Vanguard Jazz Showcase

[neveronfriday]

It went the usual way: I stumbled into one of my fave CD haunts and found two of these in the bins:

[01] Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins. Duets. Vanguard, 2000.

[02] Ray Bryant, Bobby Henderson, Sir Charles Thomson. Key One Up. Vanguard 2000.

They cost the sum total of 1 Euro each.

Shrinkwrapped and spankin' new.

So, because I liked the names, the looks of the CDs, and because I could vaguely remember some Basie Bunch CDs as having been on my shopping list before I trashed that particular list by accident, I snapped them up and had them lying around for quite a while.

When I got around to listening to these two I was much more than pleasantly surprised. These sessions not only sounded good, they were right up my alley and as it turns out, besides hunting around for more from this series which, if I researched correctly, spans twelve CDs by now, I haven't been playing anything else in the very little time I had for listening to music. A wonderful discovery!

Now, if I'm not totally mistaken, these are not mentioned all that much here on Organissimo (some members have recommended several of these in, for example, a Vic Dickenson thread), so I thought I'd give them a thumbs up here.

I have since bought the two wonderful Mel Powell releases, It's Been So Long and The Best Things in Life, and my Amazon shopping basket is awaiting my pulling the trigger on the rest.

Any opinions on these? I think they are wonderful CDs and the only problem I have with them is that the material seems to be somewhat randomly plucked from the vault.

Can I go wrong by pulling the above-mentioned Amazon trigger on all of them? And, for those living in Europe, because Zyx have their hand in these, are there different issues (German and American)? As you know, I'm quite weary of Zyx's quality control, but the ones I have seem to have been "Made in Germany" and sound wonderful anyway. I'm thinking of getting the others via Caiman America (I've bought tons of stuff from these guys via Amazon and often paid less than half of the Amazon Germany price, and that's including the postage) paying a bit more, but if the German pressings are identical, I can save some cash.

Cheers!

Edited November 3, 2004 by deus62

[RDK]

All the Vanguard jazz CDs I've heard have been good (and cheap! ). I agree that they are rather randomly compiled.

[Larry Kart]

Here's an email exchange I had back in 1999 with the fellows at Vanguard about the Mel Powell "The Best Things In Life Are Free" reissue:

Very much enjoyed the music on "Mel Powell--The Best Things in Life Are Free," but there are some nasty errors in the booklet. Several tracks that are said to be performed by the ensemble from the album "Out on a Limb" that includes Oscar Pettiford and Skeeter Best (for example, track 5, "Beale Street Blues") in fact feature the Powell, Ruby Braff, Bobby Donaldson trio from the album "Thigamagig." Track 13, "You're Lucky To Me," is said to be played a group, from the album "Mel Powell Septet," that includes Buck Clayton, Edmond Hall, Steve Jordan and Walter Page, when in fact the piano, guitar, bass trio trio heard on this and the following track consists of Powell, Pettiford and Best, and the Clayton, Hall band is nowhere to be heard on this CD. This last goof could really spread misinformation, because "You're Lucky To Me" includes an agile, boppish Pettiford bass solo the likes of which the otherwise estimable Walter Page could never have played; one imagines an unwary listener rewriting jazz history accordingly. Also, the tracks from the album "The Mel Powell Bandstand" clearly feature solos by an uncredited tenor saxophonist on several tracks. I don't have a discography at hand , so who is he? Bob Wilber? I suppose it might be Chuck Russo doubling, but an alto saxophonist solos on one of the tracks that includes a tenor solo, and Russo, who is credited as playing alto and other reed instruments, is unlikely to have taken two solos on one track.

Again, I'm grateful for your reissue program and have already ordered the second Powell album, but you need to run a tighter ship, especially when the "The Best Things in Life Are Free" booklet rightly emphasizes the quality with which Vanguard operated in the 1950s.

Dear Larry,

Your e-mail regarding the Mel Powell package was forwarded to me. Needless

to say I am concerned if, in fact, these errors prove to be substantiated.

Sam Charters, a noted musical historian, first developed the idea of

re-releasing the John Hammond Jazz Showcase about 10 years ago. However,

this idea sat on a shelf until last year when I arrived at Vanguard. I also

thought that we should research the series. Though I knew Mel Powell and

even contribute liner notes to the second package I told Sam that I would

have to rely on him for the identification of musicians. I have forwarded

your e-mail to him for response.

Unfortunately much of the information in the files regarding these sessions

in the 1950s is sketchy at best. For each project all we could do was go to

the files and see what musicians were listed for that particular album. In

other words the album Mel Powell Septet that you sited only lists as

musicians: Edmond Hall, Buck Clayton, Henderson Chambers, Steve Jordan,

Walter Page, Jimmy Crawford and Mel. These are the only musicians listed in

the session books from the 1950s as well as on the actual EP jacket released

in 1953.

