friday the 13th'. On October 25 of '54 Monk backed Rollins on 'I Want to Be Happy', 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'More Than You Know'. Rollins backed Monk on 'Brilliant Corners' on October 9 of '56, after which Monk contributed to a few titles on Rollins' 'Sonny Rollins Vol 2' on April 15 of '57. Others Monk had had occasion to support during his career were Sarah Vaughan, Gigi Gryce and Clark Terry. As for Monk's own catalogue, he had recorded his first piano solos at the apartment of Timme Rosenkrantz in NYC on November 11, 1944. 'These Foolish Things' and his composition, ''Round Midnight', would be issued on a compilation of various sessions at Rosenkrantz' pad called 'Timme's Treasures' in 2015. Monk's first recordings as a band leader were for Blue Note Records in 1947 per above with Art Blakey, such as 'Humph' and 'Evonce'. 1954 and 1961 found him performing concerts in Europe. Monk's next to last concert tour and last studio recordings as a band leader were in 1971 per the Giants of Jazz European tour noted above with Gillespie. Aside from festivals already noted in 1972, Monk also returned to Europe for another Giants of Jazz performance in Switzerland on November 12 that year, recording such as 'Straight No Chaser' and 'Thelonious'. After another 'Newport Jazz Festival New York' on July 3, 1975, Monk began to drop away from the music business, not playing piano at all during the last six years of his life. Increasing mental illness is the general consensus as to his disappearance from the industry. But there seems no consensus as to what his illness was. The 'New York Times' gives bipolar disorder. Howsoever, Monk died on February 17, 1982, buried in Hartsdale, New York.
Thelonious Monk 1941
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Thelonious Monk 1944
Thelonious Monk 1947
Thelonious Monk 1947
Composed 1944
Thelonious Monk 1951
Thelonious Monk 1952
With Max Roach
Thelonious Monk 1958
Thelonious Monk 1963
Live at Monterey Jazz Festival
Thelonious Monk 1964
Thelonious Monk 1966
Featuring Charlie Rouse
Thelonious Monk 1967
Thelonious Monk 1969
Born Melvin Epstein in the Bronx in 1923, Mel Powell was not only a great jazz pianist, but a classical composer as well (a couple of his compositions for strings included below). Powell was working professionally by age 14 in New York City. At about age 16 (1939) he was playing with Bobby Hackett and arranging for Gene Krupa. He would later find himself in sessions with Krupa in '46 with Benny Goodman and '54 with Powell's All Stars at Carnegie Hall. It was 1941 when he changed his last name from Epstein to Powell. His earliest known recordings are thought to have been with Wingy Manone on March 19, 1941, for titles like 'Ochi Chornya' and 'Mama's Gone, Goodbye' with Manone at both trumpet and vocals. Come June 11 he was with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, recording such as 'Tuesday at Ten' and 'Soft as Spring', the latter with Helen Forrest at vocals. Powell hung with Goodman into 1942, his second Goodman period to arrive in 1945-47 with reunions in the fifties to as late as October 19, 1957, on the 'Perry Como TV Show' broadcast from NYC. The gap between Powell's first and second periods with Goodman were largely filled with service to Glenn Miller, he joining the latter's Army Air Force Band by virtue of having been drafted. That band's first recordings were a CBS radio broadcast on June 5 of '43 from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, such as 'I Sustain the Wings' and 'American Patrol'. Powell's final recordings with Miller were also Miller's last before his death on December 15, 1944, due to a plane with a failed engine returning from France to England over the English Channel. Those were 'Little Brown Jug' and 'Parachute Jump' on December 1 two weeks earlier for a 'Moonlight Serenade' broadcast from Bedford, England. His next association with the Glenn Miller Orchestra was its ghost band in Paris directed by Jerry Grey on .January 22 of 1945 for such as 'Here We Go Again' and ''I'll Be Seeing You'. It was Ray McKinley who directed the Glenn Miller All Stars three days later with Django Reinhardt on January 25 in Paris, putting down such as 'How High the Moon' and 'If Dreams Come True'. Powell performed with various formations of the Glenn Miller ghost operation until June 4, 1945, in Paris, broadcasting such as 'Song of the Volga Boatman' and 'Get Happy'. Powell had been released from military service by then, next to show up with Benny Goodman in NYC on August 29, 1945, to commence his second period with Goodman per 'Tiger Rag' and 'Shine'. That period would stretch to December 30, 1947, in Hollywood with both Goodman's Orchestra and Sextet for titles like 'Beyond the Sea' and 'The World Is Waiting'. Later reunions occurred per above in the fifties. Consequent to having joined Glenn Miller came an important associate in drummer/bandleader, Ray McKinley. McKinley had been present in Miller's Army Air Force Band on June 5 of '43 per above as well, having joined the Army. McKinley and Powell partnered in Millerr's band until the latter's death per above in '44, and afterword in Glenn Miller ghost enterprises. McKinley had earlier supported Powell during numerous recorded broadcasts with his Uptown Hall Gang from Co-Partners Hall in Bedford, England from July of '44 to February of '45. He would then join Powell in Paris on January 25 of '45 per above for a session with Django Reinhardt as the Glenn Miller All Stars resulting in 'How High the Moon', 'If Dreams Come True', 'Hallelujah' and 'Stompin' at the Savoy'. They then performed numerously at the Jazz Club Francais from January to May where Powell also recorded several piano solos on May 19: 'Hommage a Fats Waller', 'Hommage a DeBussey', 'Pour MMe Blanc' and 'Don't Blame Me'. He would join McKinley again for a couple sessions as an arranger in 1957, with the McKinley now directing the New Glenn Miller Orchestra. The first was 'In the Mood' for the 'Ed Sullivan Show' on May 19. The second was on May 20 and 21 for tracks that would get released on 'The New Glenn Miller Orchestra in Hi Fi' that year. 34 of Powell's 285 sessions were his own projects as a leader. His debut session as such had been on February 4, 1942, in NYC for such as 'Blue Skies' and 'Mood at Twilight'. That was a septet including Benny Goodman on clarinet as Shoeless John Jackson. He laid out his first piano solos while in the military on December 21, 1943, while in NYC with Glenn Miller's band: 'Jubilee', 'When a Woman Loves a Man' and two takes of 'Hallelujah'. After Powell's appearance on 'The Perry Como TV Show' with Goodman per above in 1957 he shifted from jazz to classical. As a classical composer Powell's early work had been in the neoclassical style, he eventually examining the atonal (or "non-tonal") and serial composing a la Arnold Schoenberg. It would be another thirty years before he recorded jazz again, that on the SS Norway in the Caribbean in '86 ('Avalon') and '87, the latter on October 21 to bear his final recordings per the album, 'The Return of Mel Powell'. Powel died of liver cancer on April 24, 1998, in Sherman Oaks, California.
Mel Powell 1941
Mel Powell 1942
Mel Powell 1945
Clarinet: Benny Goodman Vibes: Red Norvo
Mel Powell 1948
Film: 'A Song Is Born'
Clarinet: Benny Goodman Vibes: Lionel Hampton
Mel Powell 1954
Mel Powell 1959
Mel Powell 1987
Mel Powell
Source: Barry Schrader
Sir Charles Thompson was born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1918 and played piano professionally since age ten. He is said to have been with Bennie Moten as early as age twelve in Colorado Springs. He first recorded piano ten years later on December 19, 1940, with Lionel Hampton, such as 'Lost Love' and 'Fiddle Dee Dee'. He stuck with Hampton for another year, 'Train Time' his last title with that orchestra at the Hotel Sherman on September 26, 1941. Present during that session were tenor saxophonists, Dexter Gordon and Illinois Jacquet. Gordon would support Thompson several years later on his first session as a leader on September 4, 1945, bearing such as 'Takin' Off' and 'The Street Beat'. Alto player, Charlie Parker, was also in on that. Years later Thompson would contribute to Gordon's 'Landslide' on May 5, 1962. As for Jacquet, Thompson would later back a number of his projects, beginning with Jacquet's All Stars in Los Angeles in July of '45 for such as 'Flyin' Home' and 'Uptown Boogie'. Future sessions were held in '45, '47, '52, '62 and, finally, a reunion in Paris on March 27, 1978, for 'Midnight Slows Vol 8'. After Hampton Thompson picked up 'Sir" from tenor player, Lester Young, with whom he recorded 'The Great Lie' in NYC circa October of 1942 with Lester's younger brother, drummer, Lee Young, in Lee and Lester Young's Band. Come a session with Count Basie estimated in April of '44, with Thompson arranging 'Hey! Rube' (AFRS 'One Night Stand' broadcast #228). Thompson would arrange for Basie again for a session on November 2, 1946, that 'My, What a Fry' (AFRS 'One Night Stand' broadcast #1142). 1945 was a big year for Thompson, starting with saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins, on January 11 for such as 'Sportsman's Hop' and 'Bean Stalkin'. Numerous sessions followed that year. On August 16, 1954, Thompson would feature Hawkins on 'Sir Charles Thompson and His Band'. They reunited a decade later in autumn of 1964 for several sessions during a tour to Europe, their final at Wembley Town Hall in London on October 2 with trumpeter, Sweets Edison, for titles like 'Stoned' and 'Centerpiece'. Come Lucky Millinder on January 16 of '45 for an AFRS 'Jubilee' broadcast (#116) in Hollywood, to bear such as 'Bleep' and 'Caravan'. Thompson joined Millinder's orchestra again on February 26, 1946, for 'How Big Can You Get, little Man' and 'More More More', et al. Further Millinder projects ensued into 1946, Thompson last joining him in NYC on April 11, 1947, for 'You Can't Put Out a Fire' and 'The Spider and the Fly', et al. Come tenor saxophonist, Bull Moose Jackson, and his Buffalo Bearcats in August of '45 for such as 'Bull Moose Jackson Blues' and 'Honeydripper', et al. Jackson and Thompson hung together into 1946, supporting other bands when Thompson wasn't backing Jackson. Their last titles together are thought have been in December of 1947: 'All My Love Belongs to You' and 'I Can't Go On'. On September 4 of '45 veteran trumpeter, Buck Clayton, backed Thompson on his debut session as a leader per above with Dexter Gordon and Charlie Parker. Clayton would become a significant figure in Thompson's career, supporting him later on December 14 and 16, 1953, for tracks that would get issued in 1993 on 'Buck Clayton: The Complete CBS Jam Sessions'. August of 1955 found him with Clayton's orchestra for 'Cat Meets Chick: A Story In Jazz' featuring vocalists, Ada Moore and Jimmy Rushing. October saw Clayton's orchestra supporting Frankie Laine on 'Jazz Spectacular'. Thompson would be back with Clayton in 1960-61, 1963-64 and, finally, 1967 for a number of sessions during a tour to Europe to result in 'Jazz from a Swinging Era'. Those were followed by a last date on October 30, 1967, in Rushing's All Stars for 'Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You' and 'Who Was It Sang That Song?'. Highlighting the fifties were titles in January of 1959 in Los Angeles for Earl Bostic's 'Plays Sweet Tunes of the Sentimental 40's' and 'Musical Pearls'. Highlighting the sixties were titles with Bobby Hackett circa 1965 in Cape Cod Massachusetts that would find issue on two volumes of 'Butterfly Airs', the first released in 1977. Lord's disco shows Thompson first recording in Japan in May of 1992, those sessions in Yokohama, the first with tenor saxophonist, Herbie Steward, for 'Magical L-I-V-E', the second with a trio of Dave Young on bass and Yukio Kimura on drums (both also present on the first). That came to 'Live In Yokohama'. Thompson visited Japan again in '93, '94 and '97 before moving there with his wife, Makiko, in 2002. His final sessions are thought to have been in Tokyo and Yokohama in 2011, the first on April 11 with Yoshimasa Kasai for 'Love Is Here to Stay' issued posthumously in 2012. Sessions later that year resulted in 'The Jazz Legend' issued in 2013. Thompson died in Tokyo on June 16, 2016.
Sir Charles Thompson 1940
With Lionel Hampton
With Lionel Hampton
Sir Charles Thompson 1945
Alto sax: Charlie Parker Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Trumpet: Buck Clayton
Alto sax: Charlie Parker Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Trumpet: Buck Clayton
Alto sax: Charlie Parker Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Trumpet: Buck Clayton
Alto sax: Charlie Parker Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Trumpet: Buck Clayton
Sir Charles Thompson 1947
Sir Charles Thompson 1954
Sir Charles Thompson 1956
Sir Charles Thompson 1984
Sir Charles Thompson
Source: Notes on Jazz
Milt Buckner was born in 1915 in St. Louis, Missouri. He began his career with the Cotton Pickers before joining Cab Calloway's orchestra. Buckner recorded his fist acetate demos in 1941, the same year he began to accompany Lionel Hampton, his first vinyl on piano with that orchestra in December of '41 in NYC with Rubel Blakey at vocals: 'Just For You', 'Southern Echoes' (vocal by Hampton), 'My Wish' and 'Nola' with vocals out. Hampton's band was Buckner's main wagon to 1952. Nigh ceaselessly touring, his last of countless sessions with Hampton were on August 3 that year in NYC backing Maxine Sullivan on 'I'll Remember April' and 'The Lady Is a Tramp'. Among other vocalists with whom Buckner worked while with Hampton was Dinah Washington to as late as 1946. Their earliest certain date was December 29 of '43 resulting in 'Evil Gal Blues', 'I Know How to Do It', 'Salty Papa Blues' and 'Homeward Bound'. Buckner would work with Hampton again in 1967 and the seventies, his last such occasions in Toulouse, France, on May 14 and 15, 1977, for 'Lionel Hampton and His Jazz Giants 77'. Another highly significant figure was saxophonist, Illinois Jacquet. Jacquet had attended a couple sessions with Hampton in '42. Buckner first recorded with Jacquet apart from Hampton per Jacquet's trio with Alan Dawson on drums at Lennie's on-the-Turnpike in West Peabody, MA, on March 15, 1966, toward 'Go Power!'. Excepting 1970 when Buckner toured Europe with his own group, he stuck with Jacquet, recording numerously, to as late as the New Orleans Jazz Club in Scheveningen, Holland, on October 25, 1976, putting down such as 'I'll Remember April' and 'I Apologize'. Buckner's first session as a leader was at piano on October 28, 1946, with his Beale Street Gang that consisted of Stafford Pazzuza Simon (tenor sax), Curly Russell (bass) and Arthur Herbert (drums). That resulted in the Savoy titles: 'Tupelo Junction', 'Raisin' the Roof' and 'Lights Out' with 'Rockin' the Boogie' unissued. With around 250 sessions to his name, 70 of those were Buckner's. He played vibes and organ on his last session on July 4, 1977, in Paris with Andre Persiany (piano), Roland Lobligeois (bass) and Michael Silva (drums). He died 23 days later on the 27th back in Chicago. Below, Buckner plays piano on 'Milt's Boogie', vibraphone on 'Where Or When' and organ on 'Limehouse Blues'.
Milt Buckner 1942
With Lionel Hampton
Milt Buckner 1944
With Hampton backing Dinah Washington
Milt Buckner 1948
With the Beale Street Boys
With the Beale Street Boys
Milt Buckner 1949
Milt Buckner 1976
Milt Buckner 1977
Vibraphone: Lionel Hampton
Milt Buckner
Source: All Music
Born in 1922 in Newport, Massachusetts, arranger, composer, band leader and pianist Ralph Burns first found himself on vinyl in 1942 as the arranger for 'Flo Flo' recorded by Sam Donahue on November 12, 1941. His next title was also as an arranger, that in July of '42 for Charlie Barnet: 'Caravan'. October found him contributing to the arrangement of 'The Moose' with Turk van Lake for Barnet. Burns arranged for Barnet sessions to as late as December 1947. Lord's disco doesn't have him contributing piano until V-Disc sessions on October 28, 1943, with Red Norvo and his Overseas Spotlight Band putting down such as 'Seven Come Eleven', 'The Sergeant on Furlough' and 'Something for the Boys'. Come arranging and performing piano for Woody Herman in 1944, of whose First Herd he would be a member. His first titles with Herman on January 8 which he arranged were 'Noah', 'I've Got You Under My Skin' and 'I Get a Kick Out of You'. Herman's outfits were Burns' main locomotion for another fourteen years. The first performance of his composition, 'Summer Sequence', with Herman was at Carnegie Hall on March 25, 1946. Burns' last session of his long stretch with Herman was in September of '58 in NYC to arrange 'Midnight Sun'. There would be reunions in '60, '63 and, finally, on November 20, 1976, with Herman's New Thundering Herd toward the LP, 'The 40th Anniversary Carnegie Hall Concert', to which Burns contributed piano on 'Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams'. Among Burns' more freguent partners through the years was saxophonist, Al Cohn. They first collaborated per Burns' arrangement of 'Barefoot Boyd' for Boyd Raeburn at Liederkranz Hall in NYC on January 17, 1945. Their careers would interweave numerously for nigh another thirty years, backing other operations including Herman's as well as each other. Burns would contribute to such as Cohn's 'Mr. Music' (December '54) and 'That Old Feeling' (May 6, 1955). Cohn would participate in such as Burns' 'Perpetual Motion' (February 4, 1955), 'Porgy and Bess in Modern Jazz' (September 23, 1958), 'Where There's Burns There's Fire' (1962) and 'Lenny' (1974). Their last session was per above with Herman's New Thundering Herd, Cohn contributing tenor sax to 'Four Brothers' and 'Cousins'. Another fifties highlight was the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra to which Burns contributed piano on several sessions from '52 to '55. Recording with that operation on March 2, 1953, was the Ray Charles Singers per 'Now That I'm In Love'. Burns would arrange and conduct/direct a number of titles for Ray Charles in '59 and '60, bearing fruit on the albums 'Genius', 'The Genius Hits the Road' and 'Genius + Soul = Jazz'. He would arrange for Charles again in 1988 per the album, 'Just Between Us'. Other highlights in the early sixties were sessions with Judy Holliday ('61) and Oscar Brown Jr. (1961-62). With Burns' career approaching perhaps 370 sessions, very little of that can see illumination here. Apt to mention is Burns' first session as a leader per his own orchestra in Los Angeles on October 15, 1946, for two takes of 'Introspection', one of which would be issued in 1949 on the album by various, 'The Jazz Scene'. August 7 of 1951 found him recording 'Free Forms', issued in '52. Titles from that session would also see release in 1956 on an album shared with Billie Holiday on Side A: 'Jazz Recital'. 1954 saw the issue of Burns' album, 'Winter Sequence', followed in '55 by 'Spring Sequence', 'Bijou' and 'Perpetual Motion'. During the sixties Burns arranged and orchestrated for Broadway musicals. His first work on a soundtrack appeared in 1971 for the Woody Allen production, 'Bananas'. Burns died on November 21, 2001, in Los Angeles of pneumonia and complications following a stroke. Tracks below for 1951 are from Burns' album, 'The Free Forms'.
Ralph Burns 1942
With Sam Donahue
Arrangement: Ralph Burns
Vocal: Frances Claire
Ralph Burns 1946
Composition: Ralph Burns
Recorded 1946
1st issue: 1949
Recorded 1946-47 w Woody Herman
Composition: Ralph Burns
Issue date unknown
Ralph Burns 1952
Ralph Burns 1955
Album: 'Bijou'
Ralph Burns 1960
Ralph Burns
Photo: William P. Gottlieb
Source: Wikiwand
Gil Evans
Source: Jazz Labels
Source: Jazz Labels
Canadian pianist, Gil Evans, born in Toronto, Ontario in
1912, was an arranger, composer and bandleader whose first recorded
arrangement, 'Strange Enchantment', was for vocalist, Skinnay Ennis,
on March 24, 1939, in Hollywood. No issue, however, seems documented until
years later on albums by various artists such as 'Swingin' Uptown: Big Band
1923-1952' in 1998. Evans first arrangements wouldn't see issue until 1942
for Claude Thornhill, the
first of numerous sessions in the forties on November 17, 1941, in NYC for
Columbia, such as 'I Hate You, Darling' and 'Rose O'Day'. Evans' last
contributions to Thornhill's operation were nine years later on April 10,
1950, in Hollywood, arranging 'Sweet and Lovely' and 'Honolulu'. Albeit Evans was a fine pianist,
his major work was
as an arranger and composer.
Lord's discography doesn't show him recording piano until January of '57 for
titles on Lucy Reed's 'This Is Lucy Reed'. Evans was particularly noted for "third stream" jazz or, fusion of classical
with jazz improvisation. His family had moved from Canada to Berkeley, then Stockton, California,
where Evans began plunking the keys in hotels while in high school. He
formed his first band, a dectet, with Ned Briggs in junior college, which
became the house band at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach for two
years. Retaining Evans at piano, vocalist, Skinnay Ennis, took over
leadership of that band in 1937, moving it to Hollywood to play on the Bob
Hope radio show. Thornhill
then hired Evans in 1941 per above as an arranger for his
orchestra. One of the bigger names in jazz, Evans contributed to well above
a couple hundred sessions, nigh half of those his own projects. This account
of his career can be but shallow relevant to far deep waters. We jump
ahead, then, to 1947 when Evans met Miles Davis,
Gerry Mulligan and pianist,
John Lewis, at salons he held at his apartment in New York City. Thus arose
their first session together with Davis' orchestra on September 4, 1948, per
a radio broadcast from the Royal Roost in NYC, recording such as 'Move' and
'Godchild'. That would lead to the
Miles Davis Nonet which recorded 'The Birth of the Cool' between '49 and '50
on which Evans arranged 'Moon Dreams' and 'Boplicity'. ('The Birth of the
Cool' wasn't released, however, until 1957.) Evans would see
occasions to record with both
Lewis and
Mulligan again per
Davis. Also during the
fifties Evans would arrange for such as Helen Merrill,
Tony Bennett,
Johnny Mathis and Billy
Butterfield. Working again with Davis in 1957, the result
was the 1957 issue of 'Miles Ahead'. The pair then collaborated on the
release of "Milestones' and 'Porgy and Bess' in 1958, followed by 'Sketches of Spain' in 1960
and 'Quiet Nights' in 1962. (Per above, 'Miles Ahead', 'Milestones'
and 'Sketches of Spain' are
good examples of "third stream" jazz.) Evans' first name issue as a bandleader was 'Gil
Evans & Ten' in 1957, featuring soprano saxophonist,
Steve Lacy with
Lee Konitz on alto.
Konitz and Evans
went back to Claude Thornhill's Orchestra on September 4, 1947 (: 'Thrivin'
On a Riff'), recording in that band together on multiple occasions until
Miles Davis, starting September 4, 1948, at the Royal Roost in NYC for such
as 'Move' and 'Godchild'. Multiple projects with
Davis followed until 'Gil
Evans & Ten' above. Among a couple more sessions with
Konitz in the sixties
was one with
Kenny Burrell in 1964 per below.
Evans and
Konitz would reunite on multiple occasions
in the eighties, including 'Heroes' and 'Anti-Heroes' co-led in 1980. They
last recorded together in June of 1986 per Ornella Vanoni's 'Ornella &'
(also called 'Ornella E'). As for
Steve Lacy per 'Gil Evans & Ten' in
'57 above, he, too, would be a significant figure into Evan's latter career
in the eighties.
Lacy would support Evans on 'Great Jazz Standards' in 1959.
A Couple sessions followed in '62 before Evans' 'The Individualism of Gil
Evans' on September 17, 1963. Reunions would occur in the seventies and
eighties, a number of them in Europe. Their last recording opportunity
arrived in latter 1987 in Paris to co-lead 'Paris Blues'. On April 9, 1958, Cannonball Adderley
contributed to titles on Evans' album, 'New Bottle, Old Wine', as did
Paul Chambers, who also supported
Evans on 'The Individualism of Gil Evans' on September 17, 1963. Another
bassist with whom Evans recorded on multiple occasions was
Ron Carter, their first such
occasion with Carter supporting Evans on 'Out of the Cool' in 1960. Evans first
recorded with guitarist, Kenny Burrell,
at Webster Hall in NYC on April 6, 1964: 'Las Vegas Tango' and 'Hotel for
Me'. Burrell and Evans found multiple occasions to document titles, such as
Evans contributing to arrangements on
Burrell's 'Guitar Forms' in December
of '64 and Brazilian vocalist, Astrud Gilberto's, album, 'Look to the
Rainbow' in latter '65. In
1974 Evans released 'The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix'
with electric guitarists,
John Abercrombie and Ryo Kawasaki. In 1983 Evans
began a five-year residency on Monday nights at the Sweet Basil jazz club in
Greenwich Village. Evans arranged the soundtracks for the films, 'Absolute
Beginners' and 'The Color of Money', each released in 1986. In 1987 he
recorded with Sting. He died on March 20 the following year of pneumonia in
Cuernavaca, Mexico. Evans plays keyboards on most of the recordings below not
otherwise indicated.
Gil Evans 1939
Originally unissued This 2010
Vocal: Skinnay Ennis
Thought Evans' debut recording
Gil Evans 1941
Piano: Claude Thornhill Vocal: Lillian Lane
Gil Evans 1942
Piano: Claude Thornhill
Piano: Claude Thornhill
Gil Evans 1946
Piano: Claude Thornhill
Gil Evans 1947
Piano: Claude Thornhill
Piano: Claude Thornhill
Gil Evans 1956
Album: 'Around About Midnight'
Piano: Red Garland Trumpet: Miles Davis
Gil Evans 1957
Album Side A
Piano: Wynton Kelly Trumpet: Miles Davis
Album Side B
Piano: Wynton Kelly Trumpet: Miles Davis
Gil Evans 1960
Album: 'Out of the Cool'
Gil Evans 1962
Album: 'Into the Hot' Piano: Cedar Walton
Gil Evans 1964
Album: 'The Individualism of Gil Evans'
Gil Evans 1966
Album: 'Look to the Rainbow'
Vocal: Astrud Gilberto
Gil Evans 1972
Album: 'Satin Doll' Vocal: Kimiko Kasai
Gil Evans 1974
Original composition: Jimi Hendrix
Original composition: Jimi Hendrix
Live in Perugia
Gil Evans 1976
Live In Warsaw
Gil Evans 1981
Album: 'Where Flamingos Fly' Recorded: 1971
Gil Evans 1983
Live performance
Live performance
Gil Evans 1984
Live Bass: Jaco Pastrious
Gil Evans 1986
Album: 'Bud and Bird'
Live in Milano
Live in Milano
Gil Evans 1987
Live with Sting
|Although pianist
Wally (Waller)
Rose cut more than a hundred records there is little to found of him at
You Tube with the exception of when he played with Lu Watter's Yerba Buena Jazz
Band. Born in Oakland in 1913, upon graduation from high school Rose found employment
as a pianist on cruise ships. In 1940 he joined Lu Watter's band (who had played
trumpet on cruise ships) with which he first recorded in 1941 at the Dawn
Club in San Francisco, those first several titles unissued: 'Careless Love',
'Dipper Mouth Blues', 'Muskrat Ramble', 'St. James Infirmary' (twice),
'Willie the Weeper' (twice), 'Skid-dat-de-dat' and 'Milenberg Joys'. Rose's
first session to issue was the same as Watter's Yerba Buena Jazz Band on
December 19, not likely to have seen release before 1942. With Clancy Hayes
(banjo) and Bill Dart (drums) on loan from Watter's ensemble, Rose recorded
'Black and White Rag' issued by Jazz Man (1 119). Titles by Watter's group
on the same date were also issued on 78 by Jazz Man, such as 'Irish Black
Bottom'/'Memphis Blues' (2 110) and 'Muskrat Ramble'/'Smokey Blues' (3 106). Alike
Ralph Sutton
(lower on this page), Rose kept ragtime piano alive throughout the decades following
its demise in general. Of note while while with Watters was the recording of
'Live From the Dawn Club' in San Francisco on August 27, 1947, that issued
in 1973. Rose's last numerous sessions with Watters appear to have been at
Hambone Kelly's in El Cerrito, CA, in the summer of 1950 bearing such as
'Come Back Sweet Papa', 'Canal Street Blues' and 'Strut Miss Lizzie'. A
reunion would occur in 1963 for 'Blues Over Bodega'. Other core members of
Watter's band from its early days in 1941 were Bob Scobey on trumpet and
Turk Murphy trombone. Robert Alexander Scobey began leading his own group
called Alexander's Jazz Band while with Watters in 1947, Rose backing him
that December on such as 'Melancholy Blues' and 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'.
Scobey's band would eventually be renamed the Frisco Jazz Band, Rose backing
Scobey's enterprises to as late as 1957, supporting him at the Tin Angel in
San Francisco for titles like 'At the Devil's Ball' and '219 Blues'. As for
Murphy, Rose began backing his formations on July 10, 1951, for such as
'Little John's Rag' and 'Bay City'. Murphy would play washboard with Bob
Short on tuba on February 17, 1953, for Rose's 'Ragtime Classics'. Rose
backed Murphy to October 11 of 1954, putting down 'South' and 'Coney Island
Washboard' with Murphy at vocals on the latter. Lord's disco has Rose at 113
sessions, 21 his own as a leader. It would be ten years between his issue of
'Wally Rose Revisited' in 1982 and his last titles as a leader in 1992 per
'Rags-Blues-Joys'. Lord's disco has Rose's last recordings in August of '93
with the Down Home Jazz Band in Berkeley, CA, for 'Back to Bodega'. He died
on January 12, 1997, in Walnut Creek, California. The last four tracks under
1942 below are with Lu Watters.
Wally Rose 1942
Wally Rose 1953
Vocal: Clancy Hayes Trumpet: Bob Skobey
Trombone: Buck Hayes
Wally Rose 1995
Wally Rose
Source: San Francisco Museum
Jimmy Rowles
Source: All Music
Source: All Music
|Born in 1918 in Spokane,
Jimmy Rowles studied at Gonzaga College (now University) before moving to Los
Angeles in 1941 where he connected with drummer, Lee Young, and his brother, sax man, Lester Young.
Joining Lee and Lester Young's Band, he made his debut recordings with the
same on December 2, 1941. Broadcast from Billy Berg's Club Capri in Culver
City were 'Benny's Bugle' and 'Skyline'. That would get included years later
on the Young compilation, 'Historical Prez 1940-1944' in 1984. Another
session at the Club Capri followed in 1942 before Rowles joined
Slim Gaillard's Flat Foot Floogie Boys on April 4 for such as 'Palm Springs Jump'
and 'Groove Juice Special'. Roweles was back with the L & L Young Band in
May of 1942 for a KHJ Radio broadcast from the Trouville Club in Los Angeles
for 'Frolic Sam'. His next session there on June 6 included
Billie Holiday on 'I Hear
Music'. That was a big deal because it was the first not only with
but serves as a marker for what Rowles' would become especially well-known,
collaboration with vocalists. (Actually both Les Young and Slim Gaillard sang as
well.) Another session with the Youngs for
Holiday followed before he would
see her again in 1949, later from 1955-57, he last with her orchestra that
year on January 9 for such as 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' and
'Embraceable You'. Rowles exchanged the Young Band for Benny Goodman's
operation for 'I Know That You Know' in September of 1942, that for the
film, 'The Powers Girl'. He next joined
Goodman for a few titles per a
couple radio broadcasts from the Hotel New Yorker. Rowles would join
again in '47, '58 and '78. His first session with
Woody Herman was in June of 1943
per the 'Fitch Bandwagon Show' in Los Angeles bearing such as 'Down Under'
and 'Ten Day Furlough'. His final session as a civilian was an AFRS (Armed
Forces Radio Service)
broadcast ('Jubilee' #61) circa December 1943 with Timmie Rogers' Excelsior
Hep Cats: 'Bring Enough Clothes for Three Days'. Rowles then disappeared
into the military for a couple years per World War II. Upon release from
duty he popped up again in NYC early enough to record with Sonny Berman in,
perhaps, January of 1946 toward what would get issued in 2004 as
'Woodchopper's Holiday 1946'. He then joined
Herman's band again on April 14
for 'Pipe Dreaming' and 'Linger In My Arms a Little Longer'. Rowles
continued with
Herman into '47, joining him later in 1956-57 and, finally,
on November 20, 1976, in
Herman's New Thundering Herd for 'The 40th
Anniversary Carnegie Hall Concert'. Rowles would work as a studio musician,
that contributing to his highly prolific recording career of about 550
sessions, 57 of which were as a leader. As a history of jazz all by himself
this brief account can't but leave the greater majority of his career
missing. Apt to mention as we sink that direction is drummer,
Louie Bellson,
who was a member of Benny Goodman's project above per 'The Powers Girl' in
September 1942. Nigh eleven years later in July of '53 Rowles joined
Bellson's orchestra for 'Skin Deep'. Rowles would join
Bellson again in '57. They
Ella Fitzgerald together in
'66, and backed
Carmen McRae and
Joe Williams in 1971-72. Rowles much later joined
Bellson on one title, 'The
Red Door', with the
Herb Geller Quartet in August of '93. Trumpeter, Billy May, was in Rowles' first session with
Herman above in June of '43. Rowles
would later sit in May's orchestras on several occasions from 1956 ('Jimmie Lunceford
In Hi-fi') to 1966 ('Today'). Guitarist,
Barney Kessel, had been
in on Rowles session with Timmie Rogers above in December of 1943.
would be one of Rowles' more frequent longtime partners, both supporting
other bands and each other to 1959. In June of 1958
Kessel had backed Rowles
for 'El Tigre'. Later versions of that got released as 'Upper Classmen'
('59) and 'Let's Get Acquainted With Jazz . . . For People Who Hate Jazz!'
('85). Rowles and
Kessel would see each other again in '61, '63, '69 and,
finally, in 1971-72 per above with
McRae and JWilliams. Sax player,
Stan Getz, first entered Rowles' atmosphere on June 3, 1947, with the Benny Goodman Orchestra for such as 'Dizzy Fingers' and 'Chicago'. 1947 also found
them supporting both Wayne Francis and
Woody Herman together. Rowles joined
Getz' Quartet on January 23, 1954, with Bob Whitlock (bass) and
Max Roach
(drums) for such as 'Nobody Else But Me and 'I Hadn't Anyone 'Til You'.
Rowles saw later reunions with
Getz' in '75, '76 and, finally, July 16 of
1986 when they performed 'Peacocks' at the Hollywood Bowl. Another trumpeter Rowles saw a lot of was
Benny Carter. Their first
recordings together were in May 29, 1947, with the Hollywood Hucksters
Charlie Shavers on trumpet and
Benny Goodman clarinet/vocals for
'I Apologize', 'Them There Eyes' and 'Happy Blues'. The found themselves
together again with the
Louie Bellson Orchestra for 'Skin
Deep' in July of '53.
Carter and Rowles would then cross paths numerously for
more than a decade, both supporting other bands and Rowles supporting
Carter (: 'Sax A La Carter'
1960) to as late as February 1964 for
Billy Eckstine on such as 'Garden In the Rain' and 'Mister Kicks'. Reunions
occurred in 1972-73 and, finally, August 14, 1979, supporting
Zoot Sims'
'Passion Flower'. Rowles' first session with saxophonist,
Gerry Mulligan,
had been in the orchestra of Georgie Auld on January 17, 1949, for such as
'You've Got Me Jumpin' and 'They Didn't Believe Me',
Mulligan arranging the
latter. Rowles would contribute to 'Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster' on
November 3 of 1959. They would reunite with
Mel Tormé at Carnegie Hall on
June 27, 1978 . Come Jerry Gray's orchestra from December 1949 to August
1952. The next year on September 12, 1953, Rowles held his first session as
a leader toward the very rare 'Jimmy Rowles Trio Plays Standards' issued by
Vantage (NLP 5015) on date unknown. That was with John Simmons (bass) and Frank
Capp (drums). One of the more frequent arranger/conductors with whom Rowles
worked was Marty Paich, their first such occasion in 1955 for vocalist,
Peggy Connelly: Trouble Is a Man', 'I Have Said Goodbye to Spring', et al. Paich and Rowles worked together numerously to 1961, either for other bands
or Paich's ensembles. Their last such occasions were for Ann Margret in
Hollywood in March of '61 for titles like 'Teach Me Tonight' and 'Love Joe'.
They would reunite in July 1966 in Los Angeles for
Ella Fitzgerald's
'Whisper Not'. Another arranger/conductor with whom Rowles worked on
multiple occasions was Pete Rugolo in '57, '59, '60 and '61. His first
opportunity to record with guitarist,
Laurindo Almeida, was July 16, 1957,
backing the
Four Freshmen. They would support
Harry Belafonte and Kitty
White together in 1958, and
Henry Mancini in 1961. Latter 1962 witnessed Rowles supporting
Almeida on 'Viva Bossa Nova!' and 'Ole! Bossa Nova!'.
Rowles worked with arranger/conductor, Skip Martin, from 1958 (: 'TV Jazz
Themes') to 1960 (: 'Perspectives In Percussion: Vol 1 '). Others glimmering
from out of Rowles' galaxy were
Les Brown ('47), Georgie Auld ('49,
'53, '55, '57),
Chet Baker ('52 w
Mulligan, '53 w
Parker), Buddy Rich ('53, 1955-56). Charlie Parker
Bob Brookmeyer ('55,
'60, '78), Bill Holman ('56, 1958-60, '62),
Lee Konitz ('56, '77), Johnny Williams (1960-61),
Henry Mancini ('61, 1963-64,
Gerald Wilson ('68) and
Zoot Sims (1973-74,
1976-81, '83). As Rowles was a favorite among vocalists it's apt to list
some beyond
Billie Holiday
Peggy Lee ('42, 1953-54, '58, '61),
Tony Bennett, the
Four Freshmen ('57, '59), Mark
Murphy (1958-60),
Mel Tormé (1958-61, '78), David Allyn
('58, '78, '81), Toni Harper ('60),
Jo Stafford ('60), Ann Margret
Sarah Vaughan (1962-64, '74, '79)
Ella Fitzgerald ('66, '82).
Among Rowles' numerous compositions his best known is likely 'Peacocks', he
first recording that on April 7, 1974, to be found on 'The Special Magic of
Jimmy Rowles'. 'A Timeless Place' was recorded in October 1993 by
Norma Winstone, in May of '94 by Jeri Brown. Other highlights in Rowles' career
include live recordings for Blue Angel Club Records at the University of
Pasadena on November 7, 1970, to be included the next year on 'The Complete
1971 Pasadena Jazz Party'. In 1983 he worked with
young pianist, Diana Krall, in Los Angeles, she said to have begun singing
with his encouragement. February of 1990 found him in Paris recording the
soundtrack for 'Daddy Nostalgia' with
Philip Catherine (guitar),
Ron Carter
(bass) and Jane Birkin (vocal). Also that month in Paris he participated in
Frank Melville's 'I'm Old Fashioned' and Elisabeth Caumont's 'Dix Chansons
D'Amour'. Rowles' final recordings are thought to have been in 1994: 'Lilac
Time' in April with bassist, Eric Von Essen, and 'A Timeless Place' with
Jeri Brown in May. Rowles died of cardiovascular disease on May 28, 1996, in Burbank,
California. All tracks for year 1955 below are with
Billie Holiday.
Jimmy Rowles 1942 With Lee & Lester Young
With Lee & Lester Young
Jimmy Rowles 1953 Vocal: Peggy Lee With Louie Bellson
Vocal: Peggy Lee
With Louie Bellson
Jimmy Rowles 1954
Lady Be Good/Serenade In Blue/So Far So Good
Lady Be Good/Serenade In Blue/So Far So Good
Jimmy Rowles 1955
I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
Jimmy Rowles 1956
Jimmy Rowles 1957 Vocal: Billie Holiday Vocal: Billie Holiday Trumpet: Benny Carter
Vocal: Billie Holiday
Vocal: Billie Holiday
Trumpet: Benny Carter
Jimmy Rowles 1958
Jimmy Rowles 1974 Vocal: Sarah Vaughan
Vocal: Sarah Vaughan
Jimmy Rowles 1975 Sax: Stan Getz Sax: Stan Getz
Sax: Stan Getz
Sax: Stan Getz
Jimmy Rowles 1976
Jimmy Rowles 1978 Bass: Ray Brown Bass: Ray Brown Bass: Ray Brown
Bass: Ray Brown
Bass: Ray Brown
Bass: Ray Brown
Jimmy Rowles 1981 Concert Vocal:
Ella Fitzgerald Guitar: Joe Pass Guitar: Joe Pass
Concert Vocal: Ella Fitzgerald
Guitar: Joe Pass
Guitar: Joe Pass
Jimmy Rowles 1997 Recorded 1990?
Vocal: Jane Birkin
Recorded 1990? Vocal: Jane Birkin
Born in 1922 in Philadelphia, PA, composer Lou Stein is said to have worked with Buddy DeFranco as a teenager. At age 20 (1942) he began working on the road, notably with Ray McKinley. His initial recordings are thought to have been with McKinley's orchestra in June of 1942 in NYC: 'I'll Keep the Lovelight Burning', 'Who Wouldn't Love Toy?', et al. McKinley would be an important figure in Stein's career, they recording numerously that year, 1946-47, '51, 1953-54, '66 and, finally, May 25 and 26 of 1977 in NYC, McKinley contributing drums to tracks on Stein's 'Stompin' 'Em Down'. Stein's last session with McKinley in 1942 had been on July 16 in NYC for such as 'Big Boy' and 'Cheatin' On Me' with vocalist, Imogene Lynn. He then disappeared into the US military per World War II. He is said to have performed with Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band while stationed Stateside. Lord's disco doesn't show Stein in another session until 1946, that with McKinley again in NYC on March 7 for such as 'We'll Gather Lilacs' and 'Have Ya Got Any Gum, Chum?'. Among Stein's numerous compositions was 'East of Suez', first recorded when he was with Charlie Ventura and His Combo in Chicago in August of 1947, that was live at the Hotel Sherman with Buddy Stewart on vocals. A studio version was recorded the next month on the 11th, again with Ventura and Stewart. Another important figure in Stein's recording career arrived in the person of trumpeter, Yank Lawson, on May 22, 1950, they members of Bob Crosby's Orchestra for such as 'Semper Fidelis' and 'El Capitan'. Stein began working in Lawson's band in '51, contributing tracks that June to 'Lawson-Haggart Band Play Jelly Roll's Jazz'. Stein stuck with Lawson through numerous recordings to 1956, later joining him in 1958-60, '79 and a few occasions in the eighties, their last titles together in Atlanta on March 14, 1988, for Lawson's 'Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue'. Stein's first session with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra was on November 3, 1952, for titles like 'Nina Never Knew' and 'Love Is a Simple Thing'. Further sessions ensued in '52, later in 1958. Stein also joined the Percy Faith Orchestra in 1952 to support Sarah Vaughan on March 22 for such as 'It's All in the Mind' and 'I Confess'. He saw Vaughan again on January 5, 1953, for the likes of 'Linger a While' and 'A Blues Serenade'. Stein's first session as a leader was held on June 8, 1953, to result in 'Lou Stein at Large'. Among trombonists with whom Stein worked on occasion in the fifties was Bobby Byrne, the latter's All Star Alumni Orchestra of especial note, recording 'The Great Song Hits of the Glenn Miller Orchestra' ('66) in 1958 in NYC. With Stein appearing on about 230 sessions, 37 of those his own, we leap ahead to the significant figure that was violinist, Joe Venuti, they first recording together in Toronto, Ontario, in early 1969 for 'The Joe Venuti Quartet'. Stein backed Venuti numerously to as late as April of 1972 in Milan, Italy, for 'Jazz Me Blues'. Highlighting the latter seventies was the World's Greatest Jazz Band in Australia in December of 1979 with Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart (bass) leading titles like 'It's Delovely' and 'Caravan'. Stein would join the World's Greatest Jazz Band again in Ludwigsburg, Germany, in October of 1985 for tracks like 'Diane' and '42nd Street'. Lord's disco shows Stein's last titles recorded in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1995 for the album, 'Go Daddy!'. He died on December 11, 2002.
