Basin Street Blues

[Bill McCloskey]

Since the I'm Coming Virginia conversation was so informative, I'd like to start a thread on some other classic jazz tunes, in this case Basin Street Blues.

I have a number of versions in my collection: The Armstrong Hot 5 (or is it 7) recording, which must be the first time a celeste was used in a jazz tune, two versions by Bobby Hackett, Keith Jarrett, and of course the great reworking by Miles Davis on Seven Steps to Heaven.

I'd like to kick this off by discussing my thoughts on the Miles Davis version, which was probably the first version I remember hearing. And it makes me think that a lot of the problems people had with Miles in the 60's and 70's (and 80's) was not so much that he went off, became more experimental, electronic, or whatever, but that we lost one of the finest interpreters of classic jazz we ever had. When Miles stopped reinterpreting the past through his beautiful and unique sensibility, it was almost like someone died.

Listen to his approach to Basin Street: the space he puts around the notes, the sense of solitude, the character of the solos and the way he handles the melody and rhythm.

I try and stay out of the conversations that start with something like: Jazz is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies, when in reality what they are saying is that jazz needs to get further and further away from jazz. The lie to that argument is encapsulated in Miles take on Basin Street Blues, a tune that goes back to the very roots of Jazz, but approached in such a stylistically unique vision to make it timeless and breathlessly beautiful.

Jazz could use more of this type of examination of the past.

[medjuck]

There's a concert performance by Jack Teagarden where he introduces the song and says that he and Glenn Miller wrote the intro. Anyone know if this is true?

[danasgoodstuff]

Basin Stret Blues is a great song and Miles reworking of it a triumph on many levels..but I hear that same sense of solitude in Sancturary from BB and don't really think he abandoned anything essential about himself or the music. The world of "beautiful browns" and street violence described in Basin Street Blues could be in a rap video today, not that I like that music much myself...just as well dens of iniquity today tend to have music geezers like me don't care for, otherwise I'd just spend more time and money there. Any contentious issues we've leaft out, I think not...

[JPF]

Since the I'm Coming Virginia conversation was so informative, I'd like to start a thread on some other classic jazz tunes, in this case Basin Street Blues.

I have a number of versions in my collection: The Armstrong Hot 5 (or is it 7) recording, which must be the first time a celeste was used in a jazz tune, two versions by Bobby Hackett, Keith Jarrett, and of course the great reworking by Miles Davis on Seven Steps to Heaven.

I'd like to kick this off by discussing my thoughts on the Miles Davis version, which was probably the first version I remember hearing. And it makes me think that a lot of the problems people had with Miles in the 60's and 70's (and 80's) was not so much that he went off, became more experimental, electronic, or whatever, but that we lost one of the finest interpreters of classic jazz we ever had. When Miles stopped reinterpreting the past through his beautiful and unique sensibility, it was almost like someone died.

Listen to his approach to Basin Street: the space he puts around the notes, the sense of solitude, the character of the solos and the way he handles the melody and rhythm.

I try and stay out of the conversations that start with something like: Jazz is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies, when in reality what they are saying is that jazz needs to get further and further away from jazz. The lie to that argument is encapsulated in Miles take on Basin Street Blues, a tune that goes back to the very roots of Jazz, but approached in such a stylistically unique vision to make it timeless and breathlessly beautiful.

Jazz could use more of this type of examination of the past.

Couldn't have said it better myself. You're right on the money as far as the tune, Miles' version, and especially the thoughts in your last two paragraphs.

[JSngry]

I try and stay out of the conversations that start with something like: Jazz is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies, when in reality what they are saying is that jazz needs to get further and further away from jazz.

No, what they are saying is that couch potatoes usually get fat and lazy and end up dieing sad and disgusting deaths.

I find it hard to have a serious discussion with somebody who assumes Point D from Point A. Unfortunately, that's a lot of the "jazz world" today, so you're in good, well, plentiful anyway, company.

Enjoy the guacamole.

[JSngry]

And my favorite rendition is by Louis Armstrong, found on the originally issued version of The Glenn Miller Story soundtrack album (not the later issued version, which uses a different, less epic performance) . Maybe because it's one of Louis' greatest performances ever, I think, and/or maybe because it's one that I've heard literally almost all my life, since my folks used to use that album as one of the records they'd play for me to fall asleep to in the crib.

Then would be Miles', which is just so... out, almost melodically reductio ad absurdum (Latin for "reduction to the absurd", don't wanna violate the Stapleton rule ) and harmonically extrapolated/expanded to an almost abstract level that it's nothing if not the sound of a shark moving forward.

[Harold_Z]

There's a concert performance by Jack Teagarden where he introduces the song and says that he and Glenn Miller wrote the intro. Anyone know if this is true?

It's true.

T. is talking about the "Won't you come along with me" chorus, a part that is not on Louis Armstrong's Hot 5 or Savoy Ballroom five (it's the group with Zutty and Earl Hines) or the early 30s Victor Basin St. T. is talking about a Charleston Chaser's date from 1931. His intro was incorporated pretty much into all subsequent versions, becoming in effect, a part of the tune. You can hear the Charleston Chaser's version at Red Hot Jazz website.

I also love Miles' version and also pretty much any of the many Louis or Teagarden versions. And I also dig the hell out Miles' "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", another vintage tune that is Miles does on Seven Steps.

[A Lark Ascending]

don't wanna violate the Stapleton rule

In which case, you are spared that circle of hell, Mr S.

****************

I've never really cared for 'Basin Street' or the other two tracks from the same session on 7 Steps. They seem so disconnected with everything he was doing at that time (where the other three tracks fit in perfectly). My loss entirely.

By contrast, I find the above mentioned 'Sanctuary' much more affecting - along with the even later 'He Loved Him Madly'.

I like Ella's version of 'Basin Street' from the late 30s/early 40s.

[Harold_Z]

And my favorite rendition is by Louis Armstrong, found on the originally issued version of The Glenn Miller Story soundtrack album (not the later issued version, which uses a different, less epic performance) . Maybe because it's one of Louis' greatest performances ever, I think, and/or maybe because it's one that I've heard literally almost all my life, since my folks used to use that album as one of the records they'd play for me to fall asleep to in the crib.

Then would be Miles', which is just so... out, almost melodically reductio ad absurdum (Latin for "reduction to the absurd", don't wanna violate the Stapleton rule ) and harmonically extrapolated/expanded to an almost abstract level that it's nothing if not the sound of a shark moving forward.

I like that one also. It's on the Mosaic Louis Decca box. I've had it on a ep since the movie came out. Bud Freeman. Kenny John's drum solo. Great stuff.

[lipi]

My favourite is the Armstrong-Teagarden-Hawkins version from the first Esquire all-stars concert in '44.

[John L]

Armstrong's RCA version from 1932 is another brilliant interpretation.