thomastreichler

Well, let's see: (15+ discs): Louis Bellson, Ray Bryant, Buck Clayton (incl. 1 Mosaic Box), Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, J.J. Johnson (incl. 1 Mosaic Box), Hank Jones, Rob McConnell, Art Pepper, Art Tatum, Clark Terry, Fats Waller, Ben Webster (20+ discs): Monty Alexander, Ruby Braff, Ray Brown, Benny Carter, Eddie Condon (incl. 1 Mosaic Box), Johnny Hodges (incl. 1 Mosaic Box), Dick Hyman, Milt Jackson, Dave McKenna, Zoot Sims (30+ discs): Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman (incl. 1 Mosaic Box), Earl Hines (40+ discs): Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman (50+ discs): Duke Ellington) (80+ discs): Count Basie (incl. 3 Mosaic Boxes) (100+ discs): Oscar Peterson (incl. 1 Mosaic Box and several other box sets) This list, first of all, is reflecting my stylistic preferences: I am obviously rooted in mainstream jazz, though I have a lot of be bop and hard bop as well. Besides that I am far from being a completist. As long as I am finding interesting records, I am purchasing them, regardless of whether I already have a lot of albums by the respective artist. A lot of the artists mentioned above have/had long recording careers, so my collection covers more or less the whole timespan of their respective musical lives and guarantees much diversity simply because of the stylistic evolution of the music and the musician. This applies for example to my collections of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Ruby Braff, Benny Carter, Woody Herman, Earl Hines, Benny Goodman, Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Milt Jackson, Count Basie and Oscar Peterson. Other artists I simply like that much that I cannot get enough of them, even when there is not much diversity between different recordings, e.g. Dave McKenna, Zoot Sims, Hank Jones, Monty Alexander, Dick Hyman, Art Tatum (the fact that I am an amateur pianist myself may explain the over-representation of pianists). Big bands are also well represented; being a huge fan of big bands (20's to contemporary), roughly one fifth of my whole collection consists of big band records (I have albums of 269 different big bands from 17 different countries). I for myself cannot say that a certain number of albums by a certain artist is enough; it is a matter of how much good music do you find of musicians you like and how big or how small their overall recorded output is. This may sound trivial, but that's how it is in my case.

I came across three solo albums by Red Richards on the Canadian Sackville and the French Black & Blue labels. I know Richards primarily from his recordings with Panama Francis' Savoy Sultans and the Fletcher Henderson All Stars). Can anyone comment on these solo piano releases and/or recommend other records by Red Richards?

I have "Walking in L.A." on Elabeth from 1980, with Hemmeler, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne: a wonderful straight ahead piano trio recording. Another nice one is "Easy Does It" on Elabeth, a trio recording from 1981 with Ray Brown and Daniel Humair, mainstream piano jazz at its best. It is a shame that Hemmeler did not record more often. I found that one a while ago (after having posted here), of all places at Mediamarkt in Sihlcity, on sale... fine disc indeed! It seems to be on deezer and on iTunes, as well as still available on CD. Fine album! As you can see from the back cover, Stephane Grappelli sits in on one tune. That's the one. Never would have dreamt of looking for jazz cd's at Mediamarkt though... I can strongly recommend the following: Live In Paris (Challenge), a twofer with Heyn van der Geyn and André Ceccarelli Live in Japan (Cam Jazz), a twofer with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron Ballads (CAM Jazz) also with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron

I have "Walking in L.A." on Elabeth from 1980, with Hemmeler, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne: a wonderful straight ahead piano trio recording. Another nice one is "Easy Does It" on Elabeth, a trio recording from 1981 with Ray Brown and Daniel Humair, mainstream piano jazz at its best. It is a shame that Hemmeler did not record more often.

Another Italian giant: Franco D'Andrea check out his solo recordings on Philology, he also did two beautiful duo albums with Renato Sellani (same label)

