patricia

I don't think that the ranks of artists, writers and musicians are populated by a disproportianate number of jerks, just that we are touched by their art and are more disappointed upon the discovery of their asshole-ness. My own thought has often been consternation over how a person who creates such beauty, which moves me, sometimes to tears, has no heart in real life. A shame, but it doesn't alter my appreciation of the magic they create.

I've posted on other boards and I do find that Organissimo is very diversified and, for the most part, forgiving. As those who know me know, I have gotten myself involved in discussions in which I ended up painting myself into a corner, mostly due to my stubbornness about being the one to cry "uncle". It's not about having to have the last word, but rather showing any sign of retreat. Being raised with three brothers who hated me and no sisters, I'm a belligerant cuss. I've enjoyed my time here and intend to stay as long as the rest of you will have me.

Lord, if only you had been joking...... I heard it and it was, to be kind, unremarkable.

Again, thanks EKE BBB. Terrific!!! The Croce picture, particularly, is wonderful.

Now, I'd like to talk about one of the most under rated jazz pianists of the fifties and sixties, who has been described by many as a genius of the hard-bop era. He was the fabulous "SONNY" [Conrad Yeatis] CLARK. Sonny was born in 1931 in Herminie Pennsylvania and played for the first time, professionally on the West Coast with Wardell Grey in 1953. He was the regular pianist with Buddy DeFranco, having replaced Kenny Drew. Sonny had moved to New York in 1957 and did several albums for Blue Note. While in New York he worked with vocalist, Dinah Washington and led various small groups, one of which included John Coltrane. His reputation as a stellar musician was recognized by other pianists, including Bill Evans, who composed "NYS's No Lark" in memory of Clark. Clark's style was reminicent of his two heroes, Art Tatum and Count Basie. He played with a very succint and melodic way, that seemed to draw from wind instruments as much as stringed ones. His right hand carried most of the magic, with his left using an almost constant one-note approach, which was very unique and beautifully elegant. Unfortunately, Sonny's career was cut short when, in an attempt to counteract his heroin dependancy, he replaced the drug with alcohol abuse. SONNY CLARK died in January of 1963 at only thirty-one years old. There are some memorable albums that Sonny recorded, among them, "Dial 'S' for Sonny" [1997 Blue Note], "Oakland, 1955"[1995 Uptown Records] and "Leapin' And Lopin" [1988 Blue Note] which I think is his best. This last is a record which Sonny made with a quintet which included Charlie Rouse and trumpeter, Tommy Turrentine. Listen to "Deep In A Dream" which has a gorgeous solo by production assistant, Ike Quebec.

And now we have "DEE DEE [Denise Garrett] BRIDGEWATER whose last name is that of her husband, trumpeter, Cecil Bridgewater. Dee Dee sang with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in the early seventies, as well as appearing onstage with "The Wiz" in 1975. She had a hit record with Ray Charles, "Precious Thing" in the early eighties. She went to Europe and appeared in the jazz show, "Lady Day" and re-established herself in the jazz genre. Since then, Dee Dee has appeared at jazz festivals in Europe and sings regularly with her own trio. Her talent is not limited to jazz and she has also teamed with opera singer Julia Migenes at live appearances. Bridgewater names as her chief influences, Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Tina Turner. As Dee Dee says though, "Jazz is my soul, my roots - it's me". He version of "Mack The Knife" was used as the inspiration for the Canadian ice-dance pair, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz in a very memorable program that I saw recently. Beautiful, sultry voice. Very nice.

