Big Beat Steve

I don't know if this link has already been posted somehwere here, but anyway ... here it is for those iterested in this as a sort complementary bit of info to the "Saxophone Colossus" biography: https://lewisporter.substack.com/p/sonny-rollins-a-short-unknown-1958 (As per the author's wish, the link to his page is shared herewith )

He was/is known to those who are into exploring and collecting pre-war European jazz. He recorded extensively in Germany in 1927/28 and later had several sessions in France. A scant few of his German recordings have been reissued on various LP and CD compilations of early German "Hot dance bands". Arthur Briggs also is mentioned and shown several times in Frank Driggs' monumental "Black Beauty White Heat" photo book. And he is also present in the texts of dedicated jazz history books such as "Jazz in Deutschland" by Horst H. Lange, "Charles Delaunay et le jazz en France dans les années 30 et 40" by Anne Legrand, "La France du Jazz" by Denis-Constant Martin and Olivier Roueff as well as in "Making Jazz French" by Jeffrey H. Jackson (although relatively scantily in that latter book).

A question to those inclined to read music-tinged fiction works like "High Fidelity": I picked up a copy of "Telegraph Avenue" by Michael Chabon today at a "bring-and-take" book exchange place as it piqued my interest (I've read and rather enjoyed "High Fidelity"). Any of you familiar with this one? Any comments? Opinions? (Not that this would keep me from reading - I'm just curious ... ) Intriguing to see anyway that one of the main characters in that book goes under the name of "Nat Jaffe". I wonder how many ("casual" or "general") readers knew that there was indeed a jazz musician by that very name in the 40s?

One Unipak LP series that may have remained under the radar because it was a reissue series (and not original releases) was the EPIC "Encore Series" (released and pressed in the late 60s/early 70s, it seems): https://www.discogs.com/label/399356-Epic-Encore-Series They seem to have existed both with this "Unipak" layout and the conventional layout with the LP opening at the outside of the back cover, not towards the spine. My copy of the Gene Krupa LP (EE22027) has this conventional layout whereas my Earl Hines (EE22021) has the Unipak layout. These LPs look sturdy enough to me, including at the spine, probably because they are not those darn typical US cardboard covers where the front and rear cardboards making up the cover are taped together with just (paper-thin) paper along the edges (including the spine) all the more prone to seam splits. Yet this Unipak layout with the LP slot at the "reverse" end may have annoyed owners enough to take drastic measures. On my copy of the Artie Shaw LP (EE22023) - one of those fleamarket chance purchases - a previous owner had radically cut off and dumped the front flap so that only a "standard" LP remained where the LP can be extracted and put back the "usual" way without being "bothered" by that flap (and the track list now is on what has become the "front" of the cover). And through the years I've seen other secondhand items from that series subjected to the same treatment.

