Ben Webster

[erwbol]

On 23/03/2014 at 6:06 PM, Cyril said:

 

I have that album. This are 3 concerts. Recordings from 1969 and from 1973, the year of his death....The final concert...

 

His last words: ‘Son, you are young and growing, and I am old and going, so have your fun while you can.’

 

On Thursday the 6th of September 1973 Ben has a gig in 'De Twee Spieghels' in Leiden. A concert that would become historical ...

Ben Walenkamp, the manager of the club, remembers that Ben wasn't in good shape, He was accompanied that evening by the Irv Rocklin Trio, featuring Irv Rocklin at the piano, Henk Haverhoek on double bass and Peter Ypma on drums.

 

Durium wrote a good article:

 

http://keepswinging.blogspot.nl/2011/02/ben-websters-final-concert-at-twee.html

As Brownie noted on page 1, the first CD of Ben Webster The Holland Sessions contains two studio dates recorded at the Bovema Studio in Heemstede. (Incidentally, this is where I live).

https://blog.discogs.com/en/emi-in-the-netherlands-gramophone-house/

Edited May 26, 2018 by erwbol

[Cyril]

On ‎25‎-‎5‎-‎2018 at 11:07 PM, erwbol said:

As Brownie noted on page 1, the first CD of Ben Webster The Holland Sessions contains two studio dates recorded at the Bovema Studio in Heemstede. (Incidentally, this is where I live).

It are 3 concerts !!! Two studio dates and the last one is a live recording.   It's recorded on September 6, 1973 at Café - Sociëteit 'De Twee Spieghels', Leiden.

Recorded by Ton Olde Monnikhof on a Akai stereo cassette - recorder and 2 microphones. Recordings compiled by Frank Jansen. Recordings electronically improved at EMI's Intertone Studios, Heemstede, The Netherlands by Maarten Proost.

 Previously released on vinyl longplay as "Last Concert". Ben with Irv Rocklin - piano, Henk Haverhoek - bass and Peter Ypma on drums.

 

 

 

[erwbol]

What do you mean 3 concerts? Only disc 2 is live and was recorded on a single day. Do you mean Ben played 3 sets at De Twee Spieghels that day? (I don't count studio dates as concerts.)

https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/7170122

Anyway, I ordered a copy this weekend. I look forward to hearing Ben play at the studio I pass so often with my dog on the way to the Haarlemmerhout. 

Edited May 27, 2018 by erwbol

[erwbol]

Spelling, grammar, semantics. Pffff! We see.

[Ted O'Reilly]

In Copenhagen...a modest gravestone.

 

[mjzee]

I would love to hear the complete Ben Webster - Live in Rhode Island.  It would have the Enja "Live At Pio's," the two LP's on Honeydew, and the Joe Williams/Webster date on Hyena.  More importantly, what other tapes does Tom DiPietro (who recorded the Pio's date) have?

[Д.Д.]

In Hot House, a Ben Webster live date with Tete Montoliu trio recorded in May 10, 1972 reissued on CD for the first time:

https://www.discogs.com/release/25329898-Ben-Webster-In-Hot-House  

[EKE BBB]

1 hour ago, Д.Д. said:

In Hot House, a Ben Webster live date with Tete Montoliu trio recorded in May 10, 1972 reissued on CD for the first time:

https://www.discogs.com/release/25329898-Ben-Webster-In-Hot-House  

Nice date, recorded at Jazzzolder Hot House (Leiden, Netherlands).

This one was recorded the day before, at the Haarlemse Jazzclub (Haarlem, Netherlands). Same rhythm section, except for Tony Inzalaco on drums instead of Eric Ineke:

[mjzee]

2 hours ago, EKE BBB said:

Nice date, recorded at Jazzzolder Hot House (Leiden, Netherlands).

This one was recorded the day before, at the Haarlemse Jazzclub (Haarlem, Netherlands). Same rhythm section, except for Tony Inzalaco on drums instead of Eric Ineke:

Looks like that will be rereleased soon in Japan: https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UVJZ-30178

[Big Beat Steve]

Seeing that latter-day Ben Webster in the Netherlands is discussed here: How would you (who are more familiar with his output from these years) rate this one (see link below, recorded on 5 Aug. 1970 at Laren studio) by comparison with his "other" Dutch output?
It's an item I picked up some years ago on a whim from the sales bin but otherwise I'm not exactly familiar with his recordings from this period.

https://www.discogs.com/de/release/4669279-Ben-Webster-Ben-Op-Zijn-Best

Thanx!

[mjzee]

8 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Seeing that latter-day Ben Webster in the Netherlands is discussed here: How would you (who are more familiar with his output from these years) rate this one (see link below, recorded on 5 Aug. 1970 at Laren studio) by comparison with his "other" Dutch output?
It's an item I picked up some years ago on a whim from the sales bin but otherwise I'm not exactly familiar with his recordings from this period.

https://www.discogs.com/de/release/4669279-Ben-Webster-Ben-Op-Zijn-Best

Thanx!

I've never seen that album before.  The August 5, 1970 recording date places it in between two other Webster titles I have: Ben & Teddy (Bern, Switzerland, May 1, 1970), and Wayfaring Webster (Holland, September 2, 1970).  Webster in those years was remarkably consistent - you won't find many surprises, but you will have a good time listening.

