jazztrain

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". >>>

Zutty Singleton's nickname was Face.

Some years ago, Concord (on their website) was asking for recommendations about albums to reissue on CD. I remember suggesting the Richie Kamuca albums and the early James Williams albums. Needless to say, none of these was ever reissued by them.

Berigan: Thanks for the gold stars. I'm a graduate of Stereo Jack's school of music appreciation. I guess it shows. In answer to your question, I listen to a fairly broad range of jazz in addition to other genres, with a focus, perhaps, on older music. I think I share your opinion of Mannie Klein as well. Wild guess: Freddie Slack? Nope 1-5: Piano sounds familiar. Trombone sounds like Bill Harris but isn't. This is too long for a 78. I think I know. How about Earl Swope on trombone? Tristano on piano. Can't remember the tenor sax but he's wailing. Someone like Ray Abrams, perhaps? Should have stayed with the first guess, as you probably know by know! 1-6: I know this but can't place it. It's been haunting me. Eddie Lang is on guitar. Sounds like Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and Venuti on violin. Is brother Tommy here as well? Maybe Arthur Schutt or Frank Signorelli on piano. What is this??? Argh! Correct on both brothers, Signorelli on piano! 1-7: Tea for Two. Can't recognize the trumpet. Nice piano. Bob Zurke perhaps? 1-8: Panama. What a bass! Has a New Orleans feel. Must be Pops Foster on bass. That could be Red Allen on trumpet. Yep. Luis Russel & His Orchestra. There's Higgy on trombone. Teddy Hill on tenor perhaps. Albert Nicholas on clarinet rather close to the mike. Charlie Holmes on alto. Right on everything but the Tenor player!!! 1-9: I know the tune. Is it "Down South Camp Meeting?" Goodman and Henderson both recorded this tune but it doesn't sound like either. The tenor sounds like Charlie Barnet. Did he record this? The trumpet sounds like Bunny Berigan. Could it be his band? DAMMIT!!!! You are right on the band, and of course the(trumpet) player!!! First one again to guess correctly! I thought no one would get this one. Now you have 2 things to brag on with SJ! Well, you guessed the wrong song 1-11: Erskine Hawkins? Nice trumpet. Two trumpets? One open and the other muted. Very nice. Nope. Answer above, somewheres... 1-12: The tune reminds me of a Raymond Scott composition. Sounds like Bunny on trumpet (or am I being influenced by your avatar?). Good trombonist. I Raymond Scott wrote the tune. Not Bunny. 1-14: Henry Allen and His Orchestra. One of the 1929 Victor sides. "Swing Out" perhaps? Great band. Teddy Hill on tenor? There's Red on trumpet. Higgy on trombone. Pops Foster booming throughout on bass. What drive! Go Red! Charlie Holmes on alto. Nicholas up high on clarinet. Wonderful recording. An old favorite. Yep! Funny, I didn't write down a tenor player! Will check later. 1-15: The alto sounds a little like Don Stovall. That's Roy Eldridge on trumpet! Can't mistake him when he goes up high (or will I live to regret that statement?). Was that his brother Joe on alto? As Billie Holiday sang, no regrets.....That's his bro as well. 1-16: The mood of this changes dramatically after the intro. This has a Bob Crosby like feel in some ways. Is it his band? Not his band 1-17: That's Cootie but not with Duke. It's with Goodman. Can't think of the name of the tune but I think it may be an Eddie Sauter arrangement. There's Benny. Right on all counts! More gold stars for you! 1-18: This could be Henderson. Or the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Or Don Redman? One of the riffs sounds like "Christmas Night in Harlem." Was that Hawk? Doesn't sound quite like him. How about Buster on clarinet? I'll go with Henderson as a guess. Or a guy who you kept guessing above. 1-19: Mannie Klein with the Hawaiians. Boy could he play. Oh man, know I see why you and SJ are friends!!! Excellent ears there! And he sure could play! 1-20: Coming up empty on this one. Drummer prominent. Krupa? I like the piano. Who is this? Perhaps listening fatigue has set in. Glad someone liked something about this tune! OK. Time's up. Need a break. Back for Disc 2 later. Many thanks again for the selections. Can I peek now? Peek to your heart's content! You got several songs no one else did! Do you listen mainly to older jazz, or all jazz???

