American Music label

[papsrus]

I remember you giving me directions there. Sat across the street and soaked it in for a while.

[AllenLowe]

if you don't have it - I recommend Frederick Turner's book Remembering Song. Best thing on N.O. I've read.

[Clunky]

Question: was there ever only one volume of Jelly Roll Morton LOC recordings on Solo Art, with R.T. Davies pitch correction, Jack Towers mastering?

Recommendation: Barnes Bocage Big 5.

Yes to your Jelly Roll question - after the first volume came out, Jazzology/Solo Art either lost the rights to the LOC material or found out that they never had them - I don't know the exact story.

And I second your recommentation of the Barnes/Bocage Big 5. That's one of my favorite New Orleans sessions of the 50's - what a glorious mess it is. By that I mean that it's all over the place stylistically - Emile Barnes is playing a rough, early-20th-century style, Peter Bocage is also somewhat old-fashioned, but much more sophisticated, and Homer Eugene is basically playing bebop guitar. And nobody's worried that it might not work - they're just playing music.

I love New Orleans - they still don't care about "styles" down there.

Thanks for the great recommendation of the Barnes-Bocage Big Five 1954 ( American Music) - really enjoyed this session , my first exposure to this label. It's a bit lo-fi but worth it .

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Jazzology was George Buck's first label, started in 1949 to issue a session by Tony Parenti (with Wild Bill Davidson and Art Hodes, among others). That's still Jazzology 1 in the catalog. The label was not very active until the early 1960's, when it expanded rapidly. The original idea was that Jazzology would issue Chicago-style dixieland and GHB would issue traditional New Orleans music. At some point Buck began buying other labels - Jazz Crusade, Progressive, Circle (Rudi Blesh's label, not the German one), MONO, Icon, Solo Art, Audiophile, American Music, Southland - and now they own all those amazing Paramount recordings from the 1920s. So Jazzology's holdings are huge! These days most of their New Orleans historical reissues come out on American Music, with newer New Orleans recordings coming out on GHB, although some appear on Jazzology. They use Southland for blues, Circle for big bands, Audiophile for vocalists, Solo Art for piano solo recordings, Black Swan for the Paramount material, Progressive for "modern music" (Buck won't call it jazz), and Condon-style stuff still comes out on Jazzology.

There's some amazing stuff (along with plenty of forgettable music) in their catalog.

Didn't see this thread before. Interesting.

Just before Christmas 2011, I found a 10" LP of Bunk's Brass Band in the Cardiff 2nd hand shop. It's on the Dixie label but I gather it's the American Music material. 3 tracks per side and a bit sticky from jam butties, but plays fine and I really like it. Was the DIxie label an early bootleg outfit?

Re Circle - never realised this was Rudi Blesh's label. I have an LP from the late 60s or early 70s (but before '72 - no copyright date) on Circle - CLP4. It's a soul juazz tenor organ album! Midnight Special, by Eddie Boyd (not the blues singer). This Boyd was an Atlanta tenor player much in the style of Stanley Turrentine. Backed up by Jerry Byrd (g) - who worked with DOn Patterson - and Butch Cornell (org) - who was on Stan's "Sugar" and a few Boogaloo Joe Jones and Johnny Lytle albums - and a probably local drummer called Sam Florence, of whom I've never heard, though the sleeve note mentions a connection with the funk band Brick. Sleeve note by Boyd, with an end piece by GHB - in which he does describe Boyd as a jazz musician ). Oh, the sleeve note mentions COrnell's recordings with Turrentine and Grover Washington, so that must date it to 70 or 71.

I've always thought this was a very strange album to find on a GHB label. Blesh's name isn't mentioned. Was he producing material for CIrcle then?

MG

[jeffcrom]

Didn't see this thread before. Interesting.

Just before Christmas 2011, I found a 10" LP of Bunk's Brass Band in the Cardiff 2nd hand shop. It's on the Dixie label but I gather it's the American Music material. 3 tracks per side and a bit sticky from jam butties, but plays fine and I really like it. Was the DIxie label an early bootleg outfit?

