BFT 170 revealed in all its naked glory

[lipi]

Apologies for being a day late.

Here's a link to the discussion thread, for closed loop recursive completeness:

1. Indian Cradle Song, Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra

NYC, 1930-05-04: Louis Armstrong (tp,vcl, Ed Anderson (tp), Henry Hicks (tb), Bobby Holmes, Theodore McCord (cl,as), Castor McCord (cl,ts), Joe Turner (p), Bernard Addison (g), Levat Hutchinson (tu), Willie Lynch (d)

I included quite a few recordings with Django Reinhardt in this BFT, which is why included this Louis Armstrong tune. Supposedly, this is the record Emile Savitry played for Django and which made the latter cry and exclaim "Ach moune!", Romani slang for "My brother!"

2. Nada mas que un poquito de swing, Oscar Alemán y su Orquestra de Jazz

Buenos Aires, 1953-12-16: Mario Felix (cl), Carlin Traversa, Julio Grana, Raul Casanova (vln), Alberto Barbera (p), Oscar Aleman (g, vcl), Alberto Ramos (g), Nene Nicolini (b), Raguza (d), unknown (fechas)

One of two tunes not identified. I'm glad it stumped everyone. (I'm sorry it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. I hope the rest made up for it!)

Edited June 2, 2018 by lipi

[lipi]

Honeysuckle Roses

3. Coleman Hawkins & his All-Star "Jam" Band

Paris 1937-04-28: Benny Carter, André Ekyan (as), Hawkins, Alix Combelle (ts), Stéphane Grappelli (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Eugène d'Hellemmes (b), Tommy Benford (d)

The first record released on Delaunay's Swing label. The B side was Crazy Rhythm.

4. Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

NYC, 1939-11-22: Maxwell, Martel, Elman (tp), Vesely, Ballard, Brown (tb), BG (cl), Mondello, Estes (as), Jerome, Bassey (ts), Henderson (p), Christian (g), Bernstein (b), Fatool (d)

5. Kay Starr with Joe Venuti and the Les Paul Trio

Hollywood, 1945-05: Joe Venuti (vln), Tommy Todd (p), Les Paul (el-g), Cal Gooden (g), Clint Nordquist (b), Kay Starr (vcl)

6. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra with Django Reinhardt

Chicago, 1946-11-10: Django Reinhardt (el-g), Hemphill, Jordan, Anderson, Baker, Nance (tp), Brown, Jones, De Paris (tb), Procope, Hodges, Hamilton, Sears, Carney (rds), DE (p), Guy (g), Pettiford (b), Greer (d)

One of the four recordings (three with the orchestra, one solo) that we have from Django's not-terribly-successful 1946 tour with Ellington. Django had expected to be received by an adoring public, but found himself largely unknown, except among the hardcore jazz fans. He didn't bother to bring a guitar, supposedly because he thought American luthiers (guitar makers, you philistine!) would be clamouring to hand him their instruments. (I say "supposedly" because Django was famously lax about bringing an instrument to gigs, trusting one of his band members would bring it. He may just have not thought to pack it.)

Though Django was displeased with the tour and even called it a failure, critics and audiences were mostly enthusiastic. (I can't remember now which of the big critics didn't like Django. Possibly Leonard Feather?)

Sonny Greer was a big fan (the Dregni biography of Django has some choice Sonny Greer comments), as was Rex Stewart (who said "In my opinion, of the ten greatest guitarists, Django is five of them!", apocryphal but too wonderful a line not to share).

Anyway, I'm glad this exists. Were it not for someone sneaking in an early reel-to-reel recorder into the theatre, we would not have had any recordings of this meeting of giants. I wish someone had done the same when Bechet played with Ellington. *melancholy sigh*

Sunny Sides of the Street

7. Django Reinhardt et le Quintette du Hot Club de France

Paris, 1946-05-15: Hubert Rostaing (cl,as), Django Reinhardt (g), Jacques Diéval (p), Lucien Simoens (b), Arthur Motta (d)

8. The Dizzy Gillespie Sextet

NYC, 1951-10-25: Dizzy Gillespie (tp, vcl), Bill Graham (as, bar), Stuff Smith (vln), Milt Jackson (p, org, vib), Percy Heath (b), Al Jones (d), Joe Carroll (vcl)

More or less about as modern as I tolerate my jazz!

9. Harold Nicholas et son orchestre

Harold Nicholas (vcl), rest unknown

It was a surprise to me when I found this CD (Jazz in Paris 20). I knew Harold sung with his brother Fayard in several movies, but I did not know he recorded some numbers outside the movies. His voice sounds Nat King Cole-ish to me here; that "hear" at 0:27 in particular. Also a bit of Sammy Davis in there.

10. James Booker

Schützenhaus Albisgüetli, Zürich, 1977-11-27: James Booker (p,vcl)

 

Edited June 2, 2018 by lipi

[lipi]

Ladies Being Good

11. Benny Goodman Trio

Chicago, 1936-04-27: Benny Goodman (cl), Teddy Wilson (p), Gene Krupa (d)

Those two runs of four and five notes at the very start get me every time. I'm simple that way.

12. Trio de Violons

Paris, 1937-09-29: Eddie South, Stéphane Grappelli, Michel Warlop (vln), Roger Chaput (g), Wilson Myers (b)

Because more violin is always better.

13. Dicky Wells and Bill Coleman

Paris, 1937-07-12: Dicky Wells (tb), Sam Allen (p), Roger Chaput (g), Bill Beason (d)

One of the two tunes not ID'ed! I thought for sure that someone would recognize Dicky Wells.

14. Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

Probably Hollywood, some time in 1939 (or possibly late 1938).  It's from the soundtrack to the 1939 short "Artie Shaw's Symphony of Swing." 

Artie Shaw (cl), Buddy Rich (d), and your usual 1939 Shaw band usual suspects. I don't have a source for an exact make-up of the band, but you can try and ID people in the video of the short...

 

15. Dark Was the Night - Cold Was the Ground, Blind Willie Johnson

Dallas, 1927-12-03: Blind Willie Johnson (g,vcl)

If it deserves to leave the Solar System, it deserves to be on a BFT. (Come to think of it, that may not be the best way to think about it. There are many things I'd love to see leave the Solar System and never return. Anyway.)

 

Thanks for listening! If you want to know what specific sources I used for any of these, ask away.

Edited June 2, 2018 by lipi

[paul secor]

I didn't partake in your blindfold test - not my thing - but it appears that you put together a very good batch of music, a fair number of which I have in my own collection. Nice to see James Booker and Blind Willie Johnson mixed in with the jazz cuts. 

[Hot Ptah]

I should have known Oscar Aleman on Track 2. I listened to him often at one time, but not for awhile.

Similarly, I listened to a lot of Eddie South at one time but not for awhile. I should have known it was him on Track 12.

i love how you included James Booker. He is one of those musicians who has the technical ability of a jazz artist but plays a different style. I find those musicians interesting. 

Thanks for a most enjoyable Blindfold Test! It brightened my month.

[lipi]

Thanks for the kind words.