The Great Red Camp - Sure You Never Hear of him

[AllenLowe]

about 20 years ago I came across some LPs by a Texas pianist named Red Camp - recorded for Cooks Laboratories in Stamford Ct, I think in the 1950s. Well, some of the group performances were kinda old-timey - but the solo piano pieces! Wow - a weirdly prescient modernism, not unlike, interestingly, Jaki Byard, a combination of old and new in a very free and brilliantly creative way.

so, over the years I tried to find out about this guy, and came up zero, even at places like the Rutgers Inst. Jazz Studies - bupkis, nobody had a clue. Every 6 months or so I search the internet - and guess what? This week I found an site with a weeding duo, with a guy named Claude Camp, who is none other than - Red Camp's son (Red died in 1987)! So I called Claude, who was happy that someone remembered his departed dad, who, he told me, was born in 1909, was heavily influenced by Earl Hines, and knew Peck Kelly. We had a nice conversation, and he's going to send me some clippings, so now I can end my restless search.

Camp's albums, as far as I know, by the way, are available as CDRs on the Folkways site, which now owns the rights to the sessions. Check 'em out.

Long live Red Camp!

Edited August 18, 2010 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

Where in Texas was he from?

[AllenLowe]

good question - and I don't recall - I will be in touch soon with the son and I'll let you know.

[Stereojack]

Red Camp also accompanied Lizzie Miles on several of her Cook LP's.

[Harold_Z]

Red Camp also accompanied Lizzie Miles on several of her Cook LP's.

....And you can get those via download on Amazon.

[Chuck Nessa]

I spent my formative years in a Red Camp and that is why BERIGAN is such a joke for me.

[AllenLowe]

actually, Chuck, Sonny Rollins told me years ago that he summered in such camps, which were de-rigeur for the NYC left that was seeking to encourage racial integration. True story.

Edited August 20, 2010 by AllenLowe

[kwatson703]

I took piano from Red Camp in Corpus Christi, TX from 1968 to 1970,when I went on to college to major in music composition. He taught from his own compositions and from those of Zez Confrey. He was a lot of fun, and had an amazing facility (that I never quite attained).

[AllenLowe]

thanks for posting that. I am still a Red Camper.

[Don Brown]

According to Tom Lord's discography, Allen, Red Camp recorded on nine separate occasions - eight times for the Cook label and once for an outfit called Jazz Tex. He only made one album under his own name. On the others the leaders were clarinetist Charlie Boekman, singer Lizzie Miles, drummer Freddie Kohlman, and trumpeter Tony Almerico. While a couple of Camp's recording were made in Corpus Christi most were done in New Orleans.

[ghost of miles]

A young friend of mine was asking me about the Red Camp album today--he evidently just came across a copy of it. First I'd heard of him, but I figured somebody here had...and Mr. Lowe, you didn't disappoint.

[JSngry]

I found a Red Camp album today, and carpe diemed. This one:

Also found out a year or so ago that Red Camp is also the father of looong time Dallas bassist Alex Camp. I nevr knew!

Oh shit, check this out...are thee smitsonian DLs still available?

 

 

 

[JSngry]

whoa...