Gerald Wilson & Basie

[Mark Stryker]

Here's another question for the group: Does anyone know if a Gerald Wilson work for Count Basie, "The Royal Suite," which apparently was premiered at Carnegie Hall in April 1948, was ever recorded in full or in part under that title or something else? Wilson spoke about it frequently, but never in much detail and information is scarce and it's unclear the size, scope and character of the music. I've seen references to it being as few as three movements and as many as seven. 

[EKE BBB]

For more info, go to page 31 of the transcript for this interview with Gerald Wilson (Feb. 25, 2010), available at the Smithsonian website:

Interviewee: Gerald Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014)
Interviewer: Anthony Brown with recording engineer Ken Kimery
Date: February 15, 2010
Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Description: Transcript, 59 pp.

http://amhistory.si.edu/jazz/Wilson-Gerald/Gerald-Wilson_transcription.pdf

I will also check Chris Sheridan's Count Basie bio-discography later today when I get home.

 

[brownie]

The Chris Sheridan Bio-Discography does not list any Royal Suite, no mention of a 1948 Carnegie Hall concert either. Work was scarce at the time for many bands.

[Mark Stryker]

Thanks -- I had seen the Smithsonian interview. I've also seen short news stories in Billboard and other places that reference an upcoming Basie concert at Carnegie in April and the "Royal Suite" but  have found no review after the fact yet. https://books.google.com/books?id=mWZjiRBQJBkC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=count+basie+and+royal+suite+and+carnegie+hall&source=bl&ots=dGy3hEqnN8&sig=8FCY6iObtAl1rILLiBDPooMvr2k&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX0LD6j-jTAhWqsVQKHT41BnkQ6AEIIzAA#v=onepage&q=count%20basie%20and%20royal%20suite%20and%20carnegie%20hall&f=false

[Mark Stryker]

Getting warmer: Found a reference in the Pittsburgh Courier of May 8, 1948. Columnist Billy Rowe's writes: "The critics reserved some fine words for Count Basie's 'Royal Suite,' which he put to instruments for the first time during his recent Carnegie concert."

Unfortunately, the columnist gives no indication what exactly the critics said ,,. Still, nice to confirm that the concert actually happened. 

Edited May 11, 2017 by Mark Stryker

[JSngry]

Having a look at the liners for Wilson's Portraits, I see this, from one Eliot Tiegel:

When he was with Basie, he wrote eight numbers for the Count's first Carnegie Hall concert in 1948.

The thought of that venture causes Gerald to remember it today. "I write the 'Royal Suite' which was composed of the Jack, Queen, King of Hearts and the Ace. The Count liked to play poker...that's how it came about."

Nothing there you don't already know, but this LP was from, when, 1964? So that's a relatively early-ish "historical mention", for whatever that's worth.

While we're at it, I'm wondering if the arrangement of "Out Of This World" off of Everywhere , stated in the liners as being from 1945, was recorded in any way with original vocalist Joe Williams?

 

[Mark Stryker]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Having a look at the liners for Wilson's Portraits, I see this, from one Eliot Tiegel:

When he was with Basie, he wrote eight numbers for the Count's first Carnegie Hall concert in 1948.

The thought of that venture causes Gerald to remember it today. "I write the 'Royal Suite' which was composed of the Jack, Queen, King of Hearts and the Ace. The Count liked to play poker...that's how it came about."

Nothing there you don't already know, but this LP was from, when, 1964? So that's a relatively early-ish "historical mention", for whatever that's worth.

While we're at it, I'm wondering if the arrangement of "Out Of This World" off of Everywhere , stated in the liners as being from 1945, was recorded in any way with original vocalist Joe Williams?

 

Thanks.

I actually checked with the Basie organization and the current music director Scotty Barnhart says he didn't know of the suite and as far as he know it's not in the band's library. Next step is the Wilson family. I'm intrigued ...

Re: "Out of this World." There is a vocal version captured in air checks from the Jubilee radio program in April 1946 with Herb Jeffries. I have it on this CD. Worth the investment. https://www.amazon.com/Jubilee-1946-1947-Gerald-Wilson-Orchestra/dp/B00KB49KSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494542886&sr=8-1&keywords=gerald+wilson+and+jubilee

[Ken Dryden]

Nothing in the Lord Discography about an air check recording.

 

[JSngry]

3 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

Re: "Out of this World." There is a vocal version captured in air checks from the Jubilee radio program in April 1946 with Herb Jeffries. I have it on this CD. Worth the investment. https://www.amazon.com/Jubilee-1946-1947-Gerald-Wilson-Orchestra/dp/B00KB49KSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494542886&sr=8-1&keywords=gerald+wilson+and+jubilee

 

Spooky! I was looking for the Crohonlohogical Classics CDs of Wilson today to see if they had become affordable yet *they had not), but did see exactly this item and ordered it immediately without even bother to look at the specifics of the track listings. YIPPEE!!!