[JSngry]

Later Ben comes with a LOT of coasting. But it's a very elegant coasting. 

[Gheorghe]

I have a Black Lion Ben Webster album with Kenny Drew on piano, which is very very nice. 

[Big Beat Steve]

13 hours ago, mjzee said:

I've never seen that album before.  The August 5, 1970 recording date places it in between two other Webster titles I have: Ben & Teddy (Bern, Switzerland, May 1, 1970), and Wayfaring Webster (Holland, September 2, 1970).  Webster in those years was remarkably consistent - you won't find many surprises, but you will have a good time listening.

Thanks Mjzee. The record is nice to listen to (the description of moments of "coasting" isn't all wrong either) but I was curious about how to view it in its overall context of Webster's output in those years. Therefore my question. And haven't we all become used to taking album titles like "At His Best" (such as this one) with a grain of salt? 😉

[Late]

It's not good for one's health to go too long without listening to a Ben Webster record.

[mjzee]

58 minutes ago, Late said:

It's not good for one's health to go too long without listening to a Ben Webster record.

True that.

[EKE BBB]

15 hours ago, mjzee said:

True that.

I'll second that as well!

[mjzee]

Just finished listening to "At Hot House."  Hearing his sound is like greeting an old friend.  Really good date.  A fresh rhythm section gives Ben propulsion - he sounds frisky.  Great Tete Montoliu.  Good sound quality.  And a word must be said for the club crowd: they are loud and enthusiastic.  A lot of fun.

[Chuck Nessa]

Back a few I issued this (last) studio album (licensed from Ensayo) -

Later I loaned the masters to Analogue Productions to issue vinyl and SACD versions. it seems Ensayo dumped the analogue master.

FWIW, I reversed the sides 'cause i thought the program was better that way.

[Late]

See You At The Fair

[Big Beat Steve]

7 hours ago, Late said:

See You At The Fair

This one is among my recent arrivals here, but in the stack of the "to listen to" to-do list. Time to listen to it now, I guess.
Same for the "Ben Webster Meets Don Byas" of which I obtained a SABA original. After having read what's been written about this session in the Don Byas biography I think you cannot help listening to this record with somewhat "different" (or should I say "nuanced" ) ears. 

[Niko]

On 12/1/2022 at 10:55 PM, Big Beat Steve said:

Seeing that latter-day Ben Webster in the Netherlands is discussed here: How would you (who are more familiar with his output from these years) rate this one (see link below, recorded on 5 Aug. 1970 at Laren studio) by comparison with his "other" Dutch output?
It's an item I picked up some years ago on a whim from the sales bin but otherwise I'm not exactly familiar with his recordings from this period.

https://www.discogs.com/de/release/4669279-Ben-Webster-Ben-Op-Zijn-Best

Thanx!

I'd that the album is pretty good for an inhouse production of a super market, to be sold next to dairy and vegetables... And I wouldn't blame them too much for the overselling in the title - it's not like there were other Ben Webster album on offer there ...

In fact, I kind of like the idea of coupling Webster with a somewhat larger group of excellent, more modern players, it's a nice change of pace from many of his later albums

Edited 8 hours ago by Niko

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have a lot of the dates mentioned in this thread but it's hard to sort them all out sometimes. Sessions overlap on different CD releases and it's gotten very difficult to avoid buying music you already have. I recently picked up the Ensayo CD of "Gentle Ben" in a cheapie bin & I was worried that I already had the material on another CD.

[Late]

8 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

This one is among my recent arrivals here, but in the stack of the "to listen to" to-do list. Time to listen to it now, I guess.

Let us know what you think! (Was the harpsichord necessary?) I think Ben's in great form on this record. I don't like that the GRP compact disc issue (though it offers three valuable bonus tracks) sequences the tracks out of LP order. But that's easy enough to fix.

[Big Beat Steve]

55 minutes ago, Late said:

Let us know what you think! (Was the harpsichord necessary?) I think Ben's in great form on this record. I don't like that the GRP compact disc issue (though it offers three valuable bonus tracks) sequences the tracks out of LP order. But that's easy enough to fix.

Seems like I have the reissue you are referring to. 
Before listening in I'd have said (based on my strictly personal preferences) that I cannot see any real use for a harpsichord (beyond pure gimmickry) anywhere except with Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five.
But you made me curious so I had a listen to tracks 9 and 10 first. I agree that Ben Webster pulls it off any time, but I do not find that thing that sounds like an amplified harpsichord here (unusual ...) all that disturbing. Not necessary but not all that unpleasant. However, please note my (and maybe "our") stance on the use of the harpsichord in jazz from that era is clearly a Euro-centric one as we have been treated to that baroque instrument elsewhere in jazz from the late 50s/early 60s (Horst Jankowski - note I am talking about his PRE-"Black Forest" days here! - or George Gruntz, for example). The harpsichord was easily resorted to by those who were out to "thirdstream" European jazz.  So IMO the jazzier licks (at times almost organ-like) that come from the harpsichord here are OK and do not bother me. 
So ... just my 2c. Will listen closer to the "rest" later.