BFT 227 - the reveal

[mikeweil]

As curious as I was about your comments and guesses when I posted the link to the files, I am still more curious about your reactions to the reveal. So here it is.

1. Grooveyard (Carl Perkins) - The Trio: Walter Norris (p), Billy Bean (g), Hal Gaylor (b). Riverside LP 9380 (June 1961) / OJCCD 1923-2 (1999)
One of the rare cases where I like a cover version more than the orginal. This tune was recorded quite often, but this remains my favourite version. One member aptly described the lovely voicings as "ear candy" - that's what I love about this version, the perfect tempo and the warm sound of the voicings which I miss so often with young musicians, who seem to go for harmonic sophistication rather than for an accessible sound. This album was talked about some here, so I wondered why it wasn't identified rightaway.

 

2. S.H. Blackula (Ben Webster) - Jimmy Rowles (p & voc). "Jimmy Rowles In Paris" -  French CBS LP (1980), CD 465633-2 (1989)
Simply one of my favourite pianist, with absolute perfect time, even in an impromptu setting like this, when he recorded two LPs for Henri Renaud on two days in May 1980. This was on two LPs in France, reissued on one CD.

 

3. Stroll (Mose Allison) - Mose Allison (tp), Addison Farmer (b), Nick Stabulas (d), recorded January 24, 1958. Prestige LP 7137 "Young Man Mose" / twofer CD 24055 or other reissues
I, too didn't know Allison had learned to play trumpet, I found out when I bought the Fresh Sound box set of his Prestige albums. Only two tracks among them all. Pretty good for a pianist. But I hear the Kenny Dorham inspiration.

 

4. Woman Trouble (Ed Partyka)  - Partyka Brass: Tobias Weidinger, Bill Forman, Axel Schlosser (tp, flgh), Christine Chapman (french horn) Adran Mears, Johannes Lauer (tb), Ed Partyka (tuba, b-tb) "The Day After Christmas", Mons CD 874533 (2011)
After touring with Carla Bley and recording her Christmas Carols album, the band wanted to stay together and finally recorded this album. Probably hard to find, but a must for brass band fans. They all have perfect academic training, but play mostly in jazz contexts, so they perfectly maneuver that delicate balance between classically trained precision and jazz feeling. Partyka was born in Chicago of Polish/German ancestry, but moved to Europe.

 

5. Cubano Chant (Ray Bryant) - The Essence All Stars: Gato Barbieri (ts), Bob James (p), Andy Gonzalez (b), Lenny White (d & timbales), Steve Berrios (cga) - from Hip Bop Essence CD 8009 (1995) "Afro Cubano Chant"
One of the many All Star projects Milan Simich and/or Lenny White conceived in the 1990's. All are interesting, this one for Gato Barbieri, who is forced to play his best without getting opportunity to fall too much for his pet cliché phrasing. I'm not a fan of Barbieri's own albums but really dig his playing here.

 

6. Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim) - Rosa Passos (b) & Ron Carter (vcl & g); Lula (solo g), Paulo Braga (d & perc), Billy Drewes (ts) - CD "Entre Amigos" , Chesky 2003
Another proof of Carter's affinity for Brazlian music, and nice takes on the classic bossa nova repertoire. Veteran drummer Paulo Braga and the singer give it the vintage bossa nova feel. 

 

7. Hojas Muertas (Johnny Mercer, Spanish lyrics by Maria Rivas) - Maria Rivas (vcl) & Liberjazztrio: Laurent Lecuyer (p), Miguel Chacon (b), Eliazar Yánaz (perc) - CD Pepiada Queen (con Aldemaro en el alma), Obeso Pacanins 2008
She was Venezuela's greatest  singer, at home in all stylistics, but understood herself mostly as a Latin Jazz singer until her death of cancer in 2019 with only 59 years. Now her albums are hard to find, downloads might be the best option. The Aldemaro she has in mind on this album is Aldemaro Romero (1928-2007), Venezuelas greatest Bolero composer, with whom she performed and recorded. Samples can be found on YouTube. (I am still trying to find out which English Johnny Mercer title this is.) https://www.mariarivasjazz.com/wwwmariarivasnet-mainpage - each page has different songs as background music.

