MARCH 31

                     CHARLIE PARKER
              Cole Porter Songbook

                      Recording Date:
                          March 31, 1954
                    
                      Personnel:
                          Charlie Parker     AS
                          Walter Bishop Jr. P
                          Jerome Darr        G

                          Teddy Kotick       B

                          Roy Haynes          D

                         LINK





1531-1 I Get A Kick Out Of You Verve MGV 8007, V3HB 8840 
1531-2 - Verve (J) J00J 29001/10 
1531-3 - - 
1531-4 - - 
1531-5 - - 
1531-6 - - 
1531-7 - Verve MGV 8007, VE2 2523 
1532-1 Just One Of Those Things - 
1533-1 My Heart Belongs To Daddy Verve (J) J00J 29001/10 
1533-2 - Verve MGV 8007, VE2 2523

MARCH 30

                JOHNNY SMITH
                     Quartet

                       Recording Date:
                           March 28-30, 1967

                       Personnel:
                           Jimmy Atkins     Vo
                           George Duvivier B
                           Hank Jones         P
                           Don Lamond       D
                           Johnny Smith     G

                    

Review by Ken Dryden
Johnny Smith was an in-demand guitarist during the 1950s, recording extensively for the Roost label and having a hit with "Moonlight in Vermont." But since moving to Colorado during the 1960s, he has recorded only sporadically. These 1967 sessions for Verve feature the guitarist with a terrific rhythm section consisting of pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Don Lamond, playing a mix of standards and a few pop songs of the mid-'60s. Smith's clean, always swinging style is well matched by the tasteful Hank Jones (a master of accompaniment in any situation). The wild arrangement of "My Favorite Things" doesn't follow the typical Coltrane-inspired modal path; instead, the quartet delivers a cooking performance that even sounds like an Irish jig at one point. Smith's lyrical takes of bossa nova favorites like "Manha de Carnaval" and "The Girl from Ipanema" have aged very well. Smith penned words and music to the loping country-flavored ballad "Colorado," represented by his original solo version and the later version with a vocal added by Jimmy Atkins. Smith is heard unaccompanied for a thoughtful interpretation of the Beatles' "Yesterday" and the traditional favorite "Shenandoah," switching to acoustic guitar for an intricate rendition of "Golden Earrings." Last available as a 1997 CD reissue in the Verve Elite Edition limited-edition series, this long unavailable CD will be very tough to acquire, as only 7,500 or so were manufactured.

MARCH 29

                             PEE WEE RUSSELL
                 Swingin' with Pee Wee


                           Recording Date:
                                March 29, 1960


                           Personnel:
                                Buck Clayton          TP
                                Tommy Flanagan     P
                                Osie Johnson          D
                                Wendell Marshall     B
                                Pee Wee Russell      CL


                            

 

Review by Scott Yanow
During the last dozen years of his life before passing away in 1969, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell recorded and performed in a variety of surprisingly modern settings. It was not that Russell was not modern himself, for his eccentric style had long been quite distinctive, but he had previously been content to mostly play in freewheeling Dixieland bands. His encounters with valve trombonist Marshall Brown (who provided him with an advanced repertoire and arrangements) and a 1963 Newport Jazz Festival appearance with Thelonious Monk found Russell stretching himself. The two albums that are reissued in full on this 1999 CD are not quite as adventurous, being essentially small-group swing, which was still a bit ahead of Eddie Condon's bands. Russell and trumpeter Buck Clayton make for a perfectly compatible team on the 1960 date, a relaxed and swinging quintet session with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Osie Johnson. The other set has basic arrangements from pianist Nat Pierce, quiet support from bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Karl Kiffe, and Russell is joined by three of his favorite horn players (trumpeter Ruby Braff, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman). One can fully understand why the clarinetist was quite pleased with both of these albums. His playing is much more consistent and comfortable on the mid-tempo material than usual and he mostly gets to avoid the overly hyper Dixieland warhorses. A gem.