Re Circle - never realised this was Rudi Blesh's label. I have an LP from the late 60s or early 70s (but before '72 - no copyright date) on Circle - CLP4. It's a soul juazz tenor organ album! Midnight Special, by Eddie Boyd (not the blues singer). This Boyd was an Atlanta tenor player much in the style of Stanley Turrentine. Backed up by Jerry Byrd (g) - who worked with DOn Patterson - and Butch Cornell (org) - who was on Stan's "Sugar" and a few Boogaloo Joe Jones and Johnny Lytle albums - and a probably local drummer called Sam Florence, of whom I've never heard, though the sleeve note mentions a connection with the funk band Brick. Sleeve note by Boyd, with an end piece by GHB - in which he does describe Boyd as a jazz musician ). Oh, the sleeve note mentions COrnell's recordings with Turrentine and Grover Washington, so that must date it to 70 or 71.

I've always thought this was a very strange album to find on a GHB label. Blesh's name isn't mentioned. Was he producing material for CIrcle then?

MG

First - that Dixie LP is most certainly a bootleg - probably dubbed from the AM three-record 78 RPM album that was the first issue of this material.

Rudi Blesh probably had no involvement in your Eddie Boyd LP - I don't think he was doing anything for Buck except occasionally writing liner notes for reissues of his materical. That record probably came about because Buck was living in Atlanta at the time - he issued a lot of records by Atlanta dixielanders during that period. I wasn't aware of that album - I'll keep my eyes open for it. These days Buck still sometimes issues R & B-flavored music on the Southland label.

[MomsMobley]

AMCD 60 CHARLIE LOVE

Love (tpt), George Lewis (clt), Louis Nelson (tbn), Louis Gallaus (pn), Albert Jiles (dr), recorded Algiers, La. 9/2/62

+

an early 60s trip of Love, Emile Barnes (clt), Emmanuel Sayles (banjo)

both are tremendous, throw out your Alan Shorter, Toshinori Kondo, Steven Bernstein records and wait till the sun shines, Nellie!!

http://www.amazon.com/Charile-Love-Louis-Nelson-George/dp/B000001YIF

***

AMCD 106 Herb Morand's New Orleans Band 1950

Herb (tpt), Albert Burbank (clt), Eddie Pierson (tbn), Lester Santiago (pn), Louis James (bs), Morris Morand (dr), New Orleans 2/15/50

You can't ever have too much Herb Morand so no complaints about the unreleased alternates of "If You're A Viper" and "Have You Seen My Kitty." Were there only more!!

Second half of the album is Paul Barbarin & His New Orleans Band, January and May 1951. Ernie Cagnolatti >>>>>>> Enrico Rava and that's just fidgety feet!

http://www.amazon.com/1950-1951-Herb-Morand/dp/B00000I0GU

Edited May 12, 2012 by MomsMobley

[thirdtry]

The new American Music label release is here! I just got it in the mail and it's delightful.

It's entitled 'Crescent City Piano Players' and features three relatively unknown New Orleans, old-time pianists playing solo: Earl Roach, Duke Burrell and Louis Gallaud.

I'd never heard of Earl Roach before and these are his only recordings (made in 1972). Duke Burrell should be known to most New Orleans jazz fans and his recordings here are from 1975. Louis Gallaud is a more obscure figure but he's been represented on the American Music label before most notably with Punch Miller (AMCD-68). Louis describes himself as a "way old stylist" and he contributes two tracks here from 1970.

A very engaging and fun CD showcasing these (mostly) neglected piano men in their later years. Highly recommended!

http://www.jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=AMCD-132

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Didn't see this thread before. Interesting.

Just before Christmas 2011, I found a 10" LP of Bunk's Brass Band in the Cardiff 2nd hand shop. It's on the Dixie label but I gather it's the American Music material. 3 tracks per side and a bit sticky from jam butties, but plays fine and I really like it. Was the DIxie label an early bootleg outfit?

