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More from 1933. 🧨

The recent discussion of the "Oop Pop A Da" bebop tune in the Percy France Thread reminds me of a discographical question I had meant to ask here for a while: Among the records I obtained from the estate of a deceased jazz collector in recent months I came into possession of a number of home-made CD-Rs with jazz radio shows from AFN radio that the owner apparently had taped from radio in his younger days and in more recent times transferred them to CD. Some of these dated back to the early 50s, in this instance one airing of the "Hot House" jazz show hosted by the "Baron of Bounce" (Ken Dunnagan) - aired at the latest in September, 1953, according to certain indications. One of the tunes, in particular, caught my attention - no announcement was preserved but the track listing identifies it as the CHARLIE VENTURA orchestra performing "Good Rockin' Tonight" (the Roy Brown tune first made into a hit by Wynonie Harris)! A live recording before what must have been rather a large audience, clocking in at 4:53, boppish backing but with a boogie piano, plenty of sax solo work (though the sax sounds a bit high-pitched for Charlie Ventura's baritone sax), spirited "Good Rockin' Tonight" vocals that somewhat sound like an extraordinarily freewheeling Buddy Stewart - not totaly impossible; from what I have found online there may have been a small time frame before the departure of Buddy Stewart from the band and after the tune had been released and become a hit in 1948. The vocals then go into "Do You Wanna Rock Children", supported by handclapping and some exuberant yelling in the style of Chubby Jackson, and for the last minute and a half or so the singer goes seamlessly into an "Ool Ya Koo" bop refrain. My obvious question: Does ANYONE know of any such a live recording of "Good Rockin' Tonight" by Charlie Ventura that may have been preserved somewhere else out there too? Needless to say, all the discographies or online sites I have been able to consult yielded ZERO. I cannot upload anything so this description will have to do but it should give an idea of the proceedings. Who knows ... it may be a case of misidentification and a different band after all but at any rate it's another nice example of that post-WWII cross-pollination of bebop and jump blues.

Break a leg, Michael!

Fixed everywhere but the original post which seems to lack an edit option.

Yes, definitely. Oop Bop Sh'Bam was first recorded by the Dizzy Gillespie sextet on 15 May 1946 and released on Musicraft. Oop-Pop-A-Da was recorded by the Gillespie orchestra on 22 August 1947 and released on RCA.

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but isn't the tune recognized as Oop Bop Sh'Bam? Is there a different tune?

How cool is that. Agreed, great story!

As far as I can see the line-up on the Storyville site is ONLY correct for track 17 (Muskrat Ramble) taken from the 1947 Boston Symphony Hall concert. The booklet of the 4-LP set on MCA gives several different lineups and recording dates for the tracks that are included in the set shown under the Storyville link (and that make up the first 1 1/2 LPs or so of that set, except for track 4 which was not on that 4-LP set). Most tracks are from various dates in December, 1956, and January, 1957. In short, the information on that site is only an approximation.

Hi dear friends Today, starting at 00:05 CET at austrian radio Ö1 (ORF) in the course of the one hour radio programm after two other acts will be spinned my composition "Simmering" from my new album with the same title, plus our vocal version of "Moanin´", if you wanna hear it. Musically yours Gerhard

Though, as a musician I rarly listen to older stuff nowadays, this night towards the morning hours, which is my most active, most euphoric state of mind and ultimate happiness...... I suddenly had the urge to hear some really rough swing to bop/pre-bop black stuff and remembered I have somewhere the old record of Bird with Jay McShann Big Band. I was in such an exuberant mood, I played it very very very loud and started to dance all kinds of steps, in a total exthase. Not only Side One with Bird, even more maybe the second side, with the announcements by "Earnie Bubbles Whitman". Those versions of "Moten Swing", "Jumpin´ Blues", Winestreet Boogie, and above all "Wrap your troubles in Dreams" , I just flipped around, went nuts, full of happiness and joy. You can´t repeat such moments, other night, other feelings, other music.....

Great Story!

Tonight I will go to Jimmy Glass jazz club, in my town, Valencia (Spaña). Plays oine of te best Valencia Tenor sax, Vicente Macian.

Sometime late in the last century I accompanied Benny Carter to a concert given by the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band under the direction of Jon Faddis. Before the concert began word of Benny's presence reached the musicians and they began jumping off the stage to come over to pay homage to him. It was like going to a film festival with Orson Welles. For some reason the band had a conductor. After a couple of numbers Benny turned to me and whispered, " They don't need no fuckin' conductor."

Hi: Now I am listening Issac Hayes, The easy rider genration concert: I like specially, Shaft theme, and a version from Ain´t no Sunshine (Withers) and the last album theme, Rock me babe, a wonderfull Mr B.B. King blues, interpreted under point of view from Mr. Hayes band. Higly recomended. Regards from valencia (España)

This is correct imo.

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He recently cancelled a concert in Santa Barbara.

How is the music? And what is the recording date? I'm looking at an Armstrong discography which is rather dismissive of the project but can't find this particular line-up. Doesn't mean it's not there just that I couldn't find it.

IMG600×536 93.9 KB Reuben Wilson “Love Bug” Blue Note 85th Anniversary Japan UHQCD Reuben Wilson on organ with Lee Morgan on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Grant Green on guitar, and Leo Morris (later known as Idris Muhammad) on drums

Stumbled onto this recording this morning. Very listenable.