Many of you are familiar with Jim Croce, the singer who was famous for "Don't Mess Around With Jim" and other pop hits. I found it interesting that his son, "A.J. [Adrian James] CROCE is an acommplished jazz pianist, singer and composer. A.J. was born in 1971, and was a week short of his second birthday when his father died in a plane crash. Croce took up piano at six years old and performed, professionally for the first time at thirteen. At fifteen, he was enrolled in San Diego's School of Creative and Performing Arts but dropped out in his final year. A.J. was first inspired by the stride pianists and blues shouters which formed a large part of his father's record collection. He quickly developed his own style which is jazz-based and combined the sound of stride pianists, jumping and humourous jive that reminds me of Louis Jordan. He reminds me most of the emotional blues of the young Ray Charles. That is not to say that he is mimicing any of his influences, but rather developing his own musical path, based on established legends and making it his own. Croce's writing has drawn critical praise and he follows in the footsteps of, but in a contemperary way, great writers, such as Dylan Thomas and Mark Twain, as well as e.e. cummings and the great Chilean, Pablo Neruda. It is truly unique. A.J. CROCE's debut album is "A.J. Croce [1993 Private Music] and has witty and unusually personal songs, featuring Croce, playing terrific piano and backed up by a hard-swinging band. As one of the up-and-comers in the new jazz scene, I predict that A.J. will take his place among the greats and do his father proud.

All I can say is "dapper", when viewing this photo of Shorty Rogers. Hard to believe that guys wore their hair like that. Thanks EKE BBB.

Now we have "SHORTY" ROGERS [Milton Rajonsky] who was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1924. Rogers' first professional work was with Will Bradley and also with Red Norvo. When the U.S. entered the war, Shorty joined the army and after he was discharged in 1945, he went with Woody Herman's organization and stayed with him for about four years. In the early fifties, Rogers was with Stan Kenton for about a year. He then moved to Los Angeles and became very well known in what came to be recognized as West Coast Jazz. Shorty gave up the trumpet altogether, when he became involved with film and with television in the early fifties, but resumed playing thirty years later after a tour with Britain's National YOuth Jazz Orchestra in 1982. In the early 1990's, Rogers formed a new Lighthouse All Stars group, which included Bud Shank, Bill Perkins and Bob Cooper. Most agree that Shorty Rogers' writing was more remarkable than his trumpet-playing. Some say though that his writing was a little fussy, particularly the work he did for small groups. There are those who describe his work as watered down Miles Davis, but most agree that he was capable of eliciting lively performances from his collegues. It was interesting, to me, that he wrote the very beautiful, "Keen and Peachy" for Woody Herman and the equally fine, "Jolly Rogers" for Stan Kenton. Shorty Rogers' big band albums are very listenable and one of my favourites is "Short Stops" [1953 Bluebird]. This is a CD that contains three different sessions and includes Shorty's group, "Shorty's Giants". The most interesting tracks, to me, were the ones he wrote for "The Wild One", the Brando film. There are also tracks which feature Art Pepper, Jimmy Giuffre and Bill Perkins. SHORTY ROGERS died in November of 1994. He was seventy years old.

Next up we have Benny Carter's cousin, "CUBAN" [Theodore] BENNETT. Bennett was born in 1902 and played trumpet. Roy Eldridge said of Cuban, "You could call him the first of the moderns." Dicky Wells said of him, "He played changes like I've never heard". But, Benny Carter said it best, when describing his cousin, "You wouldn't believe that anyone could play that way in the Twenties, yet it's hard to talk about him if you've nothing to compare it with. He was so advanced. They're doing today, what he did then." Unfortunately, Cuban Bennett never recorded, nor does he seem to have worked steadily with a band. There was a period when he was playing with Bingie Madison in a New York taxi-dance hall. His drinking was copious and he was a bit of a jazz nomad, enjoying the free and easy life in the clubs. Bennett never seemed to have any burning desire to become famous, or world-travelled. According to Dicky Wells, "He just liked to hang around and blow in the joints and the joints finally gave out. Later, I understand he was on a farm his people left him." So, not much information on this trumpet player, but, in the spirit of the thread, he did have a nickname, so may rub shoulders with the group we've assembled. CUBAN BENNETT died in November of 1965.

WOW!! Great picture, EKE BBB. Thank you.