Lou Stein 1942
With Ray McKinley Vocal: Imogene Lynn
Lou Stein 1946
With Ray McKinley
Lou Stein 1952
With Charlie Parker
With Charlie Parker
Lou Stein 1954
Lou Stein 1955
Lou Stein 1958
Lou Stein
Source: Discogs
Dodo Marmarosa
Source: Organissimo
|Born in 1925 in Pittsburgh, PA, bebop pianist
Marmarosa began his professional career in 1941 by joining
the Johnny Scat Davis Orchestra at age 15, then got hired by Gene Krupa to play in his orchestra in 1942.
He would record with Krupa not much later in 1944 in both the
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and
Krupa Jazz Trio. When Krupa dissolved the earlier band in 1943 Marmarosa began touring with
Charlie Barnet,
with whom he made his debut recordings that same year on October 21 in NYC ('The Moose', 'Strollin'',
et al).
He would have occasion to record with
Barnet again in '44, '45 and '47. Come Marmarosa's first session with
Tommy Dorsey on March 4, 1944, a radio
broadcast of 'Spotlight Bands' resulting in such as 'Shoo Shoo Baby' and 'I
Couldn't Sleep a Wink', the latter with Bob Allen at vocals. Marmarosa's
last tracks with
Dorsey arrived in August, he then dismissed as
incompatible. According to Wikipedia his modernistic lean wasn't suitable to
Dorsey's swing. A few months later he was in the Artie
Shaw Orchestra in
Hollywood for a November session yielding such as 'Lady Day' and 'Jumpin' on
the Merry-Go-Round'. Marmarosa stuck with
Shaw into latter '46, his final
session thought to have been on November 9 that year in Los Angeles for
'It's the Same Old Dream, 'I Believe' and 'When You're Around'. In early '45 Marmarosa contributed to
Slim Gaillard's 'Laguna Oroonee' for the featurette,
'O'Voutie O'Rooney'. (Featurettes were short films perhaps half an hour
long.) He joined
Gaillard's band later that year into 1946 and would see a
couple sessions in '47 as well, his last on October 1 to bear such as
'Mama's in the Kitchen' and 'Ghost of a Chance'. His first sessions with
Boyd Raeburn were circa December of '45 in Los Angeles for Standard
transcriptions yielding such as 'Tonsilectomy' and 'Rip Van Winkle'. He
would stick with Raeburn into summer of '46, his last session with that
orchestra at Club Morocco in Hollywood in July to yield such as 'A Night in
Tunisia' and 'March of the Boyds'. His first session with
Bob Crosby had
been June 1 that year ('46) for an AFRS broadcast of 'One Night Stand'
(#1025) in Culver City (Los Angeles) for such as 'Blue Moon' and 'Baby, Baby,
All the Time'. Marmarosa hung with
Crosby into 1947. Lord's disco has Marmarosa down for 175 sessions, prolific for the not twenty years
that he recorded. Sixteen of those were his own projects, his first session
as leader having been January 11, 1946, for Atomic Records with
Ray Brown
(bass) and Jackie Mills (drums) for 'Mellow Mood' and 'Dodo's Blues'.
Lucky Thompson (tenor sax) joined them on 'How High the Moon' and 'I Surrender
Dear'. Maramarosa's first piano solos went down per an AFRS (Armed Forces
Radio Service) 'Jubilee' broadcast
(#169) in Hollywood circa February 1946: 'Deep Purple' and 'Tea For Two'.
Marmarosa went through a divorce in '53, then was drafted into the Army in
1954. He soon began experiencing symptoms
leading to VA hospitalization for several months, including electroshock therapy, and
was released from the military. He was back in Pittsburgh, his home town,
in 1956 where he pursued his profession locally. Marmarosa's last
recordings were in May of '61 for 'Dodo's Back!' ('62) and May 4 of 1962 for 'Jug and
Dodo', the latter with
Gene Ammons, though not issued until
1972 by Prestige. A final session on November 2 of '62 with
Bill Hardman (trumpet) Richard
Evans (bass) and Ben Dixon (drums) would find its way onto 'The Chicago
Sessions' released in 1989. It's thought that diabetes
forced Marmarosa's retirement thereafter, he dying forty years later in 2002
at the VA Medical Center in Pittsburgh.
Dodo Marmarosa 1943
With Charlie Barnet
Dodo Marmarosa 1944
With Charlie Barnet
Dodo Marmarosa 1945
With Lester Young
With Lester Young
With Lester Young
With Lester Young
Dodo Marmarosa 1946
Tenor sax: Lucky Thompson
Alto sax: Charlie Parker
Alto sax: Charlie Parker
Dodo Marmarosa 1947
Alto sax: Charlie Parker
Dodo Marmarosa 1950
Dodo Marmarosa 1958
Dodo Marmarosa 1961
Dick Farney
Source: Last FM
Born in 1921 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian vocalist Dick Farney was also a fine piano player, making his debut as a singer on a Rio De Janeiro radio station in 1937. His first recording was 'The Music Stopped' in 1944. Because that and other examples of his music are featured in Modern Jazz Song we index only two examples of his piano playing below. Farney died ion August 4, 1987.
Dick Farney 1962
Victor Feldman
Source: Jazz Wax
Source: Jazz Wax
Born in London in 1934, drummer, vibraphonist and pianist
Victor Feldman was a prodigy whose father owned a swing club. Feldman gave
his first professional performance at age seven at the No. 1 Rhythm Club in
a trio with his brothers Monty (accordion) and Robert (clarinet). He held
his first recording session at age ten on November 4 of 1944 for Parlophone with his brothers,
adding Bert Howard on bass and Vic Lewis on guitar:
'Drumming Man', 'Sweet Georgia Brown', 'Coolin' Off' and 'Zanzibar'.
A 1944 issue date is possible. He next recorded as a leader on February 17, 1948, grooving five tracks for the
Esquire label: 'Mop-Mop', 'Lady Bird', 'Quaternity', 'Moonlight In Vermont'
and 'Gone With The Wind'. His first recordings on vibraphone
were in 1951, also for Esquire: 'Ego' and 'Jolly Squire'. Feldman's first
name recordings as a pianist occurred in 1955, also for Esquire: 'Stella By
Starlight', 'Sue Side Jump', 'Lullaby' and 'Groove For Two'.
Feldman first traveled to the United States in 1955. His first Stateside
recordings were on January 1, 1956, in NYC, such as 'Umf' and 'Fran'
unissued by Keynote. His next session in the States was with Woody Herman's band
on March 7 for such as 'For All We Know' and 'To Love again', the latter
with Herman at vocals. Numerous sessions ensued with
Herman, they to tour to
Chicago and Salt Lake City before Feldman's return to the United Kingdom in
time for sessions there in December of '56. In '57 Feldman immigrated to the
States. If not before then afterward he was with
Herman again, performing
for 'The Jerry Lewis Show' on January 17 of '57 at an unknown location.
Recording resumed in Los Angeles in May of '57 with
Buddy DeFranco, supporting
Helen Forrest on such as 'September Song' and 'Them There Eyes'. Feldman now
working as a session player for jazz artists and
the film industry, his career would well exceed a highly prolific four
hundred sessions, 76 his own projects. The breadth of such clearly can't be
approached here. Apt to mention, though, were notable
collaborations in the early sixties with industrial strength Cannonball Adderley and
Davis. Feldman first joined Adderley in the summer of '60 to record
'Cannonball Adderley & The Poll Winners'. Feldman did another year with
Adderley, including a tour to Europe, until May 11, 1961, that to record
Adderley's 'Plus' in the latter's quintet. Feldman's two sessions with
in '63 were on April 16 and 17 to participate in 'Seven Steps to Heaven'.
Jump ahead a good gap to 1967 when Feldman's career as a studio player found
him supporting wide ventures such as
Frank Zappa's 'Lumpy Gravy' in 1967,
contributing percussion. 1975 found him performing electric piano on
Joni Mitchell's 'The Hissing
of Summer Lawns'. He played electric piano on Steely Dan's 'Aja' in 1977. Joe Walsh
employed him for percussion on 'There Goes the Neighborhood' in 1981. 1982
found Feldman drumming on a few tracks of Tom Waits' 'Swordfishtrombones'.
He released his final album, 'Smooth', in 1986. Lord's disco has his last
recordings in that year with Osamu Kitajima (piano on 'Heaven Sent') and
Tony Scott (percussion on 'One Night/One Day'). Feldman died of
heart attack at his home in Woodland Hills, California, on May 12, 1987. The tracks below feature Feldman at
piano. See Feldman in
Early Modern Jazz Percussion for examples of his work
on vibes.
Victor Feldman 1958 Bass: Scott LaFaro
Drums: Stan Levey Bass: Scott LaFaro
Drums: Stan Levey
Bass: Scott LaFaro Drums: Stan Levey
Bass: Scott LaFaro Drums: Stan Levey
Victor Feldman 1959 With Shelly Manne
With Shelly Manne
Victor Feldman 1961 With Cannonbal Adderley
With Cannonbal Adderley
Victor Feldman 1965 Filmed live Filmed live
Filmed live
Filmed live
Victor Feldman 1977 Album: 'Artful Dodger'
Vocal: Jack Sheldon
Album: 'Artful Dodger' Vocal: Jack Sheldon
Victor Feldman 1984
Victor Feldman 1986
Album: 'Smooth'
Victor Feldman 1986
Album: 'Smooth'
Born in 1922 in Newark, New Jersey, bebop pianist Al Haig got his start as a professional musician in 1944 upon meeting Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Before recording with them in '45 he ended up on vocalist, Dick Merrick's, 'Two Heavens' in May of '44, either added or as a member of the Jerry Wald Orchestra in NYC. He got down to business with Gillespie on May 11, 1945, in the latter's All Star Quintet consisting of Parker (alto sax), Curly Russell (bass) and Sidney Catlett (drums). In addition to 'Salt Peanuts', 'Shaw 'Nuff' and 'Hot House' they backed Sarah Vaughan on 'Lover Man'. He, Gillespie and Russell then backed Parker as members of the latter's sextet and quintet on a couple sessions before a joint Gillespie/Parker engagement that would find release years later on CD as 'Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945' in 2005. A number of sessions with Gillespie followed until May 15, 1946, recording 'One Bass Hit' in addition to titles with vocalists, Gil Fuller and Alice Roberts. Haig would likewise support Parker projects into '46, then later join him from '48 to '51, followed by a couple sessions in '53. Haig's first tracks with Charlie Barnet's swing orchestra were on August 2, 1945 per Decca/World radio transcriptions in NYC, performing 'Xango' along with titles by vocalists, Phil Barton, Redd Evans and Fran Warren. Haig hung with Barnet to December at Casino Gardens, Ocean Park, CA, whence he joined Gillespie and Parker again in Hollywood the next January. A session November 23, 1946, with Red Rodney's Be Boppers saw him backing vocalists, Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart on such as 'Perdido' and 'Gussie 'G''. He would support Lambert and Stewart again in '48 and '49. Haig took up big band swing again in April of '47 with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in NYC, backing vocalists, Dee Parker and Bob Carroll on such as 'Who Knows'. Haig stuck with Dorsey to December, backing vocalist, Bill Lawrence, on titles like 'My Guitar' and 'Lilette'. Titles with Stan Getz commenced in October of '48 per the latter's quintet consisting of Jimmy Raney (guitar), Clyde Lombardi (bass) and Charlie Perry (drums), putting down such as 'Pardon My Bop' and 'Interlude In Bebop'. Haig backed Getz numerously to October 28 of 1951, for titles that would end up on 'At Storyville Vol 1 & 2' in 1990'. The month after his first session with Getz Haig conducted his first session as a leader, that in November of '48 in NYC with Wardell Gray (tenor sax), Jimmy Raney (guitar), Tommy Potter (bass) and Charlie Perry (drums). In addition to 'In a Pinch' and 'It's the Talk of the Town' he backed vocalist, Terry Swope, on 'Five Stars' and 'Sugar Hill Bop'. Those would end up on an album called 'Highlights in Modern Jazz' on an unknown date in the fifties. Haig's first occasion to record with Miles Davis was in Charlie Parker's All Stars at the Royal Roost in NYC on December 11 of '48, laying out such as 'Groovin' High' and 'Big Foot'. They would support Parker on a couple more sessions before recording tracks toward Davis' 'Birth of the Cool' ('57) on January 21, 1949. Their last title together was 'Blues' (also titled 'Farewell Blues'), recorded live at the Paris Jazz Festival on May 15, 1949. Haig's Trio on January 27, 1950, with Tommy Potter (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) resulted in titles like 'Liza' and 'Opus Caprice'. Nigh all of Haig's projects during his career were for smaller ensembles like quartets and trios. On August 4, 1952, trumpeter, Chet Baker, backed him at the Tradewinds in Inglewood, CA, for what would get released in 1985 as 'Live in Hollywood'. Haig is thought to have recorded his first album with his Trio consisting of Bill Crow (bass) and Lee Abrams (drums) on March 13, 1954, that issued on August 25 as 'Al Haig Trio' by Esoteric. Haig would attend perhaps 150 sessions during his career, 40 of those his own. His final tracks are thought to have been in London on May 27, 1982, for two volumes of 'Bebop Live'. He died of heart attack on November 16, 1982. Per 1945 and 1946 below, all tracks are with Dizzy Gillespie.
Al Haig 1945
A Night In Tunisia (Interlude)
Al Haig 1946
Vocal: Sarah Vaughan
Vibes: Milt Jackson
Al Haig 1954
Bass: Bill Crow Drums: Lee Abrams
Bass: Bill Crow Drums: Lee Abrams
'S Wonderful/The Moon Was Yellow
Bass: Bill Crow Drums: Lee Abrams
Bass: Bill Crow Drums: Lee Abrams
Al Haig 1972
Bass: Jamil Nasser Drums: Frank Gant
Al Haig 1982
Album: 'Bebop Live Part 1'
Album: 'Bebop Live Part 2'
Al Haig
Source: Jazz Wax
Born in 1924 in Harlem, Bud Powell, first recorded with Cootie Williams in January 1944. That first of several sessions with Williams that year produced 'You Talk A Little Trash', 'Floogie Boo (Sweet Lorraine)', 'I Don't Know (Now I Know)' and 'Gotta Do Some War Work'. His appearance on Thelonious Monk's ''Round Midnight', below, is the first recording of that tune. Powell's first session as a leader on January 10, 1947, was his Trio for Roost Records with Curly Russell (bass) and Max Roach (drums) yielding such as 'I'll Remember April' and 'Indiana'. Titles from that session would get included on the later album, 'Bud', in 1958. Regrettably, Powell had emotional conditions, likely increased by alcohol and anger from racial persecution, that saw his first electroshock treatment in 1948. He nevertheless continued as a remarkable composer and pianist throughout most his career of above 130 sessions, 100 of those his own projects. Among his numerous compositions were 'Tempus Fugit', 'Celia', 'Strictly Confidential' and 'Bouncing with Bud', all first recorded in 1949. Such as 'Oblivion' and 'Un Poco Loco' followed in 1951. His last recordings were issued as 'Ups 'n Downs' in 1972. Lord's disco has his first session for that at Carnegie Hall on March 27, 1965, for Powell's piano solo, ''Round Midnight'. The remaining tracks followed in late '65 and early '66. Powell died on July 31, 1966, age 42, of tuberculosis exaggerated by alcoholism and malnutrition. His funeral was in Harlem. Per below, all tracks per 1944 are with Cootie Williams.
Bud Powell 1944
Vocal: Eddie Cleanhead Vinson
Vocal: Pearl Bailey
Bud Powell 1949
Bud Powell 1950
Bud Powell 1951
Bud Powell 1954
Bud Powell 1957
Bass: George Duvivier Drums: Art Taylor
Bud Powell 1958
Bud Powell 1959
Live performance
Bud Powell 1960
Bud Powell 1961
Bud Powell 1962
Live performance
Live performance
Bud Powell 1963
Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Bud Powell
Source: Musical Value
Plunk. Born in 1921 in Greenville, North Carolina, Billy Taylor, (not to be confused with the early bassist) began his jazz career in New York City with the Ben Webster Quartet in 1944. He may have first recorded with the Eddie South Trio with, perhaps, bassist, Edgar Brown, in spring of 1944. That was at the Antler's Hotel, perhaps in NYC for unissued titles like 'Pardon Madame' and 'Hejre Kati'. 'Humoresque' would later find its way onto cassette per Fable. Sessions with South followed on June 14 ('Among My Souvenirs', 'Someday Sweetheart', et al) to perhaps October in Hollywood for an AFRS 'Jubilee' broadcast (#107) of 'Jersey Bounce'. Come the band of saxophonist, Walter Foots Thomas, on March 8 of 1945 for 'The Bottles' Empty' and 'For Lovers Only', et al. That was his fist recording session with saxophonist, Ben Webster, drummer, Cozy Cole, and trumpeter, Charlie Shavers. Taylor would see Webster again in NYC on January 23, 1953, with the Johnny Richards Orchestra for such as 'Hoot' and 'Poutin''. Webster would later appear for Taylor on 'The Subject Is Jazz' TV program in 1958, their final title together the next month on May 3 with Ben's Boys: 'Flying Home'. March 18 of 1945 saw Taylor backing Cole on such as 'Hallelujah' and 'Stompin' at the Savoy'. Shavers and Taylor would reunite on June 2, 1954 to support vocalist, Jackie Paris, for 'That Paris Mood'. Shavers and Taylor would see Cole again to support Billie Holiday for 'Stay With Me' on Valentine's Day 1955. Glub glub. Another of the bigger names that early came his way was that of tenor saxophonist, Don Byas, the latter present for the Cole session above on March 18 of '45. Byas and Taylor would back both Don Redman and Tyree Glenn in 1946. Their last sessions together were several in 1947 on a tour to Europe. Most of their titles went down in Paris, but their last session, with Glenn and Byas co-leading, was in Hilversum, Holland, on February 17, 1947, for such as 'Humoresque' and 'Always'. The day after Taylor's first session with Byas for Cole above, he recorded his first tracks as a leader on March 20, 1945. Those, with his Trio of Al Hall (bass) and Jimmy Crawford (drums), would eventually get released in 1991 on side B of an LP called 'Separate Keyboards' with Erroll Garner on side A. Included was his composition, 'Mad Monk'. He recorded his first piano solo, 'The Very Thought of You', in Paris on December 4, 1946, that during the same session with his trio consisting of Ted Sturgis (bass) and Buford Oliver (drums) to put down 'Stridin' Down Champs-Elysees'. His third date as a leader was about June of 1947 back in NYC for such as 'Well Taylored' and 'I Don't Ask Questions'. With perhaps 260 sessions to Taylor's name, 87 of those his own projects, the whole account of his rather spectacular career requires means which permit coming up for air. I hope the gauge on the oxygen tank is correct as we descend. We dive ahead into dark and eerie waters with only this dull flashlight to the early fifties because Dizzy Gillespie is a beacon in any historical murk to quickly lend notion to elite and high-calibre musicianship, such as that which Taylor made a career of accompnying. Taylor first joined Gillespie's Sextet on January 6, 1951, for live broadcasts from the Birdland: 'Congo Blues', 'Yesterdays', et al. Several sessions were held with Gillespie at the Birdland until spring when they supported Charlie Parker for a VOA broadcast for such as 'Hot House' and 'Embraceable You'. Taylor joined Gillespie's Be Bop All Stars on March 27, 1965, for 'Charlie Parker Tenth Memorial Concert' at Carnegie Hall (Parker having died a decade earlier). Gillespie and Taylor would record 'Disorder at the Border, unissued, at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 4, 1966. Highlighting latter fifties was Taylor's album, 'Meets the Jazz Greats: Know Your Jazz' recorded in March of 1956. Those sessions featured a long list of all-star players from Gigi Gryce to Charlie Rouse. Following that was a triple take of 'Billie's Bounce' with the Metronome All Stars on June 18 of 1956. Glub glub. On March 14 of 1957 Taylor joined Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh for an NBC telecast of 'The Subject Is Jazz', performing titles like 'Godchild' and 'Lady Bird'. Taylor would became musical director of 'The Subject Is Jazz' in 1958, his band to record such as 'Blues in a Minor Key' (theme), 'For Dancers Only' and 'Sent for You Yesterday' on Program 5 ('Swing') and 6 ('The Blues'). Highlighting the sixties was a concert with Duke Ellington and Earl Hines at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, on June 20, 1965, for such as 'Sweet Lorraine', eventually getting issued on a CD by various in 2007 called 'The Jazz Piano'. The next that Taylor and Hines got packaged together included pianist, Dave Brubeck, as well, that on April 29, 1969 at the East Room of the White House in Washington DC for a Duke Ellington Tribute, titles to go down like 'Take the 'A' Train' and 'I Got It Bad'. Taylor became musical director of the 'David Frost Show' in 1969. Such would affect an opportunity to string titles like 'Blueberry Hill' with jazz great, Louis Armstrong, on trumpet, on February 10, 1971, also with Tyree Glenn on trombone and Bing Crosby at vocals. We flounder ahead three decades to 2001 to witness the issue of 'Urban Griot', then 'Live at IAJE, New York' in 2002. Taylor's recording pace slowed into the new millennium. Lord's disco estimates a final title in 2010 per 'Consider Me Gone' on bassist, Christian McBride's, 'Conversations with Christian'. Performing nigh until his death, Taylor passed away of heart attack on December 28, 2010, with 23 honorary doctorates among numerous awards. Thud.
Billy Taylor 1945
Bass: All Hall Drums: Jimmy Crawford
Billy Taylor 1952
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
Billy Taylor 1958
52nd Street Theme/Confirmation
Live with Cannonball & Nat Adderly
Night In Tunisia/Round About Midnight
Live with Cannonball & Nat Adderly
Billy Taylor 1964
With Earl Coleman
Billy Taylor 1996
Billy Taylor 2001
Billy Taylor 2006
Live performance
Billy Taylor
Photo: Tom Marcello
Source: Wikipedia
Hadda Brooks
Source: Lileks
Born in 1916 and raised in Los Angeles, versatile pianist Hadda Brooks made a reputation for herself as the Queen of Boogie Woogie. Boogie woogie was the southern equivalent of ragtime, likely developing out of eastern Texas. She also came to reputation despite that she issued little vinyl during her career, attending only twenty something sessions to result in such during her career of more than fifty years. Brooks' first single, 'Swingin' the Boogie', was in 1945. She recorded fairly steadily into the fifties. She appeared on the 10" album, 'Modern Records Volume 7' in 1950. 1957 saw the issue of 'Femme Fatale', the same year she hosted 'The Hadda Brooks Show' on KCOP TV in Los Angeles. 'Hadda' was issued in 1971, upon which Brooks spent the seventies touring to Europe and moving to Australia. She wouldn't show up on record again until 'Queen of the Boogie' in 1984, recorded in Netherlands. In 1986 she played Perino's in Los Angeles, then other venues on the East and West Coast. 'Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere' arrived in 1994. Brooks died in Los Angeles in 2002. She is thought to have last recorded in 1996 for 'Time Was When'. More boogie woogie by Hadda Brooks.
Hadda Brooks 1945
Hadda Brooks 1948
Hadda Brooks 1950
From the film 'In a Lonely Place'
Hadda Brooks 1953
Hadda Brooks 1957
Born in 1995 in Glasgow, Missouri, Wild Bill Davis began his career with the Milton Larkin Orchestra in 1939 as a guitar player. He had switched to piano by the time he performed with Buster Bennett in Chicago, thought to have possibly first recorded on February 24, 1945, with the Buster Bennett Trio with Duke Brenner at bass and drums: 'Leap Frog Blues', 'Reefer Head Woman', etc.. He then joined Louis Jordan's Tympany Five early enough for an AFRS V-Disc session bearing 'Banana Joe' and 'Nobody But Me' in NYC on July 12, 1945. Davis kept with Jordan into 1947, reupping in 1950-51. Between those periods Davis recorded his first organ solos in 1949, two of four issued by Mercury (8136) as 'Yes, You Know I Love You' and 'Oobie Yoogie Boogie'. Davis' first album, 'Here's Wild Bill Davis', is thought to have been released in 1954 by Epic from sessions in NYC mostly for Okeh stretching from December 20, 1951 to January 8, 1953, to include the Four Lads. 'On The Loose' saw session on May 16, 1954. The 'Goldmine 3rd Edition Jazz Album Price Guide' has 'Sweet and Hot' issued in 1956, the white label worth $250, the blue label of unknown issue worth $30. With at least 175 sessions to his name, more than fifty of those his own, Davis grooved a path too long to follow in this space. It would be apt, however, to mention at least one of the heavy weights Davis supported for a brief though significant period, that being Duke Ellington with whom he first recorded in October of 1950, Ellington contributing piano to Davis' organ on 'Things Ain't What They Used to Be'. Davis would join Ellington's orchestra 19 years later in time to record 'In Dolce Vita' and 'Spanish Flea' on September 2, 1969, in NYC. Davis would tour with Ellington to Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Europe and Las Vegas before returning to NYC toward his last tracks with Ellington in June of 1971 yielding such as 'Toga' and 'Toga Brava Suite'. From 1972 throughout the remainder of his career, with but a couple exceptions all of Davis' numerous sessions were held in Europe, largely Paris, as was his final with the Paris Barcelona Swing Connection in June of 1992 toward 'Wild Cat 1992'. Davis died on August 17, 1995.
Wild Bill Davis 1945
Louis Jordan Typany Five
Buster Bennett Trio
Wild Bill Davis 1950
Wild Bill Davis 1954
Things Ain't What They Used to Be
Wild Bill Davis 1969
Wild Bill Davis 1973
With Boogaloo Jones
Wild Bill Davis 1989
Wild Bill Davis
Source: Discogs
Erroll Garner
Source: New York Times
Source: New York Times
|Born in 1923 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
Erroll Garner
was something of a prodigy, playing piano at three, though he never learned
to read music. He began appearing on radio (KDKA) at age seven with a group
called the Candy Kids. At age eleven he was playing riverboats along the
Alleghany. He would stand to only 5'2", preferring to play while sitting
atop telephone directories placed on the piano bench. In 1944 he went to New York, where he made his debut recordings
that year on October 20 with Inez Cavanaugh singing 'I'm In the Mood For
Love' and 'Somebody Loves Me'. He held seven more sessions for numerous
titles into December until one on the 14th netted 'All the Things You Are'
and 'I Hear a Rhapsody' saw issue the next year by Century and Selmer
respectively. Garner had been denied membership in
the Pittsburgh musician's union because he couldn't read music. He later
recorded his composition, the jazz standard, 'Misty', on January 27, 1954,
in Chicago. best known song was 'Misty', which he composed in 1954. The
Pittsburgh musician's union relented in
1956, granting him membership. With perhaps 150 sessions to his name, the
majority were his own projects. His final tracks are thought to have been
per his album, 'Magician', in 1973. Garner died on January 2, 1977, of cardiac
arrest and was buried in Pittsburgh.
Erroll Garner 1945
Radio broadcast
Erroll Garner 1949
Erroll Garner 1951
Erroll Garner 1954
Erroll Garner 1955
Album: 'Concert by the Sea'
Erroll Garner 1962
Live performance
Sweet And Lovely/Mack The Knife
Erroll Garner 1964
Erroll Garner 1972
Live performance
Erroll Garner 1974
Album: Magician
Album: Magician
Hank Jones
Source: Jazz Wax
Pianist Hank Jones (brother of trumpeter, Thad Jones, was playing professionally by age 13 in Michigan. Born in 1918 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, it was 1944 when he and saxophone player Lucky Thompson took off together for New York City. His first recordings are thought to have been for trumpeter, Hot Lips Page, on November 30, 1944, with Page on vocals as well for such as 'The Lady in Bed' and 'Gee Babe, Ain't I Good to You?'. By spring of 1945 he was in the band of Andy Kirk, his first session with the latter thought to per the AFRS 'Jubilee' (#133) broadcast in Hollywood bearing such as 'One O'Clock Jump' and 'Roll "Em'. Jones hung with Kirk for more than a year until December 2 of '46, backing Joe Williams on such as 'Now You Tell Me' and 'Louella'. Jones was one of the most prolific recording artists in jazz, his sessions numbering 1037, right up there at alpine level with Jimmy Dorsey (1016) and Tommy Dorsey (1172). Among reasons for that was that he served as staff pianist to both the Savoy label and, later, CBS from '59 to '75. For fear of avalanche we better not root about too much and keep this account amputated to a few of Jones' important early associates. Preceding Jones' last titles with Kirk in 1946 he had joined Ray Brown's All Stars on November 28 for such as 'For Hecklers Only' and 'Smokey Hollow Jump'. Brown and Jones recorded together numerously into the fifties, the latter fifties through the sixties, then occasions in the seventies and eighties until their last on April 6, 1994 at Carnegie Hall, recording 'Now's the Time' for the LP 'Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters'. Present in Brown's All Stars above on November 28 was vibraphonist, Milt Jackson, who would also become a significant figure in Jones' career. Their next occasion to record together was in the Coleman Hawkins Orchestra in December of 1946, grooving such as 'Bean and the Boys'. They would pair numerously into '47, later in 1955-59, 1961-65 and finally the eighties, their last occasion in Paris with the Paris All-Stars on June 15 of 1989 for 'Homage to Charlie Parker'. As for Coleman Hawkins per above in December of '46, Hawkins, too, would be a major figure in Jones' career, they recording together numerously to 1950, 1956-58 and later in the sixties, their last occasion on April 15 of 1965 as members of Lionel Hampton's All Stars to put down Stardust', 'Midnight Blues' and 'As Long As We're Here'. Jones' first of nine dates with Norman Granz' Jazz at the Philharmonic was on May 24, 1947, at Carnegie Hall with Roy Eldridge on trumpet: 'Perdido', 'What Is This Thing Called Love' and 'Blues'. His last was in Paris with Lester Young at tenor sax on March 3, 1953, for such as 'These Foolish Things' and 'Blues in C'. Jones found himself a treasure chest in Ella Fitzgerald on December 23, 1947, backing her on such as 'I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling' and 'You Turned the Tables On Me'. Jones worked for Fitzgerald numerously to 1953, later in 1958-59 and, finally, a couple sessions on January 30 and 31 of 1962 in NYC for Verve, such as 'Broadway' from the first and 'Laughing On the Outside' from the letter. Jones put together his first album in 1950. Bassist Ray Brown also features on one of its tracks, 'Ad Lib' below. Jones is also the pianist on 'Opus de Funk' under Milt Jackson in Jazz Percussion. Jones died in the Bronx on May 16, 2010.
Hank Jones 1946
Saxophone: Coleman Hawkins
Hank Jones 1950
Bass: Ray Brown Drums: Buddy Rich
Hank Jones 1958
Drums: Osie Johnson
Hank Jones 1990
Hank Jones 1994
Hank Jones 2009
Born in Brooklyn in 1922, Duke Jordan's first recordings are thought to have been in January or February of 1945 in Chicago with the Floyd Horsecollar Williams Septet for the Chicago label (102): 'You Ain't Nothin', Baby' and 'How Ya Like That' with a couple others unissued. Likely with a good 180 sessions to his name, 69 of those his own, we'll here address only the first several. Jordans' next session was with Roy Eldridge in September of '46, including 'Lover Come Back to Me' and 'Rockin' Chair'. His third was with Allen Eager's Be-Bop Boys o July 15, 1947 for 'All Right, All Frantic' and 'Donald Jay' among others. Beside Eager on tenor sax, others in that quartet were Terry Gibbs (vibraphone), Curly Russell (bass) and Max Roach (drums). It was with Charlie Parker whom Jordan joined in 1947 that he began to shine as a great pianist. His initial session with Parker was on October 27 for takes of 'Dexterity', 'Bongo Pop', et al. Jordan kept with Parker through numerous sessions to spring of 1949 at the Pershing Hotel Ballroom in Chicago, starting a long stream of titles with "A Night In Tunisia' and 'My Old Flame'. There would be a reunion on September 20, 1952, recording 'Ornithology' and '52nd Street Theme' at the Birdland in NYC. After Jordan's brief stretch with Parker he signed up with Stan Getz' Boppers for a session in May of '49 in NYC yielding 'Stan Getz Along', 'Stan's Mood', 'Slow' and 'Fast'. Jordan would join Getz' again at the Birdland on May 31 of 1952 for 'Don't Get Scared', 'Just You, Just Me', et al. This time Jordan kept with Getz' to March 8, 1953, at the High Hat in Boston. That with an earlier session at the Hi Hat on December 8 of '52 resulted in two volumes of 'Getz in Boston - Live at The Hi-Hat'. After Jordon's brief time with Getz he held his first session as a leader with his Trio consisting of Gene Ramey (bass) and Lee Abrams (drums) resulting in his first album, 'Duke Jordan Trio', released in '54. Jordan plied his trade in the United States for nigh the next quarter century before became a resident of Copenhagen in 1978, His last titles in the States were two takes of 'Foxie Cakes' on July 11 of '78, one which would find its way onto 'Thinking of You'' completed October 29, 1979, in Copenhagen. Jordan's first session upon moving to Denmark was live in Oslo, Norway, on November 10, 1978, resulting in 'Flight to Norway'. Trumpeter, Chet Baker, visited for a session in Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 2, 1979, toward Baker's 'No Problem'. Jordan would host Baker on another trip to Europe in November of '83: Dates in Paris came to Baker's albums 'September Song' and 'Live at New Morning'. A date in Belgium witnessed such as 'Barbados' and 'But Not For Me' with Baker at vocals on the latter. A final date at George's Jazz Cafe in Holland (Netherlands) resulted in Baker's album, 'Star Eyes'. The majority of Jordan's recordings in the eighties and nineties will have been made in Europe, particularly Copenhagen, with the exception of numerous tours to Japan. His first trip there had been with his Trio consisting of Wilbur Little (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) in 1976. Eight sessions were held there resulting in such as two volumes of 'Live In Japan', two volumes of 'Osaka Concert' and 'Flight to Japan'. Jordan would tour to Japan again in '82, '85, '87 and each year of 1989-91 and 1993-95. His last such occasion on December 11 came to titles like 'My One and Only' and 'Cherokee' with Tomonao Hara at trumpet. Lord's disco shows Jordan's final titles on July 4, 1997, at the Drop Inn in Copenhagen with Bent Jaedig (tenor sax), Jesper Lundgaard (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums), bearing 'But Not For Me' 'My One and Only'. Jordon's later albums, 'Flight to Denmark' ('02) and 'Flight to Jordan' ('04) had each been recorded decades earlier, the former in '73 in Copenhagen, the latter in 1960 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Jordon died in Copenhagen on August 8, 2006.
Duke Jordan 1947
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Saxophone: Charlie Parker
Duke Jordan 1954
Bass: Oscar Pettiford
Duke Jordan 1956
Bass: Doug Watkins Guitar: Kenny Burrell
Duke Jordan 1960
Album: 'Flight to Jordan'
Duke Jordan 1962
Baritone sax: Cecil Payne
Duke Jordan 1973
Saxophone: Cecil Payne
Duke Jordan 1979
Trumpet: Chet Baker
Duke Jordan
Source: Verve Music Group
Oscar Peterson
Photo: Associated Press
Source: Circle Music
Born in 1925 in Montreal, Quebec, Canadian piano virtuoso Oscar Peterson first recorded in Montreal in December of 1944, a 'Bovril Show' (Bovril sold milk) transcription bearing 'Flying Home' and 'If Could Be With You'. Those likely didn't see record shops at the time and how well they went around otherwise isn't known. Lord's Disco has them included on Harlequin 2023 as 'Jazz and Hot Dance in Canada 1916-1949 Vol 14'. April 30 of 1945 found him with the Oscar Peterson Trio in session for Victor Canada toward the issue of such as 'I Got Rhythm' and 'Louise'. Peterson first recorded in the United States at Carnegie Hall with bassist, Ray Brown, on September 18, 1949: 'Fine and Dandy', 'I Only Have Eyes for You' and 'Carnegie Blues'. With about 433 sessions to his name, well above half of those his own projects, Peterson's high-impact career can't see a lot of illumination in this small space. A few among his more important associates will need suffice. His closest musical comrade was Ray Brown who sided Peterson's ensembles throughout the fifties to 1965. The last session of that thirteen-year stretch was on December 6 of '65 with Louis Hayes on drums for 'Blues Etude'. They would reunite in Villingen, Germany, in July 1971 with Hayes and Milt Jackson for 'Reunion Blues'. That second period with Peterson stretched to 1978 with reunions in the early eighties and latter nineties. Brown's last of countless titles with Peterson arrived per the latter's Very Tall Band at the Blue Note in NYC in November 1998 toward 'Live at the Blue Note' and 'What's Up?'. Although Peterson's favored configurations were trios and quartets he occasionally supported big bands, one such being Count Basie's on July 6, 1952, for such as 'Cash Box' and 'Bootsie'. Other examples of Peterson in a big band setting were 'Swinging Brass!' recorded with the Russ Garcia Orchestra on November 9, 1959, and 'Bursting Out' with the All Star Band on June 14, 1962. On December 27, 1955, Peterson's Quartet of Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass) and Buddy Rich (drums) recorded (minus Basie) a string of Basie tunes toward 'Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie'. Basie and Peterson would reunite on June 2, 1972, per Jazz at the Philharmonic at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, CA, for such as 'In a Mellow Tone' and 'Loose Walk'. On December 2 of '74 Basie contributed piano to 'S & J Blues' on Peterson's album, 'Satch and Josh'. September 20 of '77 saw Basie contributing piano to Peterson's album, 'Satch and Josh . . . Again'. They would reunite again for a few sessions in February of '78 with John Heard (bass) and Louie Bellson (drums) toward the LPs 'Yes Sir, That's My Baby', 'Nightrider' and 'Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson'. Performances with Jazz at the Philharmonic were generally highlights in any jazz career. The founder and impresario of the JATP, Norman Granz, would be Peterson's manager most of his career. Peterson joined his first JATP concert per above in 1952. Another ensued on September 13 that year at Carnegie Hall for such as 'Jam Session Blues' and 'The Trumpet Battle' (Roy Eldridge and Charlie Shavers). Peterson joined JATP again in May of '53 at Bushnell Memorial Auditorium in Hartford, CT, for such as 'Cotton Tail' and 'Air Mail Special'. Another JATP performance ensued on September 19 of '53 at Carnegie Hall for such as 'Cool Blues' and 'One O'Clock Jump'. November of '53 found Peterson with JATP in Tokyo at Yoyogi National Stadium for such as 'That Old Black Magic' and 'Perdido'. Peterson joined JATP again at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica per above on June 2 of 1972, later on October 17, 1983, at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, including the title, 'Flying Home', with Ella Fitzgerald. Another of Peterson's important associates was guitarist, Herb Ellis, who first recorded with Peterson in May of '53 per JATP above. They would record together numerously for the next five years, both backing other ensembles (like JATP) and Peterson's operation. Ellis first joined Peterson's Trio in Los Angeles on December 10, 1953, with Ray Brown at bass, recording such as 'I Want to Be Happy' and 'Manhattan'. Their last tracks together were at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, BC, on August 8, 1958, again with Ray Brown for such as 'Alone Together' and 'How About You'. They would reunite in '61, '65, '69, '72 and, finally, several times between 1990 and '94. Their last session together is thought to have been on October 1, 1996, at Town Hall in NYC with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums) for titles toward 'A Tribute to Oscar Peterson' ('67). Another of Peterson's more important associates was drummer, Ed Thigpen, who first joined Peterson's Trio in Paris on May 18, 1959, for 'A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra', again with Ray Brown. Thigpen sided Peterson to May 29, 1965, at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, for titles toward 'Eloquence', again with Brown. They reunited in November 1972 in Los Angeles with Brown to record 'Blues for Allan Felix' per the soundtrack to 'Play it again, Sam' ('72). Among the numberless highlights in Peterson's career were titles with saxophonist, Zoot Sims. Sims first recorded with Peterson in the summer of '67 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles toward the issue of 'The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World' in 1975. They would reunite that year on June 6 for Sims' 'Zoot Sims & The Gershwin Brothers'. Later that year in October in Europe Peterson, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) and Louie Bellson (drums) would back Sims and Eddie Lockjaw Davis on 'The Tenor Giants'. They would reunite a last time in October of '83 per the JATP concert mentioned above in Tokyo. Lord's Disco lists Peterson's final recordings with a quartet in Austria consisting of Ulf Wakenius (guitar), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) and Martin Drew (drums) on November 21, 2003: 'A Night in Vienna'. He was, however, yet active and touring when he died of kidney failure on December 23, 2007.
Oscar Peterson 1945
Oscar Peterson 1951
Oscar Peterson 1957
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
With Ben Webster & Coleman Hawkins
Oscar Peterson 1958
Live performance with Herb Ellis & Ray Brown
Oscar Peterson 1961
Live performance Trumpet: Lee Morgan
Oscar Peterson 1962
Oscar Peterson 1964
Live performance Bass: Ray Brown
Oscar Peterson 1972
Oscar Peterson 1974
Live Guitar: Barney Kessel
Oscar Peterson 1987
Oscar Peterson 2004
Live performance
Skitch Henderson
Source: From the Vaults
|The earliest recordings on which pianist,
Skitch Henderson, are found were
per May 13, 1940, in Hollywood with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, such as
'Dreaming Out Loud' and 'Now we know'.
