Gene Norman Presents "Just Jazz" concerts

[jazzcorner]

GNP Crescendo K18P 6259/61 [ Japan 1984]   3 LP-set Gene Norman presents Just Jazz Concerts 1947~49

Have seen this only at japanese retailers.

Has there ever been a US edition of this 3 LP-set?

 

 

 

 

 

[JSngry]

That's not a complete package, not of "Just Jazz" concerts recorded between 1947 & 1949.

It does look like a very nice collection, though!

[jazzcorner]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

That's not a complete package, not of "Just Jazz" concerts recorded between 1947 & 1949.

It does look like a very nice collection, though!

Correct. It is a compilation but by no means complete. There is a lot more on old 78 discs. Also Lord's lists  the Crown label and more.  Similar editions with different covers are shown at Discogs. A german edition as I found out now on the Pandora label and another UK edition with a blue cover with shlightly less tracks and titles. OAlso some track durations seem to differ.

[optatio]

This is my "Club Edition":

THE GOLDEN ERA OF JAZZ. THE FAMOUS GENE NORMAN'S "JUST JAZZ" CONCERTS. PANDORA 913137 [1981]

 

[mikeweil]

That's the one I have!

Looks like the same tracks in different sequence.

 

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

a set of it would be nice, that stuff is all discombobulated in my collection, 78s, crown lps et al, i want to collect all the original 78s, but you know.......

[romualdo]

I had always hoped for a Mosaic (big box or select) treatment of the Gene Norman concerts or maybe a Wardell Gray one - had even proposed those to Michael C way back in the past

BTW, I have the UK Vogue 3LP set - it omits Be-Bop from April 47 & the 4 Witherspoon titles (cf Japanese 3LP equivalent)

https://www.discogs.com/Gene-Norman-Gene-Normans-Just-Jazz-Concerts/release/5992485

Edited 25 May 2020 by romualdo

[JSngry]

 

[JSngry]

 

[Big Beat Steve]

17 hours ago, optatio said:

This is my "Club Edition":

THE GOLDEN ERA OF JAZZ. THE FAMOUS GENE NORMAN'S "JUST JAZZ" CONCERTS. PANDORA 913137 [1981]

 

I picked up the above one dirt cheap (just could not let it go to waste ) 2-3 years ago at a record clearout sale but I've had the same material for a VERY long time on UK Vogue (VJT3003).

These sets are not exact duplicates of the contents of the Japanese set above - BeBop is not there, and neither are the Jimmy Witherspoon tracks (but they are around elsewhere, and FWIW, according to the Leadbitter/Slaven discography the recording dates for the Jimmy Witherspoon tracks given on the set are wrong as they are from 2 different concerts - two tracks are from 1949 and the others from 1950). The lineup for the Jimmy Witherspoon set is an odd one - Don Hill and Gene Gilbeaux were regulars of the backing band of The Treniers. (Were they on the bill too? Where are their recordings??? )

Like it's been mentioned above, Modern and Crown issued/reissued these in various combinations back then. And then there were things like this single item which found its way into my 78 corner many years ago (kind of hard listeningn to lengthy tracks piecemeal on 78s like this ...)

Edited 25 May 2020 by Big Beat Steve

[JSngry]

Those 78s are not from Gene Norman/Just Jazz, they're from a dance/concert at the Elk's Hall, produced by Jack Williams and recorded by Ralph Bass.

There's this one too, a Just Jazz concert

 

[medjuck]

There are parts of Just Jazz concerts in some of the AFRS Jubilee shows that were hosted by Gene Norman.  Many of them can be found online. 

[JSngry]

Uh...what' this?

https://www.jazzdisco.org/dexter-gordon/discography/#470427

Les Thompson Septet

Conte Candoli, trumpet #1,3-5; Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, tenor sax; Les Thompson, harmonica #3-5; Bobby Tucker, piano; Don Bagley, bass; Chico Hamilton, drums.