Nice vinyl geek rant anyway, TTK! I had to look up the Unipak definition linked by JSngry to see what exactly you are referring to. Now I understand what you mean but I can assure you that Unipak definition misses the point at least as far the time frame is concerned. I don't know for sure about the USA but here in Europe LP covers with this layout weren't all that uncommon from back in the (more or less) early 50s. To the point that I did not even pay attention to this peculiarity up to now but took them for "granted" as a period design detail, particularly on 10" records. The European covers had thinner covers than in the US (similar to the typically thin covers of UK pressings, which made them much less prone to ring wear and split seams than the US cardboard covers but much more prone to fraying round the edges). The inner sleeves of these "Insert on the inside" gatefolds usually were clear plastic sleeves that were glued or stuck inside the cover. At least one such item must have been all over the place in the US from back in the 50s as well, however, i.e. the JAZZTONE "Jazz Sampler" J-SPEC100 (the introductory item for prospects interested in joining the Jazztone mail order service). I have US, German, French and Swiss pressings and releases of this particular sampler and they all have the gatefold cover with extended liner notes not only on the back cover but on the inside too (US pressing below). OTOH, strangely enough this sleeve design often did not even make use of the space on the inside of the gatefold covers for added liner notes or photographs but just had blank surfaces there (or at most a generic list of other relases on that label, e.g. on Telefunken semi-generic covers of the early 50s). Without even searching hard I pulled out half a dozen such items (with "inside blanks") from the 10" jazz corner of my collection (both traditional and modern jazz). So this kind of sleeve design must have been fairly common. IMO its relatively widespread use was pioneered by releases of classical music where extensive liner notes (that needed more space than would fit the back cover) were frequent. So it seems to have been retained even on releases where the inside space wasnt even needed. Maybe some producers figured this offered better protection to keep the LP from sliding out of the cover? Sometimes they did make full use of the inside space, though, as on this French LP by Les Chaussettes Noires from the "Ye-Ye" R'n'R era of the early 60s, showing how to do the Twist: 😉 And here's a variation on that theme: "How to get a maximum of printed matter inside the gatefold sleeve", with the record on the left and a booklet stapled inside" on the right (a French "Jazz pour tous" compilation 10" LP - Philips D 99 556R). This type of sleeve must eventually have disappeared during the 12" era but seems to have been around for a while. Two such items that I quickly located in my collection are: - Lionel Hampton "The Mess Is Here" (rec. 1958) on Bertelsmann 61017 (which existed both as a gatefold and a non-gatefold pressing. Which both look to be of roughly the same vintage to me. Catalog no. and label are identical). - the German pressing of the "Introduction to Jazz" LP curated by the Rev. A.L. Kershaw (Brunswick 87003 LPBM) which even has a double-foldout gatefold sleeve: This "newbie introduction to traditional jazz" LP must have remained in print for quite some time. I have two pressings: One with a printing date of 11/59 on the back cover (printing dates were customary on German Brunswicks and Corals of that period), and another one with no printing/pressing date at all but otherwise same artwork. Which must date this to post-1965 or thereabouts (the most recent such Brunswicks with printing dates I have seen are from 1965). The UK pressing of this same LP (Brunswick LAT 8124) was able to make do with a standard cover and a double-sided cardboard insert inside the sleeve because it did not have to include the German and French versions of the comments on each track.

Which I guess also applies to Mosaic's (probable?) judgment about whether to do a "female instrumentalist" leader dates box set or not. Judgment with regard to sales potential. Probably (on their part) a case of "give us a client base more widely inclined to covering their blind spots and seeking out the overlooked instead of seeing their LONG-TERM favorites elevated to nobility by being given the Mosaic treatment and we might do such a set".

Sure, I perfectly understand too. But that largely artificial dividing line between "pure" jazz and R&B of that period (which no doubt did NOT exist with a lot of the clientele - at least most of the BLACK clients - of B&W at the time) is unfortunate and a step back into a pigeonholing era that one might have thought of being overcome by now ... And considering the typical Mosaic clientele, the same "where do you stop" line might have been drawn with regard to Dixielandish-style jazz, isn't it? At any rate, that made that box set not quite that essential to me. On looking closer I found I have almost too much of the B&Ws by those artists that at first sight are of prime interest to me to warrant shelling out for the huge set. Whereas the uncharted corners of the B&W releases aren't there (and I am not thinking of T-Bone Walker, of course, of whom I already have all of his B&W items too). Preferences just differ, and no, you cannot please everyone all the time ... And I might reconsider after all ... OT finished now ...

Like Romualdo said ... Jutta Hipp has been taken care of in the DEFINITE way that in many details outdid what Mosaic would ever want to do (on account of their "house style"). And it WAS a labor of love. Note that on a personal level I DON'T like the guy who runs that label but I am familiar with his labor-of-love-approach to box sets like this that go where no others will tread - cf. his MOD Records box set too. ("MOD who??" - see, that's my point! ) Personally, I'd certainly buy a female instrumentalist box set that meets my tastes and fills a niche in my collection (not so sure about Shirley Scott anymore for that latter reason, then ...). Mary Lou Williams would also be a nice idea ... Or Barbara Carroll (but what would their customer base weaned on HARD bop and nothing else say ) ... or indeed Marian McPartland ... As for Mosaic being sexist ... nonsense ... They cannot go where the leader-date music (unfortunately) just isn't there. It's not their fault that (for example) the International Sweethearts of Rhythm's discography is slim. Or that of Mary Osborne ... or Dardanelle ... or Margie Hyams ... (naming just artists from uncharted territories of MY particular periods of interest ... there are others, of course, but in the case of Vivian Garry, for example, there would be the problem of immediate overlaps with another well-done reissue, i.e. Arv Garrison on Uptown, which would reduce sales prospects even among those out to go off the beaten tracks of the ususal suspects ...) And it's a pity but an understandable fact of commercial viability that even if there was enough material for a multi-CD box set of all-girl bands (which I wouldn't consider gimmicky but a valiant attempt at getting their music heard - again) they would consider their sales prospects much too unsure. And any wokeness demands on their reissue policy would certainly run them out of any activity for good ... BTW, I am among those too who consider the Savory box set an important one. And I am sorry to hear that my hunch of Mosaic being "selective" in their B&W box set (which so far I have not yet picked up after having compared what I already have and what I truly need of what is in there) seems to be true. On checking their track listing I DID have a distinct impression that they curbed lots of tracks that leaned towards R&B. And I am not even familiar with the ENTIRE discography of the label ...

