jeffcrom

Spun some early country music this morning; all really nice stuff: Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers - Natural Bridge Blues/Polecat Blues (Bluebird, 1941) Scottdale String Band - Carolina Glide/My Own Iona (Okeh, 1927); I think I've mentioned them before - they were Georgia cotton mill workers. The old mill town of Scottdale is about four miles from my house in Atlanta. Bill Cox - The Death of Frank Bowen/When We Sing of Home (Gennett, 1929) Bill Cox - Rollin' Pin Woman/Star Boarder Blues (Banner, 1934) Bill Cox - Browns Ferry Blues/Long Chain Charlie Blues (Conqueror, 1934); The last two records were made at the same session. Cap, Andy and Flip - Television in the Sky/McBeth Mine Explosion (Fireside Melodies, 1939); A West Virginia-based trio who released records on their own label - I've got three of them.

I love that one, for what it is. I've got a nice Dot 78 by Rusty Bryant - "Slow Drag" and "Pink Champagne" - with Hank Marr on piano.

not sure about the cover art of this one, why a baboon's a$$ view ?? I don't know, but I purposely didn't post the cover. Very fine music, though. It took me aback a little bit, as I was listening to the album, that only one of the trio is still with us.

Air - Open Air Suit (Arista Novus)

I'll have to start looking for more Johnny Bothwell. I picked up an interesting classical record on my recent journeys: a 12" British HMV of the Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards playing a piece by the black English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. It's "Petite Suite de Concert," a short, four-movement piece that's complete on this 1921 record. It's not a masterpiece, but it is a pretty cool example of an early "serious" work for concert band. Coleridge-Taylor (who was kind of a hero to African-American musicians around the turn of the 20th century) also wrote a version of the piece for orchestra. This record was reviewed in the November, 1924 issue of Gramophone magazine, along with some other Coldstream Gaurds records.

Sold!

Yeah, that's a good one, Clunky. Back home with my vinyl (Oh, yeah, and my wife, too!): Woody Shaw - United (Columbia) Billy Bang - Outline No. 12 (Celluloid)

The Rads played for two hours and 15 minutes, playing their songs and an amazing variety of covers. As an example, their song "Confidential" turned into a swamp-rock version of "Pusher Man." In two months, the Radiators will be no more. I'm glad I was there tonight.

The Radiators in Orlando. The New Orleans band is one of the few rock bands I listen to regularly, and they're breaking up this summer, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to catch their closest show to Atlanta.

Happy Birthday, 2011!

For those interested in early New Orleans jazz, you may enjoy my latest blog post, on clarinetist Alcide "Yellow" Nunez and his sometimes partner, trombonist Tom Brown. I've included some links to audio tracks from some of my rare 78s.

If you can find this 3-CD collection of V-Discs at a reasonable price, it would be worth hearing. There is some incredible music here, including things that Ellington never recorded in the studio at the time, like the complete "Deep South Suite" and "New World a-Comin'." Unfortunately, there is no documentation included, and it's a discographical mess. There are live recordings, studio sides made specifically for V-Disc, and poor transfers of already-released commercial recordings. Some years ago I spent a few hours among the discographies, and I think I have all the correct info for all the tracks, so if you get it, let me know - I'll pass along my info.

One of my local 78 sources had five Victor records of Cuban music, all in beautiful condition, with the original sleeves (always a good sign - owners who kept the records in the original sleeves usually took good care of their records). One even has a sticker from the Havana record store they were sold in. The label styles indicate that the first two are from 1927 or '28; the others are from 1928-30. And to get really esoteric, the catalog numbers indicate that the last one was recorded outside of the U.S. (Havana, presumably), and that the others were recorded in the U.S. (Victor had one series for imported recordings and one for recordings designed for foreign markets.) Anyway, they're wonderful; I like the last one, by Orquesta Felix Gonzalez, the best - the two sides are instrumental danzons, while all the other sides have vocals. Sexteto Habanero - Pajaro Lindo/El Pobre Adan Sexteto Habanero - Esas no son Cubanas/Rosa Roja Sexteto Habanero -Donde estas Corazon?/El Bongo del Habanero Sonara Matancera - De oreinte a Occidente/Matanzas es la Tierra de Fuego Orqesta Felix Gonzalez - Frutas del Caney/Aprieata, pero no Pises

