jeffcrom

Mary Osborne/Marian McPartland/Vi Redd, etc. - Now's the Time (Halcyon), mentioned in this thread, which also features Marcello's great pictures from the gig.

Disc 3 today. On the best of these 74-year-old recordings, every detail is just perfect: every phrase by Ms. Holiday, every response by Lester Young or Buck Clayton, every chord by Freddie Green, every arpeggio by Teddy Wilson.

Hamiet Bluiett - Endangered Species (India Naviagation) Charles Earland - Black Talk! (Prestige stereo)

Lord Kitchener - Kitch '67 (Trinidadian RCA stereo)

Billie Holiday - Lady Day (Columbia); disc 2.

I've got that one - it's got some great stuff on it.

Spent a pleasant hour among the Victor Red Seal classical records this morning, all one-sided ten-inchers from 1905 to 1920: violinists Efrem Zimbalist, Mischa Elman, and Maud Powell, followed by sopranos Frances Alda, Geraldine Farrar, and Amelita Galli-Curci. I ended with Galli-Curci; her singing really knocks me out, and I had never heard of her until I started collecting 78s.

Happy impossible birthday!

HB, LV!

Two older LP collections of swing-era material, mastered with too much reverb. I thoroughly enjoyed them anyway. Al Cooper and the Savoy Sultans - Jumpin' at the Savoy (MCA Jazz Heritage Series) Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra - Bunny (RCA Camden). Among his other attributes, Bunny B. had excellent taste in drummers. Among the drummers here are George Wettling, Buddy Rich, and Dave Tough. And I like Johnny Blowers a lot, although he's not as famous as the other guys. Later, toward the end of the Berigan album: The remaining drummer among the five on this record is one Eddie Jenkins. Jeffery no like.

I thought about Fess Williams for track two, but I don't have enough in collection to compare it to. I feel like I should be more familiar with his band, but since I haven't really liked what I've heard that much, I've never bothered. I also wondered if Bruce Brackman was the clarinetist on #15, but didn't take the leap for the same reason - I think I only have one album that he plays on. I've really enjoyed hearing him live. Another interesting BFT - I enjoyed it. Thanks for putting it together.

I'm not on Nick's PM for the download, since I already have the music, so post here if you have any download problems and I'll try to help.

I think you'd like The Other Side of the Sun, or at least the version of "Space is the Place" from that album. It originally came out on Sweet Earth, if I remember correctly, but I've got a CD reissue from Universe. No idea how easy or difficult it would be to get these days.

Rev. C. L. Franklin - The Preacher Who Got Drunk (Chess Sermon No. 71)

Last night I played a bunch of 78s involving trumpeter Phil Napoleon: Bailey's Lucky Seven: Sweet Indiana Home/Joe Samuels and His Master Players: The Sneak (Gennett, 1922) Tennessee Ten: That Big Blonde Mama/Benson Orchestra of Chicago (Victor, 1923) Then I grabbed a few records at random from among the 20 or so I have by Napoleon's Original Memphis Five: Original Memphis Five: Struttin' Jim/Don Parker's Western Melody Boys: Wild Papa (Pathe Actuelle, 1923) Original Memphis Five: Oh Baby/I Never Care 'Bout Tomorrow (Perfect, 1924) Original Memphis Five: Steppin' Out/Dancing Dan (Regal, 1923) Miff Mole plays great on this one. Then on to some early vaudeville blues by Leona Williams and Her Dixie Band (which is actually the Original Memphis Five): Mexican Blues/Uncle Bud (Bugle Blues) (Columbia, 1922) That Teasin', Squeezin' Man of Mine/If Your Man is Like My Man (Columbia, 1923)

Paul Bley - Solemn Meditation (GNP mono) Capt. John Handy/Kid Thomas Valentine/Jim Robinson, etc. - Sleepy Time Gal (Center) This is the little-known third album from the famous 1965 "December Band" concert. (Well, it's famous among New Orleans jazz aficionados, anyway.) Sugar Mama Blues (Biograph) 1949 blues; liner notes by Christiern.

Yeah, there have been questions about the clarinets on several of the Creole Jazz Band dates over the years, especially this pair of dates. The definitive reference book on Oliver is "King" Oliver by Walter Allen, Brian Rust and Laurie Wright; they list "Chattanooga Stomp" and rejected/destroyed takes of "Junk Man Blues" and "London Cafe Blues" on Monday, October 15, 1923 and the master take of "London Cafe" and the other Columbia sides the next day. They have Noone as the the clarinetist on the 15th and Bailey the next day. Here's what they say: "Previous listings have always shown all takes of [London Cafe Blues] to have been recorded on 15th October and discographers have been puzzled by the fact that two distinct clarinet sounds were heard on the two issued sides from the first date and by the claims, counter-claims and denials of those thought to have been concerned" .... "Of the suggested clarinetists, Noone certainly recalled making one date with Oliver, and both denied and claimed his presence at different times on hearing these sides. (Johnny) Dodds has been suggested by many authorities, aural evidence suggests otherwise and in any case Dodds himself disclaimed his presence on being played the sides by Bill Russell. Suggestions of Bechet and Albert Nicholas may be discounted as they were not in Chicago at the time. Which leaves Buster Bailey. Bailey's name had not even been considered by most authorities until he himself told Arnold Klein of RCA (Europe) that he was on these titles and did at one time own tests of them. Comparison of the work on the second date with his work with Clarence Williams in New York a year or two later, would seem to substantiate his claim." I don't know - I've always thought that a change of clarinetists between days of a two-day session was unlikely, although it's certainly possible. I just listened to these sides again, and I'm not sure there are really "two distinct clarinet sounds." To me it sounds like the clarinetist is standing closer to the recording horn on the 16th. To my ears, it sounds like it could be Jimmie Noone on all the sides, but folks smarter and more knowledgeable than me think it's Noone on "Chattanooga" and Bailey on the rest. I do know that anything musicians recall about recording dates made 20 years earlier should be taken with a grain of salt. Just as I was about to post, I saw Swinging Swede's post. I've got the 1987 edition of the Allen/Rust/Wright book: I suspect an earlier edition listed Noone on all tracks.