Born on a farm in 1918 near Holstad, Minnesota. If ask me, the winters there
would have been reason enough to commence a music career as a traveling roadhouse performer in the Midwest,
his major break occurring in 1937 upon being asked to accompany Judy
and Mickey Rooney on an MGM promotional tour that brought him to Hollywood.
In July of '46 the Skitch Henderson Orchestra recorded 'Crazy Rhythm' for
Capitol with 'Skitch's Boogie' following in March of '47. Among the highlights of Henderson's career was becoming music director for NBC
television in 1951 and founding The New York Pops orchestra in 1983 based at
Carnegie Hall. Henderson, however, was one of those musicians for whom
making records wasn't a thing, Lord's disco listing him with not thirty
sessions to his whole career. Henderson's main claim to fame was as bandleader for
'The Tonight Show' from its inception in 1954 as 'Tonight' hosted by Steve Allen.
(Other notable members of that orchestra have been guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli,
drummer, Ed Shaughnessy, and trumpeter, Doc Severinsen who acquired Henderson's
position as bandleader in 1966.) Albums issued in the sixties by the Tonight
Show Orchestra were 'Skitch . . . Tonight!', 'More Skitch Tonight!', 'Plays
Music From Sweet Charity' and 'Plays Music From Mame'. Henderson served
several miserable months for tax evasion in 1975. He issued 'Swinging With
Strings' in 2001 and 'Legands' in 2003 with Bucky Pizzarelli. He died on
November 1, 2005.
Skitch Henderson 1940
With Artie Shaw
Skitch Henderson 1946
With Ray Kellogg
With Ray Kellogg
Skitch Henderson 1947
With Andy Reed
With Mancy Reed & Andy Roberts
With Eileen Wilson
With Eileen Wilson
Skitch Henderson 1965
Album: 'Skitch...Tonight!'
André Previn was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1929. Being Jewish, he was brought to Los Angeles in 1939 by his parents. Six years later in 1945 he made first recordings as a composer, conductor and pianist at age sixteen. Lord's disco has him recording 'I Surrender Dear' with his Trio of uncertain personnel on June 11, 1945, that issued years later on CD by RST Records. Titles recorded on October 14 along with 'Something to Live For' from March 29 of '46 can be heard on a CD titled 'Previn at Sunset', the LP first issued in 1972. The next month on November 5 he was in the Willie Smith Six to put down 'I Never Knew You', 'All the Things You Are' and 'I've Found a New Baby', indeterminable if those were issued at the time. His first recordings one might hazard to have been released in some form (transcription disc or phono record) at the time were for V-Disc in Hollywood on May 29, 1946: 'I Cover the Waterfront', 'What Is This Thing Called Love', 'September In the Rain' and 'I've Found a New Baby'. 45worlds has him issuing 'I Cover the Waterfront' in September of '46 on a 12" V Disc '78 (681) shared with Edgar Hayes' 'Stardust' on side B. Among recordings not listed by Lord's disco, OAC (Online Archive of California) has Previn transcribed per radio broadcast of the 'Ford Show' on July 28 of '46 without titles and fate unknown. In 1948 Previn began composing for Hollywood ('The Secret Garden', for instance). Among titles for RCA Victor issued in 1949 were 'Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered'/'Anything Goes' with Bob Bain (guitar), Lloyd Pratt (double bass) and Ralph Collier (drums). 'My Shining Hour'/'This Can't Be Love' and 'Just One of Those Things'/'Mad About the Boy' were also issued by RCA in '49. Among Previn's more frequent jazz partners were drummer, Shelly Manne, bassist, Red Mitchell and guitarist Barney Kessel. Manne first joined Previn per the latter's Trio with Buddy Clark at bass on June 24, 1953, for 'Andre Previn Plays Fats Waller'. They recorded severally in support of other bands until February 11 of '56 in Hollywood when Previn backed Manne toward 'Shelly Manne and His Friends'. Manne next supported Previn in March for Decca on such 'But Beautiful' and 'Moonlight Becomes You'. Manne and Previn stayed tight another four years, their last session of that seven-year stretch in support of Helen Humes in September 1960. A reunion on December 18, 1963, resulted in Previn's '4 to Go!'. Seventeen years later in May 1980 they joined Itzhak Perlman at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, PA, for 'It's a Different Kind of Blues' and 'It's a Breeze'. As for Red Mitchell, he and Previn recorded their first common titles for trombonist, Milt Bernhart, on March 8 of 1955. With Previn arranging, such affected 'Hillside', 'Looking for a Boy', et al. Mitchell next joined Previn in a quartet in Los Angeles on April 11 with Al Hendrickson (guitar) and Irv Cottler (drums) coming to such as 'Let's Get Away From It All' and 'It Happened in Sun Valley'. Mitchell remained a main hand throughout the fifties to as late as April 15, 1964, for Previn's 'My Fair Lady'. They would reunite 16 years later per above with Manne and Perlman in May 1980. Come Barney Kessel on October 6, 1955, they first recording together on that date supporting vocalist, Betty Bennett toward 'Nobody Else But Me'. Kessel and Previn wove a braid that saw them recording together numerously for another five years both backing other operations and Previn appearing on projects by Kessel such as 'Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By' ('57) and 'Carmen' ('59). The last sessions of that stretch together appear to have been in September of 1960 supporting Helen Humes toward 'Songs I Like to Sing'. Among others with whom Previn recorded jazz were Shorty Rogers ('54, '55), Georgie Auld ('54, '55), Pete Rugulo ('56, '57), Buddy Bregman ('56), Benny Goodman ('58, 59) and Ella Fitzgerald ('59, '83). Previn's first recording as a conductor was in 1962 with the St. Louis Orchestra. He was appointed principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1968. Previn became director of the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra in 1976, then conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1985, the same year he began directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Among Previn's classical compositions are a strong number of pieces for chamber, orchestra, piano and song. Previn is yet active giving concerts as of this writing.
André Previn 1945
André Previn 1950
Love Is Just Around The Corner
André Previn 1953
Original composition: Fats Waller
Original composition: Fats Waller
Original composition: Fats Waller
André Previn 1959
André Previn 1961
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
Original composition: Duke Ellington
André Previn 1962
With Doris Day
With Doris Day
Original composition: Harold Arlen
Film theme
André Previn 1963
André Previn 1964
There Will Never Be Another You
André Previn 1985
Original composition: George Gershwin
André Previn
Source: 1001 in 1000 Days
Sun Ra
Source: Transparent Radiation
Source: Transparent Radiation
Herman Poole Blount in 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama, pianist
Sun Ra
first recorded in 1946 with Wynonie Harris:
'Dig This Boogie'/'Lightning Struck the Poorhouse' and 'My Baby's
Barrelhouse'/'Drinking By
Myself'. Among the more colorful figures in jazz, Sun Ra was a child prodigy composing and sight reading music before
he was a teenager. He first played professionally in 1934 when his high
school biology teacher, Ethel Harper, formed a band and went on tour. Harper
left the tour midway, bequeathing leadership of the band to Ra, who renamed
it the Sonny Blount Orchestra. In 1936 he won a music scholarship, but
dropped out after his first year in college. In 1942 he was arrested for not
complying with the draft, but won deferment in 1943 for a hernia. His
recordings in 1946 won him a place in
Fletcher Henderson's band the same year. In 1948 he formed a trio with
Coleman Hawkins and Stuff Smith.
He is thought to have made his first recording with Smith at his own
apartment in Chicago sometime between November '48 and mid '49: 'Deep
Purple'. He then formed the
Space Trio the year he changed his name from Blount to Sun Ra, considering
Blount a slave name. The Space Trio recorded 'Treasure Hunt', unissued,
circa 1951. A while later he began calling his orchestra the Arkestra. He
recorded as the Nu Sounds in '54 or '55: 'A Foggy Day', thought to have been
issued at the time by Saturn. He then directed the vocal group, the Cosmic
Rays, in '55, for Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie', also thought issued by
Saturn. Another recording at his own apartment was held that year with Wilbur Ware
at bass: 'Can This Be Love?, that not released until much later per
'Standards' on CD. Jump ahead a good number of sessions with various duties
and formations, such as his Arkestra, to 'Angels and Demons at Play' in
February of '56, not released, however, until 1965. On July 12, 1956, he
strung the tracks to his debut album, 'Jazz by Sun Ra'. Ra's Arkestra would
tour the West Coast in 1968, Europe in 1970 and
Egypt in 1971. Ra was mayhaps most admired for his work with electric
keyboards, and perhaps best known for his exotic concerts blending Egyptian
and space age themes. His final albums were recorded in Europe in March of
'92 bearing 'Live In Ulm 1992' and 'Destination Unknown'. This brief
reflection can lend but minimal account of his prolific 321 sessions, 303 of
those his own. Lord's disco lists his last certain recording date per
September 1992 with violinist, Billy Band, for the latter's 'Tribute to
Stuff Smith'. Ra played another rendition of his first recording, 'Deep
Purple', on that. Joining them were John Ore (bass) and Andrew Cyrille
(drums). Ra died of pneumonia in Birmingham on May 30, 1993, but later
versions of the Arkestra yet make highly popular concert tours.
Sun Ra 1946
With Wynonie Harris
With Wynonie Harris
Lightning Struck the Poorhouse
With Wynonie Harris
Sun Ra 1956
Sun Ra 1959
Sun Ra 1961
Sun Ra 1976
Sun Ra 1987
Sun Ra 1988
Aurex Jazz Festival
The Arkestra 2009
Without Sun Ra Concert
The Arkestra 2014
Live at the Jazzhouse in Copenhagen
Without Sun Ra Concert
Without Sun Ra Live
John Lewis
Source: Bio
Born in 1920 in La Grange, Illinois, John Lewis met drummer Kenny Clarke while serving in the Army, having joined in 1942 per World War II. Upon release from military service they met up again in New York City. in 1945, whence Lewis began, and Clarke continued, his professional career with composer/trumpeter, Dizzy Gillespie. Lewis may have first appeared on disc due a session in June of '46 to support Sarah Vaughan with the Eddie Davis Quartet on 'Don't Blame Me' issued by Hi-Fly. Lord's disco qualifies that it may be Thelonious Monk rather than Lewis at piano. Relatively speaking, neither Davis nor Vaughan had much affect on Lewis' career. He would back Vaughan only once more in 1971. But the other members of that quartet, Clarke and bassist, Ray Brown, would partner numerously in years to come. Both were present at Lewis' next session with the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra on July 9 of 1946 to put down such as 'One Bass Hit' and 'He Beeped When He Shoulda Bopped'. Brown and Lewis would find themselves contributing to multiple operations in addition to Gillespie's into 1947 and later in '51, '56 and '67, their last occasion in Los Angeles on October 4 and 5 in the John Lewis Trio with Connie Kay at drums for unissued titles like 'Someday My Prince Will Come' and 'Yesterday'. Clarke and Lewis traveled much the same rail into 1953 and would reunite in '56 in Paris for a few titles applied to Lewis' album, 'Afternoon In Paris'. Lewis would back Gillespie into 1948, later in '56, '61, '75 and '78, their last such occasion on June 12 with alto saxophonist, Lee Konitz, in Nice, France, for titles like 'Bernie's Tune' and 'Blue and Boogie'. At 340 sessions during his career, 77 of those his own as a leader, this space is too limited to cover even the major names significant to Lewis' career. One, however, would have to be included in any account of Lewis, that being Milt Jackson, who was a member of Gillespie's orchestra on November 10 of '46 for the title, 'Emanon'. Jackson and Lewis would continue with Gillespie until Lewis joined Jackson's All Stars in April of 1948 in Detroit for 'Bobbin' with Robin', 'Autumn Breeze', et al. Three sessions with Jackson from August 24 of '51 to April of '52 resulted in Jackson's 'The Quartet' released in 1956. Come a session with Jackson's Quintet on April 7 of '52 for Blue Note with titles like 'Lillie' and 'What's New?'. November 1 of '52 saw Jackson's Quartet with Charlie Parker at the Birdland in NYC for 'How High the Moon', 'Embraceable You' (George/Ira Gershwin) and '52nd Street Theme' (Thelonious Monk). Their next session was the debut of the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) with Percy Heath (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums) on December 22 of '52 (though the birth of the MJQ is not uncommonly given per Jackson's Quartet above in August of '51). Those December titles for Prestige would get applied to the 1954 album, 'MJQ'. Jackson and Lewis would run the MJQ for another four decades, its last manifestation not until the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on July 16, 1993, for the recording of 'Darn That Dream'. A couple other prestigious names are apt to mention per Lewis' incipient career in the latter forties, those being Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, both with whom he first recorded on August 24, 1947 with Davis' All Stars consisting of Nelson Boyd (bass) and Max Roach (drums). Those titles were 'Milestones', 'Little Willie Leaps', 'Half Nelson' and 'Sippin' at Bell's'. Lewis contributed piano to numerous sessions with Davis to 1951 (arranging 'Birth of the Cool' in '49), again in '53 and '56. Their last session is thought to have been that year on November 12 for SWF TV in Freiburg, Germany, putting out 'How High the Moon' with Lester Young (tenor sax), Milt Jackson (vibes), Percy Heath (bass) and Connie Kay (drums). Lewis and Parker continued with Davis to 1948. On September 29 of '47 they had joined Gillespie for a recorded performance at Carnegie Hall resulting in such as 'A Night In Tunisia' and 'Groovin' High'. Come Charlie Parker's All Stars with Curly Russell (bass) and Max Roach (drums) for a Savoy session on September 18, 1948, resulting in 'Barbados', 'Ah-Leu-Cha' and 'Constellation'. A couple more sessions were held with Parker that year, followed by multiple from '51 to '54, their last occasion the latter year at Carnegie Hall on September 25 for 'The Song Is You', 'My Funny Valentine' and 'Cool Blues'. Before leaving the forties another horn player is apt mention in JJ Johnson. After a session with Illinois Jacquet on April 6 of '49 Lewis joined a Miles Davis nonet on the 22nd that included Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan and Johnson, recording such as 'Rouge' (arranged by Lewis) and 'Boplicity'. Lewis joined Johnson's Boppers the next month for a couple sessions. Their paths would interweave on multiple occasions to as late as 1956. One such was a Blue Note session on April 26, 1953 in Johnson's Sextet with trumpeter, Clifford Brown, recording such as 'Isle of Capri', 'Turnpike' and 'Get Happy'. Lewis would later join Brown's sextet on August 28 for 'Clifford Brown Memorial Album'. Johnson and Lewis' last sessions were per the Brass Ensemble of the Jazz and Classical Music Society in 1956, a project in which Miles Davis was also involved. Highlighting the early fifties was Lester Young whose Quartet Lewis joined about June of 1950 with Joe Shulman (bass) and Bill Clark (drums) to record such as 'Count Every Star' and 'Neenah'. In January of '51 he joined Young's Quartet with Gene Ramey (bass) and Papa Jo Jones (drums) for a couple broadcasts from the Birdland in NYC coming to such as 'Up 'n' Adam' and ''Indiana'. A session for Blue Star the same month on the 16th saw 'Thou Swell' and 'Undercover Girl Blues'. Other Birdland broadcasts and studio sessions ensued that year, further titles following in '52, '53 and, finally, their last, on September 25 of '54 at Carnegie Hall, as commented above, with Kenny Clarke and Percy Heath. Lewis' first sessions as a leader were on February 10, 1956, issued the next year on 'Grand Encounter: 2 Degrees East / 3 Degrees West'. Lewis' composition, 'Two Bass Hit', was recorded by pianist, Red Garland, in latter 1957. Other of Lewis' numerous compositions were 'Django' ('53) and 'Na Dubrovacki Način' ('76). Highlighting the early sixties was Lewis' direction of Orchestra U.S.A. for which he also composed and performed piano. Its initial session on January 12 of '63 wrought 'Three Feelings' which would go toward the U.S.A.'s debut album aptly titled, 'Debut'. 'Jazz Journey' followed in '64, 'Sonorities' in '65. Lewis gave his first concert in Japan in 1966 with the MJQ, titles recorded on March 14 in Tokyo that year finding their way onto 'Concert In Japan '66' issued ten years later in '76. Lewis would tour to Japan on several more occasions apart from the MJQ, his first such session there on January 25 to result in 'Statements and Sketches for Development' that year. 'Live in Tokyo', a string of piano solos, was recorded two days later on the 27th, released in 1978 with piano solos by Hank Jones on back. Lewis' last of several visits to Japan was for a gathering of eleven statured pianists, such as Hank Jones, delivering piano solos when not accompanied by drummer, Alan Dawson. Though more like 110 fingers, that concert was issued as '100 Gold Fingers: Piano Playhouse '93' in 2003. Lewis laid out 'Evolution I' at Tarrytown Music Hall in NY in January 1999. His final three sessions were in 2000 at Masonic Hall in NYC and Tarrytown Music Hall toward the 2001 release of 'Evolution II'. Lewis passed away of prostate cancer on March 29, 2001.
John Lewis 1946
Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie
Film with Dizzy Gillespie
John Lewis 1947
Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie
John Lewis 1956
Guitar: Sacha Distel
John Lewis 1957
Guitar: Jim Hall
John Lewis 1959
John Lewis 2001
Album: 'Evolution II'
Album: 'Evolution II'
Lennie Tristano
Source: BrOtz
Born in 1919 in Chicago, blind pianist Lennie Tristano played his first professional gigs as a clarinetist at a brothel at age eleven. He was working on his master's degree in music in Chicago before traveling to New York City in '45 or '46. During his early career he also played saxophone. His first recordings are thought to have been in 1945 in Chicago with the Emmett Carls Sextet. Those wouldn't see issue until 1962 as 'The Lost Session: Earl Swope Sextet Featuring Lennie Tristano'. (Swope had been on trombone.) 'My Ideal' with Chubby Jackson in NYC in 1946 went unissued, as well as a suite of piano solos to be included on 'The Lost Session'. It was with his Trio of Billy Bauer (guitar) and Clyde Lombardi (bass) on October 8 of '46 that he first recorded to issue, such as 'Out On a Limb' and 'I Can't Get Started'. Tristano and Bauer had been with bassist, Chubby Jackson's, Trio above for 'My Ideal'. The guitarist would remain an important element in Tristano's career throughout the forties, recording numerously to January 10, 1950, with the Metronome All Stars to put out 'Double Date' and 'No Figs', the latter arranged by Tristano. Among the more highly regarded of Tristano's early musical associates were trumpeter, Dizzy Gillespie, and saxman, Charlie Parker, both with whom he first recorded on September 20, 1947, for a 'Back to Bonds' radio broadcast in NYC, those later finding issue on the album, 'Lullaby In Rhythm Featuring Charlie Parker' in 1972. Tristano would join Gillespie again in '49 and '50 with the Metronome All Stars. He saw Parker again in '49 with the Metronome All Stars, once more in August of 1951 at Tristano's apartment in NYC with Kenny Clarke drumming a phone book. Those titles eventually released on CD were 'All of Me' and 'I Can't Believe That You Love Me'. Tristano had begun teaching improvisation in the early forties. His students would number above 1000 during his career. Among the more significant were sax players Lee Konitz (alto) and Warne Marsh (tenor) he to first record with both of them in 1949. Konitz first hired on with Tristano per the latter's quintet on January 11 for such as 'Progression' and 'Tautology'. Those included Billy Bauer (guitar), Arnold Fishkin (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums). Konitz would support Tristano to 1952, later in '55 and, finally, in 1964 on June 6 for the telecast, 'Look Up and Live', from the Half Note in NYC to perform 'Subconscious-Lee' and '317 East 37th Street'. Marsh first joined Tristano per the latter's Sextet on March 4 of '49 with Konitz on alto for 'Wow!' and 'Cross Current'. Marsh supported Tristano on several occasions to 1952, later in '58 and, finally, 1964 per 'Look Up and Live' above with Konitz. Tristano toured to Europe in 1965 for 'Piano Summit' at the Berlin Philharmonic on October 30, he joining a few of the more spectacular names in piano on that: Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, John Lewis, Bill Evans and Jaki Byard. Tristano held several sessions at various European venues before returning to the States to record 'Con Con' and 'Stretch' in 1966. Tristano would tire of traveling and performing concerts, delivering his last in the United States in 1968, thereafter privately teaching. Tristano had had the more musical explorer and teacher in him than businessman anyway, having attended only one festival (Newport in 1954) because he didn't like their marketing. His last recording is thought to have been with vocalist, Betty Scott, in January of '74: 'Like Someone In Love', that to be found on 'Betty Scott Sings with Lennie Tristano' in 2002, a collection of titles they recorded beginning in 1965. Tristano died of heart attack on November 18, 1978, at his home in Jamaica, New York.
Lennie Tristano 1946
Lennie Tristano 1949
Saxophone: Wayne Marsh
Bass: Arnold Fishkin Drums: Shelly Manne
Guitar: Billy Bauer Alto Sax: Lee Konitz
Lennie Tristano 1955
With Lee Konitz & Warne Marsh
Warne Marsh 1958
Film With Lee Konitz & Warne Marsh
Lennie Tristano 1965
Red Garland
Source: Belle Epoque
Born in 1923 in Dallas, Red Garland had studied piano five years before his first big job in 1945 with Hot Lips Page. His earliest determinable recording session was with Eddie Lockjaw Davis in 1947: 'Ravin' at the Haven'. On March 10, 1953, Garland supported Charlie Parker on titles that would much later be included on 'At Storyville' in 1985. It was upon joining the Miles Davis Quintet in 1955 that Garland began making a name for himself. His first titles with Davis were on June 7 toward 'The Musings of Miles'. Garland hung with Davis for another four years, last backing him on January 3, 1959, for a radio broadcast from the Birdland in NYC resulting in 'Bag's Groove and 'All of You'. Cannonball Adderley (alto sax) John Coltrane (tenor sax), Paul Chambers (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums). Coltrane and Garland would partner numerously, backing Davis, other operations and each other. their initial recordings together had been with the Miles Davis Quintet on October 7, 1955, with Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums), recording multiple takes of such as 'Two Bass Hit' and 'Ah-Leu-Cha'. Among Coltrane projects that Garland supported were 'John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio' in '57 and several in 1958 toward: 'Soultrane', 'Settin' the Pace', 'Black Pearls', 'Standard Coltrane' and 'The Believer'. Their last recordings together are thought to have been with Davis per above at the Birdland in '59. While Garland was with Davis and Coltrane he issued his first album as a group leader in 1956, 'A Garland of Red'. Others who borrowed Garland's talents were JJ Johnson, Kai Winding and Zoot Sims during a tour to Europe in 1958. Garland died of heart attack on April 23, 1984. His final recordings were live at Keystone Korner in San Francisco in February of 1983: 'The Last Recording I: My Funny Valentine' and 'The Last Recording II: Autumn Leaves'. Per 1955 below, all tracks were recorded in 1955 with Miles Davis.
Red Garland 1947
With Eddie Lockjaw Davis
Red Garland 1956
Red Garland 1957
Red Garland Trio Album
Red Garland 1958
With John Coltrane
Hampton Hawes
Source: Discogs
Hampton Hawes was born in Los Angeles in 1928. He found himself playing jazz with Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray, to name a couple, while yet a teenager. Largely associated with bebop and West Coast jazz, Hawes was also yet a teenager when he first recorded with the Howard McGhee Quintet on March 1, 1947, at the Hi-De-Ho Club in Los Angeles, CA, titles like 'September In the Rain' and 'Rose Room'. Hawes and McGhee tread the same turf in various capacities to July 6 when they recorded 'Bop After Hours Parts 1-7' at the Elk's Auditorium in Los Angeles. Hawes' second session was the day after his first at the same club, now for Charlie Parker who had had a spot in McGhee's Quintet the day before. It would appear by Lord's discography that Parker took over the house ensemble at the the Hi-De-Ho Club, McGhee now supporting. Parker's first session as leader at the the Hi-De-Ho yielded a long stream of titles commencing with 'Blues In F' and 'The Man I Love'. Hawes continued with McGhee and Parker at the Hi-De-Ho, recording numerously, to March 13 (still '47), which last session wrought a string of titles beginning with 'Groovin' High' and 'September In the Rain'. Titles like 'Dee Dee's Dance I' and 'Dee Dee's Dance II' had gone down the week before on March 7. Hawes contributed a few tracks to McGhee's 'California 'Boppin'' at McCormick General Hospital in Pasadena in June before the first of four sessions at the Elk's Auditorium in Los Angeles on July 6 for 'The Hunt Parts 1-8'. Sessions following wrought 'Bopera Parts 1-7' and 'Bopland 1-6' with 'Jeronimo 1-8'. The last session that day saw 'Bop After Hours Parts 1-7' mentioned above. Those taking part in one or more of those sessions at the Elk's with whom Hawes would have at least one more occasion to record in the future were Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, Wardell Gray, Barney Kessel, Roy Porter and Teddy Edwards. Highlighting the early fifties was Hawes' first session as a leader at the Haig Club in Los Angeles on September 22, 1951, with a trio consisting of Harper Crosby (bass) and Larance Marable (drums). Those titles would see issue in 1975 on side A of 'The East/West Controversy', the second side featuring Paul Chambers. In December of '52 he recorded titles that would be found on Side B of 'Piano: East/West' in '56, the first side featuring pianist, Freddie Redd (thought to be Redd's first issue). Also of note in the early fifties were performances recorded at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach, CA, with Howard Rumsey. His first such occasion was on August 31, 1952, with Shorty Rogers (trumpet), Milt Bernhart (trombone), Shelly Manne (drums) and Bob Cooper with Jimmy Giuffre on tenor sax to record such as 'Cherokee' and 'Dickie's Dream'. Hawes attended numerous sessions to June 21 of '53, that with with Maynard Ferguson on trumpet for 'What's New'. Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars would play the same date (June 20 1955) at the Irvine Bowl in Laguna Beach, CA, as the Hampton Hawes Trio consisting of Red Mitchell (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums). Performances by both would see issue in 1956 on 'Lighthouse at Laguna'. Hawes' recording career of thirty years would come to above 130 sessions, more than fifty of those in a leading capacity. He published his autobiography, 'Raise Up Off Me', in 1974. Lord's disco shows last titles in Hollywood circa January of 1977 with John Heard (bass) and Earl Palmer (drums) for 'Love Is Here'. The prior track was the same title with vocalists, Noreen Jackson and Julie Osborne. Hawes died on May 22, 1977.
Hampton Hawes 1947
Bopera (Disorder at the Border)
Tenor sax: Dexter Gordon
Trumpet: Howard McGhee
Trumpet: Howard McGhee
Trumpet: Howard McGhee
Hampton Hawes 1952
Alto sax: Art Pepper
Don't Get Around Much Any More
Bass: Joe Mondragon
Drums: Shelly Manne
Bass: Joe Mondragon
Drums: Shelly Manne
Hampton Hawes 1955
Hampton Hawes 1956
Hampton Hawes 1958
Hampton Hawes 1964
Hampton Hawes 1967
Hampton Hawes 1970
Hampton Hawes 1972
Drums for Peace/Love Is Better
Hampton Hawes 1974
Concert film
Hampton Hawes 1976
Junior Mance
Born in 1928 in Evanston, Illinois, it was 1947 when Junior Mance Mance played professionally as a teenager. He was a music major in college until the opportunity arrived to perform with Gene Ammons. Mance first recorded in Chicago with the Gene Ammons Quintet on September 23, 1947: 'Concentration', 'Jack's Town', 'Blowing Red's Top' and 'Bartee Meets Gene', the last unissued. Several sessions with Ammons soon followed that year, after which Mance would spend time in Ammons's ensembles in 1949-51, to reunite more than twenty years later in 1973 for 'Together Again for the Last Time'. Saxophonist, Leo Parker, was in on Mance's first session, that leading to Mance's next with Parker's All Stars in Detroit on October 4 that year. With Mance attending about 230 sessions during his career, we need fast forward a touch to tenor saxophonist, Lester Young, before leaving the forties. Mance joined Young's band in time for a session on March 19, 1949, that for a broadcast by WMGM Radio from the Royal Roost in NYC, recording such as 'Bebop Boogie' and 'These Foolish Things'. Three more sessions ensued in '49, followed nine years later with another Young Quintet for an unissued radio broadcast in June of '58 bearing such as 'Three Little Words' and 'I Can't Get Started'. In March of '54 Mance recorded his first titles as a leader in NYC. Issues are undetermined but for 'Hot Springs' and '111 East Ontario' included on a compilation of various in 1984 as 'Mercury 40th Anniversary V.S.O.P.'. Yet another important saxophonist entered Mance's space on April 4, 1956, that Cannonball Adderley in the Hal Mooney Orchestra to back Dinah Washington for 'In the Land of Hi-Fi'. He then joined the Julian (Cannonball) Adderley Orchestra on June 8 for 'Cannonball Adderley in the Land of Hi-Fi'. Mance kept with Adderley for a couple years, their last sessions together in March of '58 for Adderley's 'Cannonball's Sharpshooters'. Working with Cannonball meant performing with Nat Adderley during those years as well. In 1963 Mance would contribute to Nat's 'Little Big Horn'. In 1965 he, Nat and trombonist, Kai Winding, supported Benny Carter on the soundtrack to 'A Man Called Adam'. With all the sax passing before it was time to get down to trumpet with Dizzy Gillespie for an NBC telecast of the 'Timex All Star Jazz Show' on January 7 of 1959, to perform 'St. Louis Blues'. Trumpeter, Louis Armstrong, also showed up for 'Umbrella Man'. Mance continued with Gillespie until the Newport Jazz Festival on July 1 of 1960, recording such as 'Norm's Norm' and 'Lorraine'. They would reunite in 1992 at the Birdland in NYC for live tracks toward 'To Diz With Love'. April 9 of 1959 saw Mance recording his debut album, Junior'. Other than Dinah Washington in '54 and '56, among other vocalists with whom Mance worked were Joe Williams (1962-64, '96), Little Jimmy Scott ('69, '94) and Marion Williams ('69). From 1990 to 2009 Mance toured to Japan every other year for the annual 100 Gold Fingers concert generally featuring ten statured pianists performing solos. Mance played 'Blue Monk' and 'I Got It Bad' in Tokyo on May 20, 1990, on his first such tour. Mance and his wife, Gloria, founded the JunGlo record label in 2007, 'Live At Café Loup' its first release. As of this writing Mance is yet active. His latest album was 'For My Fans, It's All About You' in 2015. Many of the tracks below are live performances.
Junior Mance 1947
Sax: Gene Ammons
Sax: Gene Ammons
Junior Mance 1949
With Lester Young
With Lester Young
Junior Mance 1950
Sax: Gene Ammons
Junior Mance 1957
Junior Mance 1961
Trumpet: Clark Terry
Tenor sax: Sonny Stitt
Junior Mance 1964
Junior Mance 1966
Junior Mance 1968
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
Junior Mance 1970
With Dexter Gordon
Album 'With a Little Help From My Friends'
Album 'With a Little Help From My Friends'
Junior Mance 1973
Junior Mance 2011
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
Bass: Hide Tanaka Drums: Kim Garey
Junior Mance 2015
Album: 'For My Fans'
Album: 'For My Fans'
|Born in South Bronx in 1927, salsa
musician Charlie Palmieri
was the younger brother of Eddie Palmieri, also a talented pianist (leader
of the Conjunto La Perfecta and NEA Jazz Master), by five years. Palmieri's
parents had arrived to New York City from Puerto Rico in 1926. His father enrolled
him in Julliard when he was seven. His first professional job was at age 16
with Osario Selasie at the Park Palace Ballroom where he kept seven months.
While yet in high school he played with the Orquestra Ritmo Tropical. Upon graduating
from high school Palmieri freelanced with various bands, including La Playa
Sextet. He is generally agreed to have made his first recording with Rafael
Muñoz, 'Se Va La Rumba'. That recording is thought to have occurred
before he replaced Joe Loco in the band of Fernando Alvarez at the Copacabana
nightclub in October 1947. With no documentation of such found, it is only
assumed that was issued in 1947. (For what little discussion of the matter exists
see Herencia Latina and 'Mambo King' by Max Salazar.) Palmieri formed his first band, Conjunto Pin Pin,
in 1948, his first recordings with that outfit the same year, eight tracks of
which can be found on the album, 'El Fantastico Charlie Palmieri', released
by Tropical Records in 1962. During the fifties Palmieri freelanced with various bands,
was a member of the house band for one of Jack Paar's daytime variety television
programs, and performed at the Palladium Ballroom as a bandleader. He split
to Chicago for several years, returning to NYC to form Charanga La Duboney.
It was with Palmieri that bandleader, Johnny Pacheco, came to fore,
performing flute on the Peanut Vendores' 'Swinging Latin Nights' in 1958, a
brief operation including
Eddie Costa on vibes and organ. During the seventies Palmieri was
musical director for Tito Puente's
'El Mundo de Tito Puente' television program, began teaching Latin culture and
music at various educational institutions, and began adding organ to his repertoire. Palmieri moved to Puerto Rico in 1980, commuting between there and New York.
What is thought to be his last of about twenty LPs was released in 1984: 'A
Giant Step'. His first appearance in the United Kingdom was in June of 1988. Palmieri gave
his last performance that year at La Fortaleza in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for
Governor Rafael Hernández Colón. He died four days later of heart attack on
September 12 in Bronx. He had contributed to
Mongo Santamaria's 'Soy Yo'
in April of 1987. Others with whom Palmieri had recorded were
Herbie Mann, Bill Potts,
Cal Tjader,
Tito Puente, Machito
and Mac Gollehon.
Charlie Palmieri 1948
Conjunto Pin Pin
Conjunto Pin Pin
Softly As In the Morning Sunshine
Conjunto Pin Pin
Conjunto Pin Pin
Charlie Palmieri 1966
With his Duboney Orchestra
Charlie Palmieri 1967
Either You Have It Or You Don't
Charlie Palmieri 1968
Album: 'Latin Bugulu'
Album: 'Latin Bugulu'
Charlie Palmieri 1972
Charlie Palmieri 1973
Filmed live
Charlie Palmieri 1978
Charlie Palmieri 1981
Filmed live
Charlie Palmieri 1986
Filmed live
Charlie Palmieri
Source: America Pink
Born in 1923 in Cincinnati, arranger, composer and pianist George Russell got his first taste of big-time jazz at age seven, singing for Fats Waller. He began his professional career as a drummer for Benny Carter before switching to piano, after which he wrote his first composition for Dizzy Gillespie in 1947 ('Cubano Be, Cubano Bop'). That was included on his first recordings with Gillespie on September 29, 1947, he also arranging 'Relaxin' at Camarillo' with John Lewis at piano. Russell arranged titles for a couple more Gillespie sessions to the end of the year. To go by Lord's disco, Russell worked as an arranger for more than a decade until his first contributions at piano. His first session as a leader on March 31, 1956, toward 'The Jazz Workshop' ('57) put Bill Evans at piano. Not until September 1, 1960, did Russell record piano, those titles to be included on 'Things New: Unissued Concerts 1960 & 1964' in 2007. Despite being plagued with health problems (tuberculosis) which intermittently interfered with his career, Russell had published a book concerning music theory in 1953, 'Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization'. Russell's first tour to Europe in 1964 resulted in him living in Scandinavia for five years. From 1966 to 1971 his work would be in Norway and Sweden. Russell passed away on July 27, 2009. Lord's disco has his final recordings several years earlier in June of 2003 per 'The 80Th Birthday Concert'.
George Russell 1947
With Dizzy Gillespie
Arrangement: George Russell
Piano: John Lewis
George Russell 1956
Livingstone I PresumeYe Hypocrite, Ye Beelzebub
George Russell 1958
George Russell 1959
George Russell 1960
George Russell 1961
George Russell 1962
George Russell 1967
George Russell 1970
George Russell 1971
George Russell 1978
George Russell
Source: George Russell
Ralph Sutton began his professional career in 1941 with tombonist, Jack Teagarden, before joining the Army, after which he played local venues in Missourri. He would become largely known for maintaining traditional jazz into the modern era. Born in Hamburg, Missouri, in 1922, Sutton is thought to have made his first recordings in June of 1947 for a WOR Studios 'This Is Jazz' radio broadcast. Those were with cornetist, Wild Bill Davison's, All Star Stompers in NYC for such as 'Shine' and 'I Found a New Baby'. Davison would be highly significant to Sutton's career for the next five years, first for 'This Is Jazz' radio broadcasts, then with Eddie Condon. His last session with Davison for 'This Is Jazz' was October 4, 1947, for such as 'Sensation Rag' and 'Ja-Da'. Davison's 'Showcase' with His Six followed on December 27, 1947, with such as 'Just a Gigolo' and 'She's Funny That Way'. Their first session together with Condon was for television in NYC on March 12, 1949, performing such as 'Just One of Those Things' and 'Dardanella', et al. Sutton's last session of his first period with Davison was also with Condon on April 7, 1952, at Condon's jazz club in NYC, broadcasting such as 'At the Jazz Band Ball' with Sutton delivering a solo of 'Jitterbug Waltz'. Davison and Sutton would reunite in July of 1974 for a tribute to Condon and Ben Webster at Carnegie Hall, though Davison doesn't seem to appear on the tunes featuring Sutton: 'I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues' and 'You're Driving Me Crazy'. Come tours to Europe in '75, '76 and '77, their last date together in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 24 that year, recording such as 'Time After Time' and 'Exactly as You Like' per Storyville. As for Condon, Sutton remained with his operation after Davison's departure to summer of '52, last recording with Condon on June 2 that year, again at Condon's jazz club in NYC broadcasting such as 'My Monday Date' and 'Hindustan'. We need loop back to September of 1947 for some historic titles with veteran trumpeter, Bunk Johnson, and blues guitarist, Leadbelly, which would get issued in 2005 on 'Bunk & Leadbelly at New York Town Hall 1947'. Sutton's first session as a leader was on January 20, 1949, resulting in titles that would get compiled onto 'Piano Solos in the Classic Jazz Tradition' in 1956. Both Teddy Wilson and multi-instrumentalist, Dick Cary, had shared piano during the Condon television performance per above on March 12, 1949. Sutton would see Cary again on a couple occasions with Condon, Cary contributing alto sax, harmonica, and trumpet. He and Sutton would co-lead 'Rendezvous At Sunnie's 1969', recorded that February in Aspen, Colorado. In 1975 they toured to Netherlands (Holland) to record 'The Amazing Dick Cary' in October. Leaving the above abbreviated account of the forties for the fifties, Sutton finally put down tracks with whom he'd begun his career twelve earlier, Jack Teagarden, on March 19, 1953, at the Hangover Club for titles to 'In San Francisco'. Teagarden's younger brother, trumpeter, Charlie Teagarden, was in on that. Another trumpeter of greater significance during his residence at the Hangover Club that year was Lee Collins, they holding several live sessions from August 1 to September 5 which would get issued variously, including 'Lee Collins: Club Hangover Airshots Vol 1 & 2'. Highlighting the latter fifties was trumpeter, Bob Scobey, from the summer of 1956 to February of 1957. During that time Sutton supported Scobey on 'The Great Bob Scobey Volume 1 & 2', 'Beauty & the Beat', 'Swingin' on the Golden Gate' and 'Music from Bourbon Street'. Their final session together on February '57 found them backing Bing Crosby in Los Angeles on such as 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' and 'Some Sunny Day'. Highlighting the early sixties was cornetist, Ruby Braff, appearing at Condon's jazz club with the Ralph Sutton Trio in January of 1961 for what would be found on 'Recovered Treasures' in 2006. Braff and Sutton would reunite at Sunnie's Rendezvous in Aspen, Colorado, in 1968 for 'On Sunnie's Side Of The Street' and three volumes of 'Ralph Sutton Quartet with Ruby Braff' (Sutton's trio with Braff). They would reunite in October of 1979 for duets and another quartet. In February of 1981 they performed live titles at the Lafayette Club in Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, coming to such as 'Struttin' with Some Barbecue' and 'Keepin' Out of Mischief Now'. Braff and Sutton held their final session together at the Wee Burn Country Club in Darien, Connecticut, on July 8, 1981, with Braff's Changing Times All Stars to record such as 'When You're Smiling' and 'Mean to Me'. Highlighting the latter sixties were Sutton's initial sessions with the World's Greatest Jazz Band in December of 1968, run by trumpeter, Yank Lawson and bassist, Bob Haggart. Those resulted in 'The World's Greatest Jazz Band' and 'Extra!'. Sessions in April and December of 1970 bore 'Live at Roosevelt Grill' and 'What's New?'. A session in England in December of 1971 would come to 'At Manchester's Free Trade Hall 1971' in 2006. Sessions in January, September and December of 1972 would see 'Century Plaza', 'Hark the Herald Angels Swing' and 'At Massey Hall Vol 1'. A concert in NYC on January 17, 1973, would come to 'At Carnegie Hall Vol 2'. Sessions in February and March came to 'Banu Gibson Meets The World's Greatest Jazz Band' and 'Good News'. Again touring, recordings were made in 1975 resulting in several albums, their last two in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 21 to arrive to 'On Tour Vol 1 & 2'. Highlighting the seventies was a session in NYC in 1972 with pianists, Dick Hyman, Stan Freeman and Lee Evans for 'Grand Slam'. Pianist, Derek Smith would join Hyman and Sutton for 'Nagasaki' on July 20, 1988. Multiple keyboards would again come into play on 'Stride Piano Summit' on June 15, 1990, in San Francisco with Hyman and pianists, Mike Lipskin and Jay McShann. Duets with Hyman followed at the Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkeley, CA, on November 12, 1993, yielding such as 'I Found a New Baby' and 'Always'. They recorded the duet, 'Somebody Stole My Gal', at the Hilton in St. Petersburg, FL, in March of 1994. That was followed on August 9 in London by Sutton's suite of piano solos, 'The Bedroom Sessions'. Hyman and Sutton's final duets were at the Montreal Bistro in Toronto, Ontario, in June of 1996, coming to 'Just You, Just Me'. Highlighting the eighties was cornetist, Bob Bernard, on August 25, 1983, for 'Partners in Crime'. Come drummer, Trevor Richards, in the nineties on April 18, 1995, in Schloss Welkersheim, Germany, for 'The International Trio' with clarinetist, Reimer von Essen. Sutton and Richards would record again in Germany in 1996 before another trio with Essen that would arrive to 'The International Trio & Rene Franc'. Sutton's last sessions with the International Trio were in April of 2001 in Germany. His recordings with that ensemble can also be found on the box set of 3 CDs called 'The International Trio - 25 Years'. Sutton's final recordings were in 2001 as well. June 9, 2001, saw duets with pianist, Peter O'Brien, in Dublin, Ireland. He was in Montreal on December 14 for titles with Susie Arioli on snare: 'Don't Explain' and 'Walter's Flat'. Sutton died two weeks later of stroke in Evergreen, Colorado, on December 30, 2001.
