Jamming in Jazz

[Late]

TOCJ 66011

Call it what you want — "prebop," "trad," "really the blues," "beans 'n checkers" — it doesn't get much better than this. This classic Blue Note side, reissued in Japan on compact disc (1998) with seven additional tracks and now out-of-print, might just be the record to convince a person how astonishing this brand of improvised music truly is. Not only that, for the sonically finicky it offers incredible (for a wax transfer) sound. Recorded 1943-44, the disc presents three "Blue Note Jazzmen" congregations:

Edmond Hall's Blue Note Jazzmen

1. High Society 4:00

2. Blues at Blue Note 4:11

3. Night Shift Blues 4:07

4. Royal Garden Blues 4:06

5. Blue Note Boogie 3:54

Sidney de Paris' Blue Note Jazzmen

6. Everybody Loves My Baby 3:31

7. Ballin' the Jack 4:44

8. Who's Sorry Now 4:14

9. The Call of the Blues 4:18

James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen

10. Tishomingo Blues 4:32

11. Walkin' the Dog 4:30

12. Easy River 4:33

13. At the Ball 4:08

I'm guessing that most, if not all, of the above tracks have seen compact disc reissue elsewhere (deleted domestic Blue Note, Classics, ASV, etc.), but, with this particular track order and without repeated tunes, there seems to be something special about this particular disc. Maybe it's just me being giddy over these particular recordings, but hopefully I'm not alone.

And ... it looks like a new copy of the above is available here.

[P.D.]

You are correct about the quality of this music.

I think Mainstream Jazz would be a good category for it.

Most of it has been in my collection for close on 50 years.

All of it has been there since the Mosaic issue of this material.

It was their 9th set.

All of this music is available elsewhere.. though as you say.. not necessarily in the sequence of this disc, and perhaps with different sonic qualities

But for $25.00( or a little bit more that will supply additional music by these artists) I'm sure that it can be obtained on 2 or more discs..

Still it should be heard by all and sundry, though I doubt it will be accepted by those who listen to Electric Miles or ECM 8 hours a day.

[Harold_Z]

Yeah....This is great stuff. I didn't get the entirety until the Mosaic set either. The front line of De Paris, Hall, and Dickenson is great and the rhythm section is swingin'. James P. is a total blast throughout.

[DrJ]

I'm sure most of his was out in the US a couple years back for BN's 60th anniversary - but perhaps not all of it. It's ALL wonderful. This is the type of material I'd love to see Van Gelder try and tackle for the RVG series.

[Late]

Yeah, I'd love to see Rudy remaster sessions from the first half of this page. Goodness!

[jazzbo]

I still think for the most part the first fifteen years of Blue Note's recorded output is my favorite. I love this disc! And others from the period. And I three wish that RVG would be turned loose on these acetates!