jeffcrom

Jeez, guys! I guess I'd better stay put, because it's clear that without me, everything would fall apart. And if the world is a mess now, imagine how bad it would be without a smoothly-running blindfold test. I shudder....

Rev. Johnny L. "Hurricane" Jones - Where Has He Gone? (Jewel)

Why do I like 78s so much? They're magical - connections to distant, forgotten worlds. Tonight I listened to: Vess Ossman - A Gay Gossoon/Ossman/Dudley Trio - St. Louis Tickle (Victor, 1905) DeFord Bailey - Alcoholic Blues/Evening Prayer Blues (Vocalion, 1927) Tommy McClennan - She's Just Huggin' Size/My Little Girl (Bluebird, 1940) Blind Willie Johnson - Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning/Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying (Columbia, 1928) I bought #2 today, and #1 yesterday. I picked up #3 a couple of years ago, and found #4 in a junk store in Atlanta around 40 years ago. All of them transport me to another world.

The Woody Herman Band! (Capitol). I have three of these mid-50s Capitol LPs by Herman, and I sure like them.

Thanks to all for the info.

Thanks, Brownie. But I'm still curious, so let me clarify my question: Are there any other Benny Goodman studio recordings with Stan Getz solos besides the four I listed above?

I listened to the Benny Goodman Columbia CD Volume III: All the Cats Join In today, and was struck with how fresh, assured, and imaginative the Stan Getz solos on the album were. The three tracks with Getz solos are "Lucky (You're Right, I'm Wrong)," "Rattle and Roll," and "Swing Angel." They're all excellent. "Rattle and Roll" has long been one of my favorite Goodman recordings - it was in that first box of 78s my grandmother gave me around 1974 - but "Lucky" is the Getz solo that really knocks me out: it has drive, harmonic imagination, and is extremely well-constructed. "Swing Angel" is almost as good, but suffers from being only half as long - eight measures as opposed to sixteen in "Lucky." I don't have the Mosaic Goodman box set, and am unlikely to get it, since I feel that I more recordings than I can listen to. But it has those three tunes, and alternate takes of all. Getz's first solo with Goodman is not on the Mosaic set - "Give Me the Simple Life," from November 20, 1945. The tenor solo is nearly as good as the three I mentioned above, but shows a little rhythmic uncertainly right at the beginning. Are there Getz solos on any Goodman recordings other than the four I've mentioned? In any case, these solos show remarkable talent and originality from an 18-year old.

New York Woodwind Quintet - Alec Wilder Sketches the World's Most Beautiful Girls (Golden Crest) This is one of those completely unclassifiable Alec Wilder albums. Wilder has taken a bunch of songs with women's names in the title ("Liza," "Sweet Lorraine," etc.), added several similarly-titled original pieces, and arranged the lot for classical woodwind quintet. On the face of it, this is a really stupid idea, and the resulting album should be terrible - but it's pretty good; it's got the feel of his famous octets. Can't find a picture of the "bathing beauties from different countries" cover.

In an Alec Wilder mood today: Tony Bennett - While We're Young (Columbia, 1951). And Mr. Bennett sounds really young, indeed. Rosemary Clooney - Love Among the Young (Columbia, 1954). Not my favorite Alec Wilder song, but it has grown on me since finding this record a couple of years ago. I didn't realize that I had five 78s of "I'll Be Around:" George Shearing Quintet (MGM, 1951) Johnny Smith (Royal Roost, 1953) Mills Brothers (Decca, 1942) Cab Calloway (Okeh, 1942) Sonny Dunham (Hit, 1944) The Mills Brothers had the hit; Cab's version was recorded two weeks before theirs - I don't like Cab's overdone vocal approach. Sonny Dunham's band has some excellent musicians - Sonny Berman, Marky Markowitz, Earl Swope, Johnny Bothwell, Don Lamond - and I like Dorothy Clare's relaxed, straightforward vocal. Mitch Miller - Serenade for Horns/Horn Belt Boogie (Columbia promo, 1951). Two movements of Wilder's Suite for French Horns, the only two movements which were issued on 78. Some really nice writing on the "Serenade," and there's a very good, presumably improvised solo (I assume by Jim Buffington) on the "Boogie." Check out the amazing horn section, listed on the label pictured above.

PM sent on Hampel.

I've been spinning lots of 78s lately, but not posting much. Yesterday I played all of my Fletcher Hendersons, and repeated my favorites today. Most of these have another band on the flip side; sometimes it's a good band like Sam Lanin's, sometimes not - but I only played the Henderson sides this time. Old Black Joe Blues/Potomac River Blues (Vocalion, 1923) Charley, My Boy, take 1 (National Music Lovers, 1924) - as N.M.L. Dance Orchestra Charley, My Boy, take 2 (Regal, 1924). The main difference between the takes is Elmer Chambers' series of trumpet breaks near the end. They're wilder on take one - did the recording director tell him to tone it down after the first take? I Can't Get the One I Want (National Music Lovers, 1924) - as Manhattan Musicians My Rose Marie (Silvertone, 1924). Sears' label; a nice solo by young Louis Armstrong. Swanee Butterfly (Domino, 1925). Louis is present, but you can't tell. Sleepy Time Gal (Banner, 1925) Then I'll Be Happy (National Music Lovers, 1925) - as Master Melody Makers. These are the two sides recorded at Henderson's November 16, 1925 recording session. They're pretty great, with excellent solos by Joe Smith, Charlie Green, and Coleman Hawkins. I would go so far as the say these Hawkins solos might be his first really good ones - at least among the first. Alabama Stomp (Velvet Tone, 1926) - as the Dixie Stompers. You Rascal You/Tiger Rag (Montgomery Ward, 1931) - reissued from the Crown label.