I can address a couple of your comments. You stated that several tracks are

said to be performed by the group from the album Out On A Limb. As an

example you give "Beale Street Blues" and say that it is, in fact, from the

album Thigamagig. I believe you are incorrect. Both our files and an actual

jacket of the album Out On A Limb confirm that "Beale Street Blues" is indeed

from the album Out On A Limb. Again this is confirmed both by our files as

well as an actual jacket. You are correct that the Mel Powell Bandstand

tracks feature a tenor sax player who is not given credit. Though our file

notes do not list a tenor sax player the original jacket does list Boomie

Richman on tenor sax. This one certainly slipped by everybody.

As I have said I am forwarding your notes to Sam and will get back to you as

soon as I have more information.

Thanks for your interest.

Best regards,

Steve Buckingham

Senior Vice President

Vanguard Records

Me again:

I heard no more from Buckingham or Charters, but I have a friend who knows Charters who said that he was mad as a hornet that someone had made trouble for him at Vanguard over this. Don't know Charters myself and have no particular reason to wish ill to him, but in this instance he acted like a lazy screw-up. Did he even listen to the CDs once they were assembled? If so, he would have spotted these goofs. (Yes, I did goof myself, or at least I think I did, on the album "Beale Street Blues" came from, but the main point is that the liner notes have got the personnel wrong here; "Beale Street" is played by the trio of Powell, Ruby Braff, and Bobby Donaldson, not [as the notes have it] by those men plus Skeeter Best amd Oscar Pettiford. Again, listening would have made that obvious.)

The other Powell ("It's Been So Long") and the two Braffs are the others in this series that I bought. Anyone find any other errors? Of course ( or maybe that should be, perhaps) the most troubling aspect of these Vanguard reissues is that they cherry pick from albums that should have been reissued in their entirety (e.g. Powell's excellent trio album, "Borderline," with Paul Quinichette and Donaldson).

[neveronfriday]

[...] the most troubling aspect of these Vanguard reissues is that they cherry pick from albums that should have been reissued in their entiret [...].

Yep, I totally agree.

Thanks for those corrections above! Browsing these forums here there's often talk about glaring errors like the ones you mention or crummy remastering jobs, and, and, and. They just don't make them like they used to.

I didn't even look at the booklets yet. I just listened to the stuff (but it certainly makes me wish that the powers that be would get some accurate and complete reissues out there, pronto). Besides that, I couldn't contribute anything to correct any errors - I simply don't have the knowledge when it comes around to these sessions.

Cheers!

[RDK]

Thanks Larry - very informative post. I think it's the other Powell album that I have, but I'll have to look at it (and the notes) a bit more critically now. I otherwise know nothing about Vanguard.

[neveronfriday]

For people who are unfamiliar with these, those are the ones I found on their site. One missing, I think. Will add that later. No time right now.

The Basie Bunch. Cool Too. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79603-2

# CLOSE QUARTERS 5:17

# BLUES BLASE 2:53

# EMBRACEABLE YOU 6:39

# BALLIN' THE JACK 4:43

# THE SLEEPER 3:33

# MORE THAN ONE FOR MY BABY 7:25

# PLEASE DON'T TALK ABOUT ME WHEN I'M GONE 3:28

# I WANT A LITTLE GIRL 4:28

# LINCOLN HEIGHTS 7:45

# GOOD MORNING BLUES 8:09

# CUBANO CHANT 3:57

# COOL TOO 2:38

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

The Basie Bunch. Too Marvelous For Words. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79601-2

# SHOE SHINE BOY 5:50

# LOVER MAN 6:29

# GEORGIA MAE 4:46

# SQUEEZE ME 5:14

# BUCK HUCKLES 4:57

# SPLITTIN’ 4:49

# CARAVAN 3:57

# OLD MAN RIVER 6:38

# TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS 5:09

# SENT FOR YOU YESTERDAY 2:26

# PERDIDO 5:53

# SATIN DOLL 5:48

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Ruby Braff. Linger Awhile. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79608-2

# SWEET SUE 9:19

# GHOST OF A CHANCE 7:25

# WISHING 3:17

# I COVER THE WATERFRONT 8:29

# KEEPING OUT OF MISHCHIEF NOW 5:52

# LINGER AWHILE 5:00

# I'M IN THE MARKET FOR YOU 5:50

# ROMANCE IN THE DARK 6:55

# WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR 5:59

# I CAN'T GET STARTED 10:59

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff. Duets I. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79609-2

# THOU SWELL 3:53

# WHERE OR WHEN 4:57

# IN A MOUNTAIN GREENERY 3:16

# I MARRIED AN ANGEL 4:02

# BLUES FOR RUBY 4:36

# BLUE MOON 4:13

# LOVE FOR SALE 5:39

# WHAT IS THERE TO SAY 4:31

# PLEASE 5:37

# SKYLARK 5:16

# SAILBOAT IN THE MOONLIGHT 4:47

# MY ROMANCE 3:28

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Ellis Larkins & Ruby Braff. Duets II. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79611-2

# YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME

# THE GIRL FRIEND

# WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN

# I COULD WRITE A BOOK

# OLD FOLKS

# POCKET FULL OF DREAMS

# YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL

# MY FUNNY VALENTINE

# I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING

# LITTLE GIRL BLUE

# I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS

# A CITY CALLED HEAVEN

# BLUES FOR ELLIS

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Vic Dickenson. Nice Work. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79610-2

# WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG MAGGIE BLUES 4:51

# EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABY 9:32

# OLD FASHIONED LOVE 9:34

# NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT 4:42

# SUSPENSION BLUES 8:38

# RUNNING WILD 5:31

# YOU BROUGHT A NEW KIND OF LOVE TO ME 5:17

# JEEPERS CREEPERS 12:05

# RUSSIAN LULLABY 9:21

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

[neveronfriday]

Mel Powell. It's Been So Long. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79605-2

# 'S WONDERFUL 4:14

# IT'S BEEN SO LONG 3:44

# YOU'RE LUCKY TO ME 4:54

# WHEN DID YOU LEAVE HEAVEN 3:38

# MAKIN' WHOOPIE 4:50

# BORDERLINE 3:29

# QUIN AND SONIC 3:44

# PENNIES FROM HEAVEN 3:59

# AVALON 3:38

# STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY 3:39

# CROSS YOUR HEART 2:19

# IF DREAMS COME TRUE 3:42

# GONE WITH THE WIND 2:52

# WHAT'S NEW 8:46

# COOCH 2:57

# BUNNY HUG 3:58

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Mel Powell. The Best Things In Life. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79602-2

# YOU’RE MY THRILL 5:22

# BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT 3:18

# ROSETTA 2:51

# CALIFORNIA HERE I COME 3:09

# BEALE STREET BLUES 3:33

# THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE’ 2:39

# LIZA 3:39

# THIGAMAGIG 2:29

# EVERYTHING I’VE GOT 3:05

# EASY SWING 4:40

# FIREBUG 1:45

# EZZ-MAY 4:29

# YOU’RE LUCKY TO ME 3:41

# THREE LITTLE WORDS 3:09

# AIN’T SHE SWEET 4:13

# BOUQUET 4:54

# TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS 4:09

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Jimmy Rushing. Every Day. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79607-2

# EVENIN' 7:33

# GOOD MORNING BLUES 5:19

# SEE SEE RIDER 5:13

# TAKE ME BACK, BABY 2:39

# SENT FOR YOU YESTERDAY 3:40

# ROLL 'EM PETE 4:34

# SOMETIMES I THINK I DO 6:34

# TAKE ME WITH YOU BABY 5:01

# MY FRIEND MR. BLUES 5;50

# EVERY DAY 6:10

# DON'T CRY, BABY 5:55

# ROCK AND ROLL 3:11

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Jimmy Rushing. Oh Love. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79606-2

# BOOGIE WOOGIE 2:41

# I WANT A LITTLE GIRL 4:19

# HOW LONG 4:53

# IT'S HARD TO LAUGH A SMILE 3:16

# GOIN' TO CHICAGO 3:38

# I CAN'T UNDERSTAND 4:37

# PENNIES FROM HEAVEN 5:25

# OH LOVE 6:03

# IF THIS AIN'T THE BLUE (Inst.) 8:06

# DINAH 5:45

# HOW YOU WANT YOUR LOVIN' DONE 4:19

# LEAVE ME 4:20

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Sir Charles Thompson and The Hawks. For the Ears. Vanguard 1999.

Compact Disc #79604-2

# FORE! 6:55

# READY FOR FREDDIE 2:57

# IT'S THE TALK OF THE TOWN 4:36

# DYNAFLOW 4:51

# OH JOE! 6:21

# BEST BY TEST 2:50

# LOVE FOR SALE 6:24

# STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY 3:14

# HEY THERE 5:13

# FOR THE EARS 11:17

# BOP THIS 3:45

# UNDER THE SWEETHEART TREE 5:23

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

Original releases produced by JOHN HAMMOND

Compilation produced by STEVE BUCKINGHAM

Musical consultant and notes by SAMUEL CHARTERS

[Dan Gould]

The Vanguard reissues:

Great music that shouldn't have been put out as comps.

[montg]

I love the music I've purchased so far in this series..Hawk on the Thompson reissue, Edmond Hall and Vic Dickenson on the Dickenson compilation.. on and on. Buck Clayton sounds great!

Although this CD is not part of the recent series, it's most of the Clayton cuts for Vanguard:

1. S'Wonderful

2. Claytonia

3. Kandee

4. Squeeze Me

5. I Can't Get Started

6. Buck Huckles

7. Cool Too

8. Love Is Just Around The Corner

9. Blues Blase

10. It's Been So Long

11. Ballin' The Jack

12. Good Morning Blues

13. Just A Groove

14. The Queen's

[Late]

Another one to add to the list:

With sound samples. Check out "Jitterbug Waltz."

Edited November 18, 2004 by Late