Ralph Sutton 1949
With Henry Red Allen
I Dance At Your Wedding/I Got Rhythm
With Max Kaminsky
Ralph Sutton 1953
Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness If I Do
Ralph Sutton 1960
Ralph Sutton 1963
With Henry Red Allen
Ralph Sutton 1988
With Ruby Braff
Ralph Sutton 1998
Ralph Sutton
Source: Riverwalk Jazz
George Wallington
Source: Sheet Music Direct
George Wallington was born in Sicily in 1924, but was raised in New York City since age one. He gained big momentum right off the bat at age 19 when he began playing bop with Dizzy Gillespie at a nightclub in New York City in 1943. In January of 1944 he contributed to and unissued version of 'A Night n Tunisia' with Gillespie and Oscar Pettiford. His first issued titles would appear to have been with the Serge Chaloff Sextette on March 5 of 1947 for such as 'Pumpernickel' and 'Serge's Urge'. Later that year found him with the Allen Eager Quintet on September 5 for 'Nightmare Allen', 'Church Mouse', et al. He would see Eager again on September 21 of 1951 to support Gerry Mulligan's 'Mulligan Plays Mulligan'. Wallington's first session as a leader was on May 9 of 1949 for two unissued titles in his trio with Curly Russell (bass) and Charlie Perry (drums) ('Racing' and 'Fairyland'), and two issued titles with his octet, 'Knock Out' and 'Igloo', with vocalist, Buddy Stewart, on the former. Wallington packed nearly nearly forty sessions into his brief career of about a decade to come, half of those his own. Yet in 1960 he suddenly quit the field of music, tired of touring, and joined his family's air conditioning business in Florida. Lord's disco shows his last session on August 7, 1958, for clarinetist, Tony Scott, on titles like 'Lover Man' and 'Lester Leaps In'. His final album had been 'Jazz at Hotchkiss' recorded the prior year on November 14. More than thirty years later Wallington got ants in his pants and recorded three sessions worth of piano solos in 1984 and '85 toward 'The Symphony of a Jazz Piano', 'Virtuoso' and 'The Pleasure of a Jazz Inspiration'. He died in Miami on February 15, 1993.
George Wallington 1947
Allen Eager Quintet
George Wallington 1951
Drums: Max Roach
George Wallington 1952
George Wallington 1953
George Wallington 1954
George Wallington 1956
George Wallington 1957
Tenor sax: Bobby Jaspar
George Wallington 1960
|Born in 1922 in Brattleboro,
Vermont, Claude Williamson
graduated from the New England Conservatory
in Boston. His younger brother, was trumpeter, Stu Williamson. In 1947 he
headed for California where he began his professional
career in 1947 playing with
Teddy Edwards, then Red Norvo, in San Francisco.
He would later record numerously with Norvo
in 1955. Williamson first
recorded on September 20, 1947, with saxophonist,
Charlie Barnet, in Hollywood,
titles like 'Blue Lou' and 'My Old Flame', the latter with Bunny Briggs at
vocals. Williamson kept with
Barnet's orchestra into 1949,
they performing at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach that year in
addition to other engagements. The last session of Williamson's run with
Barnet was at the Rendezvous
on July 30, 1949, for the first recording of Manny Albam's composition,
'Claude Reigns', among other titles. Williams filled a spot in
Barnet's orchestra in '51 for
such as 'Cherokee' and 'Skyliner', then joined
Barnet's orchestra, with
Barnet out, in 1958 for
'Tribute to Charlie Barnet'. While with
Barnet on December 5, 1947,
for a soundtrack to the short film, 'Thrills of Music' he recorded with
tenor saxophonist,
Bud Shank, for the first time. The two
would form a friendship that would last professionally to as late as 1958.
They traveled through the same bands together until April 3 of 1954 when
Williamson joined
Shank's band for 'Bud Shank and Three
Trombones'. Williamson's last titles with
Shank were on a tour to South Africa in
1958, recording 'Bud Shank In Africa' on April 23. They traveled through
Pete Rugulo's operation together into the latter part of the year, to
reunite in the Hollywood in September of 1965 for
Stan Kenton's 'Conducts the Los Angeles
Neophonic Orchestra'. Nigh a quarter century later they would join bassist,
Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars
once again on February 12, 1989 at the Hermosa
Beach Civic Auditorium for 'Jazz Invention'. Yet with
Barnet on March 16, 1949, he
first found himself with Pete Rugulo, the latter arranging 'Overtime'.
Rugolo swung with Barnet into latter '49, they to reunite on March 18, 1950
for vocalist, Robert Clay: 'Louise', 'Pigalle', et al. Williamson then
joined Rugolo's orchestra on February 8, 1954, for 'Introducing Pete Rugolo
and His Orchestra'. That, per above, would include
Bud Shank. Williamson remained with
Rugolo to 1946, joined him again in '58 and, finally, June 12 of 1960 for
titles like 'Love Is Here to Stay' and 'Marie'. Lucky Williamson when on
September 11, 1950, he was with
Shorty Rogers and His Giants to
record titles with vocalist,
June Christy: 'A Mile Down the
Highway', 'Do It Again' and 'He Can Come Back Anytime'. Again per above,
that would include
Bud Shank. Also in 1950 Williamson backed
Christy with the Ernie Felice Quartet
for titles that get released in 1963 on side B of 'The Swinging Chicks' with
Fran Warren on side A. Working together
well, Williamson would support her again in 1954-56 and, finally, 1962, on
'The Stan Kenton Show' for a telecast of 'Meet the Bandleaders', eventually
issued by the same title per Swingtime Video in 1985 (Library of Congress).
Howard Rumsey, is requisite to
mention per Williamson's early career. Williamson's first recorded date at
the famous Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach, CA, was on September 13, 1953,
Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars to
support Chet Baker toward 'Witch
Doctor'. Again per above
Bud Shank would be in on that. Williamson
would join
Rumsey on multiple occasions both at
the Lighthouse and in Los Angeles to August 2 of '55 for 'Mexican Passport',
'The Song Is for You' and 'Snap the Whip'. A reunion per above was held in
'89 for 'Jazz Invention'. After his last performance with
Rumsey in '55 Williamson backed the
Four Freshmen on multiple sessions,
their first on August 17 to yield 'Love Is Just Around the Corner' and 'I
Remember You' (that unissued) with Rugolo arranging and conducting. We need
back up, however, to March 9 and 10, 1954, at the Lighthouse for sessions
Zoot Sims to include trombonist,
Frank Rosolino, for such as
'Lighthouse Days' and 'Goofy Eyes'. Two days later Williamson would back
Rosolino for titles toward
'Kenton Presents Jazz: Frank Rosolino'.
Rosolino and Williamson
traveled much the same path from band to band for the next four years, their
last sessions together in October of '58 for 'Pete Rugolo Plays Kenton'. We
back up once again to June 26, 1954, for Williamson's first titles as a
leader with his trio of
Curtis Counce (bass) and
Stan Levey (drums), 'Obsession'
to get issued on 'Kenton Jazz Presents Claude Williamson' with titles from a
second session on the 29th. Another highlight in the fifties was Jack
Millman's 'Jazz Studio 4' recorded June 1, 1955. Others with whom Williamson
shared sessions in the fifties were Charlie Mariano
('54, '55, '56) and
Oscar Pettiford ('56). In 1968
Williamson became pianist for the 'Andy Williams Show', followed by the 'Sonny and Cher'
television series. In the latter seventies and eighties Williamson toured
and recorded in Japan on Japanese labels. Williamson died July 16, 2016.
Claude Williamson 1949
Claude Williamson 1950
Vocal: June Christy
Claude Williamson 1953
Claude Williamson 1954
With the Lighthouse All-Stars
Claude Williamson 1955
Claude Williamson 1977
Claude Williamson 1992
Claude Williamson 1993
There Will Never Be Another You
Claude Williamson 1995
Claude Williamson
Source: Jazz Wax
Walter Bishop Jr
was a bop pianist born in New York City in 1927 to Jamaican composer, Walter
Bishop Sr. Raised in Harlem, he was in the US Army from '45 to '47,
stationed near St. Louis where he involved himself in its jazz scene. He
returned to NYC upon the end of his military tour and hooked up
with drummer,
Art Blakey, first recording with
Blakey to back Ida James
with the John Hunt Orchestra on an unknown date in 1947. A release date,
however, of January 3, 1948, is known for
'Try a Little Tenderness'/'Yesterdays' (Manor 1107). One assumes 'You're a Fool If You
Don't'/'Let's Do It' (Manor 1108), per the same session, was issued the same
year. Bishop's second session was with Blakey's
Messengers for Blue Note on December 22, 1947, recording 'The Thin
Man'/'Musa's Vision' and 'Groove Street'/'The Bop Alley'. Bishop recorded
with Blakey on several more occasions, a couple with Miles
Davis, in '50,
'51, '54 and '57, that last occasion in NYC in December for multiple takes
of such as 'Ain't Life Grand?' and ''El Toro Valiente'. Present in that session with Blakey in December of '47 was
Kenny Dorham on trumpet. Bishop would lay tracks with
Dorham on December 15, 1953 for the album, 'Kenny Dorham Quintet'.
Several sessions would follow in '56, '61 (: 'Inta Somethin'') and '62 ('K.D.
Is Here'). After a couple sessions with Blakey, Bishop
held his third with vibraphonist, Milt Jackson,
on February 23, 1949, putting down 'Hearing Bells', 'Junior', 'Bluesology'
and 'Babu'. His fourth session on April 8 was with the
Stan Getz Bop Tenor Sax Stars:
'Battleground', 'Four and One Moore', 'Five Brothers' and 'Battle of the
Saxes'. Joining
Getz on tenor sax in that session were
Zoot Sims,
Al Cohn,
Allen Eager and Brew Moore with Gene
Ramey on bass and Charlie Perry on drums. Bishop would join
Cohn in
Blakey's band eight years later in December of '57 for tracks to 'Art
Blakey Big Band' issued in January of '59. He joined Moore again the next
year as one of Miles
Davis' Birdland All Stars on June 30, 1950, for titles like 'Max Is
Making Wax' and 'Wee'. Bishop wouldn't session with
Sims again until February 13, 1965,
backing saxophonist,
Sonny Stitt, on 'Broadway Soul'. Bishop
had opportunity to record with Miles
Davis on several occasions, his first with saxophonist,
Charlie Parker, and trumpeter,
Fats Navarro, on June 30, 1950,
per Davis' Birdland All Stars
above. 1951 saw a couple sessions with
Davis to back
Parker, twice more in '51 and '53 as
one of Davis' sextet. Bishop's
first occasion to support
Parker was on January 17, 1951, with
Davis, setting down such as 'Au Privave' and 'She Rote'. Dizzy
Gillespie would join
Parker's outfit on November 15,
1952, for a radio broadcast from Carnegie Hall yielding 'Night In Tunisia'
and '52nd Street Theme'. Bishop's last session with
Parker was with the latter's quintet
on December 10, 1954, for 'Love For Sale' and 'I Love Paris'. Bishop
wouldn't record again until June 6, 1956, with
Hank Mobley, due to a drug
conviction resulting in the loss of his cabaret card (requisite since
Prohibition in the twenties to play clubs in NYC) and jail time.
Jackie McLean and
Sonny Rollins, were members of
Davis' sextet on October 5, 1951, to record 'Conception', 'Out of the
Blue', et al. They were also members of
Davis' sextet on January 30, 1953, to contribute tracks to 'Collector's
Items'. The first that Bishop supported
McLean's band was October 20, 1959,
for 'Swing, Swang, Swingin''. He would also
contribute to
McLean's 'Capuchin Swing' on April
17, 1960. Blue Mitchell
blew trumpet on that, as well as his next session on May 11 for
Charlie Rouse's 'Takin' Care of
Business!'. Bishop would later back Mitchell in March of '71 for the
latter's album, 'Blue Mitchell'. He finished 1960 in December in trombonist,
Curtis Fuller's, band, participating in 'Boss of the Soul-Stream Trombone'. More
titles followed in February the next year, a reunion much later on December
6, 1978, for
Fuller's 'Fire and Filigree'.
Bishop's first tracks as a leader were on March 14, 1961, resulting in the
album, 'Speak Low'. Tracks from that session would also end up on 'Milestones'
in '89. From '64 to '68 Bishop
recorded tracks that would eventually emerge on 'Bish Bash' in 1975. In 1965
he recorded 'The Walter Bishop Jr. Trio/1965', not issued until 1970. 'Coral
Keys' in 1971 was the first of a flood of albums released in the seventies. Having attended Juilliard in the latter sixties, Bishop began teaching music
theory at colleges in Los Angeles in the seventies, also publishing 'A Study
in Fourths', concerning improvisation, in 1976. Bishop instructed at the
University of Hartford in the eighties. He died of heart attack in January
of 1998. He had issued nearly twenty albums as a leader or co-leader, his
last, 'Speak Low Again', put down on June 14, 1993. Per 1948 below, Bishop backs Art Blakey & his Messengers.
Walter Bishop 1948
Walter Bishop 1954
LP: 'Kenny Dorham Quintet'
Walter Bishop 1956
Mies Davis LP: 'Dig'
Mies Davis LP: 'Dig'
Walter Bishop 1960
Dizzy Reece LP: 'Soundin' Off'
Dizzy Reece LP: 'Soundin' Off'
Album by Ken McIntyre
Walter Bishop 1961
Rocky Boyd LP: 'Ease It'
Walter Bishop 1971
LP: 'Coral Keys'
LP: 'Coral Keys'
Walter Bishop 1975
LP: 'Speak Low' Recorded 1961
Walter Bishop 1977
LP: 'Soul Village'
LP: 'Soul Village'
Walter Bishop 1994
LP: What's New'
Walter Bishop 2013
Theo Parrish LP: 'Black Jazz Signature'
Recorded sometime between 1971 & 75
Walter Bishop Jr
Source: Walter Bishop Jr
Ray Bryant
Source: Stomp Off
Ray Bryant was born in Philadelphia in 1931. He started playing piano at age six. He first recorded in 1945 at age 14 with the Jimmy Johnson Big Band (per Jazzdisco) but those unknown titles weren't released. Bryant began touring with guitarist, Tiny Grimes, in 1948, he first recording with Grimes' orchestra on October 30, 1949, for the Gotham label: 'Hey Now', 'Drinkin' Beer', 'My Baby Left Me' and 'Hey Mr. J.B.'. Bryant would see Grimes again in '53 (w Screaming Jay Hawkins) and 1958-59, their last session per Grimes' quintet on August 13, 1959, for 'Tiny in Swingville'. After Bryant's session in 1953 with Grimes for Hawkins he joined mouth harp player, Toots Thielemans's quartet in April of 1955, for such as 'Don't Be That Way' and 'Diga Diga Doo'. Squaring that group were Wendell Marshall (bass) and Bill Clark (drums). Bryant's next and last appointment with Thielemans was in latter '89 for 'The Soul of Toots Thielemans'. Bryant recorded his first name releases in May of '55 per his trio with Wendell Marshall (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Among those of unknown date were 'Temptation' and 'Flat Foot Floogie' issued by Gotham (310). On May 13 and 16 that trio backed Betty Carter with Jerome Richardson on flute and Quincy Jones arranging, Epic to issue 'Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant' of that. Smaller ensembles like quartets and trios were in general Bryant's favored configurations through the years. He led his last trio session forty some years later in June of 1997 with Ray Drummond (bass) and Winard Harper (drums) for 'Ray's Tribute to His Jazz Piano Friends'. After Carter, a session for Prestige on August 5 of '55 placed him in the Miles Davis Sextet (either/or Quintet with Milt Jackson), that good for 'Milt and Miles'. Bryant rounded out '55 on December 2 with tenor saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, for 'Worktime'. He would join Rollins again a year later on September 17, 1957, they members of Max Roach's quintet for 'Max Roach + 4'. The next month they joined Dizzy Gillespie on 'Dizzy Gillespie Duets' and 'Sonny Side Up', both pairing Rollins with tenor saxophonist, Sonny Stitt. Bryant joined Gillespie between those sessions for 'The Greatest Trumpet of Them All', that with saxophones out. Bryant would reunite with Rollins a decade later on July 8, 1965, for Rollins' 'Sonny Rollins On Impulse!'. Bryant's wasn't a casual career with at least 220 sessions to his name, nigh a hundred of those his own. As the above sparse account spins off his recording career to only 1955, we'll abstain from '56 and years thereafter, only mentioning that in addition to sessions he supported he released at least one album nigh every year through 1997. 1999 saw him recording 'Play the Blues'. In the new millennium he put down 'Godfather' in 2002. 'In the Back Room' was recorded in 2004 and 2008. He died on June 2 of 2011. Bryant will also be found under Toots Thielemans in Jazz Guitar.
Ray Bryant 1949
With Tiny Grimes
With Tiny Grimes
Ray Bryant 1955
Vocalist: Betty Carter
Ray Bryant 1957
Bass: Ike Isaacs Drums: Charles Wright
Bass: Ike Isaacs Drums: Charles Wright
Bass: Ike Isaacs Drums: Charles Wright
Ray Bryant 1958
Until The Real Thing Comes Along
Saxophone: Coleman Hawkins
Ray Bryant 1967
Ray Bryant 1968
Ray Bryant 1973
Filmed live
Ray Bryant 1976
Ray Bryant 1989
Ray Bryant 1995
Elmo Hope was born in 1923 in NYC. He began his career with the Joe Morris band. 'The Applejack', below, was recorded in NYC on September 19, 1948, among other titles with Morris. Hope's first album as a leader was 'Introducing the Elmo Hope Trio', released in 1953. Among those he backed during his career were Wynonie Harris, Lou Donaldson, Jackie McLean, Curtis Counce and Harold Land. Hope's final recordings took place in March and May of 1966, the same year as his last concert. Those would be issued in 1996 in a package of two CDs titled 'The Final Sessions'. He died of pneumonia and heart failure the next year on May 19, only 44 years old.
Elmo Hope 1948
Trumpet: Joe Morris
Elmo Hope 1953
Elmo Hope 1954
Elmo Hope 1955
Elmo Hope 1956
Tenor sax: John Coltrane & Hank Mobley
Elmo Hope 1957
Elmo Hope 1963
It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream
Elmo Hope
Source: All About Jazz
Wynton Kelly
Source: Discogs
Born in 1931 in Brooklyn to Jamaican immigrants, pianist Wynton Kelly's is thought to have recorded as early as 1948, circa June, in NYC with the Hal Singer Sextette for Savoy: 'Swanee River', 'Jumpin' in Jack's House' (unissued), 'A Plug for Cliff' and 'Corn Bread'. His first solo recordings followed the next year along with tracks for both Billie Stewart and Babs Gonzales. He recorded his debut album, 'Piano Interpretations', on July 15, 1951, also recording with Dinah Washington that year. His first of numerous occasions had been in January at the Birdland for titles like 'I'll Never Be Free' and 'I Wanna Be Loved'. Kelly was drafted into the military in September of 1952 for two years. Nevertheless, serving Stateside, he must have taken leave a few times to record with both Dizzy Gillespie and Washington during that period, Gillespie thrice in latter '52, Washington twice in June of both '53 and '54. Kelly ended his military service as director of the First Army traveling show, giving a performance before an audience of 10,000 at Chastain Memorial Park in Atlanta. He is thought to have completed his military tour by the time he recorded with Gillespie again on September 16, 1954, finding him on titles like 'Roses of Picardy' and 'Silhouette'. Kelly would see Gillespie again in '56 and '57. Following Gillespie in '54 Kelly supported both trombonist, JJ Johnson, and trumpeter, Art Farmer, before reassuming his spot with Washington in January of 1955 per the Hal Mooney Orchestra, backing her on titles like 'That's All I Want From You' and 'A Cottage For Sale'. Multiple sessions ensued with Washington that year and later in 1958, his last occasion to support her being with the Terry Gibbs Band at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 6 of '58 for 'All of Me'. Kelly had recorded his second album, 'Piano', in January 1958. Several albums down the road came 'Autumn Leaves' in July of 1961 with his Trio of Paul Chambers (bass) and Jimmy Cobb (drums). He would by that time have only another decade to live, yet will have accomplished a prolific recording career of 260 sessions, 31 as a leader. Among others with whom he recorded in the fifties and/or sixties were Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Milt Jackson and Wes Montgomery. Fatefully, Kelly had been plagued with epilepsy. He died in Toronto, Ontario, at only age forty upon an epileptic seizure on April 12, 1971. More Kelly under Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin and Hank Mobley.
Wynton Kelly 1951
I'll Never Be Free/I Wanna Be Loved
With Dinah Washington at Birdland
Bass: Percy Heath Drums: Art Blakey
Piano solo
Wynton Kelly 1959
Softly, As In A Morning's Sunrise
Bass: Paul Chambers Drums: Jimmy Cobb
Wynton Kelly 1961
Bass: Paul Chambers Drums: Jimmy Cobb
Wynton Kelly 1965
Album Guitar: Wes Montgomery
Wynton Kelly 1966
Bass: Ron McClure Drums: Jimmy Cobb
Marian McPartland first recorded piano in London on January 6, 1946, with her husband, celebrated early jazz cornetist, Jimmy McPartland. Born in England in 1918, McPartland began her career in 1938 as a vaudeville pianist by the stage name of Marian Page. Born in Great Britain, McPartland met her husband, Jimmy, in Europe during World War II upon his being drafted into the army. They married in 1944, after which Jimmy returned to the States with his bride to resume his musical career. Marian's first recordings were with Jimmy in London on January 6, 1946, with Harlequin. Featuring guitarist, Vic Lewis, with vocals by Grace Scott, those tracks were 'I've Found a New Baby', 'The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise', 'Sweet Lorraine' and, possibly, 'Rose Room' and 'Blues'. Those would see issue in 1986 on 'Vic Lewis Jam Sessions Vol 3: 1945-1946'. Marian's initial session as a leader on December 7, 1949, in Chicago went unissued: 'Flamingo', 'Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise', 'I Wished on the Moon' and 'Yesterdays'. Her next, however, on March 15, 1951, were issued by Federal and King, among others. Those titles were 'Flamingo', 'It's Delovely', 'Liebestraum No 3' and 'Four Brothers'. Some time later, 1952, Marian formed a trio to play at the Hickory House in New York City for the next eight years. In 1969 Marian founded her own record label, Halcyon Records, her last release with that label in 1979. McPartland recorded prolifically into the new millennium, contributing as late as 2008 to 'Twilight World' on Daryl Sherman's album, 'Johnny Mercer: A Centennial Tribute'. She died on August 20, 2013 in Port Washington, New York with 180 sessions to her her name, the greater majority as a leader. Bill Crow plays bass on all selections below for year 1955. Jimmy and Marian play together on a couple of later dates.
Marian McPartland 1955
Marian McPartland 1956
Saxophone: Stan Getz
Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie
Marian McPartland 1960
Cornet: Jimmy McPartland
Marian McPartland 1964
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Filmed live
Marian McPartland 1974
Marian McPartland 1975
Film Cornet: Jimmy McPartland
Marian McPartland
Source: Marian McPartland
Terry Gibbs & Terry Pollard
Source: Women in Jazz
Born in 1923, pianist Terry Pollard is (tentatively) thought per multiple sources to have first recorded with trumpeter, Thad Jones, backing tenor saxophonist, Billy Mitchell, in 1948: Dee Gee 4000 and 4001 consisting of 'Rockaway Rock', 'Rainy Day Blues', 'Danny Boy' and 'The Bulldozer'. jazzdisco lists those in 1948 as well. Other sources dispute that date, including Tom Lord's discography, giving no more specific date than the early fifties. A discussion at Organissimo would have them recorded between autumn of '52 and autumn of '53. Ditto Pollard's next session with Jones and Mitchell coming to 'Compulsory', 'The Blue Room', 'The Zec' and 'Alone Together'. Some say '48, some that ain't so. Howsoever, those titles would appear on the album, 'Swing . . . Not Spring' (Savoy 0188), in 1953 according to 'A History of Jazz In Detroit' by Lars Bjorn. Pollard's next known sessions aren't so occult, those with Sax Kari on February 23, 1953 ('Daughter'/'Down for Debbie') and March 31 in Chicago, those issued being 'Henry' and 'You Let My Love Grow Cold'. Her next session was with vibraphonist, Terry Gibbs, in NYC in September of '53 for such as 'Wednesday at Two' and 'I've Found a New Baby'. It was Pollard's partnership with Gibbs for which she was and remains best known. They would get together again in '54 to hold numerous sessions to October of '56 for Gibbs' 'Swingin''. Pollard's first and only album, 'Terry Pollard', appeared in 1955. After 'Swingin' in '56 Pollard retired to Detroit to raise her family, though she continued to play locally. On April 8 of 1958 she supported Yusef Lateef on 'Yusef Lafeef at Cranbook'. June 11 of '59 found her participating in Lateef's 'The Dreamer' and 'The Fabric of Jazz'. Lord's Disco has final recordings in August of 1961 for Dorothy Ashby's 'Soft Winds'. Pollard died on December 16, 2009.
Terry Pollard 1955
Vibes: Terry Gibbs
Terry Pollard 1956
Live performance Vibes: Terry Gibbs
Born in 1920 in Concord, California, pianist Dave Brubeck is thought to have made his first recording per a piano solo in 1942: 'I've Found A New Baby'. That first saw release in 1953 on 'Jazz at the College of the Pacific Vol 2'. Lord's discography has his next session in San Francisco in 1946 recording titles issued ten years later on 'Dave Brubeck Octet' in 1956. Compiled into that were his first sessions with major partner, Paul Desmond, in 1946-48: 'Serenade Suite', 'Schizophrenic Scherzo', 'How High the Moon' and 'Playland-At-The-Beach'. Brubeck and Desmond had met in the army in 1944. Upon release from the service the pair met again in California per above. While Desmond left for NYC to play with Jack Fina, Brubeck put together a trio with Ron Crotty on bass and Cal Tjader on drums, which first four recordings, made in September 1949, were 'Blue Moon', 'Tea For Two', 'Indiana' and 'Laura', those released that year. Upon Desmond's return to California in 1950 the pair formed a quartet. That quartet's first recordings were scheduled in August 1951: 'A Foggy Day', 'Lyons Busy', 'Somebody Loves Me' and 'Crazy Chris (Crazy Time)'. Brubeck's portrait appeared on 'Time' magazine's cover in 1954. Their album, 'Time Out', in 1959 was the first jazz album to sell platinum (one million copies). Brubeck and Desmond played together in their quartet until 1967 per 'Their Last Time Out', though multiple reunions would occur in the seventies. Their last such occasion was at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan on March 10, 1976, for '25th Anniversary Reunion'. After the dissolution of Brubeck's quartet he began composing orchestral and choral pieces with Christian themes. (He would become a Catholic in 1980.) A recipient of several prestigious awards, Brubeck died of heart failure in Norwalk, Connecticut, on December 5, 2012. Lord's disco has his last of around 330 sessions on June 10, 2011, supporting his son, multi-instrumentalist, Chris Brubeck, on 'Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center'. Dave Brubeck is also found under Paul Desmond in Modern Jazz Saxophone. Per 1949 below, all tracks are with the Dave Brubeck Trio.
Dave Brubeck 1949
Dave Brubeck 1950
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck Trio
Dave Brubeck 1951
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1953
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1954
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1958
Album Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1959
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1961
Live on 'Jazz Casual' Saxophone: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1962
Countdown: Time in Outer Space
Album Saxophone: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1963
Live at Carnegie Hall Saxophone: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1964
Live on 'Jazz 625' Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Album Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Album Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1965
Dave Brubeck 1966
Dave Brubeck 1971
Live with Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan
Dave Brubeck 1972
Live performance Saxophone: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 1975
Album Alto sax: Paul Desmond
Dave Brubeck 2001
Dave Brubeck 2004
Dave Brubeck
Source: ED2000
Jaki Byard
Born in 1922 in Worcester, Massachusetts,
multi-instrumentalist Jaki Byard
first played piano in bands professionally at age sixteen. He served in the
military from 1941 to 1946. Upon discharge he went to Boston where he joined
the band of Earl Bostic to tour in 1947. Byard's first vinyl would be with
Bostic for King Records in Cincinnati, OH, on January 12, 1949, for 'Watch
Where You Walk Boy', 'Blip Boogie', etc.. His next session with Bostic on
the 13th yielded such as 'Earl's Imagination' and 'Earl's Blues'. He then
formed a group in Boston to include Joe Gordon
Sam Rivers. He then worked in
Lynn at a club with
Charlie Mariano. Byard is thought
to have made his debut recordings with
Mariano in 1950, appearing on the
first release of the
Mariano album, 'Charlie Mariano
With His Jazz Group'. 'Boston Days', again with
Mariano, followed in 1953. 'Modern
Saxophone Stylings of Charlie Mariano' arrived in 1955. 1957 found Byard on
Herb Pomeroy's album, 'Life is a Many Splendored Gig'. Byard first recorded
Charles Mingus in July 1959 at the
Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island. A session with
Maynard Ferguson that
October yielded several tracks with vocalist, Ann Marie Moss. Those issued
were 'Let's Fall In Love', 'Where's Teddy' and 'Hey There'. A couple
of studio sessions with
Mingus followed in November that
year in NYC. Byard recorded his debut album in 1960, 'Blues for Smoke', but
it wasn't released until 1988. So the album, 'Here's Jaki', was Byard's
initial LP release in 1961. Between 1962 and 1970 Byard appeared on above
Mingus LPs. 1969 found Byard
recording three albums with Eric Kloss, the year he began teaching at the
New England Conservatory of Music in Boston for the next fifteen years. He spent the next two decades
teaching while performing in New York City. He was on the faculty of the
Manhattan School of Music from '89 to '99. Byard issued his last of above 35
albums as a leader, 'My Mother's Eyes', in 1998. On February 11, 1999, Byard
was found dead of a gunshot to his face through his nose in his home in
Queens. Such remains one of the greater mysteries in jazz. It was clearly a
homicide, no weapon found, but neither motive, such as robbery, nor any
suspects either.
Jaki Bryard 1949
With Earl Bostic
Jaki Bryard 1950
Album: 'Charlie Mariano With His Jazz Group'
Jaki Bryard 1953
Album: 'Modern Saxophone Stylings of Charlie Mariano'
Jaki Bryard 1960
Album Not released until 1988
Jaki Bryard 1961
Album: 'Here's Jaki'
Jaki Bryard 1964
Album: 'Out Front!'
Filmed live with Eric Dolphy & Charles Mingus
Filmed live with Eric Dolphy & Charles Mingus
Jaki Bryard 1965
Filmed live
Jaki Bryard 1967
Album: 'Sunshine Of My Soul'
Album: 'Sunshine Of My Soul'
Album: 'Sunshine Of My Soul'
Jaki Bryard 1968
Album: 'The Jaki Byard Experience'
Jaki Bryard 1971
Album: 'Parisian Solos'
Jaki Bryard 1979
Jaki Bryard 1981
Jaki Bryard 1998
Album: 'My Mothers Eyes'
With the Apollo Stompers
Dave McKenna
Photo: Brian O'Connor
Source: All About Jazz
Dave McKenna was born in 1930 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He played professionally as a teenager with the Boots Mussulli band. At 19 he left home to join the Charlie Ventura Orchestra. His first known recordings were with Ventura in NYC on September 30, 1949, for Victor: 'Pavanne' (unissued), 'High on an Open Mike', 'Too Marvelous for Words', et al. McKenna's next session was with Woody Herman's Second Herd on May 5, 1950, titles for Capitol like 'Spain' and 'Pennies from Heaven'. McKenna stayed with Herman until getting drafted into the Army to work as a cook during the Korean War. His last session with Herman was a radio broadcast at Municipal Arena in Kansas City, MO on July 22, 1951, toward 'Bird with the Word'. Nigh 30 years later he would reunite with Herman at the Concord Pavilion in California in August, 1980, for what would released as 'Presents a Concord Jam Vol 1' the next year. Upon completing his military tour McKenna joined Ventura again, his first certain session date on January 30, 1954, in NYC for such as 'How Deep Is the Ocean?' and 'Over the Rainbow'. He stuck with Ventura into summer, including a trip to Los Angeles and back to NYC. The summer of '55 found him with the Stan Kenton Octet, followed by the Benny Goodman Septet and Urbie Green Quintet ('Blues and Other Shades of Green') before his first session as a leader on Holloween, 1955, toward the album, 'Solo Piano'. Among the more significant of his musical associates was cornetist, Bobby Hackett, whose band he joined in time to record 'Blues with a Kick' in November of '58. His first period with Hackett stretched to 'That Midnight Touch' about March of 1967, picking up again in 1970 for 'Live at the Roosevelt Grill'. McKenna spread titles with Hackett on a few more occasions until their last, a concert at Avery Fisher Hall in NYC on July 3, 1974, resulting in such as ''Alexander's Ragtime Band' and 'What'll I Do'. Another highlight in the seventies was sessions at the Inn of the Golden West in Odessa, TX, in May 1977 toward 'Odessa Sound of Jazz Vol 1' released that year. A humble man, McKenna once remarked that he wasn't a "bona fide jazz guy," but "just a saloon piano player." This account of his recording career of 221 sessions, 49 as a leader, must be modest as well, fast forwarding to his last name session at the Sarasota Opera House in Florida on November 19, 1999, 'An Intimate Evening With Dave McKenna', released on Arbors Records in 2002. In March of 2000 McKenna supported Donna Byrne on her album 'Don't Dream of Anybody But Me'. He died on October 18, 2008, in his birthplace, Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Dave McKenna 1950
With Woody Herman
Dave McKenna 1957
Tenor sax: Charlie Ventura
Dave McKenna 1962
With Bobby Hackett
Dave McKenna 1979
Dave McKenna 1982
Vocal: Tony Bennett
Dave McKenna 1983
Dave McKenna 1989
Dave McKenna 1993
Pianist Phineas Newborn Jr. was born in Whiteville, Tennessee, in 1931. He first recorded in Memphis with his brother, guitarist, Calvin Newborn, in 1949, backing what were BB King's first recordings as well (Bullet Records 309: 'Miss Martha King'/'When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes'). Recording dates seem unknown but Be Bop Wino states that was issued by July of '49. Bullet Records then issued 312 on which Newborn contributed to such as 'I Love My Baby' and 'Let's Go to the Liquor Store' with the Tuff Green Orchestra. Bullett 315 followed with BB King and Calvin again on 'Take a Swing with Me'/'Got the Blues'. Come Bullett 338 with the Tuff Green Orchestra again: 'She Ain't No Good' and 'Bounce with Benny'. In May of 1950 Calvin and Phineas joined the Lou Sargent Orchestra for 'Ridin' Boogie' and 'She Really Treats Me Wrong'. Sometime in '50 or '51 Phineas accompanied his father, Newborn Sr., on 'Phineas Boogie' and 'The Joint Is Jumpin'. Phineas and Calvin joined King again in May of 1951. Released on RPM 323 was 'She's Dynamite'. Come Big Walter Horton in June or July with whom Phineas and Calvin recorded RPM 338: 'Black Gal'/'Jumpin' Blues'. They were back again with King in September for RPM 339: 'Three O'Clock Blues'/'That Ain't the Way to Do It'. Phineas contributed to several titles with Bonnie Turner in April 1952 before his first name session was held as the Phineas Newborn Quartet in 1953 in Houston: 'How High The Moon' and ''Round Midnight' (Peacock's Progressive Jazz 500), his brother on guitar, bass and drums. Newborn's initial album release as a leader was 'Here Is Phineas' recorded in May 1956 in NYC for Atlantic, that with Calvin, Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). Come a session in August with Charles Mingus at Cafe Bohemia in NYC for 'Confirmation', 'Just Bohemia' and 'What Is This Thing Called Love'. His second album went down on October 2 of 56, 'Pnineas' Rainbow', with Calvin, George Joyner (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Calvin and Phineas remained tight into 1958 until Phineas took off to Europe in autumn with the All Stars consisting of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding on trombone, Lee Konitz (alto sax), Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Red Garland (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). Along with All Star sessions both Newborn and Sims recorded albums during that tour. Calvin and Phineas got together again on January 30, 1959, for "Down Home Reunion' before they parted to pursue each his own career. They would reunite in December 1976 for Cybill Shepherd's 'Vanilla'. Lord's discography shows Phineas' final recordings in November of 1987 for 'I've Something to Say'. Phineas died on May 26, 1989, of lung issues.
Phineas Newborn 1949
Backing BB King
Backing BB King
Phineas Newborn 1951
Mouth harp: Big Walter Horton
Phineas Newborn 1959
Phineas Newborn 1961
Phineas Newborn 1962
Television show
Phineas Newborn 1964
Phineas Newborn
Source: Phineas Newborn Jr
Randy Weston
Source: Washington City Paper
Source: Washington City Paper
Born in Brooklyn in 1926, pianist Randy Weston
ran a restaurant in the latter forties frequented by name jazz musicians,
whence he began playing gigs with Bull Moose Jackson and
Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. In 1953 he began playing with
Kenny Dorham, then with
Cecil Payne
beginning in 1954.
Dorham would later back Weston on
'Live at The Five Spot' in 1959.
Payne would accompany Weston on
albums in '56 ('With These Hands', 'Jazz a La Bohemia' and 'The Modern Art
of Jazz'), '60 ('Uhuru Afrika') and '66 ('Monterey '66'). Weston's first
certain recording sessions had been with tenor saxophonist, Frank Culley, on
January 17 of 1949 and February 27 of 1951. The first saw titles like 'The
Snao' and 'Floor Show', the second such as 'Culley Flower' and 'Leap Frog'.
On April 27 of 1954,
Weston held his initial session as a leader with bassist Sam Gill, for the Riverside label. Those eight
tracks made their way onto the 10-inch album, 'Randy Weston Plays Cole
Porter in a Modern Mood', released the same year. In 1955 he added drummer
Art Blakey to his duo with Gill, releasing those six tracks on
Trio and Solo', again for Riverside. That same year he
exchanged Blakey for drummer, Wilbert Hogan, recording ten tracks, again for
Riverside, to be issued as 'Get Happy'. Hogan would appear on several Weston
projects to 1960. Among Weston's favored musical associates through the
years was trombonist
Melba Liston who first joined him
in October of '58 for 'Little Niles'.
Liston stuck with Weston to 1960,
later dates in '63, '73, '75, '93, '95 and, finally, April 8 of 2012, at the
NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in NYC to participate in 'The
African Nubian Suite'. In
the early sixties Weston began experimenting with African elements in jazz,
releasing the album, 'Uhuru Afrika' ('Freedom Africa'), in 1960 (banned in
South Africa in 1964). Weston moved to Morocco in 1968 where he worked with
Gnawa musicians for the next five years at his jazz club, African Rhythms,
in Tangiers. His ensembles would be called the African Rhythms. He recorded
'African Cookbook' in Paris in June of 1969. Years later in 1992 he would
would record a couple sessions in Morocco with his orchestra of Gnawa
musicians issued as 'The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco' and
'Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening'. Seven years later he brought that
orchestra to the Lafayette Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn for a session on
September 24, 1999, to result in 'Spirit! The Power of Music'. In 2010 Weston published his autobiography,
'African Rhythms'. The high majority of Weston's minimum of 87
sessions were his own projects, he releasing a prolific number of albums during his
career which is yet active as of this writing with international tours. Weston plays with saxophonist Cecil Payne on all tracks
below for year 1956.
Randy Weston 1956
Album: 'Modern Art Of Jazz'
Album: 'Modern Art Of Jazz'
Album: 'With These Hands'
Album: 'With These Hands'
Album: 'With These Hands'
Album: 'Jazz A La Bohemia'
Album: 'With These Hands'
Album: 'Jazz a la Bohemia'
Album: 'Modern Art Of Jazz'
Album: 'Modern Art Of Jazz'
Randy Weston 1958
Newport Jazz Festival
Randy Weston 1959
Live at the Five Spot in NYC
Randy Weston 1972
Album: 'African Cookbook'
Album: 'Highlife'
Album: 'Blue Moses'
Randy Weston 1973
Randy Weston 1974
Album: 'Blues to Africa'
Kenny Drew
Source: Jazz Wax
Kenny Drew was born in August of 1928 in New York City. He was at the right place at the right time to quickly find himself working in the more eliite circles of the NYC jazz scene. With around 300 sessions to his career, 69 of those his own, the full hand of those with whom he recorded in 1950 is all we can touch upon in this small space, leaving nigh the whole of the rest of career obscure. He first recorded piano with Howard McGhee on January 23, 1950, titles like 'Lo-Flame' and 'Fuguetta' for Blue Note. Other members of McGhee's All Stars were JJ Johnson (trombone), Brew Moore (tenor sax), Curly Russell (bass) and Max Roach (drums). Drew's second session on February 17 was for tenor saxophonist, Sonny Stitt, recording such as 'Avalon Song' and 'Later' with Tommy Potter (bass) Art Blakey (drums). Come his third session with Lester Young at the Savoy Ballroom on perhaps February 22, for a long stream of titles like 'Jumpin' With Symphony Sid' and 'Neenah'. A couple more sessions were held with Young in Chicago and Boston before he joined the Charlie Parker Quintet consisting of Parker on alto, Red Rodney (trumpet), Curly Russell (bass) and Art Blakey (drums) to record such as 'Jumpin' With Symphony Sid' and 'Anthropology'. That was a WJZ broadcast from the Birdland in NYC. The fifth and last ensemble Drew recorded with in 1950 was Leo Parker's Mad Lads (no relation between Charlie and Leo). That resulted in 'Woody' and multiple takes of such as 'Rolling With Parker' and 'Solitude'. 1951 found Drew in sessions with Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis, Oscar Pettiford, Budd Johnson, Paul Quinichette and Sonny Rollins. Drew joined the Buddy DeFranco Quartet on February 27, 1952, with Jimmy Raney (guitar), Teddy Kotick (bass) and Art Taylor (drums) to record titles that would be found on 'Mr. Clarinet' in 1957. Drew stuck with DeFranco, also touring to California, to June 5, 1953, his last of numerous sessions with DeFranco. That was held in Los Angeles with the Herman McCoy Swing Choir toward the issue of 'Takes You to the Stars' in '54. Drew released his first album in 1953: 'New Faces, New Sounds', that with Curly Russell and Art Blakey. On September 18, 1955, he put down his first tracks with whom would later become one of his more significant associates, that Dexter Gordon with the latter's quartet consisting of Leroy Vinnegar (bass) and Larance Marable (drums) toward 'Daddy Plays the Horn'. His next session with a Gordon quartet would be on May 9, 1961, with Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums) for 'Dexter Calling'. On June 2, 1964, Drew joined Gordon's quintet for 'One Flight Up' in Paris. That would be the first of numerous recordings together to as late as the Zurich Jazz Festival in August of 1975 resulting in three volumes of 'Swiss Nights'. Drew had moved to Paris in 1961, then Copenhagen three years later. Gordon had likewise moved to Europe in the early sixties, first Paris, then Copenhagen, returning to the States fourteen years later. The majority of Drew's recording career from '63 onward would be in Europe, beginning in October with the Johnny Griffin Quartet in Warsaw for titles issued in Poland by Muza like 'Sophisticated Lady' and 'Body and Soul'. Another highlight in the sixties was 'Violin Summit' recorded live in Basel, Switzerland, in 1966. In addition to Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) and Alex Riel (drums) Drew accompanied violinists Svend Asmussen, Stephane Grappelli, Jean-Luc Ponty and Stuff Smith. In 1971 Drew collaborated with Dexter Gordon on the soundtrack for the film, 'Pornografi: En Musical'. He died on August 4, 1993, in Copenhagen. His final recordings had been live in Osaka, Japan, in October of '92, some to be found on 'Kenny Plays Standards Live at the Blue Note Osaka'. Per below, tenor sax by Lester Young is featured on all tracks for 1950.
