Blakey's Soul Finger - help with musician lineup

[romualdo]

Have just obtained Art's Soul Finger CD (originals) - there appears to be lineup variation between the liner notes (likely taken from an original sleeve) & some of the discographies I have (Lord, Japanese Jazz Discography).

The CD states the recording dates were May 12-13, 1965 & the only saxophonist was Lucky Thompson (playing ss & ts)

On the other hand my discographies list Lucky Thompson as playing ss & only on one title, Spot Session (quartet & dated 21 April) whereas Gary Bartz (as) was present (on the other dates in May)

Can anyone confirm that Gary Bartz did play on these sessions & Lucky Thompson was only on Spot session - I'm sure I can hear a tenor sax on some of the other titles

Cheers & thanks for any advice

[mikeweil]

From Noal Cohen's Lucky Thompson Discography:

Date: April 21, 1965

Location: NY

Label: Limelight

Art Blakey (ldr), Lucky Thompson (ss), John Hicks (p), Victor Sproles (b), Art Blakey (d)

a. 2-31781 Spot Session - 7:24 (Lucky Thompson)

Verve CD: 314 516 107-2 — Compact Jazz: Art Blakey (1993)

Universal (Jpn.) CD: UCCM 9128 — Soul Finger (2002)

Verve CD: 001255502 — Soul Finger (2009)

Limelight (Eng.) LP 12": LM 4012 — Soul Finger

Limelight (Jpn.) LP 12": SFX 7334 — Soul Finger

Trip LP 12": TLP 5583 — Soul Finger

Limelight LP 12": LM 82018/LS 86018 — Soul Finger (1965)

b. 2-31782 Midtown Strut

unissued

Edited September 16, 2009 by mikeweil

[Niko]

wasn't there a highly detailed answer by claude schlouch in this thread at some point - or did i dream that?

[mikeweil]

I'm afraid you did - but IIRC there was a thread, perhaps about the latest Universal reissues, where this was discussed.

[Niko]

I'm afraid you did - but IIRC there was a thread, perhaps about the latest Universal reissues, where this was discussed.

actually, i'm pretty sure by now, that he (?) answered and deleted his answer (only evidence i have though is that it doesn't make much sense that a relatively easy discographical inquiry would have stayed unanswered for so long...)

Edited September 16, 2009 by Niko

[mikeweil]

I couldn't find anything among Claude's recent posts. I tried do a search but received error messages ...

Edited September 16, 2009 by mikeweil

[Claude Schlouch]

Not Niko, you did not dream. I posted the following message some days ago:

Lucky Thompson (ss), John Hicks (p), Victor Sproles (b), Art Blakey (dm, lead)

New York City, April 21, 1965

31781 Spot Session (7:24)

issued on Limelight LM 82018/LS 86018, (E)LM 4012, (Jap)SFX-7334, Trip TLP 5583, Universal(Jap) UCCM-9128, Verve 001255502, all titled "Soul Finger", Verve 314 516 107-2 "Compact Jazz: Art Blakey".

31782 Midtown Strut (unissued)

Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard (tp), Gary Bartz (as), John Hicks (p), Victor Sproles (b), Art Blakey (dm)

New York City, May 12, 1965

36220 Buh's bossa (5:25)

issued on Jabb(E)JABB-3, Limelight LM 82018/LS 86018, (E)LM 4012, (Jap)SFX-7334, UCCM-9128, Mercury(Net)210.017LML (mono) = 220.017LMY (stereo), Trip TLP-5583.

36221 Soul finger (3:13)

issued on Limelight LM 82018/LS 86018, (E)LM 4012, (Jap)SFX-7334, UCCM-9128, Mercury(Net) 210.017LML (mono) = 220.017LMY (stereo), Trip TLP-5583.

Lee Morgan does not play on Slowly but surely from this session.

Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard (tp), Gary Bartz (as), John Hicks (p), Victor Sproles (b), Art Blakey (dm)

New York City, May 13, 1965

36222 Freedom Monday (6:13)

36223 The hub (7:15)

36224 A quiet thing (6:47)

All titles on Limelight LM 82018/LS 86018, (E)LM 4012, (Jap)SFX-7334, UCCM-9128, Mercury(Net) 210.017LML (mono) = 220.017LMY (stereo), Trip TLP-5583.

[Niko]

ah, thank you!

[bertrand]

I'll add composer credits:

Soul Finger (Freddie Hubbard) 1

Buh's Bossa (Lee Morgan)

Spot Session (Lucky Thompson)

Freedom Monday (Gary Bartz) 2

A Quiet Thing (Kander/Ebb)

The Hub (Freddie Hubbard)

I don't know about the other two tunes.

1: Credited to Morgan/Hubbard on the record, but copyrighted by Hubbard only.

2: Credited to Art Blakey, but actually by Gary Bartz - it's the same tune as 'Freedom One Day' from Libra.

Bertrand.

Edited September 16, 2009 by bertrand

[JohnS]

Just playing this after reading a review in Jazzwise that suggests Thompson plays on all tracks!

But what happened to Slowly But Surely. Claude mentions it above, Lord lists it as on Soul Finger but it's not on my Trip Jazz vinyl?

[bertrand]

They put it on Hold On I'm Coming for some reason.

Bertrand.

[JohnS]

They put it on Hold On I'm Coming for some reason.

Bertrand.

Thanks Bertrand. I don't think I have that one, pity.

[mikeweil]

I got this last week. IMHO the track with Lucky is the best.

Blakey displays some bad timing on the samba beat - instead o--oo--oo--oo--oo--oo he almost plays o-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo with the bass drum - and he has trouble locking in with the bass player. Victor Sproles is such a great bassist - never played a bad note. Blakey always had problems playing bossa nova and samba ...

Edited September 22, 2009 by mikeweil