MARCH 26

                  HERB ELLIS
            Meets Jimmy Giuffre

                      Recording Date:
                          March 26, 1959

                      Personnel:
                          Herb Ellis        G
                          Jimmy Giuffre BS,TS
                          Jim Hall          G
                          Richie Kamuca TS
                          Stan Levey      D
                          Lou Levy         P
                         Joe Mondragon B
                          Art Pepper      AS
                          Bud Shank       AS

                       



By Michael B. Richman  

"Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre" features an all-star cast of West Coast Jazz greats -- Bud Shank and Art Pepper on alto sax, Richie Kamuca and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor sax, Jim Hall and Herb Ellis on guitar, Lou Levy on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass and Stan Levey on drums. This 1959 session was a rare, highly sought after LP and will be soon be equally scarce on CD, as this title had a limited pressing of 6500 copies. While I'm glad I purchased this soon-to-be collector's item, I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the music. Despite the fact that so many creative musicians collaborated on this session, at times the playing is rather straight-forward and uninspired. Jimmy Giuffre's arrangements, are very tight, but they are written to allow Ellis to stretch out on the tunes, and not Pepper, Shank or Hall, who only plays rhythm guitar lines. Additionally, Giuffre's arrangements don't reflect the modern, exploratory writing and playing we would find two years later, in 1961, on Giuffre's classic albums "Fusion" and "Thesis." With that being said, this is still a very good session and kudos to Verve for bringing back in print. Fans of the first edition of the Jimmy Giuffre 3, or other classic Verve dates featuring Ellis (like all those great Oscar Peterson discs), will definitely enjoy "Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre."

MARCH 25

                   ALBERT KING
              Born Under a Bad Sign

                     Recording Date:
                         March 25, 1966 tk 8-9

                     Personnel:
                         Wayne Jackson         TP 
                         Unknown                  TS
                         Booker T. Jones        P
                         Albert King               G,Vo
                         Donald "Duck" Dunn    B
                         Al Jackson                 D
                      
                         

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Albert King recorded a lot in the early '60s, including some classic sides, but they never quite hit the mark. They never gained a large audience, nor did they really capture the ferocity of his single-string leads. Then he signed with Stax in 1966 and recorded a number of sessions with the house band, Booker T. & the MG's, and everything just clicked. The MG's gave King supple Southern support, providing an excellent contrast to his tightly wound lead guitar, allowing to him to unleash a torrent of blistering guitar runs that were profoundly influential, not just in blues, but in rock & roll (witness Eric Clapton's unabashed copping of King throughout Cream's Disraeli Gears). Initially, these sessions were just released as singles, but they were soon compiled as King's Stax debut, Born Under a Bad Sign. Certainly, the concentration of singles gives the album a consistency -- these were songs devised to get attention -- but, years later, it's astounding how strong this catalog of songs is: "Born Under a Bad Sign," "Crosscut Saw," "Oh Pretty Woman," "The Hunter," "Personal Manager," and "Laundromat Blues" form the very foundation of Albert King's musical identity and legacy. Few blues albums are this on a cut-by-cut level; the songs are exceptional and the performances are rich, from King's dynamic playing to the Southern funk of the MG's. It was immediately influential at the time and, over the years, it has only grown in stature as one of the very greatest electric blues albums of all time.

MARCH 24

               JACKIE MCLEAN
           New and Old Gospel

                   Recording Date:
                       March 24, 1967

                   Personnel:
                       Ornette Coleman  TP
                       Billy Higgins          D
                       Scott Holt             B
                       LaMont Johnson     P
                       Jackie McLean      AS

                   

Review by Thom Jurek
This 1967 session is notable for the presence of Ornette Coleman in the role of sideman, on trumpet no less. There are only three tunes on New and Old Gospel, one side-long piece by McLean, a four-part suite entitled "Lifeline," and two works by Coleman, including the title track and "Strange As It Seems." As a trumpet player, Coleman understands the psychology of McLean's playing and composing, in that they both come directly from the blues and it haunts everything they do. The other players on the session that make up the rhythm section -- drummer Billy Higgins, pianist Lamont Johnson and Scott Holt on bass -- understand this implicitly. No matter how knotty or abstract things get, they can dance back into the blues pocket and haul it all out again. Not that they have to, because, as is evidenced here, especially in the unbelievably complex intervallic world on "Lifeline," the front-line players know exactly where they are; they intersect across harmony and melody lines throughout and meet on a dime to offer a series of tonally challenging phrases and held notes that put one theme to bed and bring another one into play. The melodic interplay here is just stellar; it follows no convention or structure other than a blues feeling, and yet swings so wonderfully hard. On the title track, the most joyous thing on the disc, Ornette uses a simple rhythmic device that is found in round singing in Pentecostal churches and Johnson takes the ostinato and lets it rip, swinging up and down the aisle, as McLean and Coleman take the front line and move all over the scale (in C) and create a stomping, wailing, roaring work that is all stomping harmonic fury and no slack out excesses. The session ends on a glorious moody note, with McLean playing a melody and Coleman using his trumpet to play counterpoint by juxtaposing a free tempo against the rigid time signature of the bluesy lyric. In the solos both men switch places, and when the turnaround happens it's Holt who signals it and brings everyone home at the same time. This is one legendary Blue Note date that isn't mentioned often enough in that label's great history. (U.S. CD re-issue in 2007)

