Red Mitchell

[Late]

Keith "Red" Mitchell seems to me one of the most under-recognized bass players. Had he been an East Coast stalwart, I think his name would have the same currency as Wilbur Ware, Paul Chambers, etc. Maybe it does in some circles, but, overall, I wouldn't say so. And his jazz has! Cleanest chops on the West Coast.

[Big Beat Steve]

Agreed - Red Mitchell seems to be one of those unjustly underrated jazzmen. Maybe the fact that he spent much of his later life in Europe (Sweden) was a contributing factor.

At any rate, he is one of those names that make me think "the session can't have been bad" when I see his name in the line-up, and I always enjoyed his "Presenting Red Mitchell" album on Contemporary and his "HappyMinors" and "Some Hot Some Sweet Some Mild" albums on Bethlehem, for example, not to mention his work as a sideman (with Red Norvo, etc.).

As for him having "the cleanest chops on the West Coast", I don't feel qualified to judge that but this might get you into an argument with Curtis Counce followers ...

[Spontooneous]

For a look into the man's soul, get "Simple Isn't Easy" on Sunnyside.

[Larry Kart]

I have mixed feelings about Mitchell. Historically, and terms of quality/fluidity of melodic thought, he and Mingus probably were the key horn-like bass soloists -- Mitchell's work, I would suspect, had a major impact on Scott LaFaro -- and Mitchell's rhythm section playing was top-notch too, up to a point in time that I can't nail down but that may have coincided with his development of a retuned, four-string bass (from the top down -- A, D, G, low C) in the mid-1960s. Whatever, Mitchell IMO eventually began to swoop/swoon about the instrument (and highlight that booming fourth string) in a rather self-indulgent "Hey, I'm being lyrical!" manner, both as a soloist and behind other players too; there are a fair number of latter-day recordings where Mitchell's presence as a sideman makes things a trial to listen to, at least for me. Also, I heard him once live at Shelly's Manne Hole in 1962 and was surprised to find that on the stand in a normal rhythm section he was barely audible. I'd assumed from his recordings that he had a big sound. On the other hand, you can't deny how good Mitchell was when he was good -- just as you (or I) can't deny how good Phil Woods (a somewhat parallel case, perhaps) was before he got all "hot" and jazzy.

[Peter Friedman]

I have two very powerful memories of seeing Red Mitchell in person.

The first was when he was leading a trio at the Village Vanguard in NYC. This trio had Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Nisse Sandstrom, the fine Swedish tenor player. The trio was terrific, and Red's solos were outstanding. Mitchell's rhythm playing was good, but not special the way his solos were.

The second memory is when I was living in Rochester,New York and the Eastman School of Music brought Red in for a masterclass and a concert. The concert was held in the wonderful small auditorium called Kilbourn Hall. One very unique aspect of the concert was when Red held up a copy of the Atlantic LP by the late trumpet player Tony Fruscella. Red indicated that he loved this LP and especially Tony's playing on the tune "I'll Be Seeing You". He then played bass along with the recorded version of that tune.

Pianist Bill Dobbins was on the Eastman faculty at that time and Red played a number of tunes with Dobbins and a local drummer. Once again, Red's solos were fantastic. In fact they are among the most enjoyable bass solos I have ever heard. They were not exercisies in technical fireworks, but rather were beautifully melodic and highly creative. Great stuff!!!!!

Edited October 21, 2006 by Peter Friedman

[Late]

I love Paul Chambers, and would never dismiss the man on any account, but something about Red's soloing, or playing unison lines with horn players, just seems more alive to me. Often (when playing a unison line with a saxophonist, for example), Red's playing seems more horn-like than the horn he's playing with — quite an accomplishment on such a (relatively) unwieldy instrument.

(Note: In no way do I mean to diminish P.C.'s contributions to jazz. I don't think, for example, Mithcell would have been a "better" fit in the quintet with Red Garland and Philly Joe. I guess I just prefer Mitchell's playing in a spot-lighted role. )

[Chuck Nessa]

I love Paul Chambers, and would never dismiss the man on any account, but something about Red's soloing, or playing unison lines with horn players, just seems more alive to me. Often (when playing a unison line with a saxophonist, for example), Red's playing seems more horn-like than the horn he's playing with — quite an accomplishment on such a (relatively) unwieldy instrument.

(Note: In no way do I mean to diminish P.C.'s contributions to jazz. I don't think, for example, Mithcell would have been a "better" fit in the quintet with Red Garland and Philly Joe. I guess I just prefer Mitchell's playing in a spot-lighted role. )

The "playing a unison line" drove me nuts and to some extent erased my earlier appreciation of his skills.

[Ken Dryden]

I've enjoyed the late Red Mitchell's recordings, particularly the duo meetings with Herb Ellis and Joe Pass.

I love the story from Bill Crow's Jazz Anecdotes, where Red asked how he got hired

for a gig with Marian McPartland. He was told she requested, "Hire a bass player who

sounds like Red Mitchell."

