The Music Of Cole Porter Played By America's Greatest Jazzmen.

I'm gonna move some of the Cole Porter stuff from my other blog over just cause I think it is too cool to go unnoticed. Porter  just always seemed to translate well to jazz renditions.
 The first one is this Moodsville lp, which was just Prestige light, right? These recordings are smooth but swinging. There are some great performances included here that probably slipped through the cracks in the grand scheme of things. Hope everybody digs em like I do.

 I wonder what Shirley Scott thought about being billed on a record titled "America's Greatest Jazzmen?".

The Music Of Cole Porter

Played By America's Greatest Jazzmen


1. You'd be So Nice To Come Home To
2. Easy To Love
3. Love For Sale
4. Just One Of Those Things
5. I've Got You Under My Skin
6. All Of You
7. You Do Something To Me
8. Get Out Of Town
9. What Is This Thing Called Love

1. Frank Wess - flute; Dorothy Ashby - harp; Herman Wright - bass; Roy Haynes - drums
2. Gene Ammons - tenor; Richard Wyands - piano; Doug Watkins - bass; Ray Baretto - conga;
 JC Heard - drums
3. Billy Taylor - piano; Earl May - bass; Candido - conga; Percy Brice - drums
4. Steve Lacy - soprano sax; Gil Evans - piano; Louis Mucci, Jake Koven - trumpets; Jimmy
 Cleveland - trombone; Bart Varsalona - bass trombone; Willie Ruff - french horn; Dave    Kurtzer - bassoon; Lee Konitz - alto; Paul Chambers - bass; Nick Stabulas - drums
5. Stan Getz - tenor; Al Haig - piano; Tommy Potter - bass; Roy Haynes - drums
6. Modern Jazz Quartet - Milt Jackson - vibes; John Lewis - piano; Percy Heath - bass; Connie Kay - drums
7. Shirley Scott - piano; George Duvivier - bass; Artur Edgehill - drums
8. Coleman Hawkins - tenor; Tommy Flanagan - piano, Major Holley - bass; Eddie Locke -drums
9. Red Garland - piano; Paul Chambers - bass; Art Taylor - drums


Moodsville 34

Gene Ammons - The Soulful Saxophone of Gene Ammons

Gene Ammons is not the best known tenor around. Nor the most loved. But he is good at what he does, and that is that big FAT tenor sound.

What I have for you here are couple of Ammons lps. The first is a Chess release that I don't see round much, the other a Prestige lp that you shouldn't have too much trouble running down.

Since both are short they are being included here together. They will fit on a disc nicely.

Soulful Saxophone
Gene Ammons

1. My Foolish Heart
2. Prelude To A Kiss
3. It's You Or No One
4. Can Anyone Explain
5. Goodbye
6. Pennies From Heaven
7. Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe
8. You Go To My Head
9. Once In A While
10. It's The Talk Of The Town

Gene Ammons, Tom Archia (ts) Christine Chatman (p) Leroy Jackson (b) Wesley Landers (d) Chicago, IL, October 12, 1948
U7142 It's The Talk Of The Town
Gene Ammons (ts) Christine Chatman (p, vo) Leo Blevins (g) Lowell Pointer (b) Ike Day (d) Mary Graham (vo) Chicago, IL, February 28, 1949
U7181 Once In A While
Jesse Miller (tp) Matthew Gee (tb) Gene Ammons (ts) Junior Mance (p) Leo Blevins (g) Leroy Jackson (b) Wesley Landers (d) Chicago, IL, January 8, 1950
U7231 Pennies From Heaven
Bill Massey (tp) Matthew Gee (tb) Gene Ammons (ts) Charlie Bateman (p) Gene Wright (b) Wesley Landers (d) Chicago, IL, May 2, 1950
U7248 Goodbye
U7249 You Go To My Head
U7250 My Foolish Heart
add Sonny Stitt (bars) Chicago, IL, August, 1950
U7266 Can Anyone Explain?
U7268 Prelude To A Kiss
Gene Ammons (ts) Junior Mance (p) Gene Wright (b) Teddy Stewart (d) Chicago, IL, May 3, 1951
U7338 Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe
U7339 It's You Or No One



This second lp was Prestige released with credits listed only as "organ, bass, and drum accompaniment."

This record probably has more soul than the last record.

I don't know if it is the gospel undertones on this lp that make feel so fulfilled...or just that big ole saxophone!

Preachin'
Gene Ammons

1. Sweet Hour
2. Yeild not
3. Abide With Me
4. Blessed Assurance
5. The Prayer
6. You'll Never Walk Alone
7. I Believe
8. Precious Memories
9. What A Friend
10. Holy Holy
11. The Light

Gene Ammons (ts)
Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson (org)
Sylvester Hickman (b)
Dorral Anderson (d)

Chicago, IL, May 3, 1962


Chess Lp - 1442

Prestige 7270

Battle of the Tenor Saxes - IAJRC 15

A big damn thanks to Luis for scanning this cover for me.


I used to be a member of this organization, but economics and differences in taste finally caused me to drop out. I still hold them in the highest regard.

This is obviously a labor of love. Self published and full of rare tracks, I truly hope I am not hurting any one's feelings by sharing this, but it no longer appears available on their website in any form.
This lp is split into two camps, "The Big Sound" and "The Cool School". Can't say I really dig one side over the other as this is some outstanding shit.

The liner notes are extensive, comprehensive and far too detailed to provide here. but the one thing I want to reiterate from them - "Melvin Moore's vocal on Deep Purple is regrettable but the side is included here for its rarity as well as the brief contribution of Marsh."

(Aw shit - an hour of typing gone in a keystroke - what you get here is a track
and artist list, full personnel detail available in a couple of days.

Battle Of The Tenor Saxes IAJRC 15
Side One - "The Big Sound"

1. Skippy - Coleman Hawkins
2. Surf Board - Ben Webster
3. Dumb Woman Blues - Gene Ammons
4. Cup-Mute Clayton - Ike Quebec
5. Topsy - Ike Quebec
6. The Happening - Paul Gonsalves
7. Sahara Heat - Illinois Jaquet
8. Don't Push Daddy - Illinois Jaquet

Side Two - "The Cool School"

9. Movin' With Lester - Lester Young
10. Lester Smooths It Out - Lester Young
11. On The Town - Dexter Gordon
12. The Way You Look Tonight - Allen Eager
13. I'm Shooting High - Warne Marsh
14. Deep Purple - Warne Marsh
15. Oh Well - James Moody
16. The Great Lie - Wardell Gray

IAJRC 15

You won't gleam a lot of info off this back cover scan but here it is if you want to try. Again , thanks Luis.