MARCH 23

             RED GARLAND
         Red's Good Groove
                
                Recording Date:
                      March 22, 1962

                Personnel:
                     Red Garland      P
                     Blue Mitchell     TP
                     Pepper Adams   BS
                     Sam Jones         B
                     Philly Joe Jones D   

                  

Review By  S.J. Buck.
Recorded in 1962, this is a laid back affair thats worth getting if you're a keen fan of swinging Jazz. Amazingly this album was only remastered in 2001 and its already out of print in the UK. Red Garland of course most famously worked with Miles Davis and here he's in top form backed by the classy musicians above. Its great to hear the the sadly underused baritone Sax. What a beautiful sound it makes. My favourite track is the lovely version of Gershwins marvellous "Love Is Here To Stay". A great song and a superb version.



MARCH 22

                      MILES DAVIS 
           In  Stockholm

                   Recording Date:
                        March 22, 1960

                   Personnel:
                        Miles Davis      TP
                       John Coltrane   TS     
                       Wynton Kelly    P
                       Paul Chambers  B
                       Jimmy Cobb     D

                  

Review by Stephen Cook

For Miles Davis fans not bothered by shelling out a chunk of cash, this four-disc account of his 1960 Stockholm concerts is well worth the hefty price of admission. The sound is excellent and all the players are in top form. This especially goes for John Coltrane, who is featured on the first seven cuts here. Besides an enlightening interview with Coltrane, there are particularly fine versions of "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Fran-Dance" to enjoy. In contrast to the modally inclined Trane, the bop-savvy Stitt takes over for the remainder of the disc, plying his lyrical and fleet tenor and alto work along the way. And Davis isn't bad either, switching on and off with his mute and heading up a plum rhythm section featuring pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. A contender for one of Davis' best live discs."



MARCH 20

                   MILES DAVIS
       Someday My Prince Will Come

                    Recording Date:
                        March 7, 1961   tk 4,7
                        March 20, 1961  tk 1,2
                        March 21, 1961  tk tk 5,6

                    Personnel:
                       Miles Davis     TP
                       Hank Mobley   TS
                       Paul Chambers B
                       Wynton Kelley P
                       Jimmy Cobb    D
                       John Coltrane  TS tk 1,5

               

Review by Thom Jurek
After both John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley left Miles Davis' quintet, he was caught in the web of seeking suitable replacements. It was a period of trial and error for him that nonetheless yielded some legendary recordings (Sketches of Spain, for one). One of those is Someday My Prince Will Come. The lineup is Davis, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and alternating drummers Jimmy Cobb and Philly Jo Jones. The saxophonist was Hank Mobley on all but two tracks. John Coltrane returns for the title track and "Teo." The set opens with the title, a lilting waltz that nonetheless gets an original treatment here, despite having been recorded by Dave Brubeck. Kelly is in keen form, playing a bit sprightlier than the tempo would allow, and slips flourishes in the high register inside the melody for an "elfin" feel. Davis waxes light and lyrical with his Harmon mute, playing glissando throughout. Mobley plays a strictly journeyman solo, and then Coltrane blows the pack away with a solo so deep inside the harmony it sounds like it's coming from somewhere else. Mobley's real moment on the album is on the next track, "Old Folks," when he doesn't have Coltrane breathing down his neck. Mobley's soul-stationed lyricism is well-suited to his soloing here, and is for the rest of the album except, of course, on "Teo," where Coltrane takes him out again. The closer on the set, "Blues No. 2," is a vamp on "All Blues," from Kind of Blue, and features Kelly and Chambers playing counterpoint around an eight bar figure then transposing it to 12. Jones collapses the beat, strides it out, and then erects it again for the solos of Davis and Mobley. This is relaxed session; there are no burning tracks here, but there is much in the way of precision playing and a fine exposition of Miles' expansive lyricism.

