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Ben Webster


Durium

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A couple of Webster-related questions:

• Is Webster's 1969 For the Guv'nor worth tracking down? Charly reissued it on compact disc.

• Approximately how many sessions did Webster record with strings? I have his Verve output with strings, and have ordered Warm Moods. There was also a Storyville session that had strings on some tracks. What else was there?

• After, say, 1966 — what are your favorite Webster recordings? I'm wanting to check out "late period" Webster, and thought I'd ask for recommendations.

Thanks!

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What are those "Holland Sessions" and why did they come out on BN?

Late, you might want to look for a vinyl copy of "At Work in Europe" - it was a Prestige two-fer put out in the 70s or early 80s. One LP is with long-time partner Kenny Drew but has the added interest of a second pianist, Frans Weiringa, which I would not have expected Ben to employ, and the setlist is a bit different from his usual, with tunes like The Preacher, Straight No Chaser, and Work Song. Second set is actually the For the Guv'nor recording. First set only issued in Europe as Blow Ben Blow.

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What are those "Holland Sessions" and why did they come out on BN?

'The Holland Sessions' is a double CD that reissues the following vinyls:

'Ben Webster at Ease' from January 1969,

'For the Guv'nor' from May 1969, both recorded in Heemstede,

'Last Concert', a 1973 concert in Leiden.

All with local musicians.

Didn't this make it to the USA?

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A couple of Webster-related questions:

• After, say, 1966 — what are your favorite Webster recordings? I'm wanting to check out "late period" Webster, and thought I'd ask for recommendations.

Thanks!

Since you asked.

ben-webster-did-you-call.jpg

Did You Call? is one of my all-time favorite lp's ever! Period, without a doubt. Pure Beauty.

Good-God-Damn I love this record, gonna spin it right now.

Maybe Chuck can post a better image.

Bill

Edited by (BB)
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BEN WEBSTER - HARRY EDISON

b.webster_2.jpg

I just bought the Lonehill Jazz 2Cd Ben Webster - Harry Edison Complete Sextet Studio Sessions

Haven't heard it yet.

The Webster Blue Note is great and was only released by Blue Note - Holland.

webster.JPG

The recording, I started this subject with, Ben Op Zijn Best is also a typical Dutch release, only available on LP. I told its story at my Ben Op Zijn Best and Ben Op Zijn Best (again) contributions.

Keep swinging

Durium

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I used to have two of his Dutch albums. Sold them when I was poor, but with regret. They were:

Ben Webster at ease - on some British label but licensed from a firm called Catfish

Blow, Ben, blow - on Catfish.

Are these the ones on the Blue Note CD? I'd like them again.

MG

Only the first one ( Ben Webster At Ease ). The other two on the 2CD are For the Guv'nor and Last Concert.

Keep swinging

Durium

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Apparently the Webster "Blue Note" session was issued only by Blue Note Holland. I don't know why the U.S. market didn't partake — surely it would have sold!

and the price was pretty low!. Can't remember how much it cost but it was one of those too good to miss opportunity! Was worth every cent :)

Edited by brownie
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One of my favorite late-period Webster discs is a Storyville compilation

call "Ben Webster - Masters of Jazz." Lots of variety ranging from Ben leading a trio and quartet to a standard big band augemented by strings on one track. "C Jam Blues" has Ben and Dexter Gordon playing long solos. Ben sounds good on every track on this 75 minute CD. Tracks are from 1967-1970.

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ben-webster-did-you-call.jpg

Did You Call? is one of my all-time favorite lp's ever! Period, without a doubt. Pure Beauty.

Good-God-Damn I love this record, gonna spin it right now.

'Did You Call' is a straight reissue of 'Gentle Ben', that brownie mentioned.

From my Tete Montoliu discography:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: November 28, 1972

Location: Casino de L'Aliança del Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain

Label: Ensayo

Ben Webster (ldr), Ben Webster (ts), Tete Montoliu (p), Eric Peter (b), Peer Wyboris (d)

a. a-01 Ben's Blues - 09:07 (Ben Webster)

b. a-02 The Man I Love - 05:40 (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)

Fresh Sound CD: FSR 6001 - Momentos Inolvidables De Una Vida. 1965-1992. Grabaciones Realizadas En Barcelona (1997)

c. a-03 My Nephew Bent - 05:29 (Ben Webster)

d. a-04 How Long Has This Been Going On - 08:07 (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)

Fresh Sound CD: FSR 6001 - Momentos Inolvidables De Una Vida. 1965-1992. Grabaciones Realizadas En Barcelona (1997)

e. b-01 Sweet Georgia Brown - 06:33 (Maceo Pinkard, Kenneth Casey, Ben Bernie)

f. b-02 Don't Blame Me - 08:04 (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh)

g. b-03 Did You Call - 08:44 (Ben Webster)

h. b-04 Barcelona Shout - 04:40 (Ben Webster)

All titles on:

- Ensayo LP 12": ENY-301 - Gentle Ben (1972)

- Nessa LP 12": N 8 - Did You Call (1978)

- Ensayo CD: ENY-CD 3433 - Gentle Ben (1999)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited by EKE BBB
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Apparently the Webster "Blue Note" session was issued only by Blue Note Holland. I don't know why the U.S. market didn't partake — surely it would have sold!

... and the price was pretty low!. Can't remember how much it cost but it was one of those too good to miss opportunity! Was worth every cent :)

You understand, of course, that you're making all the Americans here envious ... :D

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Maybe Chuck can post a better image.

Not a "straight reissue" as you stated earlier. I reversed the sides for a "much better listening experience" and the mastering of my lp was way beyond the Ensayo original. While I have a couple thousand lp jackets left, I do not have a better scan.

I did the same procedure with the Ensayo Lucky Thompson date. Lucky said "It's obvious you have the real tapes".

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Not a "straight reissue" as you stated earlier. I reversed the sides for a "much better listening experience" and the mastering of my lp was way beyond the Ensayo original. While I have a couple thousand lp jackets left, I do not have a better scan.

I did the same procedure with the Ensayo Lucky Thompson date. Lucky said "It's obvious you have the real tapes".

Yes, you're right, Chuck, I knew that (you told me about it a couple of years ago). I'm afraid "Straight reissue" was not an accurate expression. I was trying to express there were no additional tracks.

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There's some very good Ben Webster recorded in Switzerland, released on the fine Sackville label from Canada that gets overlooked:

"Ben Webster & Teddy Wilson" with Isla Eckinger on bass and Peter Giger on drums, recorded at The National, Bern; May 1/70 (Sackville SKCD2-2056)

"Ben and Buck, featuring Ben Webster and Buck Clayton" with Henri Chaix, piano; Alain Du Bois, guitar; Isla Eckinger, bass; Romano Cavicchiolo, drums; from a concert in Baden, June 3/67 (Sackville SKCD2-2037)

Label boss John Norris is a bit of a luddite (no website or email), but you can write him at Sackville Recordings, PO Box 1002, Stn. O, Toronto ON Canada M4A 2N4. He does respond to faxes at 416.465.9093.

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