Most of us know who Ornette Coleman is, but did you know that his bandmate in his highschool band was "KING CURTIS" [Curtis Ousley]??? Curtis was born in Fort Worth Texas in 1934. He played both soprano and tenor saxophones and, after highschool, led his own group and toured with Lionel Hampton in 1953. Curtis also led a trio which included Horace Silver, after his stint with Hampton, having settled in New York. Some of you may remember the vocal group, The Coasters. Well, Curtis was involved in sessions work with that group, as well as many others of the period, quite often as the featured soloist. He replaced Red Prysock in Alan Freed's radio show band and made live appearances, regularly at Smalls' Paridise club in the late 1950's. In the 1960's Curtis appeared at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. This experience led to his becoming Aretha Franklin's musical director, as studio producer for her and for other artists as well. Although Curtis is mostly associated with r&b and pop recordings during his career, he had extensive background knowledge of the Texas Tenor tradition and from time to time, made jazz albums, one of which is "The New Scene Of King Curtis" [1960 New Jazz OJC] which is well worth listening to. The rhythm section was Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Oliver Jackson. The frontline featured Nat Adderley and was one of the rare, straight-ahead jazz recordings that Curtis did. That recording is quite remarkable. Tragically, KING CURTIS was stabbed to death, right outside his house, in August of 1971 and died. He was thirty-seven years old.

Brownie, I own both "The Beguiled" and "Play Misty For Me" and of his early movies, they are my far and away favourites, particularly "Play Misty......". Nice soundtrack. But, of the later ones, "Tightrope" has a great soundtrack, I think.

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL pictures!!!!! Thank you so much, EKE BBB!!

Quite often people scoff at me for owning soundtracks. The fact that Clint Eastwood is a jazz aficianado would seem to me to be a good reason to look for the soundtracks attached to the movies he has directed, set in recent times, such as "Bird", "Play Misty For Me", "Tightrope" as well as the "Dirty Harry" films. Another film which has a soundtrack that actually rises above the film itself's medeocre-ness is "Walk On The Wild Side", which was where I first heard the title track, played by Elmer Berstein's orchestra. I like Jimmy Smith and Brook Benton's versions better, but that was where I first heard it and was enchanted by it's moodiness and passion.

Now we come to a what-might-have-been honouree, "SONNY" [saul] BERMAN, a wonderful trumpet-player, who was born in New Haven Connecticut in 1924. Sonny played, as a teenager, with many of the big bands of the day, including those led by Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman. He probably received the most recognition of his skill on the trumpet, as part of Woody Herman's second herd. He was with Herman when he, sadly, died as a result of a drug overdose. Such a waste. Sonny Berman was thought to be one of the most promising soloists of Herman's Second Herd. If you would like to hear an example of Sonny Berman's skill on the trumpet, look for "Woodchopper's Holiday" [1946 Cool and Blue] This is a recording of a private apartment jam, on which Berman plays with Serge Chaloff and Ralph Burns. There are tracks with Herman's big band, as well as his small group. As I say, what a waste of a great talent. SONNY BERMAN died in January of 1947. He was twenty-three years old.

Our next honouree will be the tenor saxophonist, "FLIP" [Joseph] PHILLIPS, who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1915. Phillips started working in Brooklyn in 1934 and at first played both alto and clarinet. When he joined Frankie Newton from 1940-41, he played clarinet. In 1942, Phillips worked with Benny Goodman and switched to tenor, playing with Wingy Manone and Red Norvo in 1943. He then went on to play with Woody Herman from 1944-1946. Flip also toured with Jazz At The Philharmonic, every year, starting in 1946 for the next ten years. Moving to Florida and played with both Herman and Jazz At The Philharmonic which also included working with JATP bandmate, Bill Harris. By 1959 Flip had done a European tour with Goodman and followed that with a day job in Florida for fifteen years, as well as leading his own quartet. Then, the '70's arrived and they found Phillips living in New York and playing more regularly. He toured Europe again and recorded several new albums. By then, our guy was in his seventies and still going strong. When Flip Phillips came on the scene, he became a star, when most other aspiring tenor players idolized the great Lester Young. Phillips' chief influences were the work of Young's rival of the time, Coleman Hawkins and also Ben Webster. Phillips was a great showman and he was always intensely rhythmic, taking the South-Western style honking and shouting to new heights. The crowds loved him. There was a point where many thought he would outdo Illinois Jacquet as a favourite of those who followed Jazz At The Philharmonic. He lay fallow for a while, but then staged a comeback in the late seventies, displaying a more mature and less extroverted style, which was very appreciated. Unlike many of his generation of jazzers, he was able to showcase his more quiet style, which had evolved and was more convincing than most of his jazz contemperaries from the earlier years. If you are interested in hearing Flip's sound, look for "Flip Wails: The Best Of The Verve Years" [1947-57 Verve]. This has a kick-ass improvisation of the almost hackneyed "Singin' In The Rain" that blew me away.