MARCH 19

                    DON PATTERSON
                   Patterson's People

                           Recording Date:
                               March 19, 1964

                           Personnel:
                                Sonny Stitt      AS,TS,Vo
                                Don Patterson  O
                                Billy James      D
                                Booker Ervin   TS



                         

This organist's best review was also the title of his 1968 album, Boppin' and Burnin'. That is what Patterson does, whether launching into the standard plea to "Love Me With All Your Heart", setting off a brilliant version of an original composition—here it would be the ballad "Theme For Dee"—and even when embarking on a "Sentimental Journey". That last tune might set off waves of nausea if observed printed on a tray card, yet fear not: a trio in which Booker Ervin and Sonny Stitt alternate the front-line role on tenor saxophone would really regard any sort of designated repertoire as a sort of magic screen, the kind characters pass through in fantasy films prior to entering another dimension. Stitt's original "42639" is named in honor of all the rhythm sections that have died trying to keep up with him; the math is questionable. Drummer Billy James is Patterson's sole assistant in what seems like the work of an army, fending off Stitt's shock and awe without benefit of armored protection. Then there is Ervin, a true Texan, preparing a rich barbecued chili featuring flank of a gazelle. The tempo on "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" should come with a warning sticker. Tracks from this session, originally released the same year as three other Patterson Prestige platters, was resissued as part of the label's Legends of Acid Jazz series. It's classic stuff.

MARCH 18

           RICHARD GALLIANO
               Face to Face

                   Recording Date: 
                       March 16-18, 2001

                   Personnel:
                       Richard Galliano   ACC
                       Eddy Louiss          O

                  

Review by Scott Yanow
Duet albums featuring an accordion and an organ are rather rare, but this collaboration by Richard Galliano and Eddy Louiss is consistently delightful and charming. Their two instruments blend together quite well, the songs (which range from a couple jazz standards and straight-ahead tunes to tangos and French folk melodies) are catchy, and this duet set by two of the top French jazz musicians is a complete success. Listeners who think that the accordion does not belong in jazz are particularly recommended to check out this infectious CD.
 

MARCH 17

             JOHNNY HODGES
          Three Shades of Blue
              
                 Recording Date:
                     March 17 & 19, 1970

                 Personnel:
                     Al Grey            TB
                     Bob Ashton       S
                     Danny Bank       S
                     David Spinozza G
                     Earl Hines         P
                     Ernie Royal      TP
                     Randy Brecker  TP
                     Ron Carter       B
                     Frank Wess       S
                     Grady Tate       D
                     Hank Jones       P
                     Jerome Richardson S
Jerry Dodgion        S
Joe Farrell             S
Marvin Stamm        TP
Quentin Jackson     TP
Snooky Young         TP
Thomas Mitches     TB
Gamett Brown       TB




Charles Fox (original liner notes)

Infallibility is not a quality one readily associates with jazz musicians. Yet Johnny Hodges, whether encountered on record or in the flesh, always seemed to evade the goofs and imperfections which trouble most other men. So effortless, so relaxed was his playing that he often gave an impression of casualness, his eyes roving round the auditorium or peeking at his wrist-watch while he fashioned the most felicitous of solos. This self-assurance permeated the actual music. No tempo seemed too dizzy for him, no chord progression too dense. He floated majestically, rather like a law of nature. Which made his death - on May 11, 1970 -seem curiously unbelievable, almost a contradiction in terms.