Kenny Drew 1950
With Sonny Stitt
Kenny Drew 1953
Album: 'Introducing the Kenny Drew Trio'
Album: 'New Faces, New Sounds'
Kenny Drew 1955
Kenny Drew 1956
Bass: Paul Chambers Drums: Philly Jo Jones
Kenny Drew 1960
Bass: Sam Jones Drums: Louis Hayes
Sax: Hank Mobley Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Bass: Sam Jones Drums: Louis Hayes
Sax: Hank Mobley Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Bass: Sam Jones Drums: Louis Hayes
Sax: Hank Mobley Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Kenny Drew 1961
Tenor sax: Tina Brooks
Kenny Drew 1971
Film: 'Pornografi: En Musical'With Dexter Gordon
Kenny Drew 1974
Album: 'If You Could See Me Now'
Bass: Niels-Henning Pedersen Drums: Albert Heath
Album: 'Dark Beauty'
Kenny Drew 1980
Tenor Sax: Warne Marsh
Bass: Bo Stief Drums: Aage Tanggaaard
Tommy Flanagan
Source: Sheet Music Direct
Be-bop pianist Tommy Flanagan was born in Detroit in 1930. His father was a postman. His mother worked in the garment industry. He was yet in his teens when he was playing with Frank Rosolino, Lucky Thompson, Pepper Adams and Kenny Burrell. His first residency was at the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit at age nineteen. He is thought to have recorded as early as 1950 with Kenny Burrell and the Four Sharps, Yusef Lateef also in that band to down 'Kenny's Sound' and 'My Funny Valentine'. He also played with saxophonist (not the guitarist) George Benson in Toledo before getting drafted into the Army. Flanagan left the military for New York City in 1956 where he worked in clubs, first as a study to sub for Bud Powell at the Birdland, and did session work, recording with the Kenny Burrell Quintet, the Thad Jones Sextet, the Miles Davis Quintet, the Kenny Clarke Quintet, the Sahib Shihab Sextet, the Oscar Pettiford Orchestra, the Phil Woods Septet, the Sonny Rollins Quartet, the JJ Johnson Quintet and the Bobby Jaspar Quartet, all that year. He also accompanied Ella Fitzgerald for the first time in 1956 at the Newport Jazz Festival. Flanagan released his first album in his own name, 'Overseas', in 1957 as the Tommy Flanagan Trio with bassist Wilbur Little and drummer Elvin Jones. His second album, 'The Cats', followed that year with a sextet. During the sixties Flanagan accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, Art Farmer and Tony Bennett. From 1968 to '78 he worked with Fitzgerald. In 1980 he played in a trio with Red Mitchell and Tal Farlow, filling out the eighties with his own trio including bassist, George Mraz. Flanagan toured Japan with 100 Golden Fingers in '90, '93 and '97. He died with 50 name sessions out of above 400, on November 16, 2001, in Manhattan. More Flanagan with Kenny Burrell.
Tommy Flanagan 1956
Kenny Clarke Quintet
Sahib Shihab Sextet
Miles Davis Quintet
Kenny Burrell Quartet
Album with Sonny Rollins
Thad Jones Sextett
Kenny Clark Quintet
Miles Davis Quintet
Kenny Clarke Quintet
Thad Jones Sextet
Tommy Flanagan 1957
Kenny Burrell Quartet
Album: 'Overseas'
Album: 'The Cats'
Bass: Wilbur Little Drums: Elvin Jones
Bass: Wilbur Little Drums: Elvin Jones
Tommy Flanagan 1960
Sax: Coleman Hawkins
Sax: Coleman Hawkins
Barry Harris
Source: Wikipedia
Barry Harris was born in Detroit in 1929. He is thought to have first recorded with his own group in Detroit in 1950 for the New Song label with vocalists, Christine Harris and Frank Foster, on 'Sante Fe Shuffle' with an instrumental called 'Hopper Topper'. JazzDiscography (BRIAN) has Harris recording above 20 titles for New Song in 1950. With about 200 sessions to his name, nigh 40 of those his own, we need confine this account to the first handful who put Harris' tractor into gear. He joined the Frank Rosolino Quartet in September of '52 in Detroit for such as 'Rubberneck' and 'Mean to Me'. 1954 found him with Wild Bill Moore on such as 'Football Boogie' and 'Blue Journey'. Come trumpeter, Donald Byrd, on August 23, 1955, toward 'Byrd Jazz'. Yusef Lateef contributed tenor sax to that, a figure with whom he would have a few occasions to record again during his career. Harris would see Byrd again with Hank Mobley ('Jazz Message 1 & 2' 1956), later with Art Farmer on 'Two Trumpets' ('56). Come titles for 'The Magnificent Thad Jones' in July of '56. Harris would visit Jones again with the Basie-Ites in 1960 in Detroit for what would get issued in 1981 as 'How High the Moon'. Along with Harris on piano and Jones on trumpet that configuration consisted of Joe Newman (trumpet), Al Grey (trombone), Billy Mitchell (tenor sax), Frank Foster (tenor sax), Frank Wess (ternor sax/flute), Freddie Green (guitar), Eddie Jones (bass) and Sonny Payne (drums). After Jones came Hank Mobley in July of '56 for 'Jazz Message 1 & 2' per above, after which Harris would visit Mobley again on February 5, 1965, for 'Turnaround'. Also that February he joined Coleman Hawkins for tracks toward 'Wrapped Tight'. Other highlights in the sixties were Dexter Gordon's 'Clubhouse' and 'Gettin' Around' in May of '65. Harris had released his first album as a leader in 1958, 'Breakin' It Up'. In 1982 he became a founding partner of the Jazz Cultural Theater in NYC, that venue remaining open until 1987. As of this writing Harris is yet active conducting workshops in New York City.
Barry Harris 1958
Barry Harris 1959
Barry Harris 1965
With Dexter Gordon
Barry Harris 1967
Barry Harris 1972
With Sonny Stitt
Barry Harris 1976
Live in Tokyo
With Dexter Gordon
Dick Hyman
was a classically trained pianist born in
NYC in 1927. A highly prolific recording artist approaching 500 sessions,
120 of those his own, this account of Hyman will need see some fast
forwarding. Such as from his birth to his first recording on July 18, 1949, with the Alvy West Sextette for vocalist, Bill Darnell, on titles like 'So Much' and
'Sleeping' released by Coral. November 12 of '49 found him with vocalist,
Jackie Paris. Among other titles was ''Round Midnight' (composed by
Thelonious Monk) but
not released by Paris until 1955. On January 30, 1950, Hyman recorded his
first piano solos: 'The Lady Is a Tramp' and 'The Gentleman Is a Dope' among
others. On February 18, 1950, the Dick Hyman Trio
consisting of Gene Ramey (bass) and
Art Blakey (drums) was recorded at the Birdland in NYC. Those four tracks
including 'Honeysuckle Rose' were added that year to a Miles
album titled 'A Very Special Concert' featuring
Stan Getz. The next month in March he
Charlie Parker during a session at
Cafe Society in NYC on 'Lover Come Back to Me' and '52nd Street Theme'. He
then joined the
Benny Goodman operation for a
tour to Europe. Their first session there is thought to have been on April
24, 1950 for Swedish Radio in Stockholm, Sweden, a Goodman's septet and
quartet. Among other titles they backed Nancy Reed on such as 'I Would Do
Anything For You' and 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'. Other members of
Goodman's entourage were Roy
Eldridge (trumpet/vocal),
Zoot Sims (tenor sax),
Toots Thielemans
(guitar/harmonica), Charlie Short (bass) and Ed Shaughnessy (drums). With
the exception of Short, Hyman would record with all of them again at one
time or another after
Goodman. Hyman would join
Goodman's bands on multiple
occasions in '55, '60 and 1965-66, their last such occasion for 'The Bell
Television Hour' on March 25 ('66) with the
Benny Goodman Quintet
consisting of
Charlie Byrd (guitar), Bob
Haggart (bass) and Ed Shaughnessy (drums). Those titles were 'Great Day',
'The Shadow of Your Smile' and 'Air Mail Special'. There would be a reunion
nigh twenty years later on October 5, 1985, from Marriott Marquis Hotel in
NYC, that finding issue the next year as 'Benny Goodman: Let's Dance - A
Musical Tribute'. In 1952 Hyman found himself on
television with
Charlie Parker in the latter's only television appearance.
Hyman's first occasion to record with trombonist,
Urbie Green, was with the
Benny Goodman Sextet in NYC on
November 14, 1955, to back
Rosemary Clooney on such as ''It's
Bad For Me'.
Green and Hyman found numerous
occasions to record together over the decades to come. After their mutual
spell with
Goodman they would back other
operations as well as each other to as late as May of 1994 for Hyman's 'From
the Age of Swing'. Hyman recorded 'New Orleans Rag' circa 1955, included on
a compilation of
Scott Joplin compositions
by various on an unknown date called 'Searchlight Rag: Piano Ragtime of the
Fifties'. 1956 found Hyman on tracks with Morgana King, the same
year he released his debut album, 'The Unforgettable Sound Of the Dick Hyman
Trio'. Another horn player whom Hyman would join on frequent occasions was
cornetist, Bobby
Hackett, a session on November 27, 1957, resulting in the latter's
album, 'Don't Take Your Love From Me'. More titles followed in December,
then a stream from February to November of 1963, their last session toward
Hackett's 'Plays the Music of Bert Kaempfert'. If anyone knew ragtime it was Hyman, releasing 'Knuckles O'Toole
Plays the Greatest All Time Ragtime Hits' in 1958. During the sixties he oft
performed on the 'Sing Along With Mitch' television show. Also during the
sixties he issued a couple of LPs on which he featured the Moog synthesizer.
From 1969 to 1974 Hyman was organist on the television game show, 'Beat the
Clock'. Amidst other album releases and demand as a studio musician Hyman continued
his examination of ragtime with his 1976 release of 'Scott Joplin: 16
Classic Rags'. He explored Duke
Ellington on the 1990 issue of 'Dick Hyman
Plays Duke Ellington'. March of 1994 found him recording at the Hilton in
St. Petersburg, Florida, for Bob Haggart's 80th birthday party, getting
released in 2003 on 'The Piano Giants'. Also in on that were Derek Smith,
Ralph Sutton, Bob Haggart,
Milt Hinton and Bobby Rosengarden. Hyman was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in
1995. Yet active, Hyman's last album
per this writing
was issued in 2015, 'House of Pianos', recorded in Madison, Wisconsin, on
June 1, 2014.
Dick Hyman 1952
Television program with Charlie Parker
Dick Hyman 1956
Moritat (Theme From Threepenny Opera)
Dick Hyman 1958
Album: 'Knuckles O'Toole Plays the Greatest All Time Ragtime Hits'
Dick Hyman 1965
Dick Hyman 1969
Album: 'The Age of Electronicus''
The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman
Dick Hyman 1971
Album: 'fantomfingers'
Dick Hyman 1985
Filmed live
Dick Hyman 1992
Filmed live
Dick Hyman 2013
Duet with Stephanie Trick Filmed live
Dick Hyman 2015
Album: 'House of Pianos'
Dick Hyman
Source: All About Jazz
Freddie Redd
Source: Washington DC Jazz Network
Source: Washington DC Jazz Network
Born in 1928 in Harlem, hard bop pianist
Freddie Redd
was released from active duty in the military in 1949, whence upon he took
his first professional gigs in Syracuse, New York. Lord's disco has him
recording in Philadelphia in September of 1950 with
Tiny Grimes' Rockin' Highlanders for
tracks like 'Freddie and Boogie' and 'Riverside Jump'. Via touring with
Grimes he ended up in
NYC where he played with other ensembles in addition
Grimes' to 1954, He is thought to have
last recorded with
Grimes with the latter's Quintet on May
24, 1954: 'Frivolous Sal' and 'Showboat Mambo'. On February 28, 1955 Redd
recorded his debut name recordings ('Piano - East/West', sharing half an
album with recordings made by Hampton Hawes
on side A in 1952). Among others whom he backed later that year were
Art Farmer,
Gigi Gryce and
Gene Ammons. In 1956 he toured to Sweden
where he recorded live titles like 'Looking for a Boy' and 'Lover Man' at
Varnamo Folkets Park in Jönköping, Sweden, on July 30 with Rolf Ericson
Lars Gullin (baritone), Tommy Potter
(bass), Joe Harris (drums) and
Ernestine Anderson at
vocals. His next sessions in Sweden were in September of '56 in Stockholm. Redd
wrote the score to the 1961 film, 'The Connection', in which he also
appeared both as an actor and musician. Briefly afterward he moved to Denmark, then France,
recording 'Under Paris Skies' in Paris on July 28/29, 1971. Returning to
the States in 1974 to pursue his occupation in San Francisco, 'Straight
Ahead' saw recording in Hollywood on December 3, 1977. He saw Europe again
1991, recording such as 'Don't Lose the Blues' and 'Waltzin' In' in
Stockholm in July. Redd moved to Baltimore in
2011 where, as of this writing, he yet resides. Titles per the new
millennium are 'Music for You' in November 2014 and 'With Due Respect'
issued in 2016.
Freddie Redd 1950
With Tiny Grimes
Freddie Redd 1955 With Art Farmer & Gigi Gryce Album: "Introducing Freddie Redd'
With Art Farmer & Gigi Gryce
Album: "Introducing Freddie Redd'
Freddie Redd 1956
Freddie Redd 1960 Album: 'Shades of Redd' Album: 'Shades of Redd' Album: 'Shades of Redd' Album: 'The Music From The Connection' Album: 'Shades of Redd' Album: 'The Music From The Connection' Album: 'The Music From The Connection' Album: 'The Music From The Connection' Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Album: 'Shades of Redd'
Album: 'Shades of Redd'
Album: 'Shades of Redd'
Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Album: 'Shades of Redd'
Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Album: 'The Music From The Connection'
Freddie Redd 1961
Freddie Redd 1977 Album: 'Straight Ahead'
Album: 'Straight Ahead'
Freddie Redd 2013 Filmed live with the Colours Quartet
Filmed live with the Colours Quartet
Shirley Scott
Source: Second Hand Songs
Shirley Scott played piano on occasion but her preferred instrument was organ. Born in Philadelphia in 1934, she first recorded piano on November 18, 1949, in Sheffield, England, with the Leicester Jazz Band. Of those issued were 'Kansas City Stomps'/'Savoy Blues' and 'Buddy Bolden's Blues'/'Courtin' Man Blues'. Lord's disco doesn't show another session until July 16 of 1956, playing organ for Eddie Lockjaw Davis on titles like 'The Happy Whistler' and 'Scotty Roo'. Scott kept with Davis until 1960, their last session on January 31 that year for the album, 'Eddie Lockjaw Davis with Shirley Scott'. Scott created nine record albums from 1958 to 1960, her first, 'Great Scott!'. 'Satin Doll', below, is from her tenth album, 'Satin Doll'. Scott was married to tenor sax player, Stanley Turrentine, with whom she performed from 1960 to 1969. Her initial session with Turrentine was for the latter's 'Hip Soul' on June 2, 1961. Their last was in September and November of 1968 for Scott's 'Soul Spring'. She died of heart failure on March 10, 2002, so her last recordings at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland per George A. Johnson Jr's 'All Star Tribute' ('06) had to have preceded that. Lord's disco has her at 109 sessions, nigh 60 of those her own projects.
Shirley Scott 1958
Saxophone: Eddie Lockjaw Davis
Shirley Scott 1960
With the Latin Jazz Quintet
With the Latin Jazz Quintet
Shirley Scott 1964
Saxophone: Stanley Turrentine
Shirley Scott 1972
Shirley Scott 1976
Born Frederick (Fritz) Russell Jones in 1930 in Pittsburg, pianist Ahmad Jamal ('highly praised beauty" in Arabic) began his career with the George Hudson Orchestra in 1948. Conceived to Baptist parents, Jamal converted to Islam in 1950. His first recordings were in Chicago on October 5, 1951, for the Okeh label with a group called the Three Strings: 'The Surrey with the Fringe On Top', 'Will You Still Be Mine?', 'Rica Pulpa' and 'Perfidia'. His next session on May 5 of '52 in Chicago saw 'Aki and Ukthay (Brother and Sister)', 'Billy Boy', 'Ahmad's Blues' and 'A Gal in Calico', also later released in 1959 on the album, 'The Piano Scene'. The Three Strings, with personnel changes meanwhile, released the album, 'Live at Pershing: But Not For Me', in 1958. Jamal's 'Poinciana' was first released on that album. After a tour of Africa Jamal disbanded the Three Strings and opened a club and restaurant in Chicago called The Alhambra. Jamal then put together a new ensemble in '64 to tour and record the album, 'Extensions', released in 1965. In 1986 Jamal sued Jewish critic, composer and musician, Leonard Feather, for using Jamal's non-Muslim name in a publication, greater circumstance, if any, unknown. (It seems Feather, now deceased, had written at least one dismissive review of Jamal, perhaps at that period. To this day another Jewish critic Jamal bans from mention, along with religion, during interviews is Ira Gitler. Knowing nothing about such, we leave it at coincidence. Knowing not what relevance, but relatively, Jamal produced 'The Fundamental Question' for Channel 4 in England in 1996, a documentary film concerning the rise of fundamentalist versus secularist Islam.) As of this writing Jamal is yet active. With around a hundred sessions to his name, nearly all of those have been as a leader. His last album release was 'Saturday Morning' as of 2013.
Ahmad Jamal 1952
Aki & Ukthay (Brother & Sister)
Ahmad Jamal 1956
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Ahmad Jamal 1958
Ahmad Jamal 1959
Ahmad Jamal 1961
Ahmad Jamal 1970
Ahmad Jamal 1971
Ahmad Jamal 1992
Bass: James Cammack Drums: David Bowler
Ahmad Jamal 2008
Bass: James Cammack
Drums: Idris Muhammad
Ahmad Jamal 2012
Concert film with Yusef Lateef
Ahmad Jamal
Photo: Chuck Stewart
Source: Village Voice
Born in
1922 to Jewish parents in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
Lalo Schifrin
was largely an arranger and composer for film and television scores as well
as a conductor and pianist. His most famous work is likely the theme to the
television series, 'Mission Impossible', premiering in 1966. Schifrin didn't
begin to study piano until age sixteen, then pursued sociology and law at
the University of Buenos Aires. He quickly changed his major to music and
enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire at age twenty. Schifrin played piano in
Paris clubs before returning to Argentina to form an orchestra. His first
arrangement to see vinyl was in 1951 per 'The Continental', performed by the
All Stars Argentinos. His first piano recordings are thought to have been
released in 1953 from a December 1952 session of 'Nunca Supe'/'Enigma Para
Boppers', the latter 'Enigma Para Boppers' also his
first recorded composition. His first performance on an album was as a
pianist in 1955 on 'Piazzolla et Son Orchestre' released by Festival
Records. 1955 found Schifrin traveling to the International Jazz Festival in
Paris to record titles for Vogue toward 'Rendez-Vous Dansant a Copacabana'.
Due collaborations with Dizzy
Gillespie in Argentina, then NYC, Schifrin took his wife to live in
the United States in 1960. (Thanks to Douglas Payne for recording
information above.) That November he backed
Gillespie on 'Gillespiana'. A week later he was
Jazz at the Philharmonic in
Europe with Gillespie, for the
first of two sessions on November 21 in Stockholm, Sweden, for titles like
'Take the 'A' Train' and 'Indiana', the second on the 25th in Paris for such
as 'Gillespiana Suite' and 'Caravan'.
Schifrin supported
Gillespie numerously to 1963 in Chicago with the Double Six of Paris
for 'Con Alma' and 'Oo-shoo-bee-doo-bee'. There would be a reunion in winter
of '77 for 'Free Ride'. Schfrin's initial film score was for 'Rhino!' released in 1963, followed
by his first score for television in 1964, a movie titled 'See How They
Run'. Themes for television shows rapidly followed, such as 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' and 'The Big Valley'. From that point onward Schifrin's career
largely consisted of a prolific number of film scores and album releases.
Schifrin is yet active as of this writing, touring internationally. Per
below, arrangements and compositions are represented in addition to piano
Lalo Schifrin 1958
Film theme
Lalo Schifrin 1959
Conductor: Xavier Cugat
'Voice of Firestone' television program
Lalo Schifrin 1960
With Jazz at the Philharmonic
Live in Paris
With Jazz at the Philharmonic
Filmed live in Paris
With Jazz at the Philharmonic
Filmed live in Paris
Lalo Schifrin 1961
Filmed live with Dizzy Gillespie
Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie
Lalo Schifrin 1962
Lalo Schifrin 1966
Television theme
Lalo Schifrin 1967
Film theme
Lalo Schifrin 1968
Soundtrack suite
Lalo Schifrin 1970
Soundtrack suite
Lalo Schifrin 1974
Film theme
Lalo Schifrin 2004
Compilation album
Arrangements 1968-79
Lalo Schifrin 2006
Filmed concert
Lalo Schifrin
Source: Hollywood Bowl
Pianist Horace Silver was discovered by Stan Getz in Connecticut in 1950. It's with Getz that Silver is thought to have made his initial recordings on December 10 that year in New York City for the Roost label: 'Tootsie Roll', 'Strike Up the Band', et al. A couple more sessions were held with Getz in '51, a final on April 15, 1952, at the Birdland where much of Silver's earlier career would occur, often performing for radio broadcasts. His first session at the Birdland with Getz bore 'Potter's Luck', 'I Can't Get Started' and 'Parker 51' ('Cherokee'). Among the more important jazz pianists with above 150 sessions to his name, 88 of those his own projects, we need confine this account to Silver's first decade in the fifties. A couple months after his last titles with Getz Silver joined alto saxophonist, Lou Donaldson, with Gene Ramey (bass) and Art Taylor (drums) on June 20 of '52 for a Blue Note session of Donaldson's 'New Faces New Sounds'. Silver would see Ramey again per his first session as a leader on October 9, 1952, with drummer, Art Blakey, that trio to record 'Horace-Scope', 'Safari' and 'Thou Swell'. He would see Taylor again on June 17, 1956, for such as 'I'll Know' and 'Silver's Blue'. Silver would hold a couple more sessions with Donaldson at the Birdland in 1953, a final on February 21, 1954, with Donaldson backing Art Blakey Quintet with Clifford Brown on trumpet toward 'A Night at Birdland'. The month after Silver's first session with Donaldson he joined vibraphonist, Terry Gibbs, on July 11, 1952, at the Pythian Temple in NYC for such as 'T and S' and 'Flying Home'. Come trombonist, Bill Harris, the next month at the Birdland on the 23rd for such as 'Ow' and 'Pennies From Heaven'. Following Harris at the Birdland came a couple live broadcasts with Coleman Hawkins in September, bearing such as 'Rifftide' and 'Disorder at the Border'. Per above, Silver's first name tracks for Blue Note followed on October 9 at WOR Studios in NYC with Blakey and Ramey. That was followed on the 20th with another trio including bassist, Curly Russell, yielding such as 'Quicksilver' and 'Ecaroh'. Silver and Russell had first recorded together with Hawkins on September 6 of '52 at the Birdland for 'Rifftide', 'I Can't Get Started' and 'Disorder at the Border'. They would see one another numerously, both with the Jazz Messengers and backing other ensembles, to 1957, their last occasion on March 3 that year to support Clifford Jordan's 'Blowing in from Chicago'. Silver and Art Blakey had first recorded together with Hawkins at the Birdland on September 13, 1952, yielding 'Disorder at the Border', 'The Blue Room' and 'Stuffy'. Silver's first session with Blakey and the Messengers was on October 31, 1953, again broadcasting from the Birdland, titles like 'An Oscar for Oscar' and 'If I Love Again'. Albeit Blakey had already recorded with a group he'd called the Jazz Messengers in 1947 that was a brief affair. With Silver's participation and joint leadership the Messengers's name was resurrected. Recordings by Silver with Blakey that followed were essentially Messengers affairs without the name, such as those by the Horace Silver Quintet on November 13, 1954, bearing such as 'Room 608' and 'Creepin' In', and February 6 of 1955 bearing 'Hippy' and 'Hankerin'', et al. On November 23 of that year the Messengers recorded a long string of titles toward 'The Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia'. Titles on April 6 of '56 went toward the album, 'The Jazz Messengers', that year. Silver's last Messengers session ensued the next month on the 3rd in support of Rita Reys on such as 'Taking a Chance on Love' and 'That Old Black Magic'. Prior to Silver's first session as a leader he had joined Lester Young at the Birdland for six sessions from January 3 to April 15 of 1953. The first wrought such as 'Up 'n' Adam' and 'Blue and Sentimental', the sixth 'Lullaby of Birdland', 'Up 'n' Adam' and 'Too Marvelous for Words.' Silver's first recordings with trumpeter, Howard McGhee, had been with Terry Gibbs above in July of '52. They had also attended a session together with Hawkins in September that year. On May 20, 1953, Silver backed McGhee on such as 'Shabozz' and 'Tranquility'. Alto saxophonist/flautist, Gigi Gryce, had been in on that. Silver joined Gryce again on May 10 the next year with Art Farmer for 'When Farmer Met Gryce'. He romped with the Gigi Gryce Orchestra for a couple sessions in October of '55 yielding such as 'Social Call' and 'Smoke Signal'. Come Al Cohn on June 23, 1953, for such as 'I'm Tellin' Ya', and 'Jane Street'. They would reunite on February 25, 1955, in Quincy Jones' All Stars for 'Grasshopper', that to be found on the album by various in 1963 called 'The Giants of Jazz'. Kenny Dorham had been one of the Jazz Messengers for its first session with Silver per above at the Birdland in October 1953. He was also a member of Silver's Quintet in 1954 before Silver joined Dorham's Sextet on January 30, 1955, toward 'Afro/Cuban'. Dorham would join a couple more Messengers sessions in '55 ('The Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia') and '56 ('The Jazz Messengers'). Silver commenced 1954 with the Art Farmer Quintet on January 20 with titles like 'Wisteria' and 'Soft Shoe'. Farmer and Silver would see a couple sessions with Gryce in '55, another with Hank Mobley in '57 before Farmer supported Silver on 'The Stylings of Silver' on May 8 of '57. Also present at that January 20 session in '54 was drummer, Kenny Clarke. Silver and Clarke would get partnered on several occasions in the fifties, both backing other operations and each other. January 28 of '55 found Silver participating in Clarke's 'Bohemia After Dark'. July 2 of '65 found Clarke contributing to Silver's 'Silver's Blue'. Tenor saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, had been in on the Farmer session of January 20 1954, above. Rollins and Silver would back Miles Davis on 'Bag's Groove' on June 19 1954. They would reunite on April 14, 1957, Silver backing Rollins on titles like 'Why Don't I' and 'Wail March'. Silver's first session with Miles Davis had been on March 6 of '54 with Art Blakey on drums and Percy Heath on bass. His first of several sessions with Heath had been with Lou Donaldson and trumpeter, Blue Mitchell, on November 19, 1952, for such as 'Down Home' and 'If I Love Again'. Numerous followed until January 7 of '57, they backing Milt Jackson on 'Boogity Boogity' and 'Heartstrings', et al. Mitchell would later back Silver a few times in 1959, including the Newport Jazz Festival' followed by 'Blowin' the Blues Away' on August 29. As for Miles Davis, a few more sessions ensued until 'Bags' Groove' on June 29 the same year ('54). A session with Davis on April 29 had included trombonist, JJ Johnson. Silver would join Johnson again to support both Kenny Dorham and Quincy Jones before a session on June 6, 1955, resulting in 'The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Vol 3'. They would back Rollins in '57, then reunite eight years later on October 22, 1965, Johnson supporting Silver on 'Nutville', 'Bonita' and 'Mojo'. Silver's first session with trumpeter, Clark Terry, had been on June 2, 1954, for 'Cats vs Chicks', those titles to appear on side B of an album of various with 'Hot vs Cool' on side A in 1978. A couple sessions with Terry in '55 followed, they to reunite more than thirty years later on March 31, 1988, for Silver's 'Music to Ease Your Disease'. A couple weeks after his first Terry session Silver joined Milt Jackson on the 16th ('54) for such as 'Opus de Funk' and 'I've Lost Your Love'. Silver would back Jackson again in '55 and January of '57, those last two sessions coming to Jackson's 'Plenty Plenty Soul'. Tenor saxophonist, Hank Mobley, had first recorded with Silver per the latter's Quintet on November 13, 1954: 'Room 608', 'Creepin' In', etc.. Mobley and Silver would get partnered severally in the fifties, both supporting other operations and each other. Silver participated in Mobley's album 'Hank Mobley Quartet' on March 27, 1955. Later that year Mobley joined the Jazz Messengers per above for 'The Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia'. Mobley contributed to 'The Stylings Of Silver' in May of '57 and 'Further Explorations' on January 13, 1958. Silver had first recorded with trumpeter, Quincy Jones, on January 23 of '54, Jones arranging titles for Terry like 'Double Play' and 'Slow Boat'. February of '55 found Silver contributing to Jones' 'Grasshopper' per above, they to reunite on January 7, 1957, with Jones arranging titles for Milt Jackson like 'Plenty Plenty Soul' and 'Boogity Boogity'. Silver's first occasion to record with bassist, Paul Chambers had been with JJ Johnson on June 6, 1955, for 'The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Vol 3'. They would witness several sessions backing other enterprises together to April 14, 1957, for Sonny Rollins. Silver had meanwhile supported Chambers on 'Whims of Chambers' on September 21, 1956. Silver's first tracks with trumpeter, Nat Adderley, had been on June 28, 1955, for Clark Terry's 'Bohemia After Dark'. On September 6 that year he supported Adderley on 'Introducing Nat Adderley' with Nat's brother, saxophonist, Cannonball Adderley, Roy Haynes on drums and Chambers on bass. Silver had first recorded with Haynes per the Stan Getz Quintet on August 15 of 1951, for titles like 'Melody Express' and 'Yvette'. Trumpeter, Donald Byrd, had also been in the crew for Terry's 'Bohemia After Dark' per above in June of '55. Silver would support Byrd's 'Byrd's Eye View' on December 2, 1955, and 'The Jazz Message' on January 30, 1956. Byrd then joined the Jazz Messengers for a couple of sessions in spring that year, his last supporting Rita Reys per above on May 3 for such as 'That Old Black Magic'. Byrd contributed to '6 Pieces of Silver' on November 10 of '56. A session with Hank Mobley followed fifteen days later, Byrd and Silver to reunite on June 15, 1958, to back vocalist, Bill Henderson, on 'Senor Blues'. Silver's first occasion to record with guitarist, Kenny Burrell, was per 'Whims of Chambers' above in September of '56. The next year on February 10 Silver backed Burrell's 'K.B. Blues'. Silver contributed to the debut album, of saxophonist, JR Monterose on October 21, 1956: 'J. R. Monterose'. The next month on the 4th he participated in trumpeter, Lee Morgan's, 'Lee Morgan Indeed!'. A session would follow with Mobley and Byrd on the 25th before their last titles together the next month on December 2 for 'Lee Morgan Sextet'. Silver joined saxophonists, Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore on March 3, 1957, for 'Blowing In From Chicago'. On January 13, 1958, Jordan supported Silver on 'Further Explorations'. Silver wasn't known for his work with vocalists. One exception beyond Rita Reys and Bill Henderson above consisted of Gail Nelson with Andy and Salome Bey for Silver's issue of 'All' in 1972. Silver had accomplished a number of compositions during his career, both classical and jazz. Among his earlier was 'Opus de Funk' first going down on November 23, 1953, to be found on Silver's album, 'Sabu'. 'Creepin' In' was first recorded on November 13, 1954. 'The Preacher' followed on February 6, 1955. 'Soulville' arrived on May 8, 1957, on 'The Stylings of Silver'. 'Peace' was first recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 3, 1959. Come 'Song for My Father' on October 26, 1964, issued on the album titled the same. 'Liberated Brother' saw issue in 1973 on 'In Pursuit of the 27th Man'. Silver toured internationally very little in comparison to other musicians. In July of 1962 he recorded 'Tokyo Blues' in Japan. He was in Paris on November 4, 1968, for live recordings of ''The Natives Are Restless Tonight, 'Serenade to a Soul Sister' and 'Psychedelic Sally'. Silver's album, 'You Gotta Take a Little Love', followed in January of '69, recorded back in New Jersey. Leaping ahead to the nineties, beginning with 'Rockin' with Rachmaninoff' in June of '91 Silver recorded seven albums to 'Jazz Has a Sense of Humor' in December of 1998. He died on June 18 of 2014, leaving a trail of 36 studio albums, three live albums and seven compilations.
Horace Silver 1952
Tenor sax: Stan Getz
Tenor sax: Stan Getz
Horace Silver 1952
Saxophone: Stan Getz
Art Blakey 1955
Album: 'Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers'
Drums: Art Blakey Recorded 1952
Horace Silver 1956
Horace Silver 1959
Live performance
Horace Silver 1962
Tenor sax: Stan Getz
Horace Silver 1963
Horace Silver 1964
Album: 'Song For My Father'
Horace Silver 1965
Horace Silver 1968
Live version
Horace Silver 1970
Horace Silver 1972
Horace Silver 1974
Umbria Jazz Festival
Horace Silver 1976
Live at the Umbria Jazz Festival
Horace Silver 1978
Horace Silver
Photo: Dimitri Savitski
Source: Wikiwand
Born in 1924 in East Durham, New York, singer Blossom Dearie switched from classical piano to jazz as a teenager. In 1948-49 she recorded a few vocals in NYC which didn't make it to issue at the time. The first was 'In the Merry Land of Bop' in May of '48, sharing vocals with Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart with Al Haig on piano. That would be included on an album by various in 1965 called 'A Look at Yesterday', also on the 1972 issue of 'Yesterday'. On July 28 of '49 she contributed vocals to 'Be Still, TV' and 'Short P, Not LP' with Haig at piano, those to eventually be included on the album by various, 'Prezervation', in 1967. February 19, 1952, found her singing with King Pleasure on 'Moody's Mood for Love'. Allmusic mentions her recording a lost album of piano solos around this time. Her first issue at piano was recorded April 1, 1952, for Annie Ross, resulting in Dee Gee titles like 'Every Time' and 'The Way You Look Tonight. Shortly afterward that year, at age 28 she took off for France where she formed the group, The Blue Stars of France. Her initial session with that ensemble in November of '54 in Paris was a long stream of vocals such as 'La legende du pays des oiseaux' ('Lullaby of Birdland') and 'Cherokee'. The next year she performed piano with Herman Garst (bass) and Bernard Planchenault (drums) toward her first name album, 'Jazz Sweet'. On April 20 of '55 Dearie arranged titles for Bobby Jaspar such as 'Lover Man' and 'What's New?'. They co-led more titles on January 16, 1956, like 'Old Devil Moon' and 'Flamingo'. Dearie and Jaspar married in April of '56 to 1963. Numerous sessions with Les Blue Stars ensued in '56 until Dearie returned to America that year to record her first record album in September: 'Blossom Dearie'. 'Give Him the Ooh-la-la' followed in September of '57, 'Once Upon a Summertime' in September of '58. Sessions in NYC followed until the recording of 'Soubrette: Blossom Dearie Sings Broadway Hit Songs' in Los Angeles in February of 1960. Her first trip to London in '62 or '63 resulted in 'Sweet Blossom Dearie' recorded live at Ronnie Scott's jazz club. She would spend the remainder of her career commuting between the United Kingdom, New York City and California. She founded Daffodil Records in New York in 1974 (not to be confused with the Canadian label existent in 1971-78). Dearie's career wasn't recording intensive with only fifty some sessions, the majority her own. She yet maintained, if not a blockbusting presence, one of distinctive charm. Dearie is thought to have recorded her final album, 'Blossom's Planet', in 1999 for 2000 release. Her last title, 'It's All Right to Be Afraid', was issued in 2003. Dearie died on February 7, 2009, in her flat in Greenwich Village, NYC. The box set of 4 CDs, 'Complete Recordings: 1952-1962', was issued in 2014. More of Dearie, including a few of her earlier recordings in France.
Blossom Dearie 1955
Blossom Dearie
Source: Soulful Planet
Vince Guaraldi
was born in 1928 in San Francisco. He began performing on piano during
college, that early inclination interrupted by service as an army cook
during the Korean War. Upon discharge he found employment as an intermission
pianist at the Black Hawk in San Francisco, filling in breaks at Art
Tatum performances. In 1951 Guaraldi joined the
Cal Tjader Trio with which he is
thought to have first recorded in San Francisco in November of '51, such as
'Vibra-Tharpe' and 'Chopsticks Mambo' released by Gotham in '52. Titles from
that would also go toward the December 1953 album, 'The Cal Tjader Trio'. Three
years later he formed his own trio and recorded his first album in April of
'56, 'Vince Guaraldi
Trio'. November of that year found him with
Tjader again, backing three
titles on 'Introducing Gus Mancuso'. Guaraldi then joined
Tjader's quartet for 'Jazz at the
Blackhawk' on January 20, 1957. He stuck with
Tjader, contributing to numerous
albums, into 1959, mostly in San Francisco, often at the Blackhawk. Guaraldi's last recording, the soundtrack for
'It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown', took place on February 6, 1976, he dropping
dead later that day, possibly of heart attack.
Cal Tjader plays both drums and
vibes in tracks below.
Vince Guaraldi 1952
With Cal Tjader
With Cal Tjader
With Cal Tjader
With Cal Tjader
Vince Guaraldi 1956
Album: 'Vince Guaraldi Trio'
Vince Guaraldi 1957
Vince Guaraldi 1962
Vince Guaraldi
Source: Jazz Times
Born in 1925 in Leipzig, Germany, Jutta Hipp
studied painting before moving to West Germany upon Soviet occupation and
the establishment of East Germany (German Democratic Republic) in 1949.
Among the names with whom she first played piano was tenor saxophonist,
Hans Koller, Hipp also forming
her first ensemble at that time. Hipp had recorded as early as December '45
of January '46 in Leipzig at the Lime City Swing Club with the Lindenstadt
Swing Quintett. Such as 'Flat Foot Floogie' and 'St. Louis Blues' would much
later be included in a box set called 'Hipp Is Cool' in 2015. Hipp is
thought to have grooved her first issued recordings in 1952, the same year
she began working with guitarist,
Attila Zoller. Those were recorded
with the
Hans Koller Quartet in May, such as
'Hans Is Hip' and 'Up From Munich'. Hipp's first titles as a leader on
November 30 of 1952 went unissued. Such as 'Blues After Hours' and 'Erroll's
Bounce' would much later be included on 'Lost Tapes: The German Recordings 1952-1955' in
2013. Hipp recorded in
Germany into 1955, releasing the album, 'Jutta (New Faces - New Sounds From
Germany)' that year, then emigrated to the United States, there releasing
the album, 'At the Hickory House Vol. 1', the same year. In 1956 she issued
'At the Hickory House Vol. 2', also featuring at the Newport Jazz Festival
in Rhode Island that year. Also in 1956 she recorded the album, 'Jutta
Hipp with Zoot Sims', released the following year. Hipp left the music industry in 1958 to paint,
supporting herself in a garment factory. One source explains that she
dropped away from the jazz scene due that she didn't possess a business
drive, especially as rock music was by that time stealing away jazz
audiences: she played piano well enough, but owned small ambition and was
socially withdrawn. Another source cites that she suffered PTSD
(post-traumatic stress syndrome) due largely to living in Germany during the
war years. Though she played weekends until 1960 she gradually fully settled into
employment at Wallach's Clothiers, where she remained until retirement in the
nineties. Among the few musicians with whom she remained in contact
throughout her life was alto saxophonist, Lee Konitz. Hipp died
on April 7, 2003, of
pancreatic cancer in Queens. Saxophonist, Zoot Sims,
performs with Hipp on all tracks for 1956 below.
