Boyce Brown Recommendations

[chitownjazz]

I am interesting in exploring some of the work of alto saxophonist Boyce Brown / Brother Matthew. I would like help with recommendations and, where appropriate, information on CD (ideally) or LP availability. Here are the items I am aware of, mostly taken from Sudhalter's Lost Chords book.

1. 1935 recordings with Paul Mares and His Friars’ Society Orchestra. Sudhalter mentions 2 takes each of 4 tunes, I’ve only found 2 of the 8 tracks on CD, on Chicago White Small Bands
   
2. 1935 recordings with Charle La Vere - Available?
   
3. 1939 four tracks with Jimmy McPartland, evidently available on Shades of Bix double LP, has this made it to CD?
   
4. 1940 two tracks with Bill Davison – I Surrender Dear and On a Blues Kick - Available?
   
5. Squirrel Ashcraft live sessions - Do any of these feature Boyce, and are they available?
   
6. Kansas City Frank Melrose – Bluesiana (Delmark CD)
   
7. Brother Matthew with Eddie Condon’s Jazz Band (ABC Paramount LP)
   

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[carnivore]

The Jimmy McPartland recordings were originally part of George Avakian's 'Chicago Jazz' Album, which I have on LP. I don't think the entire album has been reissued on CD - some of the material, the Condon sides I think were released under the 'supervision' of Orrin Keepnews a few years back with truly horrific sound quality.

[chitownjazz]

In partial answer to my own question, looks like some of this material is on this CD: Chicago Jazz Style. Now if I can find the CD...

[chitownjazz]

This source mentions that Boyce is on "four sides on Okeh, with Wettling and Stacy". This evidently refers to the Mares session.

This Classics CD has four of the eight Mares tracks.

Edited December 29, 2008 by chitownjazz

[AllenLowe]

1. 1935 recordings with Paul Mares and His Friars’ Society Orchestra. Sudhalter mentions 2 takes each of 4 tunes, I’ve only found 2 of the 8 tracks on CD, on Chicago White Small Bands
   

I have these on an IAJRC LP

1. 1935 recordings with Charle La Vere - Available?
   

as above

1. Kansas City Frank Melrose – Bluesiana (Delmark CD
   

the delmark cd is available - he plays tenor, plays well, but with less distinction than his alto -

[Chuck Nessa]

Not at home to check but I believe the Mares material is included in the NORK set on Retrieval.

[chitownjazz]

Not at home to check but I believe the Mares material is included in the NORK set on Retrieval.

Awesome Chuck, it sure is. For anyone else that's interested, Worlds Records carries it, New Orleans Rhythm Kings The Complete Set on a reasonably priced double CD.

Edited December 29, 2008 by chitownjazz

[chitownjazz]

1. 1935 recordings with Paul Mares and His Friars’ Society Orchestra. Sudhalter mentions 2 takes each of 4 tunes, I’ve only found 2 of the 8 tracks on CD, on Chicago White Small Bands
   

I have these on an IAJRC LP

1. 1935 recordings with Charle La Vere - Available?
   

as above

1. Kansas City Frank Melrose – Bluesiana (Delmark CD
   

the delmark cd is available - he plays tenor, plays well, but with less distinction than his alto -

Thanks Allen, if you have a chance to look up titles it would help me search for them.

Has anyone heard the Brother Matthew LP? Sudhalter dismisses it while AMG says Brown is in top form.

[chitownjazz]

The Jimmy McPartland recordings were originally part of George Avakian's 'Chicago Jazz' Album, which I have on LP. I don't think the entire album has been reissued on CD - some of the material, the Condon sides I think were released under the 'supervision' of Orrin Keepnews a few years back with truly horrific sound quality.

Thanks Carnivore, looks like the Shade of Bix LP is easier to turn up (or maybe it's just that "Chicago Jazz" is such a generic search).

[AllenLowe]

I listened to the Brother Matthew Lp a long time ago at Rutgers - as I recall it was painfully bad. He just didn't have the chops anymore.

[chitownjazz]

I listened to the Brother Matthew Lp a long time ago at Rutgers - as I recall it was painfully bad. He just didn't have the chops anymore.

Then the question becomes whether it's worth it for the album cover alone. How often do you see a friar playing jazz alto?

[jazzbo]

I listened to the Brother Matthew Lp a long time ago at Rutgers - as I recall it was painfully bad. He just didn't have the chops anymore.

Then the question becomes whether it's worth it for the album cover alone. How often do you see a friar playing jazz alto?

Well, if you're talking about the lp with Condonites I think it's quite nice! Hopefully it will surface on cd or download one day.

[Stereojack]

My first impression when I first got it years ago was that he was a shadow of his 30's self on this LP, but having pulled it out a few more times over the years, I don't think it's all that bad. One can hear a little bit of the old fire, even if he is a little rusty.