Here ya go: At The Jazz Band Ball That Da-Da Strain Bobby Hackett - cornet; George Brunies - trombone; Pee Wee Russell - clarinet, tenor sax; Bernie Billings - tenor sax; Dave Bowman - piano; Eddie Condon - guitar; Clyde Newcombe - bass; Johnny Blowers - drums; NYC, Feb. 16, 1938 Jammin' The Waltz Clementine Bobby Hackett - cornet; Pete Brown - alto sax, trumpet; Joe Marsala - clarinet, tenor sax; Joe Bushkin - piano, celeste; Ray Biondi - guitar, violin; Artie Shapiro - bass; George Wetting - drums; NYC, March 10, 1938 Blue And Disillusioned Ghost Of A Chance Poor Butterfly Doin' The New Low Down Bobby Hackett - cornet; Brad Gowans - valve trombone, alto sax; Pee Wee Russell - clarinet; Ernie Caceres - baritone sax; Dave Bowman - piano; Eddie Condon - guitar; Clyde Newcombe - bass; Andy Picard - drums; Linda Keene - vocal; NYC, Nov. 4, 1938 That's How Dreams Should End Ain't Misbehavin' Sunrise Serenade Embraceable You Bobby Hackett - cornet; Sterling Bose, Jack Thompson - trumpet; Brad Gowans - valve trombone; George Troup - tromboone; Pee Wee Russell - clarinet; Louis Colombo - alto sax; Bernie Billings - tenor sax; Ernie Caceres - baritone sax; Dave Bowman - piano; Eddie Condon - guitar; Sid Jacobs - bass; Don Carter - drums; NYC, April 13, 1939 Bugle Call Rag Ja-Da Clarinet Marmalade Singin' The Blues Bobby Hackett - cornet; Stan Wilson, Joe Lucas, Harry Genders - trumpet; John Crassi, Cappy Crouse - tromboone; Louis Colombo, Jerry Caplan - alto sax; Hammond Russum, Hank Kmen - tenor sax; Dave Bowman - piano; Bob Julian - guitar; Sid Jacobs - bass; Don Carter - drums; Claire Martin - vocal; NYC, April 13, 1939 Thank you very much!!!!!

I recently purchased a used cd copy of "That Da Da Strain" on Portrait. There is no discographical information apart from a few hints on oputstanding soloists in the liner notes by Dan Morgenstern. Does anyone have a full listing of personnel and dates? These are the tracks on the cd: At The Jazz Band Ball That Da-Da Strain Jammin' The Waltz Clementine Blue And Disillusioned Ghost Of A Chance Poor Butterfly Doin' The New Low Down That's How Dreams Should End Ain't Misbehavin' Sunrise Serenade Embraceable You Bugle Call Rag Ja-Da Clarinet Marmalade Singin' The Blues

It is the "old CD" with just the original "Bursting Out With The All Star Big Band" album (without "Swinging Brass With The Oscar Peterson Trio" which is added on the twofer). I am sorry!!

I have a Chick Webb Proper box for sale: Condition like new (only played once), $15 shipping included. I accept payment via Paypal. Please send me a PM if interested.

Chick Webb, Proper Box, added.

Stan Getz added.

Further additions (bold) and price reductions. I am shipping everywhere and will not charge any additional shipping costs.

Fats Waller: The Indispensable Fats Waller Vol. 1/2 (1926-1935) (French RCA) Fats Waller: The Indispensable Fats Waller Vol. 3/4 (1935-1936) (French RCA) Fats Waller: The Indispensable Fats Waller Vol. 5/6 (1936-1938) (French RCA) Fats Waller: The Indispensable Fats Waller Vol. 7/8 (1938-1940) (French RCA) Fats Waller: The Indispensable Fats Waller Vol. 9/10 (1940-1943) (French RCA) Coleman Hawkins: The Indispensable Coleman Hawkins - Body And Soul (1927-1956) (French RCA) Artie Shaw: The Indispensable Artie Shaw Vol. 1 & 2 (1938-1939) (French RCA)

Two Fats Waller Box Sets and an Oscar Peterson added.

The set has all the music from the three Audiophile LPs "Hines Does Hoagy", "My Tribute To Louis" and "Comes In Handy", recorded in two days in 1971, a few days after Armstrong's death.

Another one to look for is the 2-cd set "Four Jazz Giants" on Solo Art. On these sessions Earl Hines is playing tributes to W.C. Handy, Louis Armstrong and Hoagy Carmichael (these three plus Hines being the four jazz giants).