 

8. Uno Dos Adios (Lenny White) - The Essence All Stars: Craig Handy (ts), Tim Hagans (tp), Kenny Burrell (g), Cedar Walton (p) Ron Carter (b), Lenny White (d) - from "Primal Blue", Hip Bop Essence 8006 (1995)
Another example for the Simich & White projects, bringing together jazz greats of different generations playing older compositions or new originals in that style. White captured the lightly Spanish tinged mood of the 1960's Miles Davis quintet beautifully. JSngry hears traces of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" in this - well, I can see why. Since the many projects of Lenny White and/or Milan Simich  with the Essence Allstars or the Acoustic Masters of the Chartbusters and their tributes to Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, and Keith Jarrett always always combine musicians of two or three generations they should be taken serious as nods to older music that continue that tradition rather than just recreating it. And remember, this was in the mid-90's.

 

9. O.P. (Sam Jones) - Sam Jones (cello) & Co.: Les Spann (f), Joe Zawinul (p), Israel Crosby (b), Vernel Fournier (d) - LP "Down Home", Riverside 9432 (1962) / OJC CD 1864-2 (1995)
I'm on a Sam Jones kick at the moment, have compiled a discography of all his dates as a leader. This was the giveaway track. Note how different Fournier's drum solo is from standard rudiments and drum lick solos. This btw was Israel Crosby's last recording session before his heart failure, not the George Shearing Trio sessions.

 

10. Mama G. (Wayne Shorter) - Jimmy Rowles (p) & Red Mitchell (b) - LP/CD "Red'N Me" Dreyfus (1978, CD 1991)
Rowles seemed to be the only one playing the lesser known Shorter tunes (first recorded on the "Kelly Great" LP) - as Big Al said, they had a blast recording this. Here are two of the very best on their instruments. This tune is from a VeeJay session with Wynton Kelly and Lee Morgan. Nice how a hard bop vehicle works for this duo.

 

11. Low Blow (Jay Anderson) - Roger Rosenberg (bar) & Jay Anderson (b) - CD "Factory Town", Advantage Music 1001 (probably late 1990's) (https://www.discogs.com/release/11559118-Various-Warren-Bernhardt-Jay-Anderson-Keith-Foley-Factory-Town)
This was a sound demonstration sampler from a local High End equipment distributor that no longer exists, a friend made me a copy. The company had a direct connection to DMP Records, endorsed their digital sound equipment, and had some of their artists record the music for the sampler. This duo is the jazziest track, a rare feature for Rosenberg, a studio player who cut his teeth in modern big bands and Latin Bands (e.g. Mongo Santamaria) in the 1970's. https://www.discogs.com/release/11559118-Various-Warren-Bernhardt-Jay-Anderson-Keith-Foley-Factory-Town

 

12. Suave (Santi Wilson Debriano) - The Essence All Stars: Gato Barbieri (ts), Bob James (p), Andy Gonzalez (b), Lenny White (d), Steve Berrios (bgo) - from Hip Bop Essence CD 8009 (1995) "Afro Cubano Chant"
I love the passion Barbieri shows here in this Latin ballad. And I never thought Bob James would be so accomplished in Latin piano styles.

 

13. The Lady Sings The Blues (Herbie Nichols) Dr. Lonnie Smith (B3 Hammond organ and a phrase of vocals at the very end). Alternate take from the "Bongo Bop" sessions of the Essence All Stars (Hip Bop Essence 8017, 1997) released only on the "Hip Bop 'N' Cool" compilation CD (Hip Bop Essence 8803, 1999) The other take has a clarinettist participating. Besides the Rosenberg/Anderson duo, the rarest track in this BFT. It's so cool he plays a Herbie Nichols tune on organ.

