jazztrain

Harold Z: I was about to add a reference to duo recording done for the Autobiography set on Decca. That had Billy Kyle on piano and was from January 29, 1957. The film credits to Columbia would indicate that its the earlier version on Okeh that was in the film. Is the Town Hall version (5/17/47) also a duo recording? That was issued by RCA.

It's a duo recording with Armstrong on trumpet and Buck Washington on piano. April 5, 1930. New York City. Recorded for Okeh. And it is a lovely recording.

See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wish_I_Knew..._Be_Free_(song)

Interesting question. I can't think of any others. Based on information in an on-line Armstrong discography, those are the only two sides on which Armstrong and Hodges appear together. Can someone with the Jos Willems discography confirm that these are the only ones?

Paul: The nickname is explained in "Benny Carter A Life In American Music" (Monroe Berger, Edward Berger, and James Patrick). Here's the story (along with a little background involving Carter and Irving Mills): "The association between Carter and Mills began early in 1931 while Carter was playing in and arranging for the Fletcher Henderson band. One of their first deals concerned Carter's song, "Blues In My Heart," which became a jazz standard. Mills bought it outright for twenty-five dollars, wrote a lyric, added his name and published it. He also set up a recording of it by the Blue Rhythm Band, which he had organized and controlled, but under the name King Carter and His Royal Orchestra -- without Carter in it. Carter, the composer of the song, received no royalties on it for the entire twenty-eight years of its first term of copyright and began to receive payments only on the renewal in 1959. Early in 1931 Mills conceived the idea of adding to the bands already under his management several more to form a group of "Royal Orchestras," all the leaders of which would have first names that were also titles: Duke (Ellington), King (Carter), Baron (Lee), Earl (Jackson). Indeed, this is how Carter came to be known, especially among musicians, as "King." Of these royal leaders only the Duke and the King were musicians; the Baron and the Earl were stage personalities like Calloway, who also joined the Mills bands at this time."

EKE BBB: A partial response somewhat related to your question about the Carney album (although I'm not an English oldtimer): I had parts of the Harry Carney album on a double album called "Great Ellingtonians Play A Tribute to Duke Ellington" (EMI/Double-Up Duo 125 in the Lansdowne Series). The double album also includes material from a Booty Wood session and some material from a Paul Gonsalves/Harold Ashby Session. I eventually found what appears to be a French issue of the Carney ("The Duke's Men" album on Phillips (S 849.106), which also references the Lansdowne Series. Not sure if this helps or not.

Here's a track list for the Gambit set: Gotta Dance The Train And The River The Song Is You That's The Way It Is Two Kinds Of Blues Crazy She Calls Me My All Crawdad Suite Voodoo Trav'lin' Light The Lonely Time Pickin' ŒEm Up And Layin' ŒEm Down The Green Country The Swamp People Show Me The Way To Go Home Forty-Second Street California, Here I Come The Train And The River Pickin' ŒEm Up And Layin' ŒEm Down The Green Country The Lonely Time Trav'lin' Light Forty-Second Street Show Me The Way To Go Home The Swamp People California, Here I Come I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues Space Cabin In The Sky Memphis In June Four Brothers Old Folks Blues In The Barn Topsy Blue Monk Western Suite (Pony Express - Apaches - Saturday Night Dance) Happy Man Princess Song Of The Wind Lovely Willow The Little Melody The Story Time Machine Pony Express (Live Version) Ray's Time The Easy Way Time Enough Come Rain Or Come Shine Montage Mack The Knife A Dream Off Center Careful Come Rain Or Come Shine Ode To Switzerland The Train And The River Gotta Dance Four Brothers Two Kinds Of Blues Song Of The Wind Down Home

Just saw Richard Thompson solo last night. Great evening marred only by my learning shortly before the concert started about Dave McKenna passing away. I suspect it is the same version without some overdubs - noteably Richard Thompson's guitar that answers Donahue's. The Donahue lines are identical. Very useful as I was never completely sure which guitar was which...even though their styles are quite different (a problem I've also had with the final Sandy solo album which is so heavily produced that most of the instrumental playing comes across as quite anonymous).

Sad indeed. Dave was a long-time favorite. We had a few passions in common -- the Red Sox and NY Times crossword puzzles (he would often work on one in between sets at his long-time gig at the Copley Plaza in Boston). I used to ask him to play his tribute to Ted Williams ("The Splendid Splinter") and he would oblige.

For those who aren't overly tired of the tune, there's this album that Dick Hyman recorded in 1977: "Themes & Variations on "A Child is Born" (Chiaroscuro CR 198). On it, Hyman plays versions of the tune in his interpretation of the styles of the following: Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Earl Hines, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, George Shearing, Cecil Taylor, Art Tatum, and Bill Evans. He also plays a lengthy interpretation of his own.