Anyone ever heard the LP with Red, Whitey and Blue Mitchell, Get Those Elephants Out'a Here? A rarity from the 1950s that I managed to acquire awhile back.

[(BB)]

OFFICAL RED RANKINGS AS DETERMINED BY CLEMENTINE

1. Henry "Red" Allen

2. Piano Red

3. Red Rodney (& Ira Sullivan)

5. Red Norvo

6. Red Allen (the great mandolin player)

7. Red Top by Gene Ammons (on 78)

8. Red Actions (collection of poetry by Robert Kelly)

9. Red The Fiend (novel by Gilbert Sorretino)

10. The Autobiography of Red (serial book/poem by Anne Carson)

11. Red Holzman (former New York Knicks coach)

12. Ed Blackwell & Dewey Redman

13. Stendahl Red and Black

14. Method Man and Redman Blackout!

15. Max Roach Chattahoocee Red

16. Erik the Red

17. Blue Oyster Cult "The Red and the Black"

18. The Minutemen covering BOC

19. Red Oak, Iowa

20. Red River dir. Howard Hawks

21. "Red Wings" (cunnilingus iteration, if that's the way you roll)

22. Detroit Red Wings (old school NHL)

...

[TIE: appropriate, since the real achievement of each was obscured by later decline, or disputable tics (see above)]

50. Red Foley

50. Red Mitchell

How about Red Callender?

and the movie Red

which was mulititudes better, and never to be confused with Reds

and the too obvious to mention Reds

[montg]

well the #1 dude i forgot is the mighty

Tampa Red

(mea maxima culpa)

who has to go top 5 i think tho' i need to rerun my analysis overnight & figure out exactly where.

thank ya'll for your patience,

c

Don't forget red garland. he's probably somewhere between red holzman and red oak IA.

[brownie]

Clem, where do these stand?

- Dave Brubeck's Red, Hot and Cool

- Red Holloway

- Chairam Mao's Little Red Book

[47 West 63rd N.Y.C.]

I'll add saxophonist Sonny Red

[Larry Kart]

Robert Redcross

[ghost of miles]

Red Rolfe--only baseball player I know of who ever wrote a sports column for The Daily Worker.

Hard to disagree with much of what Messrs. Kart, Nessa, and Clem say above, but lately I've been spinning the BIG TWO V. 2 Storyville with Marsh a lot and thinking about hunting down V. 1.

Edited October 22, 2006 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

a session at Monroe's.....look out Red...

[The Red Menace]

This thread has me seeing red!!!

Red Square, comrades. It must be on any commissar-approved list.

[Allan Songer]

I have always been fond of Red Gretches

[Eloe Omoe]

I've enjoyed the late Red Mitchell's recordings, particularly the duo meetings with Herb Ellis and Joe Pass.

In the Seventies, Mitchell started a long collaboration with Italian pianist Guido Manusardi (they were both living in Sweden then). They recorded many times for Amigo and Carosello (as a quartet with Lennart Aberg and Petur Ostlund) and as a duo for Produttori Associati/PaUsa, Soul Note and a couple of other labels.

Some months ago, Splasc(h) records put out an excellent Mitchell-Manusardi 1974 live recording at a Stockholm jazz club.

Luca

[mikeweil]

There are several excellent Red Mitchell sessions on Capri Records, all highly recommended. I always considered him one of the greatest jazz bassists, with a gorgeous sound all his own, no matter how small it was, and great swing and ideas. One can hear from the joy in his music how much living in Sweden relaxed his life.

The one with Jimmy Rowles and Donald Bailey is one of the best ten piano trio CDs I have!

[Eloe Omoe]

There are several excellent Red Mitchell sessions on Capri Records, all highly recommended.

Seeing the Mitchell-Beck duo CD has made me think of their Gryphon double album,

Empathy, which I have always been very fond of. I wonder if it has ever made it on CD, maybe on Jazz Heritage or DCC?

Luca

[brownie]

Another favorite...

[makpjazz57]

Brownie,

The Red Mitchell/Jimmy Rowles looks killin'! Can't seem to find this available for purchase on line. Is this one out of print?

Marla

[brownie]

Brownie,

The Red Mitchell/Jimmy Rowles looks killin'! Can't seem to find this available for purchase on line. Is this one out of print?

Marla

Marla, it was reissued as a CD in France by Dreyfus records. Might be hard to get by now.

I have the original vinyl release (on the long gone French label AllLife).

[Dave James]

Does Carrot Top count?

Up over and out.

[mikeweil]

Red'n'Me includes perhaps the finest example of Jimmy Rowles' love affair with Wayne Shorter tunes: "Mama G" from the VeeJay days, a hard bop burner that inspires the duo to some great exchanges.

Couldn't find a used copy on amazon.de - though the Dreyfus CD mighty be easier to locate.