Tag: jazz
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Billie Holiday, Songs for Distingué Lovers, 1958 on Verve
Great set of recordings, with liner notes by Norman Granz. No real detail on the sessions on the record itself, but apparently recorded during sessions in January 1957 in Hollywood – the same sessions that yielded All or Nothing at All and Body and Soul. Wonderful versions of “Stars Fell on Alabama” and “One For…
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Nat King Cole, From The Very Beginning, 1973 on MCA
Although this was released in 1973, the recordings collected were originally recorded between 1936 and 1941 and had been released earlier by Decca, credited to King Cole Trio and Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers. The tracks credited to Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers feature Eddie Cole (Nat’s older brother) on bass and Jimmy Adams on drums –…
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Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at the Shrine, 2018 on Verve
Previously unreleased live appearance by Ella at the Shrine auditorium in LA January 21st, 1956 – making it two weeks earlier than Ella at Zardi’s: Verve Records, celebrating Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday in 2017, released at the end of that year Ella At Zardi’s – a vibrant, previously unreleased album recorded during a two-week stint…
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Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard, 1967 on Riverside
This is actually a reissue of what originally came out in 1961 (also on Riverside) as Sunday at the Village Vanguard, credited to the Bill Evans Trio “featuring Scott La Faro.” La Faro died in a car accident less than two weeks after the gig was recorded. Evans on piano, La Faro on bass, and…
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Buck Clayton, Swingin’ and Dancing, 1964 on Mode Disques
I do a fair amount of record shopping while traveling, and picked up this Buck Clayton (et sa trompette) at La Fin Du Vinyle in Montreal, on Mode Disques, which was a sub-label of Disques Vogue, a French label. The liner notes are presented in French, English, and German. Personnel here include Jean-Claude Pelletier, Jean…
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Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella & Louis: Complete Studio Small Group Recordings, 2015 on Waxtime
Waxtime is sometimes a controversial label. Based on some differences between US and EU copyright law, they’re releasing classic jazz recordings without explicit access o the source material. This means they might be working from a CD, or even a needle-drop on a good vinyl copy- but the source material is more or less unofficial.…
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Bill Evans, Polka Dots and Moonbeams, 1967 (aka Bill Evans Trio, Moon Beams, 1962) on Riverside
This 1967 reissue of the 1962 album Moon Beams (which was credited to the Bill Evans Trio) is credited to Bill Evans and retitled to Polka Dots and Moonbeams – also given a new cover. (The original cover featured Nico, years before her time with the Velvet Underground). Personnel here include Chuck Israels on bass…
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Charlie Parker, The Mercury & Clef 10-inch LP Collection
This 2021 box collects / reproduces the 10″ LPs put out in the early 1950s: I don’t normally collect 10″ records, but got a good deal on this box, which is very well made, reproducing original covers and labels, and with an included book. Neither of the two “Charlie Parker With Strings” LPs actually has…
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Gerry Mulligan, California Concerts, 1955 on Pacific Jazz
Collection of live recordings featuring the Gerry Mulligan Quartet on the A-Side and the Gerry Mulligan Sextet on the B-Side. The quartet here is with Jon Eardley, Red Mitchell, and Chico Hamilton; the sextet with Bob Brookmeyer, Zoot Sims, and Larry Bunker with Eardly and Mitchell. The A-side was recorded at Stockton High School in…
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Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, 1955 on Pacific Jazz
This was a compilation of tracks previously issued on three different 10″ records issued by Pacific Jazz in 1952 and 1953: PJ LP-1, PJ LP-2, and PJ LP-5. Besides Mulligan and Baker, the musicians include Larry Bunker or Chico Hamilton (drums) and Carson Smith or Bob Whitlock (bass). The cover painting is by Keith Finch,…
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Chet Baker, Albert’s House, 1969 on Beverly Hills
One of Baker’s releases following getting his teeth (allegedly) knocked out (see Born to Be Blue) – eleven songs composed by Steve Allen. Gets some pretty negative reviews – I’d agree it isn’t Baker at his prime, but I’m closer to the Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide which gives is three out of five stars…
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Teo Macero with the Prestige Jazz Quartet, Teo, 1957 on Prestige
Macero is likely best known as the producer of both Bitches Brew and Time Out but he was also a great saxophone player and composer. He made multiple albums with Mingus and cofounded the Jazz Composers Workshop. Here he is joined by Addison Farmer (bass), Jerry Segal (drums), Mal Waldron (piano), and Teddy Charles (vibes).…
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McCoy Tyner, Trident, 1975 on Milestone
Tyner (who plays harpsichord and celeste as well as piano) is joined here by Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums), and the album was produced by Orrin Keepnews. It was his eighth LP for Milestone after recording on Blue Note and Impulse! throughought the 60s. (Elvin Jones worked with Tyner in the John Coltrane…
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Ike Quebec, Easy Living, 1987 on Blue Note
Though this was first released / issued by Blue Note in 1987, it was actually recorded in 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in New Jersey, and represents that early 60s jazz era. It was originally going to be issued as BST-84103 – but the tracks on side one did ultimately make it on Blue…
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Dexter Gordon, Daddy Plays the Horn, 1956 on Bethlehem Records
Wonderful mid-50s bop jazz record I’d have bought just for the cover illustration by Howard Stabin. Gordon is joined here by Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawreance Marable on drums. Liner notes by Joseph Muranyi. This was recorded just after Gordon got out of prison at Chino and before being incarcerated…
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Chet Baker, Chet, 1959 on Riverside
The labels carry a subtitle of “Ballads by Chet Baker,” and the rear cover suggests “The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker” but most people just call it Chet. Riverside RLP 12-299 (mono) and RLP 1135 (stereo). He’s joined here by Pepper Adams, Paul Chambers, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Philly Joe Jones / Connie Kay…
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Gerry Mulligan, Concert Days, 1966 on Sunset Records
Although this compilation came out in the mid-sixties, the recordings are all from 1954-1957. Thanks to the Gerry Mulligan Discography compiled by Antoine Perier, Gérard Dugely, and Kenneth Hallqvist, they would seem to be: My copy is a Canadian pressing via Aux 33 Tours in Montreal, QC
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Mose Allison, Down Home Piano, 1966 on Prestige
This 1966 release collects instrumental performances from six albums he released on Prestige in the late 50s and early 60s. There’s a similar Mose Allison Sings which collects “the vocal side of his talents.” The performers include Allison, Addison Farmer (Art Farmer’s twin brother) on bass, and Ronnie Free / Nick Stabulas on drums. Liner…