Damn. Lost my wireless connection just as I was sending my reply. Gone. Have to recreate it, albeit with somewhat less commentary. Here are my answer's to Disc 2: 2-1: Jabbo Smith. And His Rhythm Aces. Omer Simeon on clarinet. Ikey Robinson on guitar perhaps. Cassino Simpson on piano? Is this "Jazz Battle?" 2-2: Stuff Smith and Jonah Jones. The tune has "jug" in the title. OK, it's "Old Joe's Hittin' the Jug." What a hot group this was. 2-3: This sounds like an all star date. Maybe one of the Metronome All Star dates? The first tenor sax soloist sounds a bit like Ben Webster. The drummer sure sounds like Krupa. The pianist is more advanced than many of the others. Harry James on trumpet near the end? 2-4: This is the Rhythmakers (or similar group recorded under the name of Billy Banks or Jack Bland). Red Allen and Pee Wee Russell in the front line. Red singing. "Who Stole the Lock (On the Hen House Door)?" Is that Dorsey on trombone? Good piano. Joe Sullivan maybe? 2-5: Eddie Lang is on guitar. I think the trumpet (sounds like a cornet, actually) is someone who usually plays another instrument. I think it's one of the Dorseys. Sounds like there's an organ or harmonium in there also. Great side! 2-6: "For No Reason at all In C." Tram on c-melody. Bix on piano (except for the flourish near the end on cornet). Eddie Lang on guitar. 2-7: Not Lang. This is either Dick McDonough or Carl Kress. 2-8: George Barnes! "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles." This swings like crazy. Barnes with some of his relatively unknown Chicago associates as I recall. 2-9: Red Norvo on marimba. Benny Goodman on bass clarinet. "Dance of the Octopus" isn't it? 2=10: That sounds like Tiny Grimes on guitar. This sounds too subdued to be one of his own "Rocking Highlander" sides. If he's a sideman, it could be someone like Ike Quebec (but it doesn't sound like Ike). Sounds like a Texas tenor. Could it be John Hardee? 2-11: There's tuba in there. I was initially thinking Bennie Moten but became less sure. Good solos throughout. It's on Victor (you can hear the "whistle" near the end). How about McKinney's Cotton Pickers? The drummer reminds me of Kaiser Marshall who I think played with McKinney. 2-12: That sounds like Joe Thomas on tenor. If so, it must be Lunceford. There's a figure the band plays in the break in the trombone solo that reminds me as well of a lot of Lunceford recordings. Let's go with Lunceford. Trummy Young on trombone? 2-13: Not coming up with much. Some of the writing reminds me a little bit of George Russell (like "A Bird in Igor's Yard"). How about Boyd Raeburn as a guess? 2-14: Boppish. Could that be Jimmy Dorsey on alto? Dodo on piano as a wild guess? Or is it Woody Herman on alto? 2-15: That's Chick Webb. Liza. 2-16: This one sounds like Basie. Buddy Tate on tenor, I think. Let's go with Basie. 2-17: Harry James on trumpet? Not getting much from this. 2-18: Struggling with this. Trumpet and alto are sound familiar. The trombonist sounds like Dickie Wells, but this doesn't sound like Basie. Could this be Benny Carter and His Orchestra? Around 1933 or so? But that's not Teddy Wilson on piano. 2-19: Sounds like Red Allen on trumpet. Tab Smith on alto? Could this be the Mills Blue Rhythm Band? 2-20: Joe Venuti and some friends having fun. Sounds like Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet (or perhaps half a clarinet). Eddie Lang on guitar. 2-21: I love this side. The unheralded Bernard Addison on guitar at the beginning. Freddie Jenkins on trumpet. Is it Joe Turner on piano? Albert Nicholas on clarinet. I think the music from this session was issued under two or three different names. 2-22: I like this but have no real idea. Good trombone. Could this be Ray McKinley? 2-23: Sounds like Buster Bailey on clarinet. This has kind of a Dukish feel to it. That could be Charlie Shavers on trumpet. This must be John Kirby. Yep, that's Billy Kyle. There's an alto (Procope?) in the ensemble. 2-24: Boswell Sisters. Dick McDonough on guitar perhaps. Is that Larry Binyon on tenor? Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet and then soloing on alto. 2-25: This is a bit too cute. Ruth Etting or Annette Hanshaw. The trumpet saves the side. Is that Bunny on trumpet? Or more likely Mannie Klein making a return visit? Venuti perhaps on violin. This is all a bit too cute for Bunny. "That's All" at the end means it's Hanshaw. 2=26: This sounds acoustic (and a bit doo-wacka-dooish as well). A California Ramblers type group. Good trombone. Perhaps Abe Lincoln or Miff Mole. That could be Jimmy Dorsey on alto, although he phrases like Don Murray. Adrian Rollini on bass sax. Is that a hot comb solo near the end? Well, that's it. Thanks for the enjoyable and, at times, challenging selections! Thunderstorms are rolling through. Let me fire this off before there are any more mishaps.