14. Get Happy (prayer version) - Flip Philipp / Ed Partyka Dectet: Flip Philipp (vib), Ed Partyka (b-tb & vcl), Klaus Gesing, Pepe Auer & Gerald Preinfalk (as & b-cl), Tobias Weidinger, Daniel Nösig, Robert Bachner (tp), Robert Jukic (b), Christian Saalfellner (d) - from CD "Opium" (2006, self-released)
Seeing this band perform at Vienna's club Blue Tomato together with two other board members on a day off during a band tour in Austria was one of the greatest jazz concerts of my life. This band met once a year to rehearse new pieces, perform and record them. All hard to find, try your luck at www.flip-philipp.at, but I'm afraid it's oop. Partyka sang this number on that evening and had us all ROTFL. I hope I did not offend anyone's religious feelings. I just liked this as a closer and love this band that saw itself in the tradition of the few unorthodox tentets in modern jazz. But seen and heard live this probably was much more entertaining. 

 

Thanks for listening, reading your comments was very enjoyable, as always.

Edited March 2, 2023 by mikeweil

[Dan Gould]

Thanks Mike - my fears turned out to be unfounded as I never saw a HipBop release with Gato and I wouldn't have bought it if I had. I should go back to #10 as I would think "Mama G" would have at least triggered an "I know this tune but I am awful at names" reaction. Did no one else catch it either?

[Dub Modal]

#9 is the only one I've heard before as I have the CD. Shame I couldn't pick it out but it's not a frequent flyer for some reason. I'll have to give it a listen soon. Otherwise, nice collection of tunes. I'll have to check out more Rowles, Passos and that Trio record that kicked it off. 

[felser]

Thanks so much for the stimulating BFT, and for turning me on to that Essence All-Stars CD with Gato (which I now own!).  I may be the most openly Christian (anti-MAGA variety) regular on the board here, and I was not offended by #14.  Didn't agree theologically with what he was saying, but that comes from somewhere (his experiences, his upbringing, his culture, his hopes and fears, etc.) and Lord knows, we all need to learn to listen to and care about each other when we don't agree, rather than getting offended and attacking and cancelling each other.  Thanks again.

[JSngry]

Zero theological problems with the vocalist on #14, just totally tuned off by any and all of that type of singing. Sounds like some kind of a bad circus talent well past whatever prime there might have been.

Walter Norris is a real sleeper of a talent, btw. Good to learn about that record!

[Dub Modal]

There was theology on 14? I couldn't get past the first bit of chatting without losing interest. The style was not my thing to begin with so content was totally lost. 

[webbcity]

Very interesting! I should check out some more Walter Norris. And I like Mose on trumpet! This BFT has also pointed out to me that I should be listening to more Jimmy Rowles. The Lonnie Smith track (which I REALLY thought was Amina!) seems to have been a divisive one, but I loved it from beginning to end. 

Great stuff Mike, thank you for putting this together.

[mikeweil]

Thanks all for the nice words. I had no idea most of these records were new to you. Like there was some discussion here about the Essence All Stars albums that made me curious, so l bought all of them and the other similar stuff that Milan Simich and /or Lenny White procuced (The Acoustic Masters, The Chartbusters, and tributes to Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, and a Tom Browne CD with players from the same pool of musicians).  That nobody recognized the Shorter tune was surprise, considering how many of you love those VeeJay albums.

I was  expecting more astonishment about the identityof the mystery trumpet player. 😉 

[Dan Gould]

8 minutes ago, mikeweil said:

I was  expecting more astonishment about the identityof the mystery trumpet player. 😉 

It was a total blow away and I am not even sure "not his primary instrument" was a fair hint because it led to guesses for people who play one instrument mostly and trumpet occasionally.  I don't even know that saying it was a singer would have let people to Mose. 

[randyhersom]

I don't say much once I get desperate enough to Shazam, but I was likewise blown away.  You educated away a misinformation I thought I knew, which I mention in my early BFT 228 comments.

[JSngry]

That cut stirred a memory of a story I was told by an older lounge pianist who had attended college with Mose (U of Miss?) for a little bit. Apparently Mose had a sunrise ritual of getting up on a hill with his trumpet, playing some sort of Reville-ish fanfare, and then reciting different beat type poetry, something like good morning citizens of planet Earth, the new day greets you anew" or some shit like that. So - shades of "Hello Universe" and oh yeah, Mose was playing trumpet then, and by this one guy's account, playing it well.

So, originally gobsmacked, but only until that story came back, and then gobsmacked in yet a different way.

[Big Al]

Thanks again Mike, this was a very enjoyable BFT!