Except for a short period in the early 1950's when he led his own little band, Hodges spent most of his career with the Duke Elington orchestra. Indeed, history virtually parallels that of Ellington's musical development. He had been born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 25, 1906 and played drums and piano as a boy. When Sidney Bechet started courting his sister, the 14-year-old youth was given lessons -and a saxophone - by the great soprano player, an event which shaped his musical identity. Hodges worked with Bechet at the Club Basha, played in Chick Webb's Orchestra, then joined Duke Ellington's band in May, 1928, five months after it had opened at the Cotton Club. This LP is not Hodges' last recording - he made some sessions with the Ellington band afterwards - but it does represent his last LP as a leader. Understandably enough, it was not planned with any commemorative intention, yet hindsight can now perceive that the inclusion of no fewer than six Ellington numbers gives the LP a significant alignment with Hodges' career. Oliver Nelson, always an aficionado of Ellington's music, wrote the 'arrangements and contributed a couple of his own originals, while three tracks feature Leon Thomas, certainly one of the most original jazz singers to emerge in recent years.

The earliest of the Ellington compositions Creole love call, was first recorded in 1927. Oliver Nelson's arrangements retains ther dialogue between clarinets and brasses, Al Grey contributes a growling trombone solo and Ron Carter is at his best behind Hodges. Rockin' in Rhythm dating from 1930, gives Hodges the chance to demonstrate how a great jazz musician stays poised however hectic the pace. Ellington recorded It's Glory (sometimes known as It's a Glory) for the first and only time in 1931; Earl Hines plays the piano solo on this track. Echoes of Harlem, from 1936, was originally entitled Cootie's Concerto and built around the talents of trumpeter Cootie Williams, while Empty Ballroom Blues was first recorded two years later, at one of the earliest sessions Hodges made under his own name. The piano and trumpet solos on the latter track are by Hank Jones and Randy Brecker. Duke's Place - really C Barn Blues with words added - is 1950s Ellington and has Leon Thomas singing the lyric, then scatting in his own unique style.

Two of the remaining pieces -Disillusioned Blues and Welcome to New York (with more of Al Grey's trombone) - are straightforward blues by Leon Thomas. Yearning, yet another twelve-bar blues, is an Oliver Nelson composition and includes a flugel horn solo by Marvin Stamm. Black, Brown and Beautiful ("The way I feel about my people, all of them, "says Nelson) has more than a hint of Billy Strayhorn's manner, making it an excellent vehicle for Hodges'playing.

There is a sense in which no jazz musician really dies while his music goes on being listened to. It is likely to be true of Johnny Hodges for a long time to come. Although he was nicknamed "Rabbit", his music was far from timid - at its best, in fact, decidedly tough. A great melodist, a graceful improviser who never sacrificed purity of tone or line for instant emotion effect, Hodges was, paradoxally, one of the most genuinely passionate players in jazz. Above all, perhaps, he was a great blues player, a fact borne out by several tracks on the LP. He arrived early at maturity, achieving a style that allowed him express everything he needed to say, and spent the next forty years or so refining and deepening it. For as well as being a major jazz artist, Johnny Hodges was also a superb craftsman, a musician who somehow contrived to stay adventurous and yet never to put a finger wrong.

MARCH 16

            ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM
                   Stone Flower

                  Recording Date:
                       March 16-22, 1970

                  Personnel:
                      Ron Carter           B 
                      Eumir Deodato     G
                      Deodato              G
                      Joe Farrell           SS
                      Everaldo Ferreira Per
                      Urbie Green        TB
                      Antonio Jobim     G,P,Vo 
                      Hubert Laws        FL
                      Harry Lookofsky   Vio
                      Airto Moreira       Per 
                     João Palma          Per,D 