[carnivore]

As far as the McPartland sides are concerned, Brown's playing is quite eccentric and I've never heard anyone else play remotely like him. I always thought the sides were great in spite of Boyce. I recall hearing the Brother Matthew album a long time ago and thought it was pretty disastrous, at least from his point of view. The remainder of the 'Chicago Jazz Album' also included a marvelous set from George Wettling with Charlie Teagarden, Joe Marsala on tenor, Danny Polo, Floyd O'Brien, Jess Stacy, Jack Bland, and Artie Shapiro

[jazztrain]

1. & 2.: I have four sides from the Paul Mares session (1/26/35) as well as the Charles LaVere sides (3/11/36) on a CD called "Chicago 1935" on the Ganett label. Here's a link: http://www.users.dialstart.net/~jandmrec/q...%20reissues.htm

I suspect that the CD is likely out of print.

I'm not at home, so I can't confirm it at the moment, but it looks like the NORK 2-cd set on Retrieval may have 2 takes of Nagasaki and 2 takes of Maple Leaf Rag from the Paul Mares session. I'll check tonight when I get home.

4. I've heard at least one of two tracks with Will Bill Davision on 78. I don't remember them ever having been reissued.

I am interesting in exploring some of the work of alto saxophonist Boyce Brown / Brother Matthew. I would like help with recommendations and, where appropriate, information on CD (ideally) or LP availability. Here are the items I am aware of, mostly taken from Sudhalter's Lost Chords book.

1. 1935 recordings with Paul Mares and His Friars’ Society Orchestra. Sudhalter mentions 2 takes each of 4 tunes, I’ve only found 2 of the 8 tracks on CD, on Chicago White Small Bands
   
2. 1935 recordings with Charle La Vere - Available?
   
3. 1939 four tracks with Jimmy McPartland, evidently available on Shades of Bix double LP, has this made it to CD?
   
4. 1940 two tracks with Bill Davison – I Surrender Dear and On a Blues Kick - Available?
   
5. Squirrel Ashcraft live sessions - Do any of these feature Boyce, and are they available?
   
6. Kansas City Frank Melrose – Bluesiana (Delmark CD)
   
7. Brother Matthew with Eddie Condon’s Jazz Band (ABC Paramount LP)
   

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[chitownjazz]

Well, if you're talking about the lp with Condonites I think it's quite nice! Hopefully it will surface on cd or download one day.

I am. Maybe it's like Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin. To me she sounds like Michigan J. Frog when he refuses to sing. But some people claim it's good.

Anyway, thanks for all the posts everyone, this gives me a great start. "Eccentric" is exactly what I'm looking for.

Edited December 29, 2008 by chitownjazz

[chitownjazz]

Not at home to check but I believe the Mares material is included in the NORK set on Retrieval.

The Amazon listing for this set has five of Brown's solos among their audio samples: two each on Nagasaki and Maple Leaf Rag and one on When You Live In The Land Of Dreams.

Edited January 1, 2009 by chitownjazz

[Brownian Motion]

I've been looking for those 4 McPartland sides on CD for years. I'm pretty sure they never made it to CD, not even on the Classics label. Damn.

[jeffcrom]

Just discovered this forum. Hello to all, particularly chitownjazz.

I just won the Wild Bill Davidson/Boyce Brown Collector's Item 78 in an auction. Apparently it has never been reissued in any other format. I'll let you know how it is when I get it. Now let me see if my 78 RPM turntable still works....

[AllenLowe]

don't drop it -

[jeffcrom]

The Collector's Item 78 arrived yesterday, and it's pretty good. The first side, "On a Blues Kick," has a great alto solo - asymmetrical phrasing and unusual note choices. It's obvious that Brown is really improvising, not just running patterns. The flip side, "I Surrender Dear," is not quite as good - it's played with an odd, straight-eighth-note feel throughout. Maybe it's pre-bossa. Boyce's odd note choices are still there, but the phrasing is stiffer. Wild Bill Davidson sounds good in the ensembles, but doesn't take any solos.

There is no band name listed on the label, just the names and instruments of the five musicians, none of whom I've heard of except for Brown and Davidson. For some reason I'd always thought of this as a Wild Bill Davidson date, but I thought it was interesting that "BB" is engraved in the dead wax on side one. Side two just has "2." The piano is pretty bad; I've seen a picture of the recording session, and it looks like they recorded on the bandstand of a club. Anyway, it's a cool little record. And I haven't dropped it yet.

And I take the middle ground on the "Brother Matthew" LP. Boyce is still full of interesting ideas - he just can't execute them very well at that point. Worth hearing, if you're interested in BB.

Edited March 12, 2009 by jeffcrom

[AllenLowe]

is there any chance you can make me a CDR or other type copy of "On a Blues Kick" ? It might work well in my blues reissue project - would also be happy to clean it up a bit in return and send you back a copy-

[jeffcrom]

is there any chance you can make me a CDR or other type copy of "On a Blues Kick" ?

I'll be glad to, if you can be patient for a couple of weeks. With going into logistics, I'm going to burn a bunch of 78s onto CD-R in about two or three weeks. I'll make you a copy at that time.

[AllenLowe]

thanks -

[jeffcrom]

A new blog entry on Boyce Brown - here.