"Just Jazz Concert", Pasadena, CA, February 2, 1952

1.	The Steeplechase	Decca DL 7025
2.	The Chase	-
3.	Take The "A" Train	RCA Victor LPM-3102
4.	Robbins' Nest	-
5.	Stardust	-

* Decca DL 7025   Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon - Gene Norman Presents The Chase And The Steeplechase
* RCA Victor LPM-3102   Les Thompson - Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz

[Chuck Nessa]

Gene wasn't beyond a little "slight of hand" - he issued 2 lps of "Art Tatum at the Crescendo" that I spotted as Standard transcription recordings with applause dubbed in. I mentioned that to him and he replied "Gee, no one ever mentioned that to me".

Edited 25 May 2020 by Chuck Nessa

[JSngry]

A perfect example of the difference between lying and bullshitting!

[Big Beat Steve]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Uh...what' this?

https://www.jazzdisco.org/dexter-gordon/discography/#470427

Les Thompson Septet

Conte Candoli, trumpet #1,3-5; Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, tenor sax; Les Thompson, harmonica #3-5; Bobby Tucker, piano; Don Bagley, bass; Chico Hamilton, drums.

"Just Jazz Concert", Pasadena, CA, February 2, 1952

1.	The Steeplechase	Decca DL 7025
2.	The Chase	-
3.	Take The "A" Train	RCA Victor LPM-3102
4.	Robbins' Nest	-
5.	Stardust	-

* Decca DL 7025   Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon - Gene Norman Presents The Chase And The Steeplechase
* RCA Victor LPM-3102   Les Thompson - Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz

 

The UK release on HMV looked like this:

A good moment to spin it again now.

But admittedly the US RCA release has a nicer cover- with the quadruple Thompson looking like the Harmonicats and the Trio Raisner all rolled into one.

And yes - you are right about the Bop! 78s. My oversight. I totally forgot to compare with the BOPland box.

 

 

Edited 25 May 2020 by Big Beat Steve

[JSngry]

But are Dexter and Wardell really on there? Do either/both of them solo?

[Big Beat Steve]

They ARE on there, though more in a supporting role. I just spun it, and the record is "interesting" (the unison parts between the harmonica and the horns are rather surreal). Thompson hangs in bravely to keep up with the horns on the fast "Take The A Train" but the limits in playing the mouth harp really fast become evident - it turns into more of a case of virtuosity than outright swing.

[JSngry]

Oh my, so there is a gap in both my Wardell AND Dexter collections now...where can one go to easily fill this gap in one fell swoop?

[jazzcorner]

More of "Just Jazz" concerts

 

 

[Big Beat Steve]

JSngry linked to the "Stardust" set earlier in this thread.

Edited 26 May 2020 by Big Beat Steve

[jazzcorner]

10 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

JSngry linked to the "Stardust" set earlier in this thread.

Did he? Havent seen it. Probably a different cover so I overlooked it.

Edited 26 May 2020 by jazzcorner

[JSngry]

He did!

I can honestly say that I did more than link to them, I freaking imprinted on the Decca 10", thanks to a band director who once he realized that he was going to have a "stage band" with enough people in it who wanted to know about shit, brought a handful of his records up for general consumption. Not all lasted forever (sorry My Fair Lady/Previn/MAnne/Brown) but enough did, and the ones that stuck really stuck.

For real, to me, this is one of the great(er) jazz records ever, not a bad, false, or misleading note on it by anybody.

I kept waiting for a JATP record that did this, and I am still waiting.

Just a damn good record.

[Dan Gould]

On 5/25/2020 at 3:55 PM, Big Beat Steve said:

They ARE on there, though more in a supporting role. I just spun it, and the record is "interesting" (the unison parts between the harmonica and the horns are rather surreal). Thompson hangs in bravely to keep up with the horns on the fast "Take The A Train" but the limits in playing the mouth harp really fast become evident - it turns into more of a case of virtuosity than outright swing.

So are there any solos by Dex or Wardell? I found a blog posting about this record in which the author stated he spent the first side waiting for a tenor solo.  Not sure I'd track this down if they just play on the heads.

[BeBop]

3 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

So are there any solos by Dex or Wardell? I found a blog posting about this record in which the author stated he spent the first side waiting for a tenor solo.  Not sure I'd track this down if they just play on the heads.

I don't think there are tenor solos by anyone on any track.  I'm sure I would have included it on my "complete solos" compilation.