Jutta Hipp 1953
Recorded November '52
Issued 2013 per 'Lost Tapes'
Jutta Hipp 1953
Jutta Hipp 1954 Tenor Sax: Joki Freund &
Hans Koller Bass: Hans Kresse Drums: Karl
Sanner Tenor Sax: Joki Freund &
Hans Koller Tenor Sax: Joki Freund Album: 'Cool Europe' Tenor Sax: Joki Freund
Tenor Sax: Joki Freund & Hans Koller
Bass: Hans Kresse Drums: Karl Sanner
Tenor Sax: Joki Freund & Hans Koller
Tenor Sax: Joki Freund
Album: 'Cool Europe' Tenor Sax: Joki Freund
Jutta Hipp 1956
Jutta Hipp
Source: Discogs
Hank Mar
Source: Second Hand Songs
Born in 1927 in Columbus, Ohio, Hammond B3 organist, Hank Marr,
lived in the same neighborhood with saxophonist,
Roland Kirk. After a period in
the military he gigged clubs in Tampa for a couple years before attending
Ohio State University. In 1952 he joined
Rusty Bryant in Columbus, Ohio, for a
Dot session yielding 'Castle Rock' and 'All Night Long'. Marr would stick
with Bryant for a few years into 1955-56. In August 1954 he joined
Julian Dash in Chicago in the
recording of several R&B tunes for Vee Jay Records: 'Dash Is It', 'So Let It Be' and 'Zig Zag'
and 'Mambo'. Marr began
issuing as a leader for the Federal label in 1961: 'Tonk Game'/'Hob Nobbin'',
'Ram-Bunk-Shush'/'The Push' and 'Travelin' Heavy'/'Mexican Vodka'. He issued
his debut LP, 'Teentime Latest Dance Steps', in 1963, a collection of
already issued recordings. The single, 'Greasy
Spoon', released in '63, would show up on another collection in 1969 titled,
'The Greasy Spoon'. Marr had emphasized R&B during his
career, but came to greater favor for his jazz
recordings, such as those with guitarists,
Wilbert Longmire and
James Ulmer.
Longmire had
joined Marr's Quartette in '63 consisting of
Rusty Bryant (tenor sax) and Taylor Orr (drums). In January of '64 they
recorded Marr's 'Live at the Club 502' in Columbus, OH.
Longmire and Marr would reunite more than thirty years later in Louisville,
Kentucky, for the latter's 'Groovin' It' with Bill Stewart on drums.
Longmire would also join Marr on titles for 'Blues'n and Cruisin'' in 2001.
As for
Ulmer, his debut recordings were with Marr in 1964, 'Sounds from the
Marr-Ket Place' not released until 1967. Marr's career
has emphasized other musical industry than the recording,
such as television and education, beginning to teach at Ohio State in 1983.
Lord's disco has him on only 50 sessions during his fifty-year recording
career, 15 of those his own. Into the new millennium he recorded 'Blues'n
and Cruisin'' in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 20, 2001. His next sessions
fell in October of 2002 for Tim Cummiskey's 'Redeeming the Time', those
thought to be his last titles. He died on March
16 of 2004. Per 1954 below, not to confuse, but to note the
anomaly, the back to back labels for
Julian Dash would appear to have gotten
reversed on those particular records.
Hank Marr 1954
Titled as 'Zig Zag'
With Julian Dash
Titled as 'So Let It Be'
With Julian Dash
Hank Marr 1961
Hank Marr 1962
Hank Marr 1963
I Can't Go On/The Greasy Spoon
Hank Marr 1964
LP: 'Live at Club 502'
Guitar: Wilbert Longmire
Hank Marr 1967
Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place
Album with James Ulmer
Recorded 1964
Hank Marr 1968
Hank Marr 2001
Filmed at the 501
With Organic Chemistry
Stan Tracey,
was born in 1926 in Denmark Hill, South London. With World War II
interrupting his education, he became a professional accordionist at age
sixteen, performing with ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association),
providing music to British armed forces. He himself was in the Royal Air
Force before taking gigs on ocean liners, the Queen Mary and Coronia. He
toured the UK in 1951 with
Cab Calloway before his initial
recording sessions in 1952 with the Kenny Baker Swing Group: 'Lullaby of
Birdland'/'Exploitation' and 'Round About Midnight'/'Afternoon in Paris'.
Tracey recorded numerously with Baker into 1954, their last session of that
period on June 8 yielding 'Peg o' My Heart' and 'The Other Side'. Later in
the sixties Baker would contribute trumpet to a few of Tracey's projects:
'Alice in Jazzland' in '66 as well as 'The Latin-American Caper' and 'We
Love You Madly' in 1968. Shortly after joining Baker, Tracey also recorded with
Victor Feldman All Stars on March 3, 1952 ('Lullaby In Rhythm', 'Serenity', 'Just
Friends' and 'Euphony'). He would see
Feldman again in July of 1960 to back
Tony Crombie's 'Sweet Wild and Blue'. Tracey's first session after leaving
Baker in 1954 was with the Harry Klein Quintet on January 19 of 1955 for
'Monument' and 'Euphony'. Klein and Tracey had first recorded together
backing Baker on March 3 of '52 for 'The Very Thought of You' and 'The Night
Is Long'. They were also together with
Feldman per above on the same date.
They would would get conglomerated on wide occasion in the sixties backing
other operations, Klein also supporting Tracey's 'Alice In Jazzland' on
March 8, 1966. Among the more significant figures in Tracey's career was
drummer, Tony Crombie, first recording with him on February 1, 1956, to
support Jimmy Deuchar's 'Worthington E' and 'Barley Wine'. Crombie and
Tracey partnered numerously, both backing other operations such as Ronnie
Scott's and each other, into and throughout the sixties. Examples of Tracey
backing Crombie were 'Jazz Inc.' on January 6, 1960, and 'Sweet Wild and
Blue' per above in July of '60. Among Tracey sessions that Crombie supported
in '59 and '64 was one featuring
Tubby Hayes on vibraphone on December
1, of '59 for such as 'We'll Call You' and 'The Toff'. Their last tracks
together are thought to have been in October 1970 for touring
Ben Webster's
'Webster's Dictionary'. Another drummer Tracey saw a good amount of was Phil Seamen, they first recording together on May 5, 1956, for Kenny Graham's
'Poinciana' and 'Teddy Boy' with Tracey on bongos. Their careers would
interweave often into the sixties,
Seamen also backing Tracey on such as
'Showcase' on May 1 of '58 and 'Little Klunk' on May 2, 1959. Their last
tracks together were in the Splinters for 'One In One Hundred' and 'Two In
One Hundred' on May 2, 1972, issued in 2009 as 'Split the Difference'. As
for Deuchar above, he and Tracey had first recorded together per
Victor Feldman above on March 3,
1952. They would join one another a number of times, backing other bands if
not Tracey supporting Deuchar, in 1956-57, 1961 at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
(to include
Zoot Sims in November, 1966) and, finally, March 23 of 1986 for
Rolling Stones drummer,
Charlie Watts's 'Live at Forum Town
Hall'. Eighteen days after Tracey's initial session with Deuchar above on
March 1, 1956, Tracey fell in with
Ronnie Scott's band at Royal Festival Hall in London for titles like
'Basie Talks' and 'It Might As Well Be Spring'.
Scott would be a highly
significant figure in Tracey's career for another twelve years supporting
other operations when Tracey wasn't working for
Scott. Notable were Tracey's
numerous appearances at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
in the sixties and eighties. His first recorded session there was November
14, 1961 with touring saxophonist,
Zoot Sims, for 'Zoot at Ronnie Scott's'.
He was house pianist from 1963 to 1966, returned in 1968 for touring
Ben Webster's, 'Soho Nights Vol 1', returned again for a couple
sessions in '85 and, finally, January of 1988 for unissued titles like
'Creole Love Call' and 'Festival Junction'. Returning to 1956, sessions with
Kenny Graham's Satellites that July found him contributing various
instruments like cello to 'Lullaby', vibes to 'Tropical Sun' and accordion
to 'Sunday'. Continuing with Graham into 1957, their last session
together was on February 5 that year for such as 'Tuxedo Junction' and
'Swallowing the Blues'. That was followed by a two-year trot with the Ted Heath
Orchestra, his first title with that outfit on November of 1957: 'The
Keel Row'. His last of numerous sessions with
Heath arrived on October of 1959 toward 'Pop Hits From The Classics'.
While with Heath, Tracey recorded his
first name session as a leader on May 1 of 1958 beginning with 'Over the
Rainbow', those titles to appear on his debut album that year: 'Showcase'.
Tracey founded his own record label, Resteamed, in 1964, holding its first
session on December 11 for
Ben Webster''s 'Soho Nights Vol 2'.
That label would release Tracey's last recordings in 2013. Venturing into
the seventies, Tracey first recorded as a duo with alto saxophonist,
Mike Osborne, at Surrey Hall in
Stockwell in April '72, yielding 'Original'. They would record a number of
times together to November 26, 1976 at South Hill Park in Bracknell for
'Back to Berks'. Also of note during that period were his first duets with
Keith Tippett, on December 21,
1974, toward 'T n T'. 'Supernova' followed on August 21, 1977. In May of
1978 Tracey would join
Tippett's Ark for 'Frames'. We
take a step back to the founding of another record label, Steam, in 1976 to
issue such as 'Under Milk Wood' (1976), 'The Salisbury Suite' (1978), 'The
Crompton Suite' (1981) and 'The Poets Suite' (1984). Another important
drummer came along in the person of Tracey's son, Clark Tracey, on June 20,
1980, that first session to bear 'South East Assignment'. Clark would remain
Stan's main drummer for more than thirty years to come, their final session
together also Stan's last on January 30, 2013, toward 'The Flying Pig'.
Among several albums issued in the new millennium had been 'A Child's
Christmas' in 2011. Tracey released nigh fifty albums as a leader from out
of about 100 sessions. Another 165 sessions were in support of other groups
and bands. Among Americans not mentioned above with whom he recorded as they
toured to England were
Johnny Griffin (1983),
Stan Getz (1964),
Sonny Rollins (1965),
Prince Lasha (1966) and
Jimmy Witherspoon
(1966). Other Brits were Evan Parker ('86, '03, '04) and
John Surman (1978). Tracey died of cancer
December 6, 2013. Per 1956 below, Tracey records on cello. Per 1986, edits were filmed at a tribute
to Duke
Ellington at the Bath International Jazz Festival.
Stan Tracey 1956
Ronnie Scott/Tony Crombie Orchestra
Kenny Graham & His Satellites
Ronnie Scott/Tony Crombie Orchestra
Stan Tracey 1964
LP: 'The New Departures Quartet'
LP: 'The New Departures Quartet'
Stan Tracey 1965
LP: 'Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas'
LP: 'Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas'
LP: 'Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas'
Stan Tracey 1966
LP: 'Alice In Jazz Land'
Stan Tracey 1967
LP: 'With Love From Jazz'
LP: 'In Person'
Stan Tracey 1968
LP: 'Latin American Caper'
Stan Tracey 1969
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
Filmed live with Ian Carr
I'm Beginning to See the Light
Filmed live with Ian Carr
Stan Tracey 1970
LP: 'Perspectives'
Stan Tracey 1975
Stan Tracey 1986
I'm Beginning to See the Light
Stan Tracey 2008
Filmed in London
Stan Tracey 1986
Source: Getty Images
Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron
was born in 1925 in New York City. He took his bachelor
degree in music in 1949. He also made his first recordings in 1949 in New
York City. But those piano solos, 'Fine and Dandy' and 'I Can't Get
Started', for Atlantic went unissued, as did titles with tenor saxophonist,
Ike Quebec's, Kansas Fields Quartet with
vocalist, Frank Price, on April 18 of '52: 'Forgive This Fool' and 'Don't
Tell Me'. The second session that day with that group consisting of Fields
on drums and Alfred Matthews on bass resulted in 'Whispering Winds' and
'Kiss of Fire' minus Price. Waldron recorded with Emmett Davis on the same day (April 18) for
the same label (Hi-Lo): 'Rippin' and Runnin'/'Look What'cha Done'. Waldron
attended a couple sessions for both the Wanderers ('Heh Mae Ethel'/'We Could
Find Happiness')and Varetta Dillard ('I Ain't Gonna Tell'/'My Mind Is
Working') in 1953 before arriving to bassist,
Charles Mingus', Sextet on October
31, 1954, toward 'Jazz Composers Workshop'. December 18, 1955, found Waldron
contributing to 'Mingus at the Bohemia'. January 30, 1956, found him
Mingus' 'Pithecanthropus Erectus'.
February 4, 1959, witnessed him supporting
Mingus' 'Blues and Roots'. Waldron
backed operations like those of
Lucky Millinder and
Lucky Thompson in 1955, but doesn't
seem to have recorded with them. With Waldrons' career approaching 300
sessions, 115 of those his own, we need confine this account to a few of its
bigger nuggets with whom he attended multiple sessions. Alto saxophonist,
Jackie McLean, was one such
compatriot, Waldron joining him on October 21, 1955, with trumpeter,
Donald Byrd, for 'New
Byrd and Waldron would cross
paths several more times backing various outfits to 1960. Ditto
McLean with whom he would have
occasion to support both
Mingus and
Gene Ammons. Works by
McLean to which Waldron contributed
include '4 5 and 6' on July 13 of '56 and 'Jackie's Pal' on August 31 of
McLean backed Waldron on 'Mal/2' on
April 19 of '57, 'Left Alone' in April of '60, 'Like Old Times' on April 12
of '76 in Tokyo, and 'Left Alone '86' on September 1 of '86 in Tokyo. We
return to 1955 and drummer,
Max Roach, with whom Waldron first
recorded on December 18 per above with
Mingus for 'Mingus at the Bohemia'.
Later on February 22, 1961, they would back
Abbey Lincoln on 'Straight
Ahead'. August 1 that year found Waldron contributing to
Roach's 'Percussion Bitter Sweet'.
Febrruary 15 of '62 saw him participating on
Roach's 'It's Time'. October 27
that year found him on
Roach's 'Speak, Brother, Speak'.
Returning to the fifties, come vibraphonist,
Teddy Charles, with trumpeter, Art Farmer,
on January 6 of 1956 for 'Nature Boy' and 'The Quiet Time'.
Farmer and Waldron would get grouped again on a few occasions, notably
Gene Ammons,
Farmer also supporting Waldron on 'Earthy' on January 25 of '57 and
'Mal/3 Sounds' on January 31 of '58. As for
Charles, he and Waldron
recorded severally with various bands including
Charles' until 1961 when
Charles participated in
Waldron's 'For Pianists Only!'. Come tenor saxophonist,
Gene Ammons, on July 13, 1956, with
Donald Byrd for 'Jammin' With
Gene'. Waldron appeared on several
Ammons albums in the latter fifties,
they last recording together with
Wendell Marshall (bass) and
Ed Thigpen (drums) on September
5, 1962, for such as 'Light'n Up' and 'Short Stop'. On November 9, 1956,
Waldron recorded his debut album, 'Mal-1', that followed by 'Earthy' on
January 25, 1957. 'Mal-1' employed Idrees Sulieman (trumpet),
Gigi Gryce (alto), Julian Euell (bass)
and Arthur Edgehill (drums). 'Earthy' employed Art Farmer
Hal McKusic (alto),
Al Cohn (tenor),
Kenny Burrell (guitar), Teddy Kotick
(bass) and
Ed Thigpen (drums). Waldron
worked with
Billie Holiday the last couple
years of her life. His first session with her was at the Newport Jazz
Festival on July 6, 1957, for titles like 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' and
'Willow Weep for Me'. His final session with her was in April of 1959 with
Champ Jones (bass) and
Roy Haynes (drums) for a Boston
broadcast of such as, again, 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' and 'Willow Weep
for Me'.
Holiday would die a few months
later on July 19. While with
Holiday Waldron recorded the
piano solo 'Nervous', issued in December that year on the album by various,
'The Sound of Jazz'. Other highlights in the latter fifties included a few
appearances on the television program, 'Art Ford's Jazz Party', in 1958.
Come soprano saxophonist,
Steve Lacy's, Quartet on October 19,
1958 for 'Reflections'.
Lacy would become one of the more
important figures in Waldron's career, they supporting each other numerously
into the new millennium. Of especial note were their many duos: 'Round
Midnight Vol 1' (1981 in Paris), 'Snake-Out' (1981 in Paris), ''Herbe De
L'oubli' (1981 in Paris), 'At the Bimhuis 1982' (in Amsterdam), 'Live in
Berlin' in 1984, 'Sempre Amore' (1986 in Milan), 'Hot House' (1990 in
Paris), 'I Remember Thelonious' (1992 in Vignola), 'Japan Dream' (1992 in
Saitama), 'Let's Call This . . . Esteem' (1993 in Oxford) and 'Communique'
(1994 in Milan). Waldron's last recordings with
Lacy were in France in January of 2002
for Waldron's 'One More Time' with bassist, Jean-Jacques Avenel. Waldron
favored smaller ensembles from the quintet down to the duo. Another vocalist
with whom he would be strongly associated was
Jeanne Lee, their first titles as
a duo in May of 1994 in Paris toward 'After Hours'. They also recorded
'Travellin' in Soul Time' and 'White Rain Black Road' in August of '95 in
Japan, and 'Soul Eyes' in Belgium in August of '97. Other duos in the
nineties were recorded with George Haslam (baritone sax 1994), Judy Niemack
(vocals 1994), Danila Satragno (vocals 1994), Danila Satragno (vocals
1994), Takeo Moriyama (drums 1995) and Roberto Ottaviano (soprano sax 1996).
Duos were recorded in the new millennium with Judi Silvano (vocals 2000),
David Murray (tenor sax 2001) and
Archie Shepp (tenor sax 2002).
Waldron lived in Europe the last quarter century of his life. His career had
come to serious threat in
1963 due to heroin overdose. Upon recovering, a change of scenery to Europe
was of assistance, he recording there for the first time in Milan on March
1, 1966, a suite of piano solos titled 'All Alone'. Waldron eventually moved to Munich in 1967.
His first
visit to Japan was in 1970, recording 'Tokyo Reverie' and 'Tokyo Bound' on
February 7. Waldron's final tracks are though to have been in Paris for a
duo (above) with Archie Shepp on February 7 and 8 for 'Left Alone
Revisited'. He performed his last concert in Lille, France, in 2002, dying two weeks later
on December 2 of complications arising from cancer.
Among other golden names in his portfolio had been Dizzy
Gillespie in 1964. Per below, all tracks for 1987 are from Waldron's album, 'Breaking New Ground'.
Mal Waldron 1956
Alto sax: Jackie McLean
Alto sax: Jackie McLean
Album: 'Mal-1'
Mal Waldron 1959
Mal Waldron 1971
Album Bass: Gary Peacock
Drums: Hiroshi Murakami
Mal Waldron 1973
Album: 'Up Popped the Devil'
Mal Waldron 1983
You and the Night and the Music
Mal Waldron 1986
Filmed live Alto sax: Jackie McLean
Mal Waldron 1987
Mal Waldron 1994
Vocal: Jeanne Lee
Mal Waldron 1995
Live performance
Mal Waldron 1997
With Steve Lacy
With Steve Lacy
Vocal: Jeanne Lee
Mal Waldron 2000
Vocal: Jeanne Lee
Mal Waldron 2002
Mal Waldron
Source: Discogs
Toshiko Akiyoshi
Source: Jazz Talk
Classical fans of Mitsuko Uchida (b 1948), meet the Uchida of jazz, Toshiko Akiyoshi, whose recording career began much earlier in 1953 upon discovery by pianist, Oscar Peterson, one reason being her much earlier birth in Japan in 1929. Peterson had met Akiyoshi on a JATP tour to Japan in 1952. Returning in '53, Peterson loaned her his rhythm section consisting of guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer J.C. Heard to record her first album in November of '53: 'Toshiko's Piano', also issued as 'Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi'. She became the first Japanese student at the Berklee Shool of Music in Boston in 1956, attending on scholarship. She married saxophonist, Charlie Mariano, in 1959. Their first recording together was at the Birdland in NYC on April 2, 1960, co-leading what would be issued in 1991 as 'Live at Birdland'. Numerous sessions followed until July 16, 1964, Mariano contributing to arrangements for 'Toshiko Mariano and her Big Band'. In 1969 Toshiko married saxophonist, Lew Tabackin, with whom she formed a 16-piece big band band in 1973 to release the album, 'Kogun', the next year. In 1982 she and Tabackin formed the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra. Akiyoshi's proclivity to work with big bands meant that a number of her recordings were released only in Japan, as by the time she entered the music business big bands were becoming passé in the States, the more so over the decades. Akiyoshi published her autobiography, 'Life with Jazz', in 1997. She dissolved her orchestra in 2003, 'Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo', released in 2004, its last recording. Having difficulty acquiring recording contracts for orchestral jazz, she then concentrated on piano. She became an NEA Jazz Master in 2007. As of this writing Akiyoshi yet lives with her husband in Manhattan.
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1957
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1958
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1975
With the Lew Tabackin Big Band
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1976
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1996
Toshiko Akiyoshi 1997
Live at the Blue Note Tokyo
Live at the Blue Note Tokyo
Toshiko Akiyoshi 2000
|Born in 1932 in
Montreal, it was 1953 when composer and pianist
Paul Bley was first recorded on a Canadian television
broadcast of 'Jazz Workshop' in Montreal, Quebec, on February 5 with alto
Charlie Parker, and tenor saxophonist, Brew Moore.
Titles like 'Don't Blame Me' and 'Wahoo' wouldn't be issued until much later
on CD. Bley's first issued titles occurred on October 4 that year with the Charles Mingus
Octet, 'Miss Bliss', 'Blue Tide', 'Pink Topsy' and 'Eclipse' to appear on
Mingus' album, 'Charles Mingus Octet' that year. Bley's next session was
his first as a leader per the Paul Bley Trio with
on bass and
Art Blakey on drums, that on November 30 of
1953 for the album, 'Introducing Paul Bley'. Bley's favored
configuration was the trio, which he filled over the years with a list of
musicians too long for mention here. Jumping ahead to the sixties, Bley
first laid tracks with clarinetist/saxophonist, Jimmy
Giuffre, on March 3, 1961, as a member of the Jimmy
Giuffre Trio with bassist,
Steve Swallow, that toward the
issue of 'Fusion'. That trio recorded numerously into 1962, most of their
sessions while on tour in Europe in '61. Bley and Giuffre
would record on several more occasions together throughout Bley's career,
their last a reunion with
Swallow in Milan, Italy, on
May 27, 1993, for 'Conversations With a Goose'.
Swallow had been a member of
Don Ellis Trio with Bley on April
21, 1961, for the recording of 'Out of Nowhere'. After Giuffre,
Swallow joined Bley in the
latter's trio with
Pete La Roca on drums on
September 12, 1963, for titles like 'Syndrome' and 'King Korn'. They found
themselves recording together again in 1965, including Bley's trio with
Barry Altschul on drums on December 12 toward the album, 'Closer'. That trio
reunited twenty years later for 'Hot' on March 10, 1985. Besides Giuffre,
another infusing saxophonist in the early sixties was
Sonny Rollins. Tenor saxophonist,
Coleman Hawkins, was also part of
Rollins' quintet when Bley first
recorded with
Rollins at the Newport Jazz Festival
on July 7, 1963, putting down 'Remember' (Hawkins out), 'All the Things You
Are' and 'The Way You Look Tonight'. Eight and eleven days later they held a
couple sessions toward 'Sonny Meets Hawk!'. Bley then toured to Japan with
Rollins, their last track together on
January 17 of '64 in NYC, 'Blue 'n' Boogie', gone unissued. Bley was married
1964-67 to composer and pianist,
Carla Bley. Their only recorded
collaboration of sorts would appear to have been in December of '64, Carla
arranging 'Roast' and 'Composition No. 3' for the Jazz Composer's Orchestra
per a performance at Judson Hall in NYC. Bley also helped form the
Jazz Composers Guild in 1964 to promote free form jazz in New York City. Bley addressed his music in the documentary, 'Imagine the Sound', released
in 1981. He began instructing at the New England Music Conservatory in the
nineties. Bley passed away on January 3, 2016, in Stuart, Florida. His final
recordings would appear to have been at the Oslo Jazz Festival in Norway in
August, 2008, issued in 2014 as 'Play Blue'.
Paul Bley 1953
Album: 'Montreal 1953'
Album suite Alto sax: Charlie Parker
Bass: Charles Mingus Drums: Art Blakey
Paul Bley 1958
Ornette Coleman Quintet
Paul Bley 1961
Bass: Steve Swallow Clarinet: Jimmy Giuffre
Paul Bley 1962
Paul Bley 1963
Paul Bley 1964
Paul Bley 1965
Paul Bley 1966
Paul Bley 1967
Paul Bley 1968
Paul Bley 1972
Album: 'Dual Unity' Vocal: Annette Peacock
Paul Bley 1973
Filmed live
Paul Bley 1976
Paul Bley 1977
Alto sax: Lee Konitz Guitar: Bill Connors
Paul Bley 1985
Paul Bley 1985
With Chet Baker
Paul Bley 1988
Paul Bley 1992
Paul Bley 1993
Paul Bley 1994
Paul Bley 1996
Paul Bley 2008
Filmed live
Paul Bley
Source: Stomp Beast
Sonny Clark, organ and piano, was born in Herminie, PA, in 1931. He left Pennsylvania for California at age 20 to pursue a career in jazz. He soon met Wardell Gray and Oscar Pettiford. Clark's recording career would span only ten years. Yet in that time he contributed to titles rapid fire, attending 144 sessions, nearly forty of those his own. We'll mention but his initial three in this abbreviated account, starting in Los Angeles on February 10, 1953, with the Teddy Charles West Coasters, Charles on vibes, Frank Morgan on alto sax and Wardell Gray on tenor sax. Titles for Prestige were 'The Man I Love', 'Lavonne', 'So Long Broadway' and 'Paul's Cause'. Spring of that year found Clark at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach featuring his own trio of Harry Babasin (bass/cello) and Bobby White (drums) accompanied by alto saxophonist, Art Pepper, for such as 'Deep Purple' and 'Bluebird'. Clark would contribute to titles at the Lighthouse again for bassist, Howard Rumsey, on September 25, 1956, bearing such as 'A Bit of Basie' and 'Blue Sands'. Clark's third and last session in '53 arrived in September with the Buddy DeFranco Orchestra in Los Angeles, laying out such as 'Gold Nugget' and 'Love Is For the Very Young'. DeFranco would be a three-year study for Clark to 1956, they touring to Scandinavia and Europe in '54. Clark is thought to have held his first sessions during such at the apartment of Randi Hiltin in Oslo in January of 1954: 'Jeepers Creepers', to be found on an album by various called 'Born Under the Sign of Jazz' in 1998. Other titles would be found on 'The Sonny Clark Memorial Album' in 1976. Clark last recorded with DeFranco in August of '56 in Los Angeles toward the latter's 'Broadway Showcase'. He had issued his first album, 'Oakland', the year before. In 1957 he traded coastlines for NYC by way of tour with singer, Dinah Washington. He released his second album, 'Dial "S" For Sonny', in 1957, completing the year with Lou Donaldson on tracks that December: 'Groovin' High', 'Strollin' In', etc.. Beginning '58 on January 5 with the recording of 'Cool Struttin', members of that crew were Art Farmer (trumpet), Jackie McLean (alto sax), Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Backing McLean on albums in '59 ('Jackie's Bag'), '60 ('A Fickle Sonance') and '61 ('Hipnosis'), 1962 found Clark supporting saxophonist, Dexter Gordon, on the albums, 'Go!' and 'A Swinging Affair' before recording tracks with Grant Green, McLean ('Tippin' the Scales') Coleman Hawkins, followed by his final session on October 18 with Stanley Turrentine for titles like 'Brother Tom', 'My Ship' and 'Jubilee Shout'. Clark then died of a sudden, young at age 31, on January 13, 1963, of heart attack.
Sonny Clark 1953
Teddy Charles' West Coasters
Alto sax: Frank Morgan
Tenor sax: Wardell Gray
Teddy Charles' West Coasters
Alto sax: Frank Morgan
Tenor sax: Wardell Gray
Alto sax: Frank Morgan
Tenor sax: Wardell Gray
Alto sax: Frank Morgan
Sonny Clark 1954
With Buddy DeFranco
With Buddy DeFranco
Jimmy Raney Quartet
Sonny Clark 1957
With Art Farmer
With Art Farmer
Sonny Clark 1958
Sonny Clark 1961
Sonny Clark
Source: Jazz Wax
Michel Legrand was born in 1932 in Paris. He entered the Paris Conservatory of Music at age ten, where he studied until age eighteen. Upon leaving school he accompanied a number of French popular singers and also toured with Maurice Chevelier. Lord's discography has Legrand arranging titles for Dizzy Gillespie as early as 1953, that in Paris for Blue Star for titles like ''Undecided' and 'The Way You Look Tonight'. Legrand recorded his first album, 'I Love Paris', at age 22 (1954). He contributed numerous arrangements to Blossom Dearie's Blue Stars on five occasions between November of '54 and circa May of '56. Legrand first recorded jazz in the United States in NYC in June of 1958, issued on 'Legrand Jazz'. His orchestra for that was an all-star crew including trumpeter, Miles Davis, with whom he collaborated three decades later in 1990 on the soundtrack to 'Dingo'. In addition to jazz piano, Legrand conducted orchestras and wrote above 200 film and television scores (: 'Cléo from 5 to 7' in 1961, 'The Thomas Crown Affair' in 1968, 'F for Fake' in 1974). Among other American musician with whom he performed in Europe was trumpeter, Stan Getz, they recording at Palais de Chaillot in Paris together on October 5, 1969, for 'I Remember Clifford' and 'Perdido'. A session in Paris in '71 came to Getz' album, 'Communications '72'. His following session was in Los Angeles to back Sarah Vaughan on a couple of dates in spring of '72. Highlighting the eighties was opportunity to collaborate with Oscar Peterson, Claude Bolling, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Martin Drew at the National Art Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, on September 21, 1984, for titles like 'Frere Jaques' and 'I Will Wait For You'. Highlighting the nineties were contributions to Arturo Sandoval's 'Dream Come True' in January of '93. Legrand joined Peterson again in Toronto in April 2000 for Trail of Dreams: A Canadian Suite'. Legrand is yet active as of this writing, having released more than 100 albums.
Michel Legrand 1953
Michel Legrand 1954
Michel Legrand 1958
Trumpets: Donald Byrd and Art Farmer
Sax: Ben Webster
Michel Legrand 1959
Michel Legrand 1970
From the film 'Wuthering Heights'
Michel Legrand 1971
Michel Legrand 1972
Michel Legrand 2001
Michel Legrand
Source: Armenpress
|Born in French Algeria in 1927,
Martial Solal first recorded
in 1952 in Paris for Andre Hodeir on the soundtrack, 'Jazz et Jazz' which
saw release eight years later in 1960 on LP. Come
Django Reinhardt on April 8, 1953
for such as 'Le Soir' and 'Chez Moi'. The next month after his session with
Reinhardt, above, Solal held his
first as a leader on May 16, that with his trio consisting of Pierre
Michelot (bass) and Pierre Lemarchand (drums) toward 'Dinah', 'La Chaloupee',
'Ramona' and 'Once in a While'. Those would be included on his 1954 issue of
'Modern Sounds: France'. Solal's base of operations was Paris
throughout his career. As such, he numerously hosted European and American
musicians visiting Paris on tour. With at least 211 sessions to his name,
122 of those his own, we'll not attempt to represent the whole of Solal's career
here, but concentrate on only American musicians, and those only in the
fifties. Such leaves the larger part of Solal's career on his own turf hugely
missing, but I could come up a missing person myself to venture his greater
career. Solal's first session with a visiting American was for the
French label, Vogue, on November 23 of '53, that with Don Byas for
such as 'Remember My Forgotten Man' and 'If I Had You'. A session on
December 8 affected 'G.D.P.', 'Time on My Hands', et al.
Byas and Solal would reunite on July 13,
1958, at the Jazz Festival du Cannes for 'Now's the Time' and
'Indiana'. 1954 saw Solal working with Jean Pierre Sasson, '55 with Henri
Crolla, and '56 with Fats Sadi before
Lucky Thompson arrived for a session
on March 14 of '56 with drummer, Gerard Pochonet's, All Stars, that coming
to titles like 'You Go to My Head', 'Undecided', et al. Sometime that month
Solal had also put down 'It Had to Be You' with the
Zoot Sims Quartet. A total of nine
sessions would be held with
Thompson to April 25, the last with
the Gerard Pochonet Quartet to yield Thompson's 'Lucky Plays the Club' (Club
Saint-Germain in Paris). Solal would see
Thompson again in '57, a last time in
spring of '61 for the latter's 'Lord, Lord, Am I Ever Gonna Know?'. Bassist,
George Duvivier, popped up in May of 1956 for a session on the 22nd yielding
such as ''Rue Dauphine' and 'Nautilus'. Come October 26 for tracks to
Kenny Clarke's, 'Kenny Clarke's
Sextet Plays Andre Hodeir'.
Clarke had been in
Sims' Quartet per above
the previous March. He had also backed Solal on September 24 for 'Reunion a
Paris'. Another session for
Clarke on November 21 bore such as 'Oblique' and
'Jeru'. November 30 saw such as 'Bemsha Swing' and 'Blue Serge'.
Clarke had
immigrated to Paris in '56 so he and Solal found themselves partners on
numerous occasions to 1961, their last such in spring to back
'Lord, Lord, Am I Ever Gonna Know?' per above. They would reunite in January
of 1968 for
Hampton Hawes' 'Key for Two'. March 12 of 1957 found Solal
leading a quartet with alto saxophonist,
Sidney Bechet, consisting
of Lloyd Thompson (bass) and Al Levitt (drums) to put down 'I Only Have Eyes
for You', 'The Man I Love', et al. Their Quartet on June 17 consisting of
Pierre Michelot (bass) and
Kenny Clarke (drums) saw such as 'All the Things
You Are' and 'Embraceable You'. Saxophonist,
Stan Getz, arrived in June and/or July
for concerts in Paris which would occur the latter's 'Live In Europe 1958'.
Titles put down at the Cannes Jazz Festival on July 12 and 13 would get
issued on a compilation called 'Jazz Sur La Croisette: Cannes 1958'. A radio
broadcast the next day from Cannes resulted in 'Now's the Time' and
'Indiana'. That was with four other saxophonists: Don Byas, Barney Wilen,
Guy Lafittea and Coleman Hawkins with Arvell Shaw (bass) and JC Heard
(drums). Trumpeter, Dizzy
Gillespie, was also present in Cannes on those dates to appear on
'Jazz Sur La Croisette: Cannes 1958' above. One of those recordings on the
13th included three other trumpeters:
Bill Coleman, Teddy Buckner, Roy
Eldridge with Arvell Shaw (bass) and JC Heard (drums) for 'Just Uou, Just
Me'. Solal's Trio in Essen, Germany, on April 18 of 1959 consisted of
Oscar Pettiford and
Kenny Clarke for titles like
'Special Club' and 'Lover Man'. Those would get issued in 2012 on side B of
an album with
Thelonious Monk on side A titled 'Live In Berlin 1961/Live In
Essen 1959'. His appearance on a couple tracks of 'One World Jazz' released
in 1960 was dubbed along with others except the main crew consisting of
Terry (trumpet), JJ Johnson (trombone,)
Ben Webster (tenor sax),
Hank Jones (piano)
Kenny Burrell (guitar),
George Duvivier (bass) and
Jo Jones (drums) who had recorded the album on May 19 of 1959 in NYC. Solal's
first visit to the States was in 1963 toward 'Martial Solal at Newport '63'.
The next month on August 13 he recorded such as 'Jordu' and 'Suite Pour Une
Frise' at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Among highlights in the sixties was
Wes Montgomery, in Hamburg on April 30 to result in the latter's
'Live in Europe'. He was back in the States on September 30, 1974, to
participate in 'Sometime Ago' on saxophonist,
Lee Konitz', album, 'Satori'. Solal had
already recorded with
Konitz on the latter's previous trips to Paris in 1968
('European Episode') and 1974 ('Jazz a Juan'). He would join
Konitz again in
Rome on November 29, 1977, for the latter's 'Duplicity'. A session in
Villingen, Germany, on May 8, 1979, saw Konitz' 'Four Keys'. A session in
Berlin, Germany, on October 30, 1980, saw their duo 'Live at the Berlin Jazz
Days 1980'. Another duo followed in Nice on May 14 of '81 for 'Just
Friends'. Yet another duo followed on November 11, 1983 in Hamburg resulting
in 'Star Eyes, Hamburg 1983'. June of 1988 found Solal in New York City
again for '9.11 PM Town Hall' with European associates Michel Portal
(sax/bass clarinet), Joachim Kuhn (piano), Marc Ducret (guitar),
Jean-Francois Jenny-Clark (bass) and Daniel Humair (drums). September of
2001 witnessed the recording of 'NY-1: Live at the Village Vanguard' with
his trio of Francois Moutin (bass) and Bill Stewart (drums). Another session
at the Village Vanguard on October 12, 2007, resulted in a suite of piano
solos titled 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love'. Among Solal's more famous
French compatriots was violinist,
Stephane Grappelli, with whom he'd
recorded on several occasions since 1959. One such occurrence was their duo
in February of 1980 resulting in 'Happy Reunion'. Among Solal's latest
recordings was participation in violinist, Dider Lockwood's, 'For Stephane'
in 2007/08 with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Among his latest compositions
(prior to 2011) are those found on the 2015 issue of 'Works for Piano and
Two Pianos' with pianist, Eric Ferrand-N'Kaoua. Solal is yet active as of this writing. All
edits below from 1990 onward are live performances.
Martial Solal 1953
With Django Reinhardt
With Django Reinhardt
Martial Solal 1954
Martial Solal 1960
Album: 'À Bout de Souffle'
Album: 'À Bout de Souffle'
Martial Solal 1965
Live performance
Martial Solal 1974
Martial Solal 1990
Martial Solal 2007
Filmed concert
Martial Solal 2008
Martial Solal 2010
Martial Solal 2012
Martial Solal
Photo: Jos L. Knaepen
Source: Musique a la Campagne
Source: Musique a la Campagne
|Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1918,
pianist Bobby Troup sold a couple compositions in 1941 ('Daddy', recorded by Sammy
Kaye and the
Andrew Sisters, and 'Snootie Little Cutie', recorded by
Tommy Dorsey and
Frank Sinatra). It was 1946 when he
composed 'Route 66' (Nat King Cole)
on his way to Los Angeles. Troup's first name recordings didn't occur until
his release of the album, 'Bobby Troup!', in 1953. Troup had graduated from
the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics before joining the
Marines, promoted to Captain in 1944. Troup was first married to Cynthia
Hare (who contributed to lyrics on 'Route 66') in 1942. He later married
Julie London, in 1959. Troup also made appearances on film and
television. He died on February 7, 1999, in Los Angeles, where he had worked
as an actor, 21 of only 43 sessions his own.
Bobby Troup 1953
Bobby Troup 1955
Bobby Troup 1958
Their Hearts Were Full of Spring
Bobby Troup 1964
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Filmed live in Japan Vocal: Julie London
Bobby Troup
Source: Songbook
Source: Songbook
Joe Zawinul
Source: Secret Society
|Born in Vienna, Austria, in
1932, Joe Zawinul
was part Hungarian, part Czech. Zawinal was studying classical piano,
clarinet and violin at the Konservatorium Wien when Venna came under siege
by Allied forces during World War II. He and 28 other students were
evacuated by the German military to Czechoslovakia where Zawinul's education
continued under SS directorship. Upon the end of the war Zawinul returned to
Vienna to further his studies in piano while playing accordion
professionally. Lord's disco has him first recording with Willi Fantl und
Seine Solisten in November of 1952 for HMV GA854: 'Sie tantz mit ihm' and 'Er
tantz mit ihr'. 1953 found him in Fantl's orchestra for 'Oh!' (Columbia
DV1726). HMV had him recording a duo with pianist, Sascha Janus, in December
of '53, titles like 'Fine and Dandy' and 'Pick Yourself Up' with Rudolf
Hansen (bass) and Victor Plasil (drums). His first recordings with
Hans Koller were on the 15th
('Laura', documentation unkown) and 16th of September, 1954. The latter were
for the Elite Special label, assumed to be have been issued that year:
'Zero', 'These', 'M.S.K.' and 'Koller's idea'. Zawinal recorded between 1955
(Hans Koller: 'Some Winds') and 1958 with the Fatty George Jazzband ('65 to
'58) and
Bud Shank ('European Tour '57', release date unkown). 'Some Winds'
Koller was taped privately, not issued until 'Hans Across The Sea
1952-55' on an unknown date. Nor were Zawinul's numerous recordings with
Fatty George released to the public until later in collections on unknown
dates: 'On the Air', 'Dixie aus dem Wienerwald' ('Dixie from the Vienna
Woods'), 'Fatty's Saloon 1958' (1969 by Preiser Records) and 'A Tribute to
Vienna'. Zawinul's first session as a leader had been in Vienna on March 12
of '57: 'Easy Living', 'What a Difference a Day Made' and 'The Beat'. He was becoming of note in Vienna, and must have been making good
money and saving frugally while performing at American military bases and on
American Armed Forces Radio, for he had $800 in his pocket (per Zawinul's
official website) when in 1959 he spent five days to cross the Atlantic to
the U.S. to attend the Berklee College of Music on scholarship. He that year
issued his initial album as a leader: 'To You with Love' recorded in NYC. The next year he
would appear on a couple albums with
Dinah Washington, but it was
Cannonball Adderley with whom
he spent an intense sixties, they issuing well above twenty albums
together in nine years from '61 to 1970. Miles
Davis liked Zawinul on five LPs from 1969 to to '79. The meanwhile
Zawinul had formed the early jazz fusion band,
Weather Report, with
Wayne Shorter (saxophone) and
Miroslav Vitouš (double
Weather Report released its
first eponymous album in 1971. That group issued some fifteen more until
1986. During the nineties Zawinal composed 'Stories of the Danube'. First
performed at the Bruckner Festival in Linz, Austria, in 1993. It was
recorded in 1995 by the Czech State Philharmonic Orchestra with Caspar
Richter. Zawinul issued about fifteen albums as a leader. His last studio
effort was released posthumously in 2009: 'Absolute Zawinul'. His final live
titles had gone down in Lugano, Switzerland, in the summer of 2007, to be
issued as '75th'. Zawinul died of
skin cancer in Vienna on September 11, 2007. Per 1959 below, each track is from Zawinul's debut LP: 'To You with Love'. All entries from 1985 onward are
filmed concerts unless otherwise noted. More Zawinul naturally under
Weather Report.
