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So, What Are You Listening To NOW?


JSngry

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Music from 57 years ago today, at Mather Air Force Base --

51WLtYmCBJL.jpg

249827384_ace36acb-561d-4b25-a08f-1bcef8

First off, in general it seems Wally Heider does not get the respect and recognition his work deserves.  This is an excellent sounding "live" location recording, just as most of the things I've heard recorded by him have been.  I'm certainly grateful that he was out there on the scene preserving so many live performances.

This concert has a few unique characteristics.  First, there are 2 selections from Ellington/Strayhorn's Nutcracker Suite -- at a dance in the middle of July!  (The liner notes by Stanley Dance note this was only a couple of months after the band recorded this suite.)  Second, this is apparently the first recorded performance of "Paris Blues", captured 5 months before the band recorded the song for the film of that same name.  It does sound kind of like a work in progress here.

What does any one know about trumpeter Andres Merenguito?  Mr. Dance notes that he as also known as Fats Ford, which is how he is listed in the personnel here.  I have seen both names in relation to the Ellington band, but did not realize they were one and the same person.  What was the reason behind the two different names.  It's not like his original name was terribly difficult to pronounce, and even if it were, how hard would it have been to shorten it to just Andy Guito?  Where did the "Fats Ford" name come from?  Inquisitive minds beg to know . . .

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1 hour ago, duaneiac said:

Music from 57 years ago today, at Mather Air Force Base --

51WLtYmCBJL.jpg

249827384_ace36acb-561d-4b25-a08f-1bcef8

First off, in general it seems Wally Heider does not get the respect and recognition his work deserves.  This is an excellent sounding "live" location recording, just as most of the things I've heard recorded by him have been.  I'm certainly grateful that he was out there on the scene preserving so many live performances.

This concert has a few unique characteristics.  First, there are 2 selections from Ellington/Strayhorn's Nutcracker Suite -- at a dance in the middle of July!  (The liner notes by Stanley Dance note this was only a couple of months after the band recorded this suite.)  Second, this is apparently the first recorded performance of "Paris Blues", captured 5 months before the band recorded the song for the film of that same name.  It does sound kind of like a work in progress here.

What does any one know about trumpeter Andres Merenguito?  Mr. Dance notes that he as also known as Fats Ford, which is how he is listed in the personnel here.  I have seen both names in relation to the Ellington band, but did not realize they were one and the same person.  What was the reason behind the two different names.  It's not like his original name was terribly difficult to pronounce, and even if it were, how hard would it have been to shorten it to just Andy Guito?  Where did the "Fats Ford" name come from?  Inquisitive minds beg to know . . .

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.bluenote/ksF_CCeLICM

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1 hour ago, BillF said:

Thanks for that, Bill.  It doesn't really make anything clearer though.  So the Merenguito name appears to have been an assumed identity, but we still don't know what his real name was -- unless his parents truly had named him "Fats" for some reason. Was he on the run from some one/something, thus the reason for all the aliases?   Maybe there is a movie to be made from his life story:  I Was A Fugitive In a Big Band!:P

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I recently borrowed the new Sarah Vaughan biography from the library and have been browsing through it.  There is only a brief mention of this album -- that Ms. Vaughan had signed a new contract with Atlantic and recorded this album in the spring of 1977.  Atlantic then chose not to release the album and cancelled her contract, their reason being (according to Ms. Vaughan) that the album did not contain any hit material.

I've always kind of liked this album, although some songs are definitely better than others.  Ii is an album of its time, so there are some disco beats on a couple tracks and generous use of synthesizers. "Something" is quite nice with a Brazilian feel and Toots Thielemans whistling in the background.  "The Long and Winding Road" is pretty nice as well (with Mr. T. on harmonica).  It's not a jazz album -- and certainly not a rock album --and not really one of her all-time best, but taken for what it is, it merits the occasional listen.

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