Capitol Jazz Classics Vol 13 - Strictly Bebop

  Another reposted request from a few years back.


  A little bebop. This one from the Capitol Classics series. Some really great stuff on this one including a couple of vocal tracks by the ever entertaining Babs Gonzales.
  As much as I love the fiery intensity of the the small bebop combos, I really enjoy this big band stuff. Particularly when no one is about and you can crank it up on the stereo. The way the orchestra punches is like a loving kick in the chops.
  The line up on these tracks is beyond measure, but just the same I have to mention how much I enjoy picking Art Pepper's short solo on Prelude To A Nightmare. On the other hand, trying to pick out Coltrane (on rare alto sax) is like looking for Waldo.

Strictly Bebop
Capitol Jazz Classics Vol .13

1. Sid's Delight
2. Casbah
3. John's Delight
4. What's New
5. Heaven's Doors Are Wide Open
6. Focus
7. Capitolizing
8. Professor Bop
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Real Crazy
11. Prelude To A Nightmare
12. Say When
13. You Stole My Wife You Horsethief
14. Tally-Ho
15. Oo-la-la
16. Coast To Coast

Tadd Dameron and His Orchestra
1-2: Fats Navarro (tp), Kai Winding (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Dexter Gordon (ts), Cecil Payne (s),
Tadd Dameron (p), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Vidal Bolado 9conga), Rae Pearl (vcl) - New York City 1/18/49
3-6: Miles Davis (tp), JJ Johnson (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Benjamin Lundy (ts), Cecil Payne (bs), Tadd Dameron 9p0, John Collins (g), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Kay Penton (vcl) -
NYC 4/21/49

Babs Gonzales and His Orchestra
7-8: Bennie Green, JJ Johnson (tb), Julius Watkins (fhn), Jordan Fordin (as), Sonny Rollins (ts), Linton Garner (p), Art Phipps (b. vcl). Jack Parker (d), Babs G (vcl) - NYC 10/20/49
9-10: JJ Johnson (tb), Alberto Socarras (fl), Son Redman (ss), Sonny Rollins (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Bruce Lawrence (b), Roy Haynes (d), BG (vcl) NYC 4/27/49
11: JJ Johnson (tb), Art Pepper (as), Herbie Stewart (ts), Wynton Kelley (p), PeeWee Tinney (g, vcl), Bruce lawrence (b), Jackie Mills (d), BG (vcl) - LA 3/20/49

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra
12-14: DG (tp, vcl), Willie Cook, Don Slaughter, Elmon Wright (tp), Matthew Gee, Sam Hurt, Hameefan Mageed (tb), Jimmy Heath, John Coltrane (as), Jesse powell, Paul Gonsalves (ts), Al Gibson (bs), John Aces