Joe Zawinul 1954
With Hans Koller
Joe Zawinul 1959
Please Send Me Someone to Love
Joe Zawinul 1961
Television program
Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Joe Zawinul 1985
Joe Zawinul 1986
Joe Zawinul 1994
Joe Zawinul 1996
LP: 'Stories of the Danube'
LP: "My People'
Joe Zawinul 1997
Joe Zawinul 2004
Filmed concert Paris
Eddie Costa
Source: Last FM
Eddie Costa's was born in Atlas, Pennsylvania, in 1930. His first recordings of certain date were made on July 21, 1954, with guitarist Sal Salvador: 'Round Trip', 'Yesterdays', 'Cabin In the Sky' and 'See'. A couple more sessions with Salvador followed in October. Costa would join Salvador on several sessions in '56 and '57, both backing others and Salvador on the latter's 'Shades of Sal Salvador' ('56) and 'A Tribute to the Greats' ('57). 1955 found Costa backing both Jerry Wald and Morey Feld before co-leading 'A Pair of Pianos' with pianist, John Mehegan, on November 15, supported by bassist, Vinnie Burke. Costa would partner with Burke on a several occasions to 1957, particularly for both guitarist, Tal Farlow, and bandleader, Manny Albam. Summer of '56 found Costa participating in Burke's 'The Vinnie Burke All-Stars'. First recording with Albam per the latter's arrangement of titles for Feld's 'Jazz Goes to B'Way' in August of '55, Albam would be a frequent compatriot on numerous sessions to as late as Curtis Fuller's 'Cabin In the Sky' in April of '62. He had contributed to a few tracks of Albam's 'West Side Story' on October 10, 1957. Another guitarist with whom Costa recorded on several occasions was Mundell Lowe, their first such occasion in April of '58 for Jackie Davis' 'Most Happy Hammond' with Kenny Burrell also contributing guitar along with Bertell Knox on drums. Costa would contribute to both volumes of Lowe's 'TV Action Jazz' in '59 and '60, and 'Satan In High Heels' in '61. They last recorded together on April 2, 1962, backing vocalist, Jerri Winters, on such as 'The Lost and the Lonely' and 'Elmer's Tune' for Summit. Also highlighting '62 was a prior session in January for Julius Watkins' 'French Horns For My Lady'. Costa recorded his second album as a band leader in 1957, 'At Newport', followed by 'Eddie Costa Quintet' put down a week later on the July 13th. January of '58 saw the recording of 'Guys and Dolls Like Vibes', 'The House of Blue Lights' ensuing the next year. Costa's final sessions in '62 were with Clark Terry in May for 'All American', Tony Bennett in June for 'Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall' and, finally, Al Cohn in July for 'Jazz Mission to Moscow'. Costa was killed 16 days later on July 28 in a late night auto crash on a highway in New York. During his eight years of recording activity Costa had appeared on more than 100 albums per 203 sessions, seven of the latter his own.
Eddie Costa 1954
With Sal Salvador
Eddie Costa 1956
Bass: Vinnie Burke Drums: Nick Stabulas
Bass: Vinnie Burke Drums: Nick Stabulas
Bass: Vinnie Burke Drums: Nick Stabulas
Eddie Costa 1957
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Eddie Costa 1958
I've Never Been In Love Before
Eddie Costa 1959
Bill Evans
Source: Notes on the Road
Bill Evans was born in 1929 in Plainfield, New Jersey. He began to play piano in his brother's band at age twelve. Though good at classical, but not improvisation, at the time, he taped his own first recording in 1943 at age fourteen in Plainfield with George Bache (tenor sax), Walt Kaye Kawalski (bass) and Frank "Fluffy" Wrobel (drums): 'The Man I Love'. Evans taped numerous titles to 1949, available on '1943-1949 Very Early Volume 1' issued in 2000 by E3 Records. Tapes made in the early fifties at his home in Plainfield were likewise made available by E3 in 2000: 'Practice Tape No. 1'. Evans is thought to have taken his first professional employment in 1950 with Herbie Fields. Drafted into the Army in 1951, upon discharge Evans scratched his first grooves with the Jerry Wald Orchestra in 1953 and 1955. Those albums were 'Jerry Wald and His Orchestra' and 'Listen To The Music of Jerry Wald'. A session with Dick Garcia in 1955 wrought such as 'Kimona My House' before tracks with Lucy Reed in spring, resulted in her 1957 album, 'The Singing Reed'. Sessions in '56 and '57 with trumpeter/vibraphonist, Don Elliott, were made available in 2001 as 'Tenderly: An Informal Session'. Another name to develop some prestige arrived on March 31 of '56 per pianist, George Russell, and his Smalltet, Russell directing titles for RCA Victor's 'The Jazz Workshop' issued the next year. Evans found himself working for Russell on multiple occasions into 1960, there a reunion in May of '72 with both of them co-leading Evans' 'Living Time' consisting of 'Events I-VIII'. Following Russell in '56 was clarinetist, Tony Scott, on July 2 for titles to 'The Touch of Tony Scott'. With the exception of '58 Evans found multiple occasions to back Scott to October of '59 for the latter's 'Sung Heroes'. Evans also released his first name album, 'New Jazz Conceptions' in 1956. Evans was highly prolific at recording, his career resulting in around 330 sessions, a good two thirds of those his own. Unable to trace such here to any detail, it is nevertheless apt to mention a couple heavyweights with whom Evans held multiple sessions: Trumpeter, Miles Davis, came along with a quintet on May 17 of '58 for a radio broadcast from the Cafe Bohemia in NYC, resulting in such as 'Bye Bye Blackbird' and 'Walkin''. Evans' last occasion to record with Davis is thought to have been with the latter's sextet on April 22, 1959, for multiple takes of 'Flamenco Sketches' and 'All Blues'. Nine days after his initial session with Davis in '58 fell another on May 26 with a sextet including sax man, Cannonball Adderley, that resulting in multiple takes of 'Stella By Starlight' among others. Evans and Adderley would work with Davis for a time, Evans also backing Adderley on a couple of the latter's albums: 'Portrait of Cannonball' ('58) with the Julian Adderley Quintet (Julian Adderley being Cannonball Adderley) and 'Jump For Joy' the next month in August with the Julian Adderley Orchestra. In January and February of 1961 Adderley and Evans co-led 'Know What I Mean?' and 'Explorations'. Evans stepped onto the heroin carpet in the latter fifties, which he rode into the early seventies. Among highlights in the sixties was trombonist, Jay Jay Johnson, they recording 'This Could Be the Start of Something Big' on October 3, 1960, with trombonist, Kai Winding. That would be included on Johnson and Winding's 'Swinging Together Again', recorded during sessions the next month. Evans first switched from acoustic to electric piano for the release of 'From Left to Right' in 1970. During the latter seventies Evans found cocaine to be choice. Highlighting that decade were sessions with harmonica player, Toots Thielemans, in November of '78 with saxophonist/flautist, Larry Schneider, resulting in 'Affinity'. Thielemans would also join Evans in Netherlands on December 6 of '79 for titles like 'Blue In Green'. Evans had recorded his last studio LP in August of 1979, 'We Will Meet Again', though numerous live recordings would follow in the States, Brazil and Europe before his early death at age 49 on September 15, 1980, of multiple causes: ulcer, cirrhosis, pneumonia and hepatitis. In August and early September he had recorded a river of titles in San Francisco that would be released in 2000 per a box set of 8 CDs called 'The Last Waltz'. Those were with his trio consisting of Marc Johnson (bass) and Joe LaBarbera (drums). The same would accompany him on his final recording 5 days before his death at Fat Tuesday's in NYC, getting issued as 'The Very Last Performance' in 2010. A very abbreviated list of some of Evans' other musical associates includes Lee Konitz, John Coltrane, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes and Jimmy Giuffre. Among Evans' favorite nonmusical interests had been horseracing, frequently gambling sizable sums and winning. He also owned the horse, Annie Hall, with film producer, Jack Rollins. Evans will also be found under Toots Thielemans in Jazz 10.
Bill Evans 1956
Guitar: Dick Garcia
Bill Evans 1958
Bass clarinet: Hal McKusick
Bill Evans 1961
Know What I Mean?
Album Sax: Cannonball Adderley
Bill Evans 1965
Jazz 625
Filmed concert
Bill Evans 1966
Filmed live in Copenhagen
Bass: Eddie Gómez Drums: Alex Riel
Bill Evans 1970
Album: 'Left to Right'
Bill Evans 1979
Live at Maintenance Shop
Bass: Marc Johnson
Drums: Joe LaBarbera
Bill Evans 1980
Days of Wine and Roses
Bill Evans 2000
The Moon/Star Eyes
Jimmy Smith
Source: Naver
Source: Naver
While James Brown was delivering funk to rock n' roll fans
organist Jimmy Smith
brought funk to jazz listeners. Born in 1925 in Norristown, Pennsylvania,
Smith began playing piano as a child.
He dropped out of school at age fifteen in the eighth grade and joined the
Navy. Seven years later he finished his tour in the service and returned to
Philadelphia where he studied music, piano and double bass, at the Ornstein
School of Music. for a couple years. Of the numerous Jimmy Smiths in Lord's
disco it is this one who is placed with the Loumell Morgan Trio for
recordings in Hollywood in 1944 and '45, playing double bass with vocals.
But he is thought to have been in the Navy at age nineteen and there is no
reference found of him in California during that period. Nor does this photo
of Jimmy "Jam" Smith look like the same Smith to me. With information
breakdown at this point we need leave it moot and place his first issues
much later with
Don Gardner's outfit. Smith
Gardner's band in Philadelphia in 1951, the same year he began experimenting with the
Hammond organ. Smith originally played piano with Gardner, but his first
recordings with Gardner's
ensemble were on organ. The earliest titles given some kind of date in
Lord's disco were per spring of 1953 for DeLuxe. Those weren't released,
however, until '57 and '58 as 'This Nearly Was Mine'/'A Dagger In My Chest'
and 'There! I've Said It Again'/'I Don't Want to Go Home'. Soulfulkindamusic
wants Smith with the Gardner Trio
on Bruce 105 in 1954 for 'How Do You Speak to an Angel'/'Sonotone Bounce'
with Albert Cass on bass. Globaldogproductions wants him leading the
Sonotones on Bruce 112 for 'Jughead'/'Dancing On The Ceiling' the same year.
Don Gardner and the Sonotones in
1955 on Bruce 127 for 'It's a Sin To Tell a Lie'/'I Hear a Rhapsody'. Smith began recording as a bandleader for Blue
Note in 1956, releasing his first album, 'A New Sound... A New Star...',
for that label the same year. Also in his Trio were Thornell Schwartz
(guitar) and Bazeley Perry (drums). On February 12, 1957, he formed a trio
Kenny Burrell on guitar and
Art Blakey on drums for such as
'Billie's Bounce' and 'Yardbird Suite'. Smith would see
Blakey on a few other occasions,
Kenny Burrell would become a
significant figure throughout his career, they basically each in the other's
ensembles for countless titles to as late as April 6, 1994, at Carnegie Hall
for the tune, 'Down by the Riverside'. Of above 170 sessions during his
career 134 of those were Smith's own. Highlighting the sixties was his first album for Verve, 'Bashin'',
in 1962. He had opportunity to record with Wes Montgomery
a couple times in 1966, the first on September 21 for 'The Dynamic Duo', the
next seven days later for 'The Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes'.
George Benson joined him in Atlanta
for 'The Boss' in 1968.
Benson would join him again on June
7 of '82 for 'Off the Top'. December 17 of 1984 found them supporting
Stanley Turrentine on
titles like 'Plum' and 'A Child Is Born'. Come his Supper Club in Hollywood
to highlight the
seventies, where on July 6 and 7 of '77 he recorded 'It's Necessary'. In
1978 he toured to South Africa to record 'Jimmy Smith Plays For The People'.
Releasing above 100 albums during his career, among them came 'Damn! in '95. Smith moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, in 2004. His wife,
Lola, died a few months later, and he himself, of natural causes, on
February 8, 2005. He had begun recording the LP, 'Legacy', in 2004 with Joey DeFrancesco,
that platter released posthumously the next year.
Jimmy Smith 1954
With Don Gardner
With Don Gardner
Jimmy Smith 1958
Jimmy Smith 1962
Jimmy Smith 1965
Jimmy Smith 1971
Jimmy Smith 1972
Jimmy Smith 1974
Album: 'Paid in Full'
Jimmy Smith 1977
Jimmy Smith 1988
Concert filmed live
Jimmy Smith 1995
Filmed live
Jimmy Smith 1996
Jimmy Smith 2005
With Joey DeFrancesco
Pianist, Don Friedman,
was born
in 1935 in San Francisco. He is thought to have first recorded in Los
Angeles in May of 1955 with Jack Millman: 'When You're Near', 'So Goes My
Love', 'Too Much' and 'Tom And Jerry'. He stepped into the studio again with
Millman in March the next year to record 'Woody 'n You', 'Darn That Dream'
and 'Stitt's It'. Friedman first recorded as a leader in 1961 in NYC in a
trio with Scott LaFaro at double bass and Pete LaRoca Sims on drums.
Those tracks were 'I Hear A Rhapsody', two takes of 'Sacre Bleu' (Friedman's
composition), 'Woody 'n You' (Dizzy
Gillespie's composition) and 'On Green Dolphin Street'. That trio
released three LPs. His first recordings with guitarist,
Attila Zoller, were at the Newport
Jazz Festival in Rhode Island in July 1963. Friedman and
Zoller would record numerous albums
together into the new millennium, their last in 2007 for Friedman's release
of 'Straight Ahead' in 2008. Friedman would also record frequently with
trumpeter, Clark
Terry. Their first such occasion was as members of
Herbie Mann's outfit in May of
'64 in NYC, recording 'And This Is My Beloved', 'Saudade De Bahia', 'Vikki'
and 'I Have Dreamed'. Friedman's last album session with
Terry was in 2004 for Terry's
release of 'Chilled & Remixed' in 2006. His base of operations in NYC, as
well as teaching at New York University, Friedman filled out his career
performing local venues in New York City and touring internationally. He
died on June 30, 2016. His last recordings are thought to have been in April
of 2015 for 'Nite Lites' and September for 'Strength and Sanity'.
Don Friedman 1961
Don Friedman 1962
Album: 'Circle Waltz'
Album: 'Circle Waltz'
Don Friedman 1963
Don Friedman 1966
Don Friedman 1995
Original composition: Henri Mancini
Don Friedman 2005
Concert filmed live with Jim Hall
Don Friedman 2011
Concert filmed live
Don Friedman 2016
Filmed live 2015
Album: 'Strength and Sanity'
Don Friedman
Source: All Music
Born in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1933,
Gene Harris
toured with various bands upon discharge from the Army in 1954. His first
name recording was possibly his first recording session as well, in 1955 in
NYC, releasing the Jubilee LP, 'Our Love Is Here To Stay' as the Gene Harris
Trio the same year. In 1956 he formed the Four Sounds which quickly became
the Three Sounds upon the loss of a member. Lord's disco has them first
recording at the Blue Note studio in Inglewood, NJ, on September 16, 1958,
such as 'Both Sides' and 'Bobby'. Perhaps earlier that month Harris had
participated in Nat
Adderley's 'Branching Out'. Harris played with the Three Sounds
into the seventies, there a final session in Detroit in June of '73 for 'Yesterday,
Today And Tomorrow'. Harris attended considerably above 100 sessions
during his career, 41 of those his own. Instead of attempting to track that
we'll but mention a few highlights per his earlier and latter career.
His initial occasion to record with
Stanley Turrentine was on
June 29, 1960. That and another session on December 16 would result in what
got issued as 'Blue Hour - The Complete Sessions' in 2000. Separate albums
per each session had been issued in 1961 as well, each called 'Blue Hour'.
would later support Harris on a couple projects in '85 ('The Gene Harris
Trio Plus One') and '95 ('Gene Harris & The Philip Morris All-Stars Live'
1998). Not long after
arrived tenor saxophonist,
James Clay, on October 11, 1960, in Los
Angeles for 'A Double Dose of Soul'. Harris moved to Boise,
Idaho, to play locally there in the latter seventies with howling coyotes
and crows picking in trash bins during blizzards across a tundra populated
by more potatoes than humans.
He resumed his national status with bassist,
Ray Brown,
in the eighties. They would join Milt Jackson's
Quartet on December 1, 1983, with Mickey Roker on drums for 'Soul Route'.
They would begin supporting each other's projects in 1987 to as late as
August 4, 1991, in San Francisco for Brown's '3 Dimensional'. Harris' final
recordings are thought to have been live in Seattle in December of 1998, for
'Alley Cats'. Harris
died of kidney failure on January 16, 2000.
Gene Harris 1955
Almost Like Being In Love Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Our Love Is Here To Stay Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
There'll Never Be Another You Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Gene Harris 1968
Book of Slim Album: 'Elegant Soul'
Gene Harris 1973
Gene Harris 1976
Gene Harris 1977
Album: 'Tone Tantrum'
Gene Harris 1986
Gene Harris 1987
Album: 'Tribute to Count Basie'
Gene Harris 1991
Album: 'Black And Blue'
Gene Harris 1992
Gene Harris 1998
Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Our Love Is Here To Stay Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
There'll Never Be Another You Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Album: 'Our Love Is Here To Stay'
Gene Harris 1968
Book of Slim Album: 'Elegant Soul'
Gene Harris 1973
Gene Harris 1976
Gene Harris 1977
Album: 'Tone Tantrum'
Gene Harris 1986
Gene Harris 1987
Album: 'Tribute to Count Basie'
Gene Harris 1991
Album: 'Black And Blue'
Gene Harris 1992
Album: 'Elegant Soul'
Gene Harris 1973
Gene Harris 1976
Gene Harris 1977
Album: 'Tone Tantrum'
Gene Harris 1986
Gene Harris 1987
Album: 'Tribute to Count Basie'
Gene Harris 1991
Album: 'Black And Blue'
Gene Harris 1992
Gene Harris 1998
Gene Harris 1999
Album: 'Alley Cats'
Album: 'Alley Cats'
Gene Harris 2010
Recorded 1996 Released posthumously
Gene Harris
Photo: Pam Bentham
Source: VK
Born in 1931 in Chicago, underrated composer and
pianist Andrew Hill
began dancing, singing and performing on accordion at age twelve. He took up
piano the next year and was touring with such as
Charlie Parker and Miles
Davis as a teenager. Hill is thought to have first recorded in November of
1954 in the band of David Shipp. Two of those four tracks were released the
next year: 'Romping/Let's Live'. Hill's first vinyl as a leader
was recorded in October of 1956 with his band, the De'bonairs. Released on
78 that year were 'Lanky Linda', 'Mother's Son', 'Say a Prayer For Me',
'Cracker-Jack Daddy', 'Dot', 'Mal's Blues', 'After Dark' and 'Down Pat'.
Hill recorded his debut album in 1956, 'So in Love', released in 1960. Hill
recorded the album, 'Black Fire', in 1963 for 1964 release. He also recorded 'Smokestack' in
1963, to be issued in 1966. Since that time Hill released well above thirty
albums into the new millennium, his last the live album, 'The Day the World
Stood Still', released in 2003. In the meantime he taught at Portland State
University and held residencies at several others. Hill's final release in
2006 was 'Time Lines', recorded in June and July of of 2005. He gave his last
performance at Trinity Church in NYC in March 2007, dying the next month of
lung cancer in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Andrew Hill 1956
Andrew Hill 1960
Andrew Hill 1964
Album: 'Judgment'
Andrew Hill 1965
Album: 'Point of Departure'
Album: 'Point of Departure'
Andrew Hill 1966
Andrew Hill 1968
Album: 'Andrew!!!' Recorded 1964
Album: 'Grass Roots'
Andrew Hill 1975
Album: 'One For One'
Andrew Hill 2000
Album: 'Dusk'
Andrew Hill 2002
Andrew Hill 2003
Album: 'Passing Ships' Recorded 1969
Andrew Hill 2010
DVD: 'Andrew Hill - Solos: The Jazz Sessions'
Recorded 2004
Andrew Hill
Photo: Jimmy Katz
Source: Andrew Hill
Born in 1932 in Detroit, Sir Roland Hanna began studying
classical piano at age eleven. Pianist, Tommy Flannigan, was a childhood
friend of his. Hanna began playing professionally while yet in high school.
Upon graduation he enlisted in the Army for a couple of years, during which
time he played in an Army band. Upon release from duty in 1951 Hanna
connected with Thad Jones in Detroit. Moving to NYC in 1955, he played with
Benny Goodman, then
Coleman Hawkins, then
Charles Mingus, He would later
record with all but Hawkins. Hanna's first vinyl was put down in 1956 for 'Seldon
Powell Sextet Featuring Jimmy Cleveland'. In May of '58 he took off for
Europe with
Goodman where numerous sessions would be held in Berlin,
Brussels and finally NYC. August 28 of '58 found Hanna participating in WNTA
TV's 'Art Ford's Jazz Party' for a salute to
Goodman (out), covering titles
like 'Air Mail Special' and 'How Deep Is the Ocean'. Hanna followed that
with his first sessions as a leader in 1959 to result in 'Roland Hanna Plays Harold Rome's Destry
Rides Again' and 'Easy to Love'. Hanna had first recorded with guitarist,
Kenny Burrell, at the '58 Newport Jazz Festival as members of the
Benny Goodman Orchestra. His first titles in support of
Burrell were on August 25,
1959, at the Five Spot in NYC toward
Burrell's 'On View at the Five Spot
Cafe'. Hanna would record with
Burrell again in '68, '69, '76, '88 and,
finally, July of 1996 as one of the Jazz Heritage All Stars for
'Live at the Blue Note'. Hanna first backed
Charles Mingus on November 1, 1959, for
'Mingus Dynasty'. Hanna recorded with
Mingus into 1960, later in 1971-72 and
'74, that last occasion at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on July 7. During
the eighties Hanna joined a few sessions with the band, Mingus Dynasty,
formed after Mingus' death (January 5, 1979) and expanded into an orchestra.
His last such occasion was for a string of Mingus compositions on June 3,
1989, at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, that to be issued as 'Epitaph'. In 1960 Hanna took his bachelor's
degree from Julliard, upon which he began backing Sarah Vaughan
into 1961. They would reunite in March of '82 for Vaughan's 'Crazy and Mixed
Up'. After Vaughan, Hanna joined Lionel
Hampton's orchestra to participate
for a tour to Europe, recording titles in Essen, Germany on March 12, 1961:
'Four In One', 'Hava Nagilah' and 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'. Hanna stuck
with Hampton into 1962, reuniting in 1977 for
Hampton's 'New York Black Out
1977'. Among other vocalists Hanna backed in the sixties were
Al Hibbler for 'Early Morning' on
August 10, 1964, and
Ruth Brown that December for her album, ''65'. Reunions
Brown would occur in '68 with the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and,
finally, in late '82 for 'Black and Blue'. Come the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
to back Joe Williams on September 30, 1966, for 'Presenting Joe Williams and
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra'. Hanna stayed with the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis
operation for the next ten years, including a tour to Europe in '69, London
in '73 and Tokyo in '74. Among numerous sessions with
Jones and
Lewis was
one in January of '70 for 'Consummation', after which Hanna recorded his
album, 'Child of Gemini' in 1971. Next came 'Suite For Pops' for
Jones and
Lewis in January of 1972. Hanna's last session with
Jones/Lewis is
thought to have been in January of 1976 for such as 'Little Rascal On a
Rock' and 'Cherry Juice'. While working with the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis
Orchestra Hanna had found time in 1968 to begin a series of
charity concerts in Liberia, resulting in being knighted by Liberian
President, William Tubman, in 1970. In 1971 Hanna formed the New York Jazz
Quartet with saxophonist, Frank West, then toured the Soviet Union in 1972.
In 1988 Hanna composed the soundtrack for the Clint Eastwood film, 'Bird'.
Also highlighting his latter career was trumpeter/composer/conductor,
Terence Blanchard ('89 for Ed Thigpen: 'B'Way' and 'Face To Face') and '92
(soundtrack to 'Malcolm X'). Also during his latter career Hanna taught music, particularly at the Aaron
Copland School of Music at Queens College in Flushing, New York, where he
was a tenured professor. In association with that he founded the RMI record
label in 1997. With above 330 sessions during his career, 60 of those his
own, Hanna was recording albums numerously into the new millennium before
his last live session in Asaka, Japan, on October 5 of 2002, issued
posthumously the next year as 'Last Concert'. Hanna died of a heart infection
on November 2, 2002. All tracks below for
year 1959 are from the album, 'Roland Hanna Plays Harold Rome's Destry Rides
Again', unless otherwise noted.
Sir Roland Hanna 1956
Seldon Powell Sextet Featuring Jimmy Cleveland
Thought to be Hanna's 1st issued recordings
Sir Roland Hanna 1958
'Art Ford's Jazz Party'
Sir Roland Hanna 1959
Guitar: Kenny Burrell
Albums: 'Mingus Dynasty'
'Mingus - Alternate Takes'
Album: 'Easy to Love'
Guitar: Kenny Burrell
Album: 'Easy to Love'
Album: 'Easy to Love'
Rose Lovejoy Of Paradise Alley
Album: 'Easy to Love'
Sir Roland Hanna 1974
Sir Roland Hanna 1976
Bass: George Mraz
Sir Roland Hanna 1977
Sir Roland Hanna 1981
Filmed live
Sir Roland Hanna 2002
Sir Roland Hanna 2003 Posthumous release Posthumous release
Posthumous release
Posthumous release
Sir Roland Hanna
Source: IPO Recordings
Source: IPO Recordings
Krzysztof Komeda,
was born Krzysztof Trzciński in 1931 in Poznań, Poland. His was a brief
career in jazz and composing for film, but a highly productive and well-regarded
one. Raised in Częstochowa, Komeda took up piano at age seven but became a
physician in 1956 upon receiving his doctorate from the Poznań Medical
Academy. He had made his first recordings four years earlier in Cracow. One
for Radio Cracow with Witold Kujawski (bass) and Witold Sobocinski (drums)
went unissued: 'How High the Moon'. That didn't see light until 1975 on
'Polish Jazz 1946-1956 Vol 4'. The other went unissued as well, he a member
of Melomani for 'September Song' and 'Caravan' which would eventually get
included on 'Polish Jazz 1946-1956 Vol 2' in 1975. In August of '56 he
performed at the Ogolnopolski Jazz Festival with his Sekstet Komedy (Komeda
Sextet) for several titles among which one, 'Memory of Bach', saw issue that
year on an album called 'Festiwal Jazzowy Sopot 1956'. His sextet made its debut performance on Polish television in Poznań in 1956
as well.
"Komeda" was a stage name he began using at that time, Trzciński the
otolaryngologist, Komeda the jazz musician. They then performed at the 1st
Sopot Jazz Festival. Recordings from that were released on a 10" album. The
group performed in Moscow in 1957, the same year he began working with his
most important associate in film, Roman Polanski. Komeda's first film score
for Polanaki was for the silent film, 'Dwaj ludzie z szafą' ('Two Men and a
Wardrobe') in 1958. Unfortunately, since it was for a silent film it
couldn't be heard and his sanity was questioned ever after. Just kidding. But
it was composed for a silent film (per below). Komeda thereafter led a
double railed career as a composer and jazz musician. He was a member of the
Jazz Believers in 1958, after which he appeared on a number of 'Jazz
Jamboree' recordings for Muza before releasing 'Crazy Girl', in 1962. He
toured Europe from Scandinavia in the north to Yugoslavia to the south. It
was a fateful decision when he traveled to the United States in January of
1968 to compose scores for 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'The Riot'. Lord's
discography lists final recordings that year in Warsaw, one with the Polish
Radio Jazz Studio Orchestra ('Moja Ballada'), several piano solos for
'Private Conversation', and one with a quintet consisting of Tomasz Stanko (tp/flugelhorn),
Zbigniew Namyslowski (alto sax), Roman Dylag (bass) and Rune Carlsson
(drims) for 'Jazz and Poetry'. Accounts of Komeda's
death vary but it was the result of an accident causing cerebral hemorrhage.
He was taken back to Warsaw where he died in the prime of his life at age 38
in April of '69.
Krzysztof Komeda 1956
1st Sopot Jazz Festival'
Filmed at 1st Sopot Jazz Festival
Krzysztof Komeda 1958
Film by Roman Polanski
Krzysztof Komeda 1961
Krzysztof Komeda 1965
Not issued until 1998
Krzysztof Komeda 1966
Krzysztof Komeda 1967
Soundtrack: 'People Meet'
Not issued until 1974
Krzysztof Komeda 1968
Krzysztof Komeda 1969
Vocal: Bill Medley
Soundtrack: 'Riot'
Krzysztof Komeda
Source: Alchetron
Les McCann,
was born in 1935 in Lexington, Kentucky. His first recording was on
television rather than vinyl, appearing on 'Ed Sullivan' in August of '56
('U.S. Navy Talent Show', season 8 with Kirk Douglas substituting for
Sullivan). In 1959 he appeared on the LP by the Lewis Sisters, 'Way Out
Far'. He also backed the album, 'It's About Time', for
Teddy Edwards in August of '59 for release the
next year. Also that month he supported Gloria Smyth on 'Like Soul'.
McCann's first two of several albums with Les McCann Ltd. were
released in 1960: 'Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth' and 'Les McCann Ltd.
Plays the Shout'. Ltd. was a trio with
Leroy Vinnegar on double bass
and Ron Jefferson on drums.
Herbie Lewis would replace
Vinnegar on Ltd. albums
to follow. In 1969 McCann discovered Roberta Flack, gaining
Flack an
audition with Atlantic that would find her releasing 'Take Five' that year.
In 1971 McCann toured to Ghana with
Santana. McCann has issued well above sixty
albums through the years. Yet active, McCann's last two LPs in the new
millennium were 'Pump It Up' ('02) and 'Lazz Legend Project' ('04). Per 1960
below, 'The Truth' is from the McCann album: 'Les McCann Ltd. plays the
Les McCann 1959
LP by the Lewis Sisters
Les McCann 1960
Les McCann 1961
Filmed live
Bass: Herbie Lewis
Drums: Ron Jefferson
LP: 'On Time' Guitar: Joe Pass
Les McCann 1963
Tenor sax: Clifford Scott
Les McCann 1965
Album: 'But Not Really'
Les McCann 1969
Album: 'Much Les'
Album: 'Swiss Movement'
Filmed live in France
Date estimated
Les McCann 1972
Live in Montreux
Les McCann 1974
Les McCann 1985
Filmed live
Bass: Curtis Robertson
Drums: Alan Sharrod
Les McCann
Source: Martini & Jopparelli
Barry Miles
Source: Atlantic City Press
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1947, multi-faceted jazz
fusion pianist,
Barry Miles,
was a highly focused prodigy who began playing drums professionally at age
eight. Not to be mistaken with the rock n roll biographer, Barry Miles,
Miles' was yet a child when he was performing with heavyweights such as
Woody Herman, Roy
Eldridge and Chet Baker. His first recordings were on
television rather than vinyl, appearing on 'To Tell the Truth' as early as
1956 during that program's 6th season. His abilities were featured on other
television shows as well at an early age, such as the 'Art Ford Jazz Party'
in 1958 (below). He waited all the way to his first album release in 1962 at
age fourteen with
Duke Jordan at piano: 'Miles of Genius'. During the
sixties Miles composed and ran his own band while attending Princeton
University from which he graduated in 1969. During that period he had
released his initial piano LP, 'Barry Miles Presents His Syncretic
Compositions', in '66. Electric piano ensued in 1969 on 'Barry Miles'.
During the early seventies a couple of highly successful albums with R&B
group, Gladys Knight & the Pips,
were issued: 'Imagination' ('73) and 'I Feel a Song' ('74). Guitarist, Al Di
Meola, began to figure big in Miles' career in the
mid seventies, they releasing several albums together between 'Land of the
Midnight Sun' in '76 and 'Consequence of Chaos' in 2006. Miles was
musical director for R&B singer, Roberta Flack,
from 1980 to 1995, appearing on 'Oasis' in 1988. Among highlights in the
nineties were sessions supporting Nino Tempo for 'Tenor Saxophone' in 1990.
Working much as a studio musician, it was nearly thirty years between Miles'
'Zoot Suit Stomp' per '86 and 'Home and Away Vol One'
in 2013.
Barry Miles 1958
'Art Ford Jazz Party'
Drum battle vs John Parelli
Barry Miles 1962
LP: 'Miles of Genius'
Barry Miles 1970
LP: 'Barry Miles'
Barry Miles 1971
LP: 'White Heat'
Barry Miles 1972
LP: 'Scatbird'
LP: 'Scatbird'
Barry Miles 1974
LP: 'Barry Miles and Silverlight'
Barry Miles 1976
Barry Miles 1978
LP: 'Fusion Is...Barry Miles'
LP: 'Fusion Is...Barry Miles'
Barry Miles 1986
Barry Miles 2013
LP: 'Home and Away Vol One'
Big John Patton
Source: Flea Market Funk
Big John Patton
was a self-taught pianist born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1935. It was
1954 that he met
Lloyd Price at the Howard
Theater in Washington D.C. Price had just fired his pianist and was in need
of another. Patton's first vinyl release was with
Price in 1956, 'Rock 'n' Roll
Dance', that session held in April. Patton left
Price's crew in 1959 to put
together a Hammond organ trio in NYC, also working as a studio musician for
the Blue Note label. A few of Patton's more important musical associations
were Ike Quebec (his mentor at Blue Note),
Lou Donaldson and guitarist,
Grant Green. Patton first recorded with
Green in September 1961 when they were
members of Donaldson's outfit,
resulting in Donaldson's LP, 'A
Man with a Horn'. Patton and
Green would appear on a couple more
Donaldson albums into 1963. He
released his debut album, 'Along Came John', in 1963. Patton's last album
collaboration with
Green was in 1967 in a trio with Ben
Dixon on drums: 'Iron City!'. He later became involved in acid jazz in
London, another name for pub jazz that combined jazz with funk, soul and
disco. Patton issued his last album in 2001 with saxophonist, George Braith:
'Eagle Eye Blues'. He passed away of diabetes in March 2002 in Montclair,
New Jersey.
Big John Patton 1956
With Lloyd Price
Big John Patton 1963
Album: 'Blue John' Guitar: Grant Green
Album: 'Along Came John'
Big John Patton 1964
Album: 'The Way I Feel'
Album: 'The Way I Feel'
Big John Patton 1965
Album: 'Let 'em Roll'
Big John Patton 1966
Album: 'Got A Good Thing Goin'
Big John Patton 1968
Big John Patton 2001
Cecil Taylor
Source: Puro Jazz
It's possible that Cecil Percival Taylor could have first been recorded (per jdisc at Columbia) in 1948 by WHN Radio in New York City. Nothing else is known about that recording, thought to have been a duo of piano and drums, but that it would have to have occurred before WHN became WMGM in September that year. Born in 1929 in NYC, Taylor was a major figure in the launching of the "free jazz" genre, another figure being Ornette Coleman. We pick up Taylor forming his first band in 1955 with Steve Lacy, releasing his first album the next year, 'Jazz Advance'. Personnel were Lacy (soprano sax), Buell Neidlinger (bass) and Denis Charles (drums). He iwas next found at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 6, 1957, with the same personnel for 'Johnny Come Lately', 'Nona's Blues' and 'Tune 2'. Taylor had issued several albums by the time he joined Charles and tenor saxophonist, Archie Shepp, to support Neidlinger's operation, Krystall Klear and the Buells, for 'Ready for the Nineties' in January of 1961. Shepp had contributed to Taylor's album, 'The World of Cecil Taylor' on October 20, 1960. He would last support Taylor on October 10, 1961, for tracks to 'Into the Hot'. Taylor's last tracks with Lacy had been recorded January 10 that year during sessions ascribed to Neidlinger by Lord's disco though later issued in 1967 on Taylor's 'Jumpin' Punkins'. Those would also appear to have been his last sessions with Charles and Neidlinger. Eighty of Taylor's well above 100 sessions were his own projects. He did, however, back bad boy, Albert Ayler, on 'Four' on November 16, 1962, for a telecast from Copenhagen, Denmark. Taylor's first session with his Feel Trio consisting of William Parker (bass) and Tony Oxley (drums) was on November 2, 1989, at the Quartier Latin in Berlin, that performance of 'Looking' to get issued in 1990 as 'Cecil Taylor Looking (Berlin Version) The Feel Trio'. The next day or so Taylor recorded 'Looking' with his quintet, that issued in 1991 as 'Looking (Berlin Version) Corona'. The Feel Trio also issued '2 Ts for a Lovely T', recorded in 1990 in London, and 'Celebrated Blazons' recorded June 29, 1990. Parker had first joined Taylor on November 8, 1981 in a quartet for 'Calling It The Eighth'. Their last tracks together would be July 8, 1990, for 'The Dance Project'. Taylor's first duo with Oxley had been on July 17, 1988, for 'Leaf Palm Hand'. Another duo was held for 'Nailed' in Berlin at Bechstein Concert Hall on September 26, 1990. Nigh twenty years later they partnered again for Taylor's last recordings per this writing, a duo at the Village Vanguard in November of 2008 getting issued in 2010 as 'Ailanthus/Altissima: Bilateral Dimensions of 2 Root Songs'. Having received both MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, Taylor accepted the Kyoto Prize in 2014, only to be swindled of the $500,000 award by one Noel Muir. The account into which Miuir fraudulently deposited Taylor's prize was depleted by the time he was caught, though as of this writing $200,000 has thus far been replenished. Taylor is yet active. Per 1956 below, all tracks are from the album, 'Jazz Advance', with bassist, Buell Neidlinger, and drummer, Dennis Charles.
Cecil Taylor 1956
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
Cecil Taylor 1958
Cecil Taylor 1959
Album: 'Love for Sale'
Cecil Taylor 1965
'Octagonal Skirt and Fancy Pants'
Alto Sax: Jimmy Lyons
Bass: Henry Grimes
Drums: Sunny Murray
Bobby Timmons
Source: All About Jazz
Born in 1935 in Philadelphia, pianist Bobby Timmons studied on scholarship at the Philadelphia Musical Academy. Moving to New York City in 1954, Timmons first recorded with trumpeter, Kenny Dorham's Jazz Propets for 4 sets on May 31, 1956, toward the latter's ''Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia'. He would see Dorham again for the latter's 'Matador' on April 15, 1962, in NYC. After Dorham came trumpeter, Chet Baker, with his Sextet on July 9, 1956, with whom he appeared on 'Stars of Jazz' for KABC TV in Los Angeles, recording such as 'Dig' and 'The Thrill Is Gone'. Baker gave Timmons no rest to October 26 with his Big Band for 'Tenderly', 'A Foggy Day' and 'Darn That Dream'. He had held his first session as a leader the day before with Bill Hood (baritone sax), Jimmy Bond (bass) and Peter Littman (drums). Hood was out on 'Autumn In New York' finding issue on the album by various, 'Jazz Pianists Galore'. The title, 'This Is Always', went unissued. Timmons next accompanied Anthony Ortega in November of '56 toward 'Jazz for Young Moderns'. Other outfits with which he had recorded in 1956 were those of Frank Morgan, James Clay and Phil Urso. Timmons' first session in 1957 was on April 21 with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley for 'Hank'. Following that to fill out the year came Sonny Stitt, Curtis Fuller, Maynard Ferguson, John Jenkins and Lee Morgan. 1958 witnessed sessions with both Pepper Adams and Kenny Burrell before his first with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers on October 30 that year to participate in 'Moanin'. Blakey and Timmons got along for three years of nonstop jazz to June 1961 for 'Jazz Messengers!!!!!'. In the meantime Blakey had backed Timmons on 'Soul Time' in August 1960. That followed his first album, 'This Here Is Bobby Timmons', recorded in January 1960. Another highlight during the early sixties occurred in fall of 1961 with the Riverside All Stars featuring trumpeters, Blue Mitchell and Clark Terry toward the LP, 'A Jazz Version of Kean'. During the twelve years that Timmons recorded he would average ten sessions a year, 2 his own, to 112 of them, 24 his own, in all. That pace, however, didn't last long. His last titles that Lord's disco can give some kind of specific date was in November of 1968 in NYC with Joe Beck (guitar) Bob Cranshaw (electric bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) for 'Do You Know the Way'. More than Timmons' career was daunted by alcoholism during the sixties, he drinking so heavily as to die of cirrhosis in 1974. He had fallen in a Swedish bar while beginning a tour in Europe with Clark Terry and been flown back to the States to be hospitalized to no avail, he dying a month later on March 1, 1974.
Bobby Timmons 1956
With the Jazz Prophets
With the Jazz Prophets
With the Jazz Prophets
Bobby Timmons 1958
Album with the Jazz Messengers
Bobby Timmons 1960
Album: 'This Is Bobby Timmons'
With the Jazz Messengers
Album: 'This Is Bobby Timmons'
With the Jazz Messengers
Pianist and vocalist Mose Allison was born in 1927 in Tippo, Mississippi. He attended the University of Mississippi, joined the Army for two years, then graduated from Louisiana with a bachelor's in English. Moving to New York City in 1956, Allison quickly found work with such as Gerry Mulligan. He recorded his first vinyl as a member of the Al Cohn Quintet in December of '56 toward the album, 'The Al Cohn Quintet Featuring Bobby Brookmeyer'. Allison would record with Brookmeyer again on October 27, 1959, as members of the Manhattan Jazz All-Stars, such as 'Adelaide' and 'I'll Know'. Allison recorded with Cohn again on March 27, 1957, in 1959-61 and, finally in April of 1976, Cohn supporting Allison on the latter's album, 'You Mind Is On Vacation'. A portion of Allison's professional circle in 1957 consisted of Stan Getz and Zoot Sims. His first tracks for Getz were per a Mutual radio broadcast at the Red Hill Inn in Pennsauken NJ on February 16, 1957, participating in such as 'Some Blues' and 'Feather Merchant'. Allison contributed to Getz' 'The Soft Swing' on July 12. Allison had by that time accomplished his first name session as a leader on March 7, 1957, that for 'Back Country Suite' with Taylor LaFargue on bass and Frank Isola on drums. Twenty days later on the 27th he recorded with Sims for the first time, they members of the Al Cohn Quintet for the album 'Al and Zoot'. They would record variously several more times together, also supporting each other's projects, until their last occasion in February of '61 for Cohn's 'Either Way'. It was during a session with Sims at the Half Note in NYC on February 7, 1959, that Allison first saw titles with alto saxophonist, Phil Woods: 'Wee Dot and 'After You've Gone'. Woods was also one of the Manhattan Jazz All-Stars per above with Brookmeyer in October. From 'Local Color' on November 8, 1957, to 'Autumn Song' on February 13, 1959, Allison released five albums, making for six in three years, a pace something kept until gradually relaxing into his latter career, recording only on occasion. Alison died at his home in Hilton Head, South Carolina, on November 15, 2016, having for some years retired from the music profession. His last tracks are thought to have been recorded in Pasadena, CA, in 2009, for 'The Way of the World'. More Mose Allison.
