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Willis Jackson on Prestige?


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It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

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It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

He did make a sideman date in 1957 for King, with Bill Jennings as leader. 3 issued and 2 unissued tracks. But, generally, I agree - after he left Cootie Williams in about 1950, he was leading his own band. He was on quite a few R&B singles in the fifties. Some of the more memorable R&B singles with him in the band are

Ruth Brown - Teardrops from my eyes (Willis and Ruth were married for several years)

Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 hours

Ruth Brown - Daddy, Daddy

Little Willie John - All around the world (aka Grits ain't groceries)

Little Willie John - Need your love so bad (I wish Gator had recorded this song himself)

MG

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BLUE GATOR – PRESTIGE 7183 (5&11/1959,2&8/1960)

COOKIN' SHERRY – PRESTIGE 7211 (11/1959,2&8/1960)

Coupled together on the Prestige Willis CD LEGENDS OF ACID JAZZ, which Newbury's currently offering for $3.49 plus shipping.

Just listened to this today. The ballads kinda drag a bit but are bluesy enough to keep up your interest.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I searched this thread out, two years later, as I was listening to Gator Tail. Just a reminder that The Magnificent Goldberg's posts are always interesting, but sometimes rise to the level of amazingly informative and essential. Quite the scholar, in his own way, is our MG.

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It just struck me that I don't have any jazz albums with Willis Jackson playing as a sideman. Did he ever do that?

I know that even into the 70's he took "anonymous" sideman work dates on pop dates. Offhand I can't think of any Jazz dates where he was a sideman.

He did make a sideman date in 1957 for King, with Bill Jennings as leader. 3 issued and 2 unissued tracks. But, generally, I agree - after he left Cootie Williams in about 1950, he was leading his own band. He was on quite a few R&B singles in the fifties. Some of the more memorable R&B singles with him in the band are

Ruth Brown - Teardrops from my eyes (Willis and Ruth were married for several years)

Ruth Brown - 5-10-15 hours

Ruth Brown - Daddy, Daddy

Little Willie John - All around the world (aka Grits ain't groceries)

Little Willie John - Need your love so bad (I wish Gator had recorded this song himself)

MG

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6

to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player :D

This is the sleeve:

Imagination.jpg

MG

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  • 9 years later...
  • 6 months later...
11 minutes ago, ListeningToPrestige said:

Does anyone know where the Club Allegro was? Was it a club Jackson regularly played at?

Don't know the answer to your question.  Sorry. 

I only wanted to say that I just now saw your blog for the first time.  Very nice.  Thanks for sharing.  :tup 

 

Edited by HutchFan
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On 8/1/2012 at 7:13 AM, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6 to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player :D

 

This is the sleeve:

Imagination.jpg

 

MG

"Imagination" was actually a re-release.  It was originally issued on the Arrow label as "Have You Heard":

https://www.discogs.com/master/1070607-Johnny-Smith-Have-You-Heard-Johnny-Smith

 

 

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Well, well! So the Arrow record was the original. That dates the session at 1958. The Gen Manager of Arrow (which had a subsidiary called Bow!) was Fred Mendelsohn. Pres was Herman Pollock. "Imagination" was issued as a two-part single. It also came out on an EP with two of the shorter cuts from the LP on the flip. Another EP, "Ecstasy" was issued, again with two short cuts on the flip. So six of the eight tracks came out on 45.

MG

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22 hours ago, ListeningToPrestige said:

Does anyone know where the Club Allegro was? Was it a club Jackson regularly played at?

I like your blog on Gator.

You touched my heart, so I'm sending you a PM about 'Neapolitan nights'.

As the material from Club Allegro was produced by Ozzie Cadena, my guess it would have been in Newark,, NJ.

MG

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 8/1/2012 at 7:13 AM, The Magnificent Goldberg said:

 

 

Well, I was wrong about Gator never having done a jazz date as a sideman. I recently got a listen to a very rare Johnny 'Hammond' Smith album, called 'Imagination' - Warwick W2003. Seems to have been recorded in 1958 or '59, though it's not certain (I think '59). No personnel listed but I'm sure the guy playing tenor on some cuts is Gator Tail. It's Smith's first recording and is a very good example of his style. The other players are said here http://johnnyhammondsmith.com/?p=6

to be Thornel Schwartz, George Tucker and Leo Stevens. However, whether the blogger concerned ever listened to the LP isn't certain, because he doesn't mention a sax player :D

 

This is the sleeve:

Imagination.jpg

 

MG

If anyone's interested, there's a copy available at Dusty Groove.

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