Next we have the great baritone saxophonist, "PEPPER" ADAMS [Park Adams 111], who was born in Highland Park, Illinois in 1930. During his teenage years, Pepper played in Rochester N.Y., then with Lucky Thompson in Detroit. He was sixteen when he was with Thompson and that was also the period when he toured with Lionel Hampton. Adams served in the military from 1951-1953 and before and after his service he played with fellow Detroiters, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Tommy Flanagan and the great Elvin Jones. In the late fifties, Pepper was with Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and Chet Baker. In 1957 Adams made his first foray into recording under his own name and these were done on the West Coast. The next year, in 1958, he moved to New York and based there, playing with Benny Goodman, as well as being an occasional member of Charles Mingus' groups. Then, after co-leading a quintet with Donald Byrd for four years in the late fifties, early sixties, Adams did some studio work and then became one of the founding members of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band and was with them from 1965-1978. He toured Europe with the Jones/Lewis organization as well as recording there, under his own name. During the 1980's Adams toured solo to Europe as well as to Japan. Pepper Adams is known as one of the few baritone saxophone players to attempt to play in the post-bop style. His style has been described as having a hard, dry-sounding tone with a very sharp precisions timing and unstoppable almost steamroller-like lines. PEPPER ADAMS died in Sept of 1986. If you are interested in a very good album, featuring Pepper, please look for "Conjuration [1983 Reservoir] which is a live set recording which includes, along with Pepper's work, his frontline partner, Kenny Wheeler and is well-worth listening to.

"DOC" [Paul Wesley] EVANS was a cornet-player and leader, who was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota in 1907. Doc worked with Red Dougherty's band in the 1930's, specializing on cornet, then led his own band through the 1940's mostly in Chicago, but occasionally in New York. Evans was described as very lyrical and technically accomplished, as well as being respected by his fellow musicians. What perked up my interest in Evans, was his associations with one of my very favourite jazzers, Miff Mole. Doc played with him in the early forties. He also was with Tony Parenti and Joe Sullivan during the same period. From 1947 on, he recorded with his own band. Those recordings included a great series of records for Audiophile in the 1950's which quite often included pianist, John "Knocky" Parker. The recordings also helped to establish Evans as a major-league figure in the revival of jazz, which was taking place. Throughout the sixties, Evans continued to lead bands as well as directing the Mendota Symphony Orchestra. Doc Evans made his last recordings in 1975, at the Manassas jazz festival, with Tommy Gwaltney and Bill Allred. DOC EVANS died in January, of 1977.

In 1895, in Long Branch New Jersey, the drummer, "SONNY" [William Alexander] GREER was born. Sonny was Duke Ellington's first drummer and many say his best. Greer was four years older than Ellington and came to New York to work with Elmer Snowden, quite a while before Duke arrived. He was a colourful character, a fast-talking hipster, a free-spender, who many times found himself having to hustle in pool halls, to get his drums out of hock. Sonny worked with Ellington's five-piece Washingtonians and then at the Cotton Club, with the larger orchestra. For the club, Greer built up a collection of drums which were supplied by the Leedy Drum Company in Indiana. It is estimated that the drum set which Greer used at the Cotton Club was worth a princely, for the period, $3,000.00. Greer designed for the Leedy company and his collection included chimes, vibes, timpany and gong. Greer was a powerful, impressive drummer and was an inspiration for those who followed him, such as Gene Krupa. Greer's drum work was an integral part of what many consider Ellington's greatest work, until 1950. But, in 1950, Ellington, aware of Greer's very heavy drinking and his occasional less than excellent work, due to it, took on another drummer, Butch Ballard, when he went on a Scandinavian tour. Well, fur flew and much worse than the usual cussin' out, which was not unusual between Duke and Greer, whose relationship was tempestuous at the best of times. But this altercation was the turning point between Greer and the Ellington organization. Sonny walked away from the Ellington orchestra and for the next twenty years, freelanced, with among others, Johnny Hodges' small band. He also worked with "Red" Allen and Tyree Glenn, as well as appearing in films, one of the best known being "The Night They Raided Minsky's" In 1974, Greer was a part of the tribute arranged by the Ellington scholar, Brooks Kerr and the tour of that show was a raging success, all over the U.S. I think that Don Byas said it best, if a capsule portrait is to be made of the great Sonny Greer. Byas said, "I never heard a better drummer for the Ellington band than Sonny Greer. It's funny, for alone or with another band he was nothing exceptional. But he fitted with the Duke as has no one else!" SONNY GREER died in March of 1982. To hear the magic of Sonny Greer, as it was experienced in the Ellington years, look for "Swing 1930-1938" [Jazz Classics]. This is the re-mastering by Robert Parker of the big-band aspect of Greer with Duke's band. These years, IMO, were Greer's career peak and the collection is well worth searching out and listening to.