Mose Allison 1957
From the album 'Back Country Suite'
Mose Allison
Source: ABC Jazz
Born in NYC in 1911,
Martin Denny
played piano as a child. During the thirties he toured South America some
four years with the Don Dean Orchestra. After service in the USAAF (Army Air
Forces) Denny studied at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and the
University of Southern California. In 1954 he moved to Honolulu to play at
the Shell Bar on Oahu. While there he noticed bull frogs croaking when his
band played, and stopping when his band stopped. Group members began joking
around making tropical bird calls and the subgenre of jazz known as exotica
was born. Conceived in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, such would come to
be referred to as Polynesian. First recording in 1956,
Denny's first releases were the next year, the single, 'Hong Kong Blues'/'Ah
Me Furi', and the album, 'Exotica', released in May. In 1962 his group
supported the Si Zentner Orchestra in Hollywood for 'Exotica Suite'. Denny recorded and
toured until the latter eighties when he retired. He died in Honolulu on
March 2, 2005. other associated with exotica are
Les Baxter and
Arthur Lyman.
Martin Denny 1957
Martin Denny 1958
Martin Denny 1959
Martin Denny 1962
Martin Denny 1968
Martin Denny 1980
Martin Denny
Source: Fyrtarnet
Clare Fischer
Source: Jazz Wax
|Keyboardist (piano, synthesizer), arranger and
composer Douglas Clare Fischer
(not to be confused with the earlier pianist, Clare or Carl T. Fischer, who
recorded with Frankie Lane and Pee Wee Hunt in the forties),
was born in 1928 in Durand, Michigan. He put together his first band
at age fifteen. Graduating from high school in 1946, Fischer began studying
composition in 1947. But he didn't receive his Master in Music until 1955 due
to having been drafted into the Army. He began his professional career in Los
Angeles as an arranger and accompanist (piano) for the Hi-Lo's. 'Tenderly',
below, is among Fisher's first arrangements with that group, on which he also
conducts the orchestra. 'Agogically So' is another of his arrangements,
on which he may also be the accompanist on piano. Fischer began writing for
commercials in the early sixties. He first recorded with vibes player,
Cal Tjader, among the more significant figures in his career,
on October 18, 1960, for 'West Side Story'. His first period with
Tjader ran numerous sessions to
their last in January of '63 for
Tjader's 'Sona Libre'. Fischer
had meanwhile released his first album in
his own name in 1962, 'First Time Out' for Pacific Jazz Records with
Gary Peacock (bass) and Gene
Stone (drums).
Among the genres into which Fischer crossed as a jazz musician were Latin
and pop. Fischer's second period with
Tjader commenced in September of
'76 for the latter's 'Guarabe' and ran to March of '78 for
Tjader's 'Huracan'. Fischer formed the group, Salsa Picante, in
1978, recording the album by that name in Hollywood on January 30 that year.
Among the popular artists for whom Fischer arranged during his later
career were Prince (several titles from '85 to 2005) and Michael Jackson
(contributing to the arrangement of the orchestral version of 'This Is It'
in 2009 with Brent Fischer). Lord's disco shows Fischer's final recordings
circa 2011 for such as '¡Ritmo!' and 'Out of the Blue'. Fischer died on January
26, 2012, of
cardiac arrest, after which his son, Brent, assumed directorship of his
orchestra. A number of the later tracks below are with the group, Salsa
Clare Fischer 1957
Arrangement for the Hi-Lo's
Clare Fischer 1958
Arrangement for the Hi-Lo's
Clare Fischer 1960
Vibes: Cal Tjader
Clare Fischer 1962
Album: 'First Time Out'
Album: 'First Time Out'
Saxophone: Bud Shank
Clare Fischer 1963
There Will Never Be Another You
Guitarist: Joe Pass
Clare Fischer 1965
Album: 'Manteca'
Clare Fischer 1976
Clare Fischer 1979
Clare Fischer 1980
Album: 'Muchaca'
Clare Fischer 1981
With 2 + 2
Clare Fischer 1987
Pianist, composer and orchestrator,
Eddie Higgins,
was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1932. He began his professional
career performing at jazz clubs in Chicago as a student at the Northwestern
University School of Music. His initial recording session was in late 1956
or early 1957 with Paul Severson for Replica Records in Des Plains,
Illinois, for such as 'Dinah' and 'Lela #1'. His next session is listed as of the 15th of January 1957 with
vocalist, Lucy Reed, then Warren Kime in summer for '2 of a Kime'. Higgins'
first session with his Trio consisted of Dave Poskonka (bass) and Jack Noren
(drums), held in September of '57 for a string of titles like 'A Night In
Tunisia' and 'Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe'. During his Chicago period Higgins performed and recorded with any number of
prominent musicians as they passed through Chicago, from
Cannonball Adderley to Dizzy
Gillespie. In 1970 he relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spending
his winters there and his summers in Cape Cod, Rhode Island. He participated
in some of
Sonny Stitt's latest
recordings in 1981, held at Bubba's Jazz Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. The
albums, 'Sonny, Sweet and Jaws' and 'Sonny' were both recorded on November
11, 1981. (Stitt's final recordings would be in June of '82 in NYC.) Higgins began touring
internationally during the eighties, both Europe and Asia, most notably
Japan. He died on August 31, 2009, in Fort Lauderdale. His last LP,
'Portraits of Love', had been recorded in November 2008, one of four made
that year. Per 2000 below, tracks are with
Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Sweets
Edison and Sonny Stitt, recorded live at Bubba's
Restaurant, Fort Lauderdale, in 1981, not issued until 2000.
Eddie Higgins 1957
With Paul Severson
Eddie Higgins 1960
Eddie Higgins 1996
Eddie Higgins 2000
Recorded 1981
Recorded 1981
Recorded 1981
Eddie Higgins 2002
Eddie Higgins 2003
Eddie Higgins 2005
Eddie Higgins 2007
Eddie Higgins 2008
Eddie Higgins
Source: Heidi's Jazz Club
Pianist Ramsey Lewis was born in Chicago in 1935. He began piano lessons at age four and played in his first band at age fifteen (The Cleffs). With the drummer from that band, Isaac Holt, and bassist, Eldee Young, Lewis then formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio which released its first album, 'Ramsey Lewis and The Gentlemen of Swing' in 1957. (Release dates vary at several sources from 1956 to '58 for Argot LP 611. 4/57 looks most probable per David Edwards/Mike Callahan at bsnpubs.) Lewis released his second LP in 1958, 'The Gentlemen of Jazz', also for Argot (LP 627). His next session on September 2, 1957, was in support of 'The Colorful Strings of Jimmy Woode'. January 4 of 1958 saw Lewis in the Max Roach Quintet for the album, 'MAX'. Also in '58 Lewis contributed to 'Sonny Stitt' as a member of Stitt's Quartet on an unknown date. The high majority of Lewis' sessions approaching a couple hundred have been his own as a leader. In 1966 Lewis released three singles which each sold over a million copies: 'The In Crowd', 'Hang On Sloopy' and 'Wade in the Water'. Lewis released over eighty albums over the years, produced seven gold records (500,000 copies) and received three Grammy Awards. His last LP was 'Taking Another Look' in 2011. As of this writing Lewis is yet active giving concerts.
Ramsey Lewis 1957
Album: 'The Gentlemen of Swing'
Ramsey Lewis 1958
Album: 'The Gentlemen of Jazz'
Ramsey Lewis 1968
Album: 'Maiden Voyage'
Ramsey Lewis 1974
With Earth, Wind & Fire
Ramsey Lewis 1977
Ramsey Lewis 1983
Album: 'Les Fleurs'
Album: 'Les Fleurs'
Ramsey Lewis 1984
Ramsey Lewis 2011
Album: 'Taking Another Look'
Ramsey Lewis
Source: R2 Records
Johnny Hammond Smith
Source: All Music
Johnny Hammond Smith was born
John Robert Smith in 1933 in Louisville, Kentucky. First recording as Johnny
Smith, he picked up "Hammond" in the seventies because he played the Hammond
B-3 organ. Lord's disco has Smith on organ in a group with drummer,
Christopher Columbo, on July 7, 1957, for two takes of 'Oh Yeah' per King
5012. He was working with
Nancy Wilson when the Arrow label offered
both of them a contract.
Wilson turned it down, waiting for a bigger label.
(Having recorded for Dot Records, she had experience with smaller labels, and would
soon be with Capitol which had the wherewithal to globally distribute and
promote as please.) Smith, however, went with Arrow, he to issue the 7"
45rpm 'Imagination Part 1 & 2', in 1958. 'Over the Rainbow' and 'Deep
Purple' were also released on 7" by Arrow, issue date unknown but likely '58
or '59. Come Smith's debut album, 'Have You Heard Johnny Smith', in 1959.
Smith issued three more albums in 1959: 'Imagination' (Warwidk), 'That Good
Feelin'' (New Jazz) and 'All Soul' (New Jazz). Among vocalists Smith
supported was Byrdie Green for 'The Golden Thrush
Strikes At Midnight' in July of '66, 'I Got It Bad' in April of '67
and 'Sister Byrdie' in March of '68'. Smith issued nearly forty
albums during his relatively brief career of above sixty sessions. His last was in 1978, 'Don't Let
the System Get You', when he retired from recording and started buying real
estate (he would own at least one motel). Smith performed regional gigs in
SoCal (southern California) and began teaching at Cal Poly Pomona in 1987
before recording again on July 8, 1990, to back Diane Witherspoon on such as
'Thankin' You' and 'Yes I'll Dare'. Lord's disco shows latest sessions with
Charles Earland at the
DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago on May 24, 1997, one
of those an organ solo of 'Summertime'. He died of cancer at his home in either Victorville or Hesperia ("top of the hill"
in trucking lingo before descending into LA) on June 4 of 1997.
Johnny Hammond Smith 1959
Album: 'That Good Feelin''
Album: 'That Good Feelin''
Johnny Hammond Smith 1963
Album: 'Black Coffee'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1967
LP issue 1968:'Soul Flowers'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1969
Album: 'Soul Talk'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1970
Album: 'Here It 'Tis'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1971
Album: 'What's Going On'
Album: 'Breakout'
Album: 'Wild Horses Rock Steady'
Album: 'What's Going On'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1973
Album: 'Higher Ground'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1974
Album: 'Gambler's Life'
Johnny Hammond Smith 1975
Johnny Hammond Smith 1991
Filmed live
Pianist and multi-instrumentalist, Muhal Richard Abrams,
was born in 1930 in Chicago. He there briefly attended Roosevelt University,
dropping out due that academics weren't what was being played in the
nightclubs where he initially performed blues, R&B and bop. He began
arranging in 1950 for the King Fleming Band. In 1955 he was a member of the
bop group, Modern Jazz Two + Three. In 1957 Abrams participated in what is
thought to be his debut recording session with Walter Perkins for the
release of 'Daddy-O Presents MJT + 3' in July of the next year. Abrams began
to move beyond bop upon the formation of the Experimental Band in 1962. In
May of 1965 the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians)
was founded in Chicago with Abrams as its president. Part of that
organizations' agenda was to move jazz out of nightclubs into theatres and
lofts, thus affecting the emergence of the "loft" period in jazz in NYC in
the seventies. In 1968 Abrams appeared on the first of three albums with
Anthony Braxton: '3 Compositions of New Jazz'. Abrams has appeared on three
more LPs with
Braxton. In 1971 he recorded 'Instant Death' with
Eddie Harris
for its release the next year. In 1975 Abrams recorded 'Roscoe Mitchell
Quartet' for its issue in 1976. He would appear on two more albums with
Mitchell. Also in '75 Abrams moved to New York City where he established the
New York chapter of the AACM. In '76 he recorded 'Morning Prayer' with Chico
Freeman, that released in '78. In '77 he appeared on Freeman's album,
'Chico'. As to his own material, the seventies saw Abrams composing for
symphony orchestras, big bands, string quartets, solo piano and voice.
Abrams was made an NEA Jazz Master in 2010. Abrams has toured the States,
Canada and Europe, having released more than 25 albums as a leader.
Muhal Richard Abrams 1957
Album with Walter Perkins:
'Daddy-O Presents MJT + 3'
Muhal Richard Abrams 1968
Album by Anthony Braxton
Muhal Richard Abrams 1972
Eddie Harris album: 'Instant Death'
Muhal Richard Abrams 1974
Recorded 1969
Muhal Richard Abrams 1976
Muhal Richard Abrams 1979
Muhal Richard Abrams 1983
Muhal Richard Abrams 1991
Album: 'Blu Blu Blu'
Muhal Richard Abrams 1995
Album: 'One Line, Two Views'
Muhal Richard Abrams 2012
Filmed live with the Experimental Band
Muhal Richard Abrams
Source: Harlem Jazz Museum
Born in 1932 in Basel, Switzerland, pianist, George Gruntz,
performed locally in Switzerland until he was invited into the International
Youth Band to tour to the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island in 1958.
Their concert was recorded and released that year by Columbia: 'Newport 1958'.
He had earlier held a number of unissued sessions in Switzerland from May 3,
1952 to September 15, 1956, some of which would later be included on '30
Jahre Jazz Made In Switzerland 1935-1965' in 1976. In 1960 Gruntz recorded tracks which wouldn't be found
until 2003 on 'Mental Cruelty'. In 1964 he was a member of the Swiss All Stars, issuing 'Swiss
All Stars' that year. His first name issues were also in 1964: 'Bach Humbug!
Or Jazz Goes Baroque' and 'Jazz Goes Baroque'. Among American musicians whom
he accompanied on tours in Europe was
Phil Woods in 1968-69 and 1972. Gruntz became artistic
director for JazzFest Berlin in 1972, which role he served until 1994. He
had also formed his Concert Jazz Band in 1972 at which he stood at helm
through the coming decades. 1980 found him with the Basel All Stars
recording what would get released on CD as 'Happy 60th Birthday and Happy
Returns'. Gruntz toured globally, including China, during
his career. He issued at least forty albums as a leader or co-leader. Gruntz
is thought to have made his last recordings in 2011 with the NDR Bigband,
'Dig My Trane', issued the following year. He had issued 'Matterhorn
Matters' in 2010. Gruntz died in his home in Basil in January 2013. Per 1960
below, 'East of the Sun' is from the LP, 'Franco Cerri and his European Jazz
George Gruntz 1959
Filmed live with Roland Kirk
George Gruntz 1960
George Gruntz 1964
LP: ' Jazz Goes Baroque'
Symphonie Les Echanges Jazzversion
LP: 'Les Echanges'
George Gruntz 1967
LP: 'Noon In Tunisia'
LP: 'Noon In Tunisia'
George Gruntz 1969
Filmed in Paris with Phil Woods
Filmed live
George Gruntz 1987
Filmed live
George Gruntz 1994
Filmed live
George Gruntz 1998
Filmed concert
George Gruntz 2007
Filmed live
Bass: Herbie Kopf
Drums: Rafi Woll
George Gruntz 2010
Filmed live with Tobias Preisig
George Gruntz
Source: PrimeTime Orchestra
Born in 1933 in Uppsala, Sweden, composer and pianist,
Nils Lindberg, studied at Uppsala
University and the Royal Swedish Academy in Stockholm while performing with
such as Benny Bailey, Ove Lind and
Putte Wickman. Lindberg first
emerged on vinyl with Bailey in 1958 on a 7" EP: 'Benny's Blues'/'It's You
or No One' (unfound at YouTube). In 1960 Lindberg released his first two albums, 'Jazz
in TV
Time' (45 rpm 7" EP) and 'Sax Appeal' (33 rpm LP). Tracks
on the 7" were 'Cotton Tail', 'Taboo', 'Blues For Bill' and 'Moonlight in
Vermont'. Lindberg's jazz was often in an orchestral context, though during the
seventies and eighties he focused on jazz compositions for horn, especially
saxophone. His 33rd album (32nd LP) was 'Stockholm Big Band' in 1986. During the
nineties he concentrated on jazz blended with orchestral and choral
compositions. Per below, Lindberg composed what titles on which he may not
appear at piano. Lindberg remains active per this writing. Per 1960 below,
the date unconfirmed. Lindberg first recorded 'Symphony 1' in August of 1963 at
Studio H for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation. No earlier release is
determined than 1998 on 'Symphony No 1 & Jazz from Studio A'.
Nils Lindberg 1960
Filmed live Date unconfirmed
Album: 'Jazz in TV Time'
Nils Lindberg 1963
Album: 'Trisection'
Album: 'Trisection'
Nils Lindberg 1975
Album: 'Reflections'
Album: 'Reflections'
Nils Lindberg 1994
Album: 'Requiem'
Nils Lindberg 2001
Vocal: Alice Babs
Nils Lindberg 2013
Bass: Olle Lindberg
Vocal: Agnes Lindberg
Filmed live
Bass: Olle Lindberg
Vocal: Agnes Lindberg
Nils Lindberg 2014
Bass: Olle Lindberg
Vocal: Agnes Lindberg
Nils Lindberg
Source: Discogs
Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina,
composer, pianist and vocalist, Nina Simone
began playing piano at age three. Her early influences were classical and
gospel. One incident as a child illustrates her
later involvement in civil rights: At one recital her parents, who had sat
in the front row, were moved to the rear of the hall to make room for white
folk. Simone refused to play until her parents were moved back up front.
Simone later studied at Julliard. Among her first jobs was at the Midtown
Bar & Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where, upon the owner's request,
she added singing to piano performances. About that time she changed her
name from Eunice Waymon to Nina Simone. ("Niña" is Spanish for little girl.
"Simone" was in honor of the French actress, Simone Signoret.) It was
December of 1957
that Simone came out the gate with a group of powerful recordings that made
her abilities conspicuous, compiled on an album titled, 'Little Girl Blue'
(preceded by the single, 'I Loves You, Porgy'). The problem with poverty is
that the condition itself keeps you poor. Not much you can do with it. Not having the wherewithal to wait
for royalties, Simone sold her rights for $3000, after which she lost an
estimated one million dollars over the years from that record's sales.
Simone began addressing racial inequality with song in 1964, upon the
release of the live album, 'Nina Simone In Concert'. During that period she
advocated violent revolution, Martin Luther King's strategy of protest too
slow. Among such songs was her 1965 cover of
Billie Holiday's 1939 recording
of 'Strange Fruit', concerning the lynching of blacks. Simone moved to
Barbados in 1970. She intended to quit the music industry in 1974 with the
release of the album, 'It Is Finished', but started to record again in 1978,
issuing the album, 'Baltimore'. During the eighties she worked at Ronnie
Scott's Jazz Club in London. She lived in Switzerland and the Netherlands
before calling France home in 1992, the year Simone published her memoirs,
'I Put a Spell On You'. She released her last album, 'A Single Woman', in
1993. Simone died in her sleep in Carry-le-Rouet, France, on the
Mediterranean coast, in 2003. Among her longest musical associations through
the decades were with guitarist and musical director, Al Schackman, and
percussionist, Leopoldo Fleming. Among her awards were the Grammy Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2000 and honorary degrees from three schools. A statue
was erected in her honor in 2010 in her birthplace, Tryon, North Carolina.
We list only one performance by Simone below, a concert filmed live in
Montreux, Switzerland. More piano by Simone will be
found in Early Modern Jazz Song.
Nina Simone 1958
Nina Simone 1959-62
Nina Simone 1969
Nina Simone
Source: Sound Projections
Source: Sound Projections
Horace Tapscott
Source: NeFormat
Born in 1934 in Houston, trombonist and pianist,
Horace Tapscott,
had a professional pianist and singer for a mother. Graduating from high
school in Los Angeles in 1952, he joined the Air Force and played trombone
in a military band in Wyoming. Discharge saw his return to L.A. where he
would freelance with numerous such as
Eric Dolphy,
Frank Morgan,
Wardell Gray,
Dexter Gordon,
Gerald Wilson. Lord's disco has him playing trombone for Dootone (DL
240) with Peppy Prince in 1956 in Los Angeles. Both Sides Now has that
issued in January of 1958 as 'Dance Party', a review for it existing in the
January 20, 1958, edition of 'The Billboard'. Tapscott is thought to have toured with Lionel
Hampton from 1959 to '61. In 1961 Tapscott helped found the Underground Musicians and
Artists Association (UGMAA) which became the Union of
God's Musicians and Artist's Ascension (UGMAA) a few years later. Come Lou Rawls for 'Black and Blue' in October 1962. Lord's disco shows
that to be Tapscott's last with trombone. Dental troubles from a serious auto accident in high
school had him exchanging that instrument for piano on his next session,
that with Lou Blackburn for 'Jazz Frontier' on January 25 of '63. His first
sessions with pianist, Onzy Matthews, were held on February 6 toward 'Mosaid
Select' issued in 2007, posthumously for both of them, Matthews dying in
1997. Among the more important drummers of Tapscott's career was Everett Brown Jr,
their first mutual session thought to have been on May 8, 1968, for
Sonny Criss' 'Sonny's Dream (Birth of
the New Cool)'. Brown joined Tapscott for the latter's
first session as a leader on April 1 of 1969 for 'The Giant Is Awakened'
in his Quintet consisting of
Arthur Blythe (alto sax) and bass by
both David Bryant and Walter Savage Jr. Brown provided rhythm on
multiple Tapscott LPs, including the Pan African People's Arkestra, to
sessions in August of 1983 eventually getting issued on 'Faith in
2010. Among the more important bassists in Tapscott's career was Bryant,
per above, first joining Tapscott on 'The Giant Is Awakened'. Bryant
provided bass on multiple Tapscott LPs, including the Pan African People's Arkestra,
to 'Horace Tapscott Octet Live' in September 1987. Tapscott's Pan African People's Arkestra
(PAPA) was an ambitious project with a vague history as to its earliest
formation in Los Angeles, perhaps as early as 1961 in association with the UGMAA
per above. PAPA was definitely performing, or resurrecrted, by 1977, recording its
first LPs in 1978: 'Flight 17' and 'The Call'. 'Live at I.U.C.C.' went down
at the United Church of Christ in June of '79. Among what Wikipedia lists as
17 albums by Tapscott was his suite of solos on 'Songs of the Unsung' on February 18,
1978. Other solos went down from '82 to '85, issued as Volumes 1 through 11 of 'The Tapscott
Sessions'. His last studio release is
thought to have been 'Thoughts of Dar es Salaam' in 1997, recorded in July 1996.
The other members of that trio were Ray Drummond (bass) and
Billy Hart
(drums). Prior to that in June that trio had put down 'Caravan' to be found
on the album by various, 'What Is Jazz? 1966'. Tapscott died on February 27
of 1999 of lung cancer. Others on whose recordings he can be found include
Bob Thiele, Elaine Brown and Nelly
Pouget. It was with Brown that Tapscott composed the Black Panthers' (black
revolution organization) anthem, 'The Meeting', that included on Brown's
'Seize the Time: Black Panther Party' in 1969. Per below, PAPA
refers to the Pan African People's Arkestra (also called The Ark).
Horace Tapscott 1963
Lou Blackburn album: 'Jazz Frontier'
Lou Blackburn album: 'Jazz Frontier'
Lou Blackburn album: 'Two Note Samba'
Horace Tapscott 1968
Album: 'Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)'
Alto Sax: Sonny Criss
Horace Tapscott 1969
Album Horace Tapscott Quintet
Horace Tapscott 1978
Album: 'The Call' With PAPA
Horace Tapscott 1979
Album: 'Live At I.U.C.C.' With PAPA
Album: 'Live At I.U.C.C.' With PAPA
Horace Tapscott 1991
Filmed live
Horace Tapscott 1995
With PAPA
Horace Tapscott 1998
Filmed live Bass: Roberto Miranda
Cedar Walton
Cedar Walton was born in 1934 in Dallas. He is thought to have first recorded in July and August sessions in 1958 with Kenny Dorham, those for the Riverside label. Those saw release on Dorham's album, 'This Is the Moment!'. Dorham and Walton would see one another on several occasions to 1967, Walton backing Dorham toward 'Blue Spring' in '59 and 'Last But Not Least 1966 Vol 2' in '66. Dorham would contribute to a couple titles on Walton's 'Cedar!' in July of '67. On the same date as Walton's second session with Dorham above in August he held an important session for Blue Mitchell which included drummer, Art Blakey. Blakey would become an important element in Walton's career, they working together again in 1960, Walton to become one of Blakey's Jazz Messengers to 1964, later in 1972-73, 1980 and, finally, April 11 of 1982 for 'Art Blakey & The All Star Jazz Messengers'. Mitchell would be a significant figure as well, backing each other's projects on several occasions. Walton would contribute to Mitchell's 'The Cupbearers' in '62, 'Boss Horn' in '66, 'Stratosonic Nuances' in '75 and 'Summer Soft' in 1977. Mitchell participated in Walton's 'Spectrum' in '68, 'The Electric Boogaloo Song' in '69 and 'Beyond Mobius' circa 1975. Their last visit together may have been in 1978 in Berkeley in support of Philly Joe Jones' 'Advance!'. After Walton's Dorham session in '59 per 'Blue Spring' above, he fell in with trombonist, JJ Johnson, in March for 'Really Livin''. Their last of several sessions were in August of 1960 for 'J.J. Inc.'. They would reunite years later in March of '88 to support Milt Jackson's 'Bebop'. On March 26 of '59 Walton had joined tenor saxman, John Coltrane's, Quartet including Paul Chambers (bass) and Lex Humphries (drums) for 'Alternate Takes'. One reason for Walton's prolific 415 sessions was becoming a studio musician for Prestige in the latter sixties. We need limit this account, then, to some of the more significant figures with whom he recorded on multiple occasions over a period of at least two decades. That would include tenor saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine, with whom he first recorded in November of '59 for Abbey Lincoln on titles like 'Afro Blue' and 'Let Up'. Turrentine projects to which Walton later contributed were 'Another Story' in 1969, 'Inflation' and 'Use the Stairs' in 1980, 'More Than a Mood' in 1992 and 'Christmas Waltz' recorded the next day (Valentine's Day) to be found on Turrentine's 'A Jazz Christmas'. Walton would see considerably more of trumpeter, Freddie Hubbard, their first titles together on August 1, 1960, for JJ Johnson's 'J.J. Inc.' above. Hubbard and Walton would see a great deal of one another, both backing other operations, especially Art Blakey's, and supporting each other. Hubbard Projects to which Walton contributed were 'Hub Cap' in 1961, 'Here to Stay' in 1962, 'The Body and The Soul' in 1963, 'Extended' and 'Intrepid Fox' circa 1974 and 'Bolivia' in 1990. Hubbard supported Walton on 'Reliving the Moment: Live at The Keystone Korner' in 1978 and 'Soundscapes' in 1979. Their last session together is thought to have been with Turrentine on February 13, 1992, for the latter's 'More Than a Mood' per above. Walton's first session with Hubbard above on August 1 of 1960 also included tenor saxophonist, Clifford Jordan. Like Hubbard, Jordan and Walton's paths merged numerously through the years, both backing other ensembles and each other. Jordan projects to which Walton contributed were 'Spellbound' in 1960, Starting Time' in 1961, 'Bearcat' in 1962, 'These Are My Roots' in 1965, 'Half Note' in 1974, 'Night of the Mark VII', 'On Stage Vol 1 & 2' and 'Firm Roots' in 1975, and 'The Pentagon' in 1976. Walton albums to which Jordan contributed were 'Spectrum' in 1968, 'The Electric Boogaloo Song' in 1969, 'A Night at Boomer's Vol 1 - 3' in 1973 and 'Plays the Music of Billy Strayhorn' in 1988. Returning to Walton's earlier career, another significant date was September 16, 1960, he joining the Jazztet run by trumpeter, Art Farmer, and tenor saxophonist, Benny Golson, for 'Big City Sounds'. Walton would accompany Farmer on a number of occasions to as late as April 1982 for 'Voices All', again with Golson and their Jazztet. Golson and Walton had recorded into 1961 but aren't found on any sessions together until April 11, 1982, with Art Blakey's All Star Jazz Messengers for such as 'Moanin' and 'City Bound'. Their last session is thought to have been for Golson's 'This Is For You, John' in December 1983. Returning to the early sixties, come trumpeter, Lee Morgan, on April 15, 1964, for Blakey's 'Indestructible'. Morgan and Walton hung tight for four years, backing other bands when Walton wasn't working on Morgan's projects: 'Charisma' and 'The Rajah' in 1966, 'Sonic Boom' and 'The Sixth Sense' in 1967, 'Caramba!' in 1968. Nigh thirty years later Walton would participate in the December 1994 recording of 'Tribute to Lee Morgan' with Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Grover Washington Jr (soprano sax), Joe Lovano (tenor sax), Peter Washington (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums). September 22 of 1964 saw Walton's first titles with tenor saxman, Eddie Harris, toward 'Cool Sax from Hollywood to Broadway'. Harris' 'Here Comes the Judge' was recorded in December, 'The In Sound' and 'Mean Greens' in 1965, 'The Tender Storm' in 1966. Nigh ten years later Harris would support Walton's 'Beyond Mobius' circa 1975. Walton's first titles with drummer, Billy Higgins, had been on August 9, 1965, to back Harris' 'The In Sound'. Higgins and Walton kept to much the same rail for another thirty-five years into the new millennium, they backing other bands when Higgins wasn't supporting Walton. They would appear on countless recordings together, such that it was a good guess that where the one was the other would be also. Walton backed Higgins on 'The Soldier' in 1979 and 'Once More' in 1980. They last recorded together on September 15, 2000, for Walton's 'Manhattan After Hours', Higgins to die the next year on May 3 of 2001. Vibraphonist, Milt Jackson, was another musician requiring mention in Walton's career, Walton first joining Jackson on August 12, 1965, at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC for 'Milt Jackson at the Museum of Modern Art'. For another thirty years one could almost bet that when Jackson released an album Walton would on it, including concerts in Tokyo in 1976. Their final session together is thought to have been in Hollywood in 1994 for Jackson's 'The Prophet Speaks'. Highlighting the seventies was Walton's first 'Eastern Rebellion' December 10, 1975, with George Coleman (tenor sax), Sam Jones (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums). With the exception of Higgins personnel in that ensemble would change for six more volumes recorded to May of 1994, that last being 'Just One of Those . . . Nights at The Village Vanguard'. Also highlighting the seventies was a concert at the Karl Marx Theatre in Havana, Cuba, on March 3, 1979, with the CBS Jazz All-Stars for what got released as 'Havana Jam'. Later on November 15 Walton put down 'Cedar's Blues' in Bologna, Italy. Highlighting the eighties was the Aurex Jazz Festival in Japan (that held at various venues) to get issued on 'Aurex Jazz Festival '80 - Battle of the Horns'. Highlighting the nineties was Walton's first session with vocalist, Etta James, in Los Angeles in 1994 for 'Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday'. 'Blue Gardenia' followed in the winter of 2000-01. Prior to that in 2000 Walton contributed to eleven titles on 'The Legacy Lives On'. Walton issued a number of albums in the new millennium until his final recordings for Houston Person's 'Naturally' on July 5, 2012. He was made an NEA Jazz Master in 2010. Walton died on August 19, 2013, at his home in Brooklyn. Per below, all undescribed tracks for 1958 and 1959 are with Kenny Dorham on trumpet. Dorham also performs vocals on all tracks for '58.
Cedar Walton 1958
Cedar Walton 1959
Tenor sax: John Coltrane
Cedar Walton 1960
Tenor sax: Benny Golson
Trumpet: Art Farmer
Cedar Walton 1961
Trombone: JJ Johnson
Cedar Walton 1962
Trumpet: Blue Mitchell
With the Jazz Messengers
Cedar Walton 1967
Cedar Walton 1975
Cedar Walton 1976
Live performance
The Girl With Discotheque Eyes
Original composition: War
Cedar Walton 1982
Live performance
Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Cedar Walton 1986
Live performance
Trumpet: Freddie Hubbard
Charles Earland
Source: Last FM
Charles Earland,
was born in 1941 in Philadelphia. He began began playing sax in high school
and it's tenor with which he began his recording career in 1959, appearing
on 'Gold Coast Saturday Night' (Elektra 167), an album by Saka Acquaye and
His African Ensemble. In 1960 Earland popped up on Jimmy McGriff's 'Foxy Do 1 & 2'. Taped for the White Rock label, those were
never issued. Though Earland played tenor sax on those, it was with
McGriff, who played the Hammond
that Earland switched from saxophone to organ, the Hammond B3. It was with that
instrument that he issued 'Daily Double 1 & 2' in 1964 (per 45cat). 'Walking
with Feets 1 & 2' may have been recorded at the same session for Quaker
Town, but no issue is discovered. 45cat has 'Rescue Me and 'The Midnight
Hour' issued in 1965 by the Greezie label. Earland produced a couple
tracks by Jean Wells in '65: 'Song of the Bells' and 'Sharing Your Love',
but isn't known to have performed on them. He
did appear on organ with Wells in 1966 on 'I Know That She Loves Me' and 'All This
Madness'. Those were recorded with the vocal group, the Butlers. Titles with
Wells were for the Quaker Town label. Earland got attached to a big
name in 1968 when he joined
Lou Donaldson on the latter's 'Say It
Loud', issued in 1969. Thre more albums ensued with
Donaldson that year: 'Boss Organ',
'Hot Dog' and 'Everything I Play Is Funky'. He is thought to have released his own albums in 1969
for the Choice label as well: 'Boss Organ' and 'Soul Crib' (both per Jazzlists). He may have
issued 'Black Power' for Rare Bird as early as 1969, but Billboard puts it
at 1971. Also in '69 Earland issued 'Cherie Amour' b/w 'Yes Suh'' (Charlie
Earland's Erector Set on Eldorado) and 'My Cherie Amour' b/w 'One For Lee'
(Rare Bird label). Earland may have issued a live recording for Trip Records
eponymously titled, 'Charles Earland' in 1969. However, the 'Goldmine Record
Album Price Guide' has that obscurity recorded in 1969 but not issued until
1974. Earland broached the seventies with the Prestige label and two albums
released in 1970: 'Black Talk!' and 'Black Drops'. He began using the
synthesizer per 'The Dynamite Brothers', issued in 1974. By the eighties Earland
had achieved the national spotlight and would tour heavily into the nineties
until his premature death of heart failure in December of 1999. His last
issue of some forty LPs had been 'Cookin' with the Mighty Burner' that year.
Posthumous releases in 2000 were 'The Almighty Burner' and 'Stomp!'. Per
1971, below, 'Living Black!' contains the track, 'Killer Joe'.
Charles Earland 1965
Charles Earland 1969
Lou Donaldson LP: 'Say It Loud'
With Erector Set
LP: 'Boss Organ'
With Erector Set
Charles Earland 1970
LP: 'Black Talk'
Charles Earland 1971
Charles Earland 1972
LP: 'Live at the Lighthouse'
LP: 'Intensity'
LP: 'Intensity'
Charles Earland 1974
LP: 'Leaving This Planet'
Charles Earland 1976
LP: 'The Great Pyramid'
LP: 'The Great Pyramid'
Charles Earland 1980
LP: 'Coming To You Live'
Charles Earland 1998
LP: 'Slammin' & Jammin'
Shirley Horn, a vocalist as well as pianist, formed her first band, a trio, in 1954. Born in Washington D.C. in 1934, Horn's first known recordings are thought to be with violinist Stuff Smith on August 7, 1959, in Washington DC, contributing piano and vocals to 'Cat on a Hot Fiddle'. She released her first album, 'Embers and Ashes', the next year. Among her most important associates in the music business were Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. The latter's orchestra backed her for the issue of 'Shirley Horn With Horns' in 1964. More than two thirds of Horn's 90 sessions were her own as a leader. She released her last album, 'May the Music Never End', in 2003. Her final recordings are thought to have been live at Le Jazz Au Bar in NYC in January 2005: 'Jelly Jelly', 'Loads of Love' and 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was'. Horn had lost a foot to diabetes in 2000, dying of the same in 2005. More Shirley Horn in Modern Jazz Song.
Shirley Horn 1960
Shirley Horn 1992
Shirley Horn 2005
Shirley Horn
Photo: John O'Hara
Source: SF Gate
Jack McDuff
Source: Wax MP3
Born in 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, organist, Jack McDuff,
originally played bass in the bands of Joe Farrell and
Willis Jackson. He
switched to organ before making his first recordings with Shakey Jake in NYC
in 1959 ftoward the latter's album, 'Good Times', issued in 1960. On May 5
of 1959
he backed
Jackson for the album, 'Please Mr. Jackson'',
issued that year. Multiple
recordings with
Jackson in 1959 affected the release of several albums from
1960 to 1966. McDuff released his debut album, 'Brother Jack', in 1960,
recorded for Prestige Records in January. Engraving more tracks that July
wrought the album, 'Tough 'Duff', in 1960 as well. The second major
contributor to McDuff's early career was
Gene Ammons, with whom he recorded
three albums in 1961. Lord's disco has McDuff good for 145 sessions, above
90 of those his own as a bandleader. McDuff released
above fifty albums, his last posthumously in June 2001: 'Brotherly Love'. McDuff had toured Japan in 2000, then died of heart failure in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, in January 2001
Jack McDuff 1959
Album: 'Profile'
Album: 'Profile'
Album: 'Profile'
Jack McDuff 1960
Jack McDuff 1962
With Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt
Jack McDuff 1963
Guitar: George Benson
Jack McDuff 1964
Filmed live
Drums: Joe Dukes
Guitar: George Benson
Tenor sax: Red Holloway
Filmed live
Drums: Joe Dukes
Guitar: George Benson
Tenor sax: Red Holloway
Jack McDuff 1966
Album: 'Tobacco Road'
Jack McDuff 1969
Album: 'Steppin' Out'
Album recorded 1961-66
'Chicken Feet' recorded February 1966
Jack McDuff 1970
Album: 'Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?'
Jack McDuff 1972
Album: 'Check This Out'
Jack McDuff 1994
CD: 'Crash!' Guitar: Kenny Burrell
Born in 1932 in Atlanta, Duke Pearson is thought to have first recorded to issue in October 1959 with the Donald Byrd Quintet for Blue Note, alto saxophonist, Jackie McLean, on that session toward 'Fuego'. Pearson made his first name recordings for Blue Note later the same month as the Duke Pearson Trio, releasing the album, 'Profile', that year. His second album, 'Tender Feelin's', was recorded in '59 and released in 1960. Among his more important musical associates in the sixties was Donald Byrd. with whom he stuck into 1964, including another session involving McLean on July 10 of 1960 for titles like 'Bo' and 'My Gal Shirl'. Byrd would contribute Pearson's albums 'Hush!' on January 12 of '62, 'Wahoo!' on November 21 of '64 and 'Baltimore 1969' on April 22 of '69. Tenor saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine, had joined Byrd's Brass and Voices in December of 1964 toward 'I'm Trying to Get Home'. He next found himself with Turrentine on September 22 of 1966 toward the latter's 'The Spoiler. Pearson and Turrentine worked together for a couple of years to spring of 1968, such as Pearson's 'The Right Touch' with trumpeter, Freddie Hubbard, along the way on September 13, 1967. His last tracks with Byrd were on December 4 of 1970 ('Elmina' et al) before quitting to tour with both Carmen McRae and Joe Williams in the early seventies. One result of his time with McRae was contributions to her album, 'Carmen', recorded in Hollywood, issued in '72. Lord's Disco lists that as Pearson's final recording, presumably due that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the early seventies. Pearson had headed the A&R division at Blue Note since 1963, switching to teach at Clark College in '71. He died relatively young at age 48 of multiple sclerosis at the Atlanta Veterans Hospital on August 4, 1980. He had been highly prolific on disc, attending above seventy sessions during his brief career of perhaps 13 years, above thirty of those his own projects. Clearly, this account of such is rudely truncated. 960 below, all undescribed tracks were recorded in October 1959 with the Donald Byrd Trio and released in 1960 on the album, 'Fuego'.
Duke Pearson 1959
Album: 'Profile'
Album: 'Profile'
Album: 'Profile'
Duke Pearson 1960
Album: 'Tender Feelin's'
Album: 'Tender Feelin's'
Duke Pearson 1961
Album: 'Dedication!'
Album: 'Dedication!'
Album: 'Bag's Groove'
Album: 'Angel Eyes'
Duke Pearson 1968
Duke Pearson
Source: Jazz WCLK
We pause this Birth of Modern Jazz Piano with Duke Pearson. By the time Pearson arrives jazz is well developed beyond big swing orchestra, largely via the introduction of sounds from without the United States in the thirties, then bebop and individualists such as Nat King Cole in the forties. The fifties will have commenced with "cool" jazz ('Birth of the Cool' by Miles Davis representative of such, recorded in 1949-50 though not released until 1957) and be a decade of experiment giving passage to prominent compositions in the sixties announcing that modern jazz had arrived (such as 'Take Five' by Brubeck above). Keyboardists who began their careers in the sixties are found at Modern Jazz 8.
Early Blues 1: Guitar
Early Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments
Modern Blues 1: Guitar
Modern Blues 2: Vocal - Other Instruments
Modern Blues 3: Black Gospel Appendix
Medieval - Renaissance
Galant - Classical
Romantic: Composers born 1770 to 1840
Romantic - Impressionist
Expressionist - Modern
Modern: Composers born 1900 to 1950
Country Western
Early Jazz 1: Ragtime - Bands - Horn
Early Jazz 2: Ragtime - Other Instrumentation
Early Jazz 3: Ragtime - Song - Hollywood
Swing Era 1: Big Bands
Swing Era 2: Song
Modern 1: Saxophone
Modern 2: Trumpet - Other Horn
Modern 3: Piano
Modern 4: Guitar - Other String
Modern 5: Percussion - Other Orchestration
Modern 6: Song
Modern 7: Latin Jazz - Latin Recording
Modern 8: United States 1960 - 1970
Modern 9: International 1960 - 1970
Early - Boogie Woogie - R&B - Soul - Disco
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The Big Bang - Fifties American Rock
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Total War - Sixties American Rock
Other Musical Genres - Popular Music Appendix
Classical - Medieval to Renaissance
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Classical - Romantic to Modern
The Blues
Bluegrass - Folk
Country Western
Jazz Early - Ragtime - Swing Jazz
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Jazz Modern - Piano - String
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Jazz Modern - 1960 to 1970
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