John Hicks, via his beautiful series of tributes to Pittsburgh-related pianists (all on the High Note label): Something To Live For – A Billy Strayhorn Songbook Nightwind – An Erroll Garner Songbook Music In The Key Of Clark - Remembering Sonny Clark Fatha’s Day – An Earl Hines Songbook

I have the 3-CD set "Jazz Royalty - Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington" on New World Records containing the following tracks: Disc: 1 1. Love You Madly 2. Sophisticated Lady 3. I'm Beginning to See the Light 4. Black and Tan Fantasy 5. Warm Valley 6. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me 7. "C" Jam Blues 8. Caravan 9. Everything But You 10. Mood Indigo 11. Just Squeeze Me 12. Come Sunday Disc: 2 1. The Creole Love Call 2. I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues 3. The Shepherd 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore 5. Black Butterfly 6. Take Love Easy 7. The Jeep is Jumping 8. Heaven Disc: 3 1. In a Mellotone 2. Solitude 3. It Don't Mean a Thing 4. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart 5. Satin Doll 6. In a Sentimental Mood 7. Don't You Know I Care 8. I'm Just a Lucky So and So 9. Prelude to a Kiss 10. All Too Soon I don't know whether this is the complete session. At any rate it is one of the best solo piano recordings ever!

Thank you for your kind comments jazzbo, tranemonk, B. Goren, Greg M. and crisp.

Somehow I get the impression that it is considered good form not just to not like Oscar Peterson, but to dismiss him as an artist, by accusing him of being a mere virtuoso without any soul and artistic value, who is playing too much notes and doing not more than displaying his technique. Everyone who "confesses" to be a fan of OP seems to be obliged to disprove these arguments in the first place. It is absolutely legitimate not to like OP (or any other musician) because of personal taste, but to deprive Peterson of musical and artistic passion and soul, just because he had tremendous technique and was displaying it (and because he had a wide following outside of the hard core of jazz lovers), is - in my opinion - doing injustice to him. In listening to the recordings on the Mosaic set, I think the following can be said (from my narrow point of view of course): The trio of OP, Barney Kessel and Ray Brown was a highly compatible unit, consisting of three masters of their respective instruments. All of the selections are neatly arranged and superbly executed and it can not be denied that this trio swings like mad. OP was not merely displaying his stupenduous technique, but was also a master in creating tension and dynamics. He was a great improviser, meaning that he was capable of creating interesting and logic new melody lines. And last but not least, everything he played swings irresistibly. Peterson was no innovator, but has one to be to be a great musician? Clearly not, the history of jazz is full of great artists that were no innovators. Of far more imporatance to me seems the fact that he never was a mere copyist. He rather was distilling several influences (first of all Tatum, Cole and Wilson) into a highly personal, instantly recognizable style. This Mosaic set admittedly has its share of superficial performances, but the majority of the selections are highly enjoyable. Listen for example to the extended versions of "Pompton Tunpike", "Cherokee" (contrary to all expectations played in a medium tempo), "Soft Winds", "The Shek Of Araby" and "There'll Be Some Changes Made" (the last two tunes were to my knowledge never recorded again by OP) on disc VI, or any of the Gershwin and Ellington tunes. This is just superb piano jazz. These are my impressions and thoughts, needless to say that I am a big fan of Oscar Peterson (being also a big fan of such stylistically diverse pianists as Jimy Rowles, Red Garland, Tommy Flanagan, Hampton Hawes or Hank Jones to name a few). I hope I was able to make my point clear despite my insufficient knowledge of the English language.

Various Artists: Jazz In Sweden 1949-1961 - The Legendary Years (Rhino) disc 2 Many familiar and some unknown (at least for me) names, great musicians all of them. First category: Ake Persson, Bengt Hallberg, Arne Domnerus, Putte Wickman, Bjarne Nerem, Georg Riedel, Jan Johansson, Rolf Ericson, Nils-Bertil Dahlander, Rune Gustafsson. Second category: Erik Nordström (tenorsax player strongly influenced by Stan Getz and Zoot Sims), Arnold Johansson (agile valve-trombone player with a nice fat tone), Allan Lundström (fine fluent tenor Al Cohn school), Anders Burman (swinging drummer).

A great set! Now listening to: Various Artists: Jazz In Sweden 1949-1961 - The Legendary Years (Rhino) disc 1 Disc 1 contains superb recordings by Harry Arnold and his Swedish Radio Studio Orchestra from 1957-61, among the first rate soloists are: Bengt-Arne Wallin, Benny Bailey, Ake Persson, Arne Domnerus, Bjarne Nerem, Lucky Thompson, Bengt Hallberg, Egil Johanssen

Various Artists: Jazz In Sweden 1949 - 1961 - The Legendary Years (Metronome) 9 cd box set featuring Harry Arnold, Quincy Jones, Lars Gullin, Roy Eldridge, Teddy Wilson, James Moody, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Jimmy Raney, Clifford Brown, Rolf Ericson, Benny Bailey, Arne Domnerus and many others

Additions (bold)

Benny Golson added.