Trumpeter and author Richard M. Sudhalter has died: url for NY Times obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/arts/mus...0sudhalter.html

McKenna was resident at the Copley Plaza for many years. I saw him many times (but not often enough in retrospect). You could sit at the piano and nurse a beer or two if funds were short. If one could only go back now...

The McKenna/DeFranco duo is well worth having. You won't be disappointed.

The "Let's Have A Session" was a music minus one type date on Ad Lib. Not surprised he didn't know about. It's rather uncommon (to put it mildly), although I think the Andorrans might have reissued it.

Never reissued to my knowledge. It's been particularly elusive for me. I thought I had won a copy several years ago on ebay when I apparently was the high bidder when the auction deadline arrived. I later found out that the orignal deadline had been extended (along with many others) due to some access problem that ebay had experienced. Result: Someone outbid me. Then I finally won a copy a few years ago only to receive word from the seller that he had broken the record while packing it (sounds suspcious; I figured someone contacted him and offered him more).

Before that it was on LP on the MJR label. Not sure that I've seen it around but I've got the vinyl LP issued on Affinity, a division of Charly Records in the UK. My copy was issued in 1986. It was issued under the name of Billy Strayhorn's Septet ( Strayhorn, Qunetin Jackson, 'Cue Porter', Shorty Baker, Russell Procope, Al Hall, Oliver Jackson ). Recorded 14 April, 1959. A fine record if I remember correctly, although I haven't played it in a while. Not sure whether it has ever been issued on CD.

My print version of Bruyninckx lists the second album under "The Night Pastor & Seven Friends." The personnel matches what you list from the record (except Bruyninckx does not mention the presence of Jack Brand. Bruyninckx lists a recording date of October 19, 1967 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The tunes: - The Pearls - Darktown Strutters Ball - Tenderly - Night Pastor Blues - Squeeze Me - I Can't Get Started - Bourbon Street Parade - Fidgety Feet - Indiana - Just a Closer Walk With Thee There are notations that Father Robert Owen appears only on the first two tunes. There's also a note that this is a Dick Ruedebush group. Reference to Dick Ruedebush directs you to Dick Reudebusch (note two differences in spelling) where the same session appears (same date, same location, minus two tunes: The Pearls and Darktown Strutters Ball). This time a label and issue number are provided (Claremont CLP672) with the same personnel, except there's no reference to Father Robert Owen, there's a note that Dave Remington switches to piano on Tenderly (replacing Higgins), and there's a note that Jack Brand replaces Cousins on the same tune. Bruyninckx does not seem to list the other session. So, does anyone happen to know if there are two different issues of the 7 Friends session (i.e., one with and one without the pastor) or if this is just another example of sloppiness?

My print version of Bruyninckx lists the second album under "The Night Pastor & Seven Friends." The personnel matches what you list from the record (except Bruyninckx does not mention the presence of Jack Brand. Bruyninckx lists a recording date of October 19, 1967 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The tunes:

Working from home today, so you're in luck with an answer: Webster Young wrote one of the tunes. Quinichette did not write any of them. Here are the tunes and composers as listed on the album: The Lady (Webster Young) God Bless The Child (Holiday - Herzog) Moanin' Low (Rainger - Dietz) Good Morning Heartache (Higginbotham - Drake - Fischer) Don't Explain (Holiday - Herzog) Strange Fruit (Lewis Allan) My understanding is that "Lewis Allan" was a pseudonym for Abel Meeropol. Also, note that the Higginbotham associated with Good Morning Heartache is not the trombonist but rather Irene Higginbotham (which could reopen the whole Irene Higginbotham/Kitchings thread covered elsewhere).