At the recent clearout sale at a local secondhand record shop (each item 1 EUR), the below Mole Jazz release was among the CDs I picked up that day:

Agreed. JSP box sets on specific styles of collectible music (particularly in the field of "black music") make for very nice introductory packages. Here's another recommendation - a somewhat "esoteric" vinyl (it's one of those subculture reissues from and for the "Rockin' Scene", and it's listed with other online sellers too): https://www.stagoleeshop.com/La-Noire---8211--Vol--4-Glory-Is-Coming--914.html?language=en

To get started with a punch, see whatever records there are that fit the "Sacred Steel" category (not, not the Metal band ). There are quite a few Youtube videos that show what I am referring to. E.g. Campbell Brothers and Aubrey Ghent.

But I suppose you are you are not really referring to the actual Signature label of the 40s but to a later Bob Thiele production venture? Did you do an aural check (which should tell the difference betwen 70s Earl Hines and a 40s recording)? As far as the sound samples can give a clue, the vocals, for one thing (and the general fidelity), don't sound 40s-ish to me.

Three.

Clarence Gatemouth Brown - "San Antonio Ballbuster". Straddles the fence of post-war "Blues" and "RHYTHM & Blues" and should amply satisfly BOTH camps (unless you blues people are in a constant down-homey mood - or rut ). The original reissue release on Red Lightnin' later resurfaced on a Charly LP. Same contents.

I do check "our" equivalent of the "dollar bins" from time to time at my favorite local secondhand record store - 2.50 EUR per record, either vinyls in separate crates or CDs in racks on the shelves underneath the regular racks (so I do sympathize - a lot! - with TTK's comment about "after slowly standing up and remembering what it was to walk upright" ). Renewal of the jazz stocks in those bins varies, but except for the occasional somewhat scruffy item (often 50s or 60s originals) the records and covers usually are in fairly clean condition - either items that were downpriced after they had sat for years (which you can see by the multiple price stickers) or recent arrivals that the staff figured would not move rapidly anyway. What does move in their opinion seems to be jazz from Hard Bop ONWARDS. So those who go for earlier jazz styles should be in for a treat every now and then. The other day I picked up pristine spare copies of several of those 80s Savoy twofers, for example. The fairly beat-up vinyls usually end up at their twice-a-year clearout Sale weekends (currently at 1 EUR per item) which are a different story because nothing is organized (so they do test your stamina). But even there you can round up amazing items. In addition to 50s originals mentioned elsewhere earlier, last time I pulled out a dozen Classics CDs and the Johnny Richards CD on Uptown, for example, among many other vinyls and CDs. And at that price you can take chances anyway ... or add a duplicate item for convenience, i.e. a CD for the car - or lazy evenings - of music that you already have on vinyl). But indeed - talk about filthy fingertips after THESE perusals ...

@TTK: Well, without getting too OT, what I did pick up (without looking for them) so far from the Capitol era were "Jazz Moments"; "Shearing on Stage", "San Francisco Scene", and "Nat King Cole Sings ...". (The "Burnished Brass" LP bought long ago was relegated to the Easy listening corner but is still there ).

There are many where I am in a (near-)completist mood and value them acordingly but there are others that very often ended up in my racks without me really trying (because - like TTK said - the availability just was and/or is enormous, and besides - they ARE important and usually make for rewarding listening so you cannot really go wrong). But their number of records in my collection definitely exceeds their place in my imaginary ranks of personal and perennial favorites) : - Duke Ellington (the RCA and Columbia anthologies alone make for a HUGE lot! And then there's the "rest" ...) - Benny Goodman - Louis Armstrong - Eddie Condon - Sidney Bechet As for TTK's initial listing, I could have picked up a lot more George Shearings too but beyond the MGM period I remain very, very choosy about his Capitol albums, regardless of their availability and affordability. You've got a point there, but as for the eternal question "Are you ever going to listen to all of your records again in the rest of your life?", my reply (and not only mine, that's for sure ) is "No, but do I know which ones I won't ever listen to again?" No, I don't, so for the time being they are keepers. 😉