Re Circle - never realised this was Rudi Blesh's label. I have an LP from the late 60s or early 70s (but before '72 - no copyright date) on Circle - CLP4. It's a soul juazz tenor organ album! Midnight Special, by Eddie Boyd (not the blues singer). This Boyd was an Atlanta tenor player much in the style of Stanley Turrentine. Backed up by Jerry Byrd (g) - who worked with DOn Patterson - and Butch Cornell (org) - who was on Stan's "Sugar" and a few Boogaloo Joe Jones and Johnny Lytle albums - and a probably local drummer called Sam Florence, of whom I've never heard, though the sleeve note mentions a connection with the funk band Brick. Sleeve note by Boyd, with an end piece by GHB - in which he does describe Boyd as a jazz musician ). Oh, the sleeve note mentions COrnell's recordings with Turrentine and Grover Washington, so that must date it to 70 or 71.

I've always thought this was a very strange album to find on a GHB label. Blesh's name isn't mentioned. Was he producing material for CIrcle then?

MG

First - that Dixie LP is most certainly a bootleg - probably dubbed from the AM three-record 78 RPM album that was the first issue of this material.

Rudi Blesh probably had no involvement in your Eddie Boyd LP - I don't think he was doing anything for Buck except occasionally writing liner notes for reissues of his materical. That record probably came about because Buck was living in Atlanta at the time - he issued a lot of records by Atlanta dixielanders during that period. I wasn't aware of that album - I'll keep my eyes open for it. These days Buck still sometimes issues R & B-flavored music on the Southland label.

Yes, I have Lorenzo Holden's "Cry of the wounded juke box" on Southland. Holden was an ex Johnny Otis tenor player who, in assn with Ernie Freeman, pioneered the tenor/organ combo on the west coast. The title of the title track sounds more like something Prez would have written than "Lester leaps in", which is what it mostly is. (I hope that's clear.)

MG

[jeffcrom]

I finally picked up this video from Jazzology, prompted by the fact that it's on sale from them for $10, and that they say there are no plans to issue it on DVD - it's in VHS format only. (By the way, it reached me quicker than any order I've ever placed from them - several days instead of the usual several weeks.)

The whole thing is 35 minutes long; the first twelve minutes are devoted to Bill Russell's 1953 film on Baby Dodds' style and technique. It's fascinating, and I learned a few things. The film was shot with a silent camera, and the soundtrack recorded later. The synchronization ranges from very impressive to not very convincing, but it doesn't really matter - it's an entertaining and enlightening piece of film.

This is followed by clips of Cie Frazier and Alfred Williams playing solo, but as if they were playing with a band. The tunes are "High Society" and "Maryland My Maryland," and if you know the tunes, you can tell exactly where they are all the time. The video ends with a long interview/demonstration by Milford Dolliole, recorded by Barry Martyn in 1986. There's a lot to take in about the early days of jazz, but it's going to require several viewings - even I had trouble with Dolliole's New Orleans accent.

Recommended for anyone interesting in New Orleans jazz, particularly Baby Dodds. Course, you've gotta have a VCR.

[alppila]

Cool. Thanks for the rundown!

[MomsMobley]

Albert Warner's Brown Buddies + Albert Jiles Onzaga Owls

http://www.amazon.com/Albert-Warners-Brown-Buddies-Onzaga/dp/B0000061SY

[jeffcrom]

Albert Warner's Brown Buddies + Albert Jiles Onzaga Owls

http://www.amazon.com/Albert-Warners-Brown-Buddies-Onzaga/dp/B0000061SY

I've got that one, and like it for the work of Charlie Love, Emile Barnes, and some of the other guys. But Albert Warner is probably my least favorite New Orleans trombonist. I find his playing almost totally uninteresting, and when I see his name on an album, I sigh. I'll usually listen anyway, but always with regret that they didn't get somebody better for the trombone chair.

[jeffcrom]

Spinning a couple of early-fifties, red vinyl AM 10" LPs tonight. The material on these albums was mostly unreleased on 78s, although a track or two from the Bunk album had been issued earlier. Almost all of this stuff has been issued in the AM CD series, but this is still the only American issue of the first take of Bunk's "Where the River Shannon Flows," which was too long for a 78.