Review by Thom Jurek
Recorded in 1970 at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in New Jersey under the production auspices of Creed Taylor, the arrangement and conducting skills of Deodato, and the engineering expertise of Van Gelder himself, Jobim's Stone Flower is quite simply one of his most quietly stunning works — and certainly the high point of his time at Columbia. Nearly a decade after the paint peeled from the shine of bossa nova's domination of both the pop and jazz charts in the early '60s, Creed Taylor brought Jobim's tender hush of the bossa sound back into the limelight. With a band that included both Jobim and Deodato on guitars (Jobim also plays piano and sings in a couple of spots), Ron Carter on bass, João Palma on drums, Airto Moreira and Everaldo Ferreira on percussion, Urbie Green on trombone, Joe Farrell on soprano saxophone, and Harry Lookofsky laying down a soulful violin solo on the title track, Jobim created his own version of Kind of Blue. The set opens with the low, simmering "Tereza My Love," with its hushed, elongated trombone lines and shifting acoustic guitars floating on the evening breeze. It begins intimate and ends with a closeness that is almost uncomfortably sensual, even for bossa nova. And then there are the slippery piano melodies Jobim lets roll off his fingers against a backdrop of gauzy strings and syncopated rhythms in both "Choro" and "Brazil." The latter is a samba tune with a sprightly tempo brought to the fore by Jobim's sandy, smoky vocal hovering ghost-like about the instrumental shimmer in the mix. Take, for instance, the title track with its stuttered, near imperceptible percussion laid under a Jobim piano melody of such simplicity, it's harmonically deceptive. It isn't until Lookofsky enters for his solo that you realize just how sophisticated and dense both rhythm and the chromatic lyricism are. The album closes with a reprise of "Brazil," restating a theme that has, surprisingly been touched upon in every track since the original inception, making most of the disc a suite that is a lush, sense-altering mediation, not only on Jobim's music and the portraits it paints, but ON the sounds employed by Taylor to achieve this effect. Stone Flower is simply brilliant, a velvety, late-night snapshot of Jobim at his peak.
 

MARCH 15

              RAY DRAPER
              Tuba Sounds
              
                 Recording Date:
                      March 15, 1957

                 Personnel:
                     Webster Young   TP
                     Ray Draper         TU
                     Jackie McLean    AS
                     Mal Waldron        P
                     Spanky DeBrest   B
                     Ben Dixon           D

              






Review by Scott Yanow
One of the first tuba players to lead his own recording session in a bebop setting, Ray Draper was only 16 when he recorded the music on this set, his debut. Teamed in a sextet with trumpeter Webster Young (also making his recording debut), altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Spanky DeBrest, and drummer Ben Dixon, Draper fits in pretty well. His solos are sometimes a touch awkward rhythmically and it takes one a little while to get used to his sound in this setting but, overall, this is a successful effort. The fairly modern sextet performs straight-ahead originals by Draper, Young, and Waldron in addition to the standard "You're My Thrill."

MARCH 14

        BOBBY HUTCHERSON    
                Patterns

                 Recording Date:
                      March 14, 1968

                 Personnel:
                     Joe Chambers       D
                     Stanley Cowell      P
                     Bobby Hutcherson VB
                     James Spaulding    FT, AS
                     Reggie Workman   B

             

Review by Steve Huey
An entirely worthy Bobby Hutcherson LP that went unissued until 1980, Patterns finds the vibist working in typically challenging territory; what makes this session distinctive is that it features some of drummer and favorite Hutcherson composer Joe Chambers' most structured work, though that hardly means it's traditional or unadventurous. Four of the six pieces are Chambers'; the others are by altoist/flautist James Spaulding (the pensive Martin Luther King tribute "A Time to Go") and pianist Stanley Cowell (the warmly melodic waltz "Effi," dedicated to his wife). Given his past work, Chambers deals with melodic themes to a surprising degree, as with the madly driving title track and the odd-metered "Ankara," which is anchored by a repeated six-note bassline. His lovely, pensive tone poem "Nocturnal" also displays his interest in 20th century classical music, heavily featuring Spaulding's flute. In fact, Spaulding plays a great deal of flute throughout the album, his tone matching quite well with Hutcherson's vibes. Bassist Reggie Workman has a big, booming tone and brings out his upper register work with clarity and force, making himself an understated but important presence. All in all, it's another solid, inventive session by a musician who seemed capable of nothing less during this period of his career. [Note: Blue Note's 1995 reissue inadvertently flip-flops the original LP sides on the CD itself, but leaves the order of the titles intact on the packaging. That's why the bonus track, an alternate take of "Patterns," is the same piece misidentified as "Effi" on track four.]