I know you loved that place, Paul. Sad news.

The Freddie Roach Soul Book (Prestige stereo). Had forgotten what a great album this is.

Mississippi bluesman James Lewis Carter Ford, better known as T-Model Ford, died today at his home in Greenville, Mississippi. Ford didn't know exactly when he was born, but he was apparently in his early nineties. Ford, who took up the guitar when his fifth wife (!) left him, had a violent, abusive father, and violence was always part of his life; he couldn't remember how many times he had been in jail or prison. His music, as one might expect, was raw and powerful. He continued to play on Nelson Street in Greenville long after the crack dealers had driven everyone else away. On his first album, Pee-Wee Get My Gun, from 1997, he is accompanied on most tracks by his drumming partner Spam. But the great Delta keyboard/drums team of Frank Frost and Sam Carr (of the Jelly Roll Kings) accompany T-Model on two tunes, and apparently Ford's trash-talking in the studio led the mild-mannered Frost to proclaim, "I want everyone to know that I'm now playing against my will." T-Model Ford was the real deal. RIP.

Would anyone like to take over managing the Blindfold Test? I've done it for three years now, and am feeling the need to step back from the O Forum to an extent. The job basically consists of scheduling presenters, reminding them to start their signup threads, updating the master list, and in some cases taking care of uploads for presenters who were not comfortable with that process. I also sometimes mailed out CDs to those few members who still prefer to listen that way. We are scheduled through the end of 2013, so there's no immediate need to schedule presenters, but 2014 will sneak up fast. I got the job because I volunteered and no one objected. I guess the next BFT manager will probably get the job the same way. NIS, this will not affect your BFT - I'll get your music uploaded in the next few days and send you the link. Joe, I apologize for not participating in BFT 111 - I intended to, but it didn't happen for a variety of reasons.

This again.

Humphrey Lyttelton - Jazz at the Royal Festival Hall (UK Parlophone 10"). I no longer remember where I got this record, but I'm glad I found it. This 'Merican has a soft spot for the better European trad bands. They add their own flavor to the basic New Orleans style, and often have a more varied and interesting repertoire than American "dixieland" bands.

Sweetwater in the house, representin' the ATL! Their 420 Pale Ale is their most popular brew, but I really like their high-gravity Happy Ending, only available in the winter months.

Roy Eldridge - Rockin' Chair (Verve). A beautiful, noiseless Japanese pressing. Later: Just looked at an Eldridge discography to pin down the dates and personnel. There really weren't any records Roy made as a leader between 1962 and 1972? Wow - that's an absolute crime.

Possible thought...maybe because live music was so common, being asked to buy a record of what you could go out an hear live seemed kind of a con? One of the first selling points of LPs was that, liberated from the 3-minute 78, you could finally truly approximate what people sounded like in live performance. But of course that doesn't quite get at the idea we have in jazz of the primacy of the "live" performance as a more authentic reflection of the heart of the music, or at least a typically more exciting representation of it. Would be interested to hear from some of our veteran board members if they remember how record buyers or advertising approached the initial wave of live LPs. Were there any jazz sides from the 78 era that were "live" and was the fact that they were live trumpeted it as a selling point? The Goodman Carnegie Hall concert I think was first issued as an early LP in 1950. What were, in other words, the very first live jazz recordings? Brubeck's Blackhawk and Storyville sides were from 52, yes? Could the popularity of those specifically spurred BN to do Blakey at Birdland in 53, or was the idea of live recording more just in the air. The Massey Hall concert is in there too. On another front, certainly, live radio broadcasts were a feature of the music going back forever, and anybody with ears knew that, say, Bird's broadcasts were showing a remarkable side of his genius you didn't get in the studio. Basie, Ellington and for that matter Goodman, Shaw and others also came across differently in live broadcasts too. Interesting - the "cult" of the live performance document in jazz -- origins, influence, meaning. Discuss. You are forgetting JATP. Yes, I've got JATP Volume 1 in 78 format - an album of three 12" records on Asch. The notes inside the cover made a lot out of the fact that this music is the "real deal" - more authentic and exciting than even studio jam sessions. And of course, big chunks of the July 6, 1947 LA Elks Auditorium concert/dance were issued on the Bop label. In the notes to the 3-CD Bopland reissue, producer Ralph Bass is quoted in a letter as saying that these recordings were superior to the "formal and stiff" JATP records. And the Modern label issued lots of records from Gene Norman concerts on 78. I don't know if they issued albums like the JATP and Bop stuff, but I've got several single records of Gene Norman selections. Some aren't labeled as live recordings, but I've seen others that say something like, "Recorded live at Just Jazz concert" on the label. (I had already started this post when king ubu replied, so sorry about the overlapping content.)

Three thumbs up! (Wait, that can't be right....) Been trying to find a semi-affordable copy (or at least not beat) copy of this for years - always try to go cheap on Horos. Finally paid up for a very clean one and it was well worth it. United Patchwork is one of the ten or so albums I got in the online "Aldo Sinesio clearance sale" 15 years or so ago. I spent about $250, which is all I could afford at the time, and got some great records, including all three Sun Ra albums. By the time I felt I had recovered financially enough to buy another batch, the sale website had disappeared. Eronel by Steve Lacy was one of the albums that was already sold out, and I only found a copy I could afford about a year ago. The pressings are crappy, and the covers fall apart, but damn! I love my Horos.

Three thumbs up! (Wait, that can't be right....) Inspired by a 7/4 Facebook post: Anthony Braxton - Alto Saxophone Improvisations 1979 (Arista), sides three and four. Kind of brilliant.

Lee Konitz - Very Cool (Japanese Verve/Polydor)

Wadada Leo Smith = Divine Love (ECM)

The Tin Man Matt Perrine Bill Barber