I adore Tatum's versions of Humoresque, how does MLW's compare. Her earliest piano solos strike me a quite Tatumesque her latter material (ie 1940 on) less so. Well, Mary Lou's harmony sounds influenced by Tatum and bebop on her "Humoresque." Her version swings pretty hard throughout - there's none of the out-of-tempo rhapsodizing that Tatum does. There's also more real improvising going on, it sounds to me. I love Tatum, but "Humoresque" has never been one of my favorites by him, and I much prefer MLW's "tougher" version.

I second this endorsement - I've always loved this album. My favorite track is "Midnite Train," an improvised piece. It's a little tentative at first, while the guys are finding their way into it, but it's incredibly exciting and cooking by the end.

Jack McDuff - Screamin' (Prestige mono)

Monk Hazel and His New Orleans Jazz Kings (Southland mono)

Earlier: Donald Byrd - Free Form (BN NYC mono)

Sounds like you've been spinning some great records lately, Clunky. I've been playing 78s daily, but I haven't posted every day. I've found several nice stashes lately, including a stack today - all types and dates - that looks like it's hardly been played. Today I spun some of those and some other nice recent acquisitions: Don Redman and His Orchestra - Sweet Sue/Stormy Weather (Vocalion, 1937). Big Sid on drums, and some nice Redman soprano sax. Red Nichols and His Orchestra - The King Kong/The Hour of Parting (Bluebird, 1939). From one of Red's several comebacks. Not bad, although his trumpet sounds kind of old-fashioned in this swing context. Johnny Bothwell and His Orchestra - Lonely Serenade/Laura (Signature, 1945). This seems to be Bothwell fronting the Boyd Raeburn big band. Mary Lou Williams Trio - Humoresque/Waltz Boogie (RCA Victor, 1946). I've had the Waltz on an old LP for years, but MLW's version of Dvorak was new to me, and it's excellent. Joe Marsala and His Delta Four - Wandering Man Blues/Salty Mama Blues (General, 1940). With Bill Coleman and Pete Brown. Mel Powell - When Did You Leave Heaven?/Blue Skies and The World is Waiting for the Sunrise/Mood at Twilight (Commodore, 1942). Powell's first session as leader in its entirety - the master takes, anyway. Benny Goodman is listed on the labels as "Shoeless" John Jackson. But the real surprise was this near-mint record that I had never heard of: Milt Buckner and His Orchestra - Yesterdays/Buck-a-Boo (MGM, 1949). "Yesterdays" is a feature for Julius Watkins on French horn; the flip is a cooking bop blues, with Buckner on vibes and a tenor chase between Billy Mitchell and Alva McCain. Great record.

This is Happy Birthday, Lowe:

All wonderful stuff, which I have on various vinyl. You've got three historic sessions there, with the omission of "Bulla-Babe" from the Dameronia album. I bought that one new in the late 70's - I think it was one of my first 20 jazz LPs. Just finished playing: Willie Bryant and Jimmie Lunceford and Their Orchestras (RCA Bluebird), disc two. All of the Bryant & Lunceford Victor sides. Bryant's wasn't the best big band of the time, but Teddy Wilson, Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Cozy Cole and Taft Jordan show up on various sessions.

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For that matter, "Aja" has an absolutely beautiful Wayne Shorter solo.

Oops — forgot about that one; downloaded from eMusic. Better go listen to it now! Isn't A Fireside Chat With Lucifer half of Nuclear War? Sometimes straightening out Ra's discography is near impossible. No, they're completely different albums, except that the track "Nuclear War" appears on each. Ra did things his own way.

Very nice, gentlemen!