Even though I have all the Wooden Joe Nicholas material elsewhere, it's really getting all over me in this presentation.

[Big Beat Steve]

Even though I have all the Wooden Joe Nicholas material elsewhere, it's really getting all over me in this presentation.

Small wonder ... The fascination of period originals ... (even if you're not a 1st pressing fetishist).

[jeffcrom]

Wanted to let folks know that the CD of rare AM material which came with the Bill Russell's American Music book has been issued separately as An Introduction to American Music (AMCD-135). It's not showing up on the Jazzology website yet, but it's listed in the new Jazzology newsletter, so I imagine you could order it directly from Jazzology. It's got some fabulous tracks, by Bunk Johnson, Wooden Joe, George Lewis, Big Eye Louis, Emile Barnes, etc., none of which are available elsewhere.

[papsrus]

Wanted to let folks know that the CD of rare AM material which came with the Bill Russell's American Music book has been issued separately as An Introduction to American Music (AMCD-135). It's not showing up on the Jazzology website yet, but it's listed in the new Jazzology newsletter, so I imagine you could order it directly from Jazzology. It's got some fabulous tracks, by Bunk Johnson, Wooden Joe, George Lewis, Big Eye Louis, Emile Barnes, etc., none of which are available elsewhere.

Thanks Jeff. Sounds good.

Do you have any of this stuff in your 78 collection?

[clifford_thornton]

Yes. Never saw the Mainstream.

Yeah, I have had it in both configurations.

The Time LPs were first - Concert Percussion, Cage/Wolff, Nono/Maderna/Berio, Berio/Bussotti/Cage, Mayazumi, Feldman, Gazzeloni-Kontarsky, maybe a couple of others. These were reissued on Mainstream along with a number of new recordings - Sonic Arts Union, AMM/MEV, Yuji Takahashi, New Music from London, and a few more. Both were excellent series.

[jeffcrom]

Wanted to let folks know that the CD of rare AM material which came with the Bill Russell's American Music book has been issued separately as An Introduction to American Music (AMCD-135). It's not showing up on the Jazzology website yet, but it's listed in the new Jazzology newsletter, so I imagine you could order it directly from Jazzology. It's got some fabulous tracks, by Bunk Johnson, Wooden Joe, George Lewis, Big Eye Louis, Emile Barnes, etc., none of which are available elsewhere.

Thanks Jeff. Sounds good.

Do you have any of this stuff in your 78 collection?

If you mean do I have any of the tracks from this CD in my 78 collection, no. I'm 500 miles away from my AM discography, but I don't think any of these tracks were originally issued on 78 - maybe one or two.

But if you mean do I have any American Music 78s, I used to carry around a list of the seven or eight AM 78s which have not been reissued on CD. I've found all but one of them - although I recently cracked my copy of "Lily Rag" by Charles Thompson. It hurts.

[MomsMobley]

"Tiger Rag," from AMCD-59

Thomas, Lewis, Robinson, Guesnon, Joseph & Frazier LLC

"Lily Rag"

Edited January 11, 2013 by MomsMobley

[lipi]

I find myself with quite a bit of credit with Jazzology. I'll pick up some AM CD's I don't have yet and have wanted for a while, but here's something else that has me curious:

BCD-236: Leonard Bechet Quartet - Yellow Days

One of the reviews on amazon is positive, the other very negative--both are pretty useless. Anyone here have it and care to weigh in? Jeff? Is this Sidney-doing-dentistry-bad or is it interestingly awesome?

[jeffcrom]

BCD-236: Leonard Bechet Quartet - Yellow Days

One of the reviews on amazon is positive, the other very negative--both are pretty useless. Anyone here have it and care to weigh in? Jeff? Is this Sidney-doing-dentistry-bad or is it interestingly awesome?

Haven't heard it, and it's not near the top of my list of things I was planning to order from Jazzology. Thanks for the reminder to place my order, though!