DJ Theme Somgs

There was a time I was living on the outskirts of Chicago. I lived in a basement bedroom and WDCB was a ray of light in my dismal existence.Things are far better now but I still enjoy listening to these recordings of some of the shows I made back then. Saved my soul, they did.

This is just one of those shows. If I ran a radio station, I would love to play this stuff. It's short, but certainly worth your time. Enjoy.

Songs written for or inspired by Disc Jockeys

1. One For Daddy - O

2. Chicago

3. Coral Reef

4. At Long Last Love

5. Be-Bop Charlie

6. Nasty Magnus

7. The Mark of Jazz

1. The Cannonball Adderly Sextet

2. Count Basie/Tony Bennett

3. Neal Hefti

4. Frank Sinatra

5. Bob Florence

6. Count Basie

7. Maynard Ferguson

another radio show

The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 1 - Impulse Comp

It seems like I have owned this record forever, pulling it out every couple of years to be floored once again at all the great music it has that I just never run into elsewhere. Cah-rist! Ellington and Hawkins! Coltrane! Webster! Mingus! Tyner! and more Hawkins!
Of the series of three, and none of them are weak, this is probably my favorite. The two Bean tracks are simply outstanding. And this is the part where I mess with you...this issue has far more detailed notes about the recordings sessions including anecdotes, which the following lps tended to lack. Of course I can't share them with you due to the digital block in my brain.

But I will share as much info as my poor tired fingers will allow....

The Hawkins/Ellington tune was recorded after the session had ended and Hawk talked a few guys into playing one of his favorite Ellington themes, Basie looks back at his roots with a new incarnation of his Kansas City Six. Mingus makes my soul soar with this version of Freedom, while I dig the soprano version of Trane's selection. Hawkins sneaks in again with Shelley Manne on an outtake from their lp. Ben Webster showcases Ellington's "Single Petal Of A Rose". Webster shows up again on Clark Terry's bonus track.
You're gonna have to trust me here...there ain't a bad track on this compilation.
Without doing a whole lot of homework, I will assume that most of these tracks have appeared across the board on the respective artist's releases, but at the time this vinyl was the shit!!

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Vol. 1

1. Solitude
2. Trey of Hearts
3. Single Petal of a Rose
4. Tippie
5. Lisa and Pam
6. Big Nick
7. Avalon
8. Freedom
9. Hammer-Head Waltz
10. Flapstick Blues

1. Duke Ellington - piano, Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax, Ray Nance - violin, Sam Woodyard - drums, Aaron Bell - bass 8/18/62
2. Count Basie - piano, Thad Jones - trumpet, Frank Wess, Eric Dixon - flutes, Freddie Green - guitar, Ed Jones - bass, Sonny Payne - drums 3/22/62
3. Ben Webster - tenor sax, Hank Jones - piano, Richard Davis - bass, Osie Johnson - drums 3/11/64
4. Terry Gibbs - vibes, Kenny Burrell - guitar, Sam Jones - bass, Louis Hayes - drums 1/16/64
5. Shirley Scott - organ, Earl may - bass, Jimmie Cobb - drums 8/22/63
6. John Coltrane - soprano sax, McCoy Tyner - piano, Jimmy Garrison - bass, Elvin Jones - drums 8/11/62
7. Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax, Shelley Manne - drums, Hank Jones - piano, George Duvivier - bass 2/5/62
8. Charles Mingus - bass, narration, Eddie Preston, Richard Williams - trumpets, Britt Woodman - trombone, Don Butterfield - tuba, Jerome Richardson, Dick Hafer, Booker Ervin, Eric Dolphy - saxophones, Jaki Byard - piano, Walter Perkins - drums 10/20/63
9. Clark Terry - trumpet, Phil Woods - alto sax, Ben Webster - tenor sax, Roger Kellaway - piano, Milt Hinton - bass, Walter Perkins - drums 3/13/64
10. McCoy Tyner - piano, Jimmy Garrison - bass, Albert Heath - drums 6/4/63

Impulse A-99

Basie and Zoot

When I was younger I spent many an hour digging through crates looking for Black Lion releases. Those were the shit. Even though a lot of these same artists were appearing on these Pablo releases, I just thought they would not be cool.

Jazz was not cool back then. At least not what I perceived as current jazz. I was lost - and generally stoned most of the time. I thought these Pablo records would sound kinda..well I thought I would be bored. Youth has a way of screwing you. I remember these records in cut out bins for .99. Bet I coulda zoned out just fine.

Damn shame. These are some very fine sessions. I'm gonna put a few up and I'm hoping you'll find something you like. All from vinyl...

We'll start here...

Basie and Zoot

1. I Never Knew
2. It's Only A Paper Moon
3. Blues for Nat Cole
4. Captain Bligh
5. Honeysuckle Rose
6. Harday
7. Mean To Me
8. I Surrender, Dear

Count Basie - piano and organ
Zoot Sims - tenor sax
John Heard - bass
Louis Bellson - drums

produced by Norman Granz
NYC, April 9, 1975

Pablo 2310-745

Count Basie Live - 1958

With the turntable down for now, I thought I might offer my first cd recordings. These discs are by what was soon to be known as "The Atomic Band". To me these recordings are a bit reserved but that is not to say they don't swing. I think the venue must have been small and the band played to the space. And I'm simply not a fan of the flute which has NO place in a big band setting.
On the goofy little Laserlight label, these were originally released on 2 discs in an attempt to cash in on your nickels and dimes. Both discs together come in at barely 70 minutes so I have placed them together here for your enjoyment.

Please ignore my cranky attitude and enjoy these records.
Together LS 15 789 and 15 797.

1. Spring Is Here
2. Fantail
3. Teddy the Toad
4. Pensive Miss
5. Corner pocket
6. Scoot
7. Sweety Cake
8. Cute
9. Li'l Darling
10. Low Life
11. Blues
12. Indian Summer
13. Who, Me?
14. Jumpin' At The Woodside
15. Baby All The Time
16. Little Pony
17. Ol' Man River
18. One O'Clock Jump
19. Untitled

Count Basie - piano
Thad Jones, Snooky Young,Wedell Culley, Joe Newman - trumpets
Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell - trombones
Marshall Royal - alto sax
Frank Wess - alto sax, flute
Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster - tenor sax
Charlie Fowles - baritone sax
Freddie Green - guitar
Eddie Jones - bass
Sonny Payne - drums

The Count Basie Trio - For The First Time

I would have bet I had some older Basie Trio stuff than this but apparently I would have been wrong.

I also think sometimes these Pablo records get overloked as it is assumed that damn near everything from the '70s sucked. But ol' Norman actually coaxed out a handful of interesting, and even great, records from some leaders whose careers could have easily coasted from there on out.

But these guys wouldn't have been leaders if they given up so easily, would they?

This record definately shows there was more to Basie's playing than the stride handle that was hung on him. One of the most interesting things on this record is the two completely different treatments he gives to Gershwin's Lady Be Good. There are also quite surprisingly a pair of tunes performed as an organ trio.
So for something a little different here is Pablo 2310 712 once again from my vinyl.

1. Baby Lawrence

2. Pres

3. I'll Always Be In Love With You

4. Blues In The Church

5. Lady Be Good (Concept I)

6. Laby Be Good (Concept II)

7. Blues In The Alley

8. As Long As I Live

9. Song Of The Island

10. Royal Garden Blues

11. (Un)Easy Does It

12. O.P.

Count Basie - piano and organ

Ray Brown - bass

Louie Bellson - drums

recorded May 22, 1974

produced by Norman Granz