How many of you have heard of the guitarist/vocalist, "LONNIE" [Alonzo] JOHNSON? Well, I hadn't. Johnson was born in 1899 in New Orleans, studying violin as well as guitar and by the time he was eighteen, he was playing in revues. He travelled to London for the first time in 1917 to work there. When he returned, sadly, he discovered that most of his family had died in the great flu epidemic, so he left New Orleans to try his luck in St Louis and Chicago. In 1925 he entered and won a talent contest for the OKeh record company and he became a staff musician for the label. Lonnie made records with soon-to-be major stars, such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Eddie Lang, Victoria Spivey and also Spencer Williams. Then, from 1932-1937 he worked around Cleveland and played for radio, while working a day job. He followed that with three years with Johnny Dodds in Chicago, as well as leading for himself. For about four years, Lonnie travelled to Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City, and by the mid-forties he was using an amplified guitar, unusual for the period and his own contemperary ballad style. He had a hit, "Tomorrow Night" in 1948. In 1952 Johnson travelled to London again and was reviewed by Jazz Journal. The opinion of that publication was that Lonnie "seemed out of practice on his guitar and insisted on featuring many of his own ballad compositions". Not exactly glowing. Johnson, disheartened, moved back to the U.S. and worked in Cincinnati and then Philidelphia as a chef. He didn't abandon music though and in 1963 he toured in a blues package with Otis Spann. From the mid-sixties to his death, Lonnie was a popular figure in Toronto, where he had settled. LONNIE JOHNSON died in 1970. There is a collection of Johnson's work that you might find interesting. It is "Playing With Strings" [1927-1940 JSP] which has selections with Armstrong, Ellington, Williams, Dodds and Ory. It's a very nice collection.

Without a doubt! I always think about where I was when I first heard that song. Rachel, I used to have a Brook Benton LP with a vocal version of "Walk On The Wild Side" on it. Sadly, I can't find a replacement and it doesn't seem to be on CD. It kicks ass. But, my favourite version, although the first one I heard was Elmer Bernstein's [it was on the soundtrack of the mediocre film of the same name], is Jimmy Smith's. WOW!!

I can't believe that John Stevens made it to the top twelve. Holy Man!!! His voice isn't horrible, but it's weak and personality-less. He has virtually no stage presence or style and the orchestra all but drowns out his voice. How, I ask how did he get this far in the competition?

"Walk on the Wild Side", or "Harlem Nocturne", by almost anyone. My heart actually beats a little more quickly. Strange.

Although Magione has legitimate jazz credits, I think that, given what he's done since the seventies, he seemed to have chosen to go the more commercial middle-of-the-road route. The dreaded Kenny G., who could probably play decent jazz if he wanted to, would make WAY less money if he did, rather than the millions that he does. I blame Magione himself, but only gently, for going the more commercial route. It's a choice, I think. We all wish that artists who are capable of playing innovative and interesting jazz, would, but a person has to make a living. Weighing the alternatives, would all of us choose to suffer for out art, if given the opportunity to turn out copies of "big eyed children", or in the present context, grind out "easy-listening", pretend jazz, for huge bucks?? Tough choice.