Fer Urbina

Yes, the other candidate is Kenny Kersey. I remember French critic Jacques Réda proposing Kersey (I don't know if it was his idea or who else suggested this) and some other English-speaking critic (I'm not sure at all, so I won't mention names) defending Monk. I'm fairly sure that Monk appears as the pianist on the label of the acetate (it was owned by Peter Broadbent, there's a photo of it in the 2nd edition of his biography of Charlie Christian). F

Always a good time to go back to those recordings. Best source I know for all things CC is Leo Valdes's site: www.soloflight.cc F

The "Stompin' at the Savoy" on that 2-CD set is the one available since the Minton's recordings were first published. For clarity, this is the one from May 8, 1941, released for the first time on Volume 9 (over 10' long; group includes a sax; there's a drop in volume at 3:04). this is the one available since the Minton's recordings were first published (under 10'; no sax). F

FWIW, after a quick glance, the unissued "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May 8, 1941, was released in Volume 9 of the Masters of Jazz series of Charlie Christian's recordings, and there are three private recordings by Timme Rosenkrantz from 1944, including Monk's earliest recording of "Round Midnight", available here. I'd guess there'll be more corrections and additions. F

Last capture by Archive.org was in May 2024: https://web.archive.org/web/20240520064203/http://monkbook.com/sessionography/ F

Off the top of my head, this (CD2) and this F

No, that's Columbia's studio at 30th St in Manhattan ("the Church"). Can't remember whether it was at this studio that they raised the control booth some time in the 1950s, but this looks like it. F Not that I can see, sorry. This book is more focused on photography as art than as historical record, though. Many images are pretty dark and it's difficult to identify the subjects. F

Of the ones you're showing, I'd go for first The Song of the Hawk (the only major biography of Hawkins, as far as I know), then Wishing for the Moon. I'd skip the Marian McPartland in favour of Paul de Barros's biography (done with her co-operation). F

By the look of it, I think it could be backstage at a festival and I don't think it was recorded. If that's the case, and I'm right about Calhoun, it'd be a matter of triangulating: Jones, Heath, and Calhoun almost definitely imply having Basie, the MJQ and Erroll Garner in the same place -- Joe Benjamin was more of a free agent (he was with Brubeck for some months in 1958, for instance). A candidate would be Newport '59, where Basie, the MJQ, and Garner played, but I haven't had the time to check whether Benjamin was there at all.

Left to right: Joe Benjamin, I think Eddie Calhoun (Erroll Garner's bassist), Heath, and Count Basie's Eddie Jones.

I have done a bit of that, with photos that seem to come from one session by Tony Scott at Webster Hall, here: https://jazzontherecord.blogspot.com/2018/07/image-and-sound-webster-hall-1956.html If you're interested in any other face in particular, I'd be glad to help. F

I have a vague recollection of having heard that Stuart Nicholson was working on a new edition of his biography including Linda Kuehl's tapes, who were now owned by Toby Byron. Whether or not that's the case, I see that Kuehl's materials were gifted by Byron to Johns Hopkins University in 2022, see: https://aspace.library.jhu.edu/repositories/3/resources/1699 F

The booklet in the CD reissue (CK 65186) states "Originally issued in March, 1979, on Columbia 35755 (stereo)". Billboard carries a review in the May 12, 1979 issue (p.71). It looks like it did remain in the can for 18 years. F

Hear, hear. Exactly my experience with him and my feelings about his work. I would add his 5-CD series with all of Red Norvo's studio recordings 1933-42, as well as 2-CD sets with Woody Herman's V-Discs, Bennie Moten's 1930-32 recordings (including their legendary last session in full), Cab Calloway's recordings with Dizzy and Chu Berry, Benny Goodman's compilations by arranger... F

I've just got the news that Alastair Robertson passed away last year, on October 23. Obit: https://ukjazznews.com/a-tribute-to-alastair-robertson/ F