Shirley Scott - Blue Seven (Prestige mono)

Have you tried Miles Smiles? That MD Quintet is probably, along with King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, my favorite small jazz band. But, of course, we don't have to like all the same things. Right now: Red Garland - Red Alone (Prestige/Moodsville mono). This sounds really good after a long, intense rehearsal.

Slaven/Leadbitter gives the following for the Paul Gayten: R-1069 - Confused - 1 - Regal 3234 R-1074 - Fishtails - Regal 3234 New Orleans, 1949 Paul Gayten: V-1, p; Wallace Davenport: tp; Frank Campbell: as/bs; Lee Allen: ts; Jack Scott: g; George Pryor: b; Robert Green: d. Hope that helps. It's what I could find. An aside - The Earl King -Earl (Connelly) King - who recorded for the King label was a different artist from the Earl King (Earl Silas Johnson III) who was from New Orleans and recorded for Specialty, Ace, Imperial, etc. See here for more. Thanks, Paul; I thought that might be Wallace Davenport on trumpet, since I knew he recorded with Gayten. And did not know that about Earl Connelly King - I did a leader search with the Lord CD-ROM discography and both Earl Kings are listed as one.

I had no idea what you were talking about, but a quick spin around the www turned up a mint copy of The Gospel Soul of Houston Person for eight bucks, so I grabbed it. Thanks for the tip.

Yesterday was New Orleans R & B day among the 78s: Earl King - My House is Not a Home/Old Faithful and True Love (King, 1955); Teddy Charles plays vibes on the the incredibly sad side one. Dave Bartholomew - In the Alley/I'll Never Be the Same (King, 1951) Paul Gayten - Fishtails/Confused (Regal, 1949-ish); "Fishtails" is a really nice swinging instrumental, about which I can find no info. Anyone have a Gayten or Regal discography? Smiley Lewis - Jailbird/Farewell (Imperial, 1954) Smiley Lewis - She's Got Me Hook, Line & Sinker/Please Listen to Me (Imperial, 1956) Frankie Ford - Last One to Cry/Cheatin' Woman (Ace, 1958); Somebody was still buying 78s. Bobby Charles - No Use Knocking/Laura Lee (Chess, 1956); Some nice Lee Allen on this. Chris Kenner - Sick and Tired/Nothing Will Keep Me Away From You (Imperial, 1957)

I looked through my gospel LPs - I've got four Savoys from the 1980's, by Dr. Vernard Johnson, Rev. Ernest Franklin, The Florida Mass Choir, and James Cleveland with the Houston Mass Choir. The covers aren't fancy, for the most part, but they don't look that cheap to me, and the Florida Mass Choir album is a nice full-color gatefold double album. The music is happening, especially Dr. Johnson's saxophone. As BBS indicated, I think that Savoy was pretty much exclusively a gospel label by this time.

Mercury Morris Mars Williams Venus Williams

I second all of the above, although Euclid's appearance in New Orleans has been since my last visit, so I can't say much about it except that it looks like it's in the Bywater neighborhood, not in the usual tourist areas. Louisiana Music Factory is a must, and is one of my favorite record/CD stores on the planet. They have a great selection on New Orleans music, and the staff is very knowledgeable. Browse and ask questions. One way to go for some great NOLA R & B is the Gumbo Stew series on Ace - three CDs (Gumbo Stew, More Gumbo Stew, Still Spicy Gumbo Stew) of famous and obscure music, much of it from the AFO label, a musician-owned label that recorded some great stuff, financed by their one hit ("I Know" by Barbara George). The best Snooks Eaglin albums, in my opinion, are The Complete Imperial Recording from the 1960's and Soul's Edge from the 1990's. The Imperial CD is out of print, but you may be able to find it. And check out the brass bands - the funky ones like the Rebirth Brass Band and the more traditional ones like the Treme. And like I said, talk to the folks at the Music Factory. Go out and hear some music! New Orleans has incredible music every night of the year. Like Paps said, you'll find amazing music just wandering up and down Frenchmen Street, in the Marigny neighborhood adjacent to the French Quarter. The Spotted Cat, d.b.a., The Blue Nile, and Snug Harbor are all on Frenchmen. Have fun!