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Charlie Shavers blasting it out!

Video from Art Ford's 'Jazz Party' filmed in September 1958. With Shavers and Coleman Hawkins are JC Higginbotham (not Wilbur de Paris as the film title states), Pee Wee Russell, Willie The Lion Smith, Dicky Thompson on guitar, Vinnie Burke on bass, Sonny Greer on drums and Harry Shepard at the vibes.

Avalon

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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band), and then:

B0001QNODI_01__SCLZZZZZZZ_SS500_.jpg

Edited by mmilovan
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how charlie shavers died

harvey shapiro

he had a gig

but he was hurting.

his doctor said, play the date,

then check into the hospital.

that night, when the party ended

and the band packed up,

charlie started to give stuff away---

his watch, his rings-to the women

in the room. then

he circled the room with his horn

playing: "for all i know we may never meet again

at this point, the man who was telling the story

in the locker room at the manhattan plaza gym

and who has sung the line slowly, with

a pause between each word, began to cry.

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I love Shavers, but watrching some of these clips I do think that there is a stylistic confusion in his playing which is sometimes appropriate, sometimes not - he was certainly entitled to throw in a little Dizzy, a little Roy and a little Louis, beause he knew how to do it well - but there are times I want him to settle on something - the mix of styles can work, a la Jaki Byard, but sometimes it becomes just a mix and not a whole - on the other hand, as Larry has pointed out, the Hawk track is great; and as soon as I go home tonight I'll check out that Dorsey clip -

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I love Shavers, but watrching some of these clips I do think that there is a stylistic confusion in his playing which is sometimes appropriate, sometimes not - he was certainly entitled to throw in a little Dizzy, a little Roy and a little Louis, beause he knew how to do it well - but there are times I want him to settle on something - the mix of styles can work, a la Jaki Byard, but sometimes it becomes just a mix and not a whole - on the other hand, as Larry has pointed out, the Hawk track is great; and as soon as I go home tonight I'll check out that Dorsey clip -

I know what you mean, but at least some of time I think that for Shavers that frequently surrealistic mix of styles was the point -- that at the heart of his music there was an impish, "let's melt some watches" streak.

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absolutely - and he walked that fine line expertly - I have a phrase that I repeat too often, which is that there is a difference between mannerism and style - and I think Shavers is a good example of the difficulty, sometimes, presented to the critic and listener in distinguishing the two -

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The good side of Charlie Shavers is evidenced in the splendid reissue from Jazz Factory 'Gene Krupa Complete Sextet Studio Sessions' that reunites three of those Krupa dates. Shavers is on all three.

There is also superb playing by Ben Webster on one of those sessions. Plus Willie Smith and Eddie Davis on the others. And Teddy Wilson on pîano throughout!

746012.jpg

If Verve had done its job properly, this CD would have been reissued under their banner!

Edited by brownie
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  • 3 months later...

B0001QNODI_01__SCLZZZZZZZ_SS500_.jpg

This one has some great Charlie Shavers (I have these sessions on a compilation by the Doormouse label under the title "Session at Midnight / Session at Riverside"). Edison and Shavers are not playing together, they're on different sessions, the one with Shavers among others also has Billy Butterfield, Lou McGarity, Coleman Hawkins, Osie Johnson.

He is on some of the Norman Granz Jam Sessions too, a highlight being the one with Charlie Parker, Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges.

Shavers has some strong moments on Ernie Wilkins' "The Big New Band Of The 60's" (I have the Fresh Sound edition).

Recommended are the sessions with Budd Johnson on "The Stanley Dance Sessions" on Lonehill (I know ..., but they are not otherwise available).

Charlie Shavers has many great recordings in the 40's as a sideman of Teddy Wilson, Coleman Hawkins, Sidney Bechet.

Finally I second the recommendation for "Hawk Eyes" by Coleman Hawkins.

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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band)....

Let me second(or third) the comments about the John Kirby group!!! Wonderful, wonderful music! It's be too long since I played any, but I believe Charlie only plays muted trumpet on the recordings???

He played for quite some time with Tommy Dorsey, about the only African-American in his band, IIRC.

The now out of print cd, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra-The Post War Era, mentions how they had to do around 20 takes of "The Hucklebuck" since Charlie was having a terrible time singing a stretched out Sacroiliac!!! ^_^

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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band), and then:

B0001QNODI_01__SCLZZZZZZZ_SS500_.jpg

the aloc vehemently agrees.

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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band)....

Let me second(or third) the comments about the John Kirby group!!! Wonderful, wonderful music! It's be too long since I played any, but I believe Charlie only plays muted trumpet on the recordings???

He played for quite some time with Tommy Dorsey, about the only African-American in his band, IIRC.

The now out of print cd, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra-The Post War Era, mentions how they had to do around 20 takes of "The Hucklebuck" since Charlie was having a terrible time singing a stretched out Sacroiliac!!! ^_^

I've never heard anything of the John Kirby band, though I've always heard how good the band was. Anyone got some recommendations for currently available stuff?

MG

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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band)....

Let me second(or third) the comments about the John Kirby group!!! Wonderful, wonderful music! It's be too long since I played any, but I believe Charlie only plays muted trumpet on the recordings???

He played for quite some time with Tommy Dorsey, about the only African-American in his band, IIRC.

The now out of print cd, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra-The Post War Era, mentions how they had to do around 20 takes of "The Hucklebuck" since Charlie was having a terrible time singing a stretched out Sacroiliac!!! ^_^

I've never heard anything of the John Kirby band, though I've always heard how good the band was. Anyone got some recommendations for currently available stuff?

MG

MG, it is always shocking to me to see how many cds I own that have gone out of print since I bought them! Since I see none of the ones I own in print on amazon(At least the U.S. version) here is one that sounds pretty darn good, with 2 very positive reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Columbia-RC...s/dp/B00004Z55U

Oh, if you haven't heard much of the young Maxine Sullivan , you are in for a pleasant surprise there as well! :)

Edited by BERIGAN
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Putting Roy and Charlie side by side, and telling that Roy was more melodic, in some way better than Charlie, I found inappropriate, unfair to hear... :ph34r:

Surely, Roy was melodic player, but Charlie too, and his technique helped him a lot in developing strong music ideas and motifs in his playing.

Speaking of favorite discs with Shavers I like John Kirby Sextet the most (give me anything to listen from that wonderfull band)....

Let me second(or third) the comments about the John Kirby group!!! Wonderful, wonderful music! It's be too long since I played any, but I believe Charlie only plays muted trumpet on the recordings???

He played for quite some time with Tommy Dorsey, about the only African-American in his band, IIRC.

The now out of print cd, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra-The Post War Era, mentions how they had to do around 20 takes of "The Hucklebuck" since Charlie was having a terrible time singing a stretched out Sacroiliac!!! ^_^

I've never heard anything of the John Kirby band, though I've always heard how good the band was. Anyone got some recommendations for currently available stuff?

MG

MG, it is always shocking to me to see how many cds I own that have gone out of print since I bought them! Since I see none of the ones I own in print on amazon(At least the U.S. version) here is one that sounds pretty darn good, with 2 very positive reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Columbia-RC...s/dp/B00004Z55U

Oh, if you haven't heard much of the young Maxine Sullivan , you are in for a pleasant surprise there as well! :)

Thanks Berigan - I knew I could rely on you! And I couldn't resist the price - Amazon.com is half the price of Amazon.co.uk, even with extra postage!

I haven't heard much Maxine - I have 2 cuts from 1944 on a compilation that's mostly Una Mae Carlisle. Actually, not too impressive compared to UMC and Savannah (who's also present).

MG

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