MARCH 13

              BOBBY  HACKETT
                Creole Cookin' 

                  Recording Date:
                     March 13, 1967   tk2,3,7
                     January 30, 1967 tk 6,10
                     February 2, 1967 tk 1,8,11
                     May 2, 1967        tk 4,5,9

                  Personnel:
                    Bobby Hackett    CT
                    Rusty Dedrick      TP
                    Jimmy Maxwell    TP
                    Bob Brookmeyer  TB
                    Lou McGarity       TB
                    Bob Wilber        CL,AS
                    Jerry Dodgion      AS
                    Zoot Sims           TS
Pepper Adams     VB
Dave McKenna  P
Wayne Wright  G
Buddy Jones     B
Morey Feld       D

A Hackett must-have – this Verve LP features the arrangements and clarinet/soprano sax playing of Bob Wilbur. Bobby is backed up by a modern big band consisting of a dozen top NYC session men, and his playing has never been better. The recording quality is first-rate – but note that the record was released in mono and stereo versions. Hold out for the latter if you can, and listen with headphones! I hope this somewhat obscure LP is released to CD someday. For now, Ebay is probably your best opportunity to find a copy, as with any other Hackett record album.

This long-out-of-print LP contains one of his finest all-around recordings. The cornetist is featured on 11 Dixieland standards and joined by a 15-piece all-star band arranged by Bob Wilber; Wilber and tenor great Zoot Sims also receive some solo space on this essential release which is well deserving of reissue on CD.
Scott Yanow

01 High Society    (Steele)   2:09
02 Tin Roof Blues     (Rappolo, Mares, Brunies, Pollack)   4:40
03 When The Saints Go Marching In     (Traditional)   2:52
04 Basin Street Blues     (Williams)   3:54
05 Fidgety Feet     (LaRocca, Shields)   2:20
06 Royal Garden Blues     (C & S Williams)   2:48
07 Muskrat Ramble     (Ory)   2:31
08 Original Dixieland One Step     (LaRocca)   2:12
09 New Orleans     (Carmichael)   3:00
10 Lazy Mood     (Mercer, Miller)   2:52
11 Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans     (Alter, DeLange)   3:01
Recorded at A & R Studios and Capitol Studios, New York, on January 30, March 13 & May 2, 1967
Bobby Hackett - Creole Cookin'  (Verve V/V6 8698)
Bobby Hackett (cor) Rusty Dedrick, Jimmy Maxwell (tp) Bob Brookmeyer, Lou McGarity (tb) Bob Wilber (cl, as) Jerry Dodgion (as) Zoot Sims (ts) Pepper Adams (bars) Dave McKenna (p) Wayne Wright (g) Buddy Jones (b) Morey Feld (d)
NYC, January 30, 1967
102020 Lazy Mood 
102023 Royal Garden Blues 
Brookmeyer plays (vtb). Cutty Cutshall (tb) replaces McGarity
NYC, February 2, 1967
102730 High Society 
102731 Original Dixieland One-Step 
102732 Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans 
Brookmeyer plays (tb)
NYC, March 13, 1967
102308 Tin Roof Blues 
102309 Muskrat Ramble 
102311 When The Saints Go Marching In 
Brookmeyer plays (vtb). add Joe Farrell (ts)
NYC, May 2, 1967
102733 Basin Street Blues 
102734 Fidgety Feet 
102744 New Orleans 
102745 To Miss New Orleans

MARCH 12

            WALLACE RONEY
                    Jazz

                 Recording Date:
                      March 12-13, 2007

                  Personnel:
                     Geri Allen           P,Key 
                     Robert Irving III   Key 
                     Gelder Jeanty     Turn
                     Antoine Roney     CL,SS,TS 
                     Wallace Roney    TP

               

Review by Vincent Thomas
There is no irony to be found in the title Wallace Roney chose for his 14th studio album. The title is a statement. This album is most assuredly jazz, despite the presence of turntablists (DJ Axum appears for the second straight album, joined by Val Jeanty), occasional tangents into electronic downtempo, and 21-year-old bassist Rashaan Carter's teaming with drummer Eric Allen to lay down some of the thickest grooves this side of hip-hop. The bass doesn't walk all that much (which isn't to say that Carter's debut is anything short of outstanding) and you won't find much swing-era swinging or obsessions with '60s bop. That's a good thing. Jazz is 21st century jazz by a weathered, seasoned, and credentialed 20-year vet. Unlike many contemporary musicians, Roney (the same trumpeter faultily plagued by Miles Davis-clone assassinations) is not stuck in the past. Instead, he makes music that is an ode to the past, music one wouldn't mistake as straight-ahead jazz, although it does stare and venture straight ahead. On "Stand," Roney's reprise of the Sly Stone classic, Jeanty scratches in the chant "break the rules." Jazz, however, sounds less like rebellion and more like invention. For the past three LPs — Jazz, Prototype (2004), and Mystikal (2005) — Roney and his trusted companions (pianist and wife Geri Allen, saxophonist and brother Antoine Roney) have collaborated to produce music the opposite of static. There is nothing static about tunes like Carter's urban and brooding "Fela's Shrine" that begins with a world vibe and morphs into street-corner jazz and Roney's "Revolution: Resolution," which travels through esoteric (in jazz terms) techno to the song's bellicose theme. These are jazz songs that couldn't have been created until now, contemporary in a fundamental (but not commercial) way. The older, purist crowd may either scoff or trivialize this album, which is actually expected. Jazz points to the new direction of jazz, and not everyone has to or will follow.