I understand your point and see your comment in a somewhat different light now. But FWIW that would be a touchy aspect for me. We had a fairly astute (IMO and not only "M" but many others I knew too ;)) movie critic at a local radio station years ago. He was almost an institution but he clearly spoke his mind and never was afraid of calling the "the emperor is nude" bluff on many a movie that actually did deserve it. (There was and is an awful lot of dross out there that they try to shove down your eyes) But then he disappeared off the station, and from what came next in movie reviews there clearly showed that he was silenced because he evidently interfered with "ulterior" interests that boiled down to "keeping the moviegoer-cum-radio listener" happy and motivated. "Panem et circenses", you know ... So, coming across as a "grumpy old fart" critic may not quite be what a critic can be reduced to after all if you care to accept that a critic is at least as much there to "criticise" as to "praise" ... (The attitude of "If I don't like it I won't review it" is childish IMO, never mind the editor's or publisher's demands ...)

So this was what was suposed to be "essential" in jazz in 1970? Hodgepodgey IMO, not only for the omission of at least the giants of pre-bop (i.e Swing; but OTOH there were enough other "essential" lists that did feature them, to the exclusion of others, in turn). But even actual Bebop (note: REAL Bebop as opposed to Hard Bop) is consicuous by its almost total absence (except for those only moderately representative Bird recordings). And no pre-Columbia Miles? And that sole Sonny Stitt looks rather abitrary to me. 4 George Russells give a very lopsided overall picture too. As for who Jerry Coker was - so was it a sign of objectivity, then, that the below one did not make it into the list? 😉 https://www.discogs.com/de/master/674153-Jerry-Coker-Modern-Music-From-Indiana-University

True - Mariano was very active here in Germany up to his death. The way he evolved over time, this was not my kind of jazz anymore either, yet I do regret I did not take the plunge and go to see him at one of his live appearances that did take place locally. I had repeatedly thought of attending one of these shows - including with the intention of having these 50s albums autographed by him - but somehow it never materialized, and then it was too late ... Same with Herb Geller ...

But could you always be sure that the items that OTOH he blasted were by necessity right up your alley (because according to your reasoning it was HIM who had blasted them so they could only be great)? Or wasn't it so that regardless of how "opposite" the tastes were, this "oppositeness" was hardly ever likely to extend 100% across the full spectrum of the music and artists? Which should leave quite a few areas where input from a different point of reference can still be useful. I've read a huge lot of reviews from a lot of different sources over time and usually found (and still find) them quite informative as a "guideline" or "orientation mark" (which is all I ever expected them to be - I never take them to be the 100% final gospel). But even contrasting reviews on one and the same item were (and are) useful to me because they at the very minimum were "food for thought(s)" that I found (and still find) worthy of being thought.

I am afraid there is far more than just a "grain" of truth in all this. And he is certainly not paranoid.

Interesting ... Certainly a case of missed opportunities, consi dering that once the not so trad-minded managed to listen beyond the instrumental backing she came across as a fairly impressive singer.

I understood jcam_44 to refer to the backing group of string instruments, not that young flutist (you'll admit that "recorder" always sounds decidedly ODD to us non-English native speakers to describe what after all IS part of the "Flöte" ("flute") family ). She may be a bit overenthusiastic in her motions and expressions, but I'd cut her any amount of slack, given the situation and her age. And after all, haven't there been more mature musicians who would make onlookers cringe too when they look at the musicians' exaggerated antics in front of the mike? As for keeping Bird's exact phrasing, admittedly I wouldn't have been able to do a close-up comparison, but she gets the overall character of the tune IMO. And the rest might be filed under "artistic liberties". After all she certainly does not see herself in the field of classical music (at least here) where the notion of "Werktreue" applies for better or (much) worse.

Impressive indeed. Although I had a bit of a difficulty in singling out the recorder throughout among the strings in the ensemble sections. Anyway ... this kind of reworking is a nice idea IMO. And it certainly breathes some fresh air into that instrument. Don't know about the "unamused" violinists. Isn't it so that this would not be the first case where grimacing bordering on severe bodily pain actually is supposed to indicate intense involvement in the music? What jcam_44 said made me snicker. I was another one of those pressed into recorder lessons in my primary school days and found it one big boring drag. No idea then (if i had been aware of jazz then) that one could have gotten anywhere anywhere near this on this instrument.