There's this: The George Joyner Quartet(CETRA-Ita) George Joyner(b) Jacques Pelzer(as,fl) Maurizio Lama(p) Franco Mondini(ds) Rec.? ■ 「どうだ、俺のBassは？」みたいなジャケットが気になるが、このEPはJacques Pelzer(as,fl)を聞く為の一枚。しかも、アルトに徹したスタンダード「I LOVE YOU」一曲のみ。演奏時間が短いので、吹ききれず欲求不満を感じながらソロをとってるのが痛いほど伝わってくるが、パーカー～ウッズ系の鳴りっぷりのいい素晴らしい演奏を聴くことが出来る。代表作は同じくCetraの12inchでスタンダードをワンホーン中心に吹きまくっている、抽象画が印象的なジャケット「Jacques Pelzer Quartet」(1961)が名盤だ。 which Babelfish translates as follows (for what it's worth): >>> The George Joyner Quartet (CETRA-Ita) George Joyner (b) Jacques Pelzer (as and fl) Maurizio Lama (p) Franco Mondini (ds) Rec.? * “How is, as for we Bass?”The like jacket becomes matter of concern, but as for this EP Jacques Pelzer (as and fl) in order to hear one. Furthermore, only the standard “I LOVE YOU” one tune which you persist in alto. Because performance time is short, while blowing and without being cut off and feeling frustration taking solo, it can inquire about the splendid performance where the extent whose [ru] is painful is transmitted, the sounding [tsu] [pu] [ri] of Parker ~ woods type is good. The [tsu] [te] where the representative work with 12inch of Cetra blows standard similarly on the one horn center and sows it is, the jacket “Jacques Pelzer Quartet where” the abstraction picture is impressive (1961) is the name board. >>> Google offers the following translation: >>> "How about this one, my Bass?" Worrisome, like a jacket, this EP is Jacques Pelzer (as, fl) for one to listen. しかも、アルトに徹したスタンダード「I LOVE YOU」一曲のみ。 In addition, Standard Alto find "I LOVE YOU" only one song. 演奏時間が短いので、吹ききれず欲求不満を感じながらソロをとってるのが痛いほど伝わってくるが、パーカー～ウッズ系の鳴りっぷりのいい素晴らしい演奏を聴くことが出来る。 Playing time is short, blowing KIREZU feeling of frustration is going to take a solo painfully sense, and Parker Woods PPURI good sound system able to listen to wonderful music. 代表作は同じくCetraの12inchでスタンダードをワンホーン中心に吹きまくっている、抽象画が印象的なジャケット「Jacques Pelzer Quartet」(1961)が名盤だ。 Cetra book is also a representative of a standard 12 inch with a single horn吹きまくっthe center of an abstract painting is impressive jacket "Jacques Pelzer Quartet" (1961) to name board. >>> It appears to be an EP, not an LP. If you google "George Joyner Quartet" a few links (with the same picture of the cover come up).

Here's a link to a website for Leonard King: http://www.leonardkingdrums.com/About.html It mentions that he tours regularly with James Carter and also mentions that he has performed with Lyman Woodard. Here's a link to a discography page: http://www.leonardkingdrums.com/Discography.html It lists the 1975 Lyman Woodard date as well as a 2004 James Carter session, so it would appear to be the same person.

Aha. Joe Zawinul? Never knew that. To return to the JAMF thread, Junior Mance recorded a tune called "The J.A.M.F." Bobby Jaspar record "Le JAMF." I recall playing a set of JAMF tunes on my show several years ago and having to tip toe around the meaning of the titles. Which was actually "Scotch & Water". The composer's name was mentioned and mis-heard as being the title of the tune. .........and just who WAS that composer, MG?

Didn't Wynton Kelly record a tune called "Joe's Avenue" on one of his VeeJay albums? ? Too American for me, I suspect. MG Think keyboard player.

Alison Steele, the "Nightbird." I remember her voice well from her time on WNEW-FM. She passed away several years ago from cancer. Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Steele I was at WNEW when MLK was assassinated. William B. Williams (a great guy whose secretary I stole when I moved on to WBAI) was the leading on-air personality and I guess Klavan and Finch were next on that list (also great guys). As I recall, we were simulcasting Am and FM back then. I was a guest in Collins' "Purple Grotto" in 1973, when I was moving around the country on a book tour for Bessie. He was broadcasting in Pittsburgh at the time. Shortly after I left WNEW, they decided to try having female djs, the major one being Allison Steele. She made a funny goof one day while doing a fact-sheet-based ad lib commercial for a hair preparation. "Girls, you know how hair on the whole is curly....." Well, the "w" in hole just did not come through on radio. Anyone here remember Klavan and Finch? That Allison Steele story is priceless! She had (has?) one of the sexiest on-air voices that I've ever heard. I remember William B. Williams well. Klavan and Finch were either before my time or on at a time of day when the signal didn't penetrate into Vermont (contrary to DEEP-ism, there really were living jazz fans and musicians in Vermont.) It was around the time that you guested on the "Jazzbeaux" extravaganza that I was an avid listener, though I don't recall hearing that show. I do recall sitting through what seemed like hours of Easy Listening strings and vocalists ad infinitum to hear one or two jazz tracks on the Make Believe Ballroom and Milkman's Matinee. There was a period when the AM side shifted their focus more toward mainstream jazz too; I'm not sure of the year or years. Aha! So we can thank or blame you for AOR, Allen? How about AAA? The Quiet Storm? And what about those "thematic" names like The Buzz, The Mountain, The Breeze...? My nominations for names that immediately convey the nature of a commercial station's format these days would be: The Mud, The Algae, The Scream, The Thud.

Dan: The Billy Crystal / Face connection is explained here: http://www.casenet.com/people/billycrystal.htm >>> Crystal was a natural entertainer and had no fears about dancing on stage with top jazz stars. He was five at the time. His father managed a music store on 42nd Street in New York City and many of the big name entertainers were close friends. A babysitter of Billy's was the jazz legend Billy Holiday. Her pet name for him was "Face". >>>