MARCH 11

                    KENNY BARRON
                 Scratch

                    Recording Date:
                         March 11, 1985
                  
                    Personnel:
                         Kenny Barron   P
                         Dave Holland   B
                         Daniel Humair  D

                 

REVIEW FROM ENJA SITE:
A highlight of the ENJA catalog, this trio recording received the prestigious "Prix Bud Powell de l'Acad?mie du Jazz" back in 1986. "Scratch" is still one of the finest and most challenging recordings Kenny Barron has ever made. A multi-poll winner, Barron is widely considered the most versatile and tasteful pianist of today. Barron has recorded with all the great names in jazz: Abbey Lincoln, Barney Kessel, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, James Moody, J.J. Johnson, Joe Henderson, Johnny Griffin, Kevin Mahogany, Yusef Lateef and many more. Sensing the potential in Kenny Barron, Matthias Winckelmann called the pianist in early 1985 to propose this trio recording with bass champion Dave Holland and drum wizard Daniel Humair. Following "Scratch", Kenny Barron did three more albums for ENJA with his quintet.

From the original liner notes by Michael Cuscuna (1985):
As a record producer, I know how gratifying it is to have a fantasy realized, especially when one feels that it will enhance the career of the artist involved and contribute to the history of the music. When Matthias Winckelmann called me up a few days after this date to write the liner notes, I heard in his voice a feeling of relief and accomplishment. Sharing his esteem for Kenny Barron's talent and potential and hearing the pride in his voice, I knew that something very special had occurred. I looked forward to receiving the cassette, knowing well what Kenny had to offer. But listening to the cassette was a magnificent revelation. Here was finally the Kenny Barron that was crawling inside the creative but considerate accompanist. Whatever your preconception of Kenny Barron, listen to this album anew.

Eminent French music critic Jean-Louis Ginibre reviewed: Avec cet album, l'un des fervents gardiens de l'est?tique bebop fait une entr?e remarquable dans le monde de jazz le plus moderne. Kenny Barron ?tait capable de franchir ce pas et d?sireux de le faire. La pr?sence ? ses c?t?s de deux musiciens avec qui il n'avait jamais jou? agit comme un catalyseur. C'est Daniel Humair surtout qui pousse le pianiste vers des r?gions qu'il n'avait jamais explor?es en disque. On red?couvre un Kenny Barron plus libre que jamais. Indispensable.

MARCH 10

             CHARLIE PARKER
                 At Storyville

                    Recording Date:
                        March 10, 1953 tk 1-4
                        Sept   22, 1953 tk 5-9

                    Personnel tk1-4:
                        Charlie Parker  AS
                        Red Garland     P
                        Bernie Griggs   B
                        Roy Haynes      D

                        

Review by Michael Richman
"Charlie Parker At Storyville" was originally recorded for radio broadcast, and aired on WHDH in Boston in 1953. The sound quality is excellent, even as good as some of his studio recordings from the late 40s. The disc's nine tracks feature two different bands (Red Garland, Billy Griggs and Roy Haynes on the first four cuts, and Herb Pomeroy, Charles Thompson, Jimmy Woode and Kenny Clarke on the remaining selections), which seems odd considering the jacket indicates this recording was from one date, September 22, 1953. In any event, the music is timeless and it is only fitting that the one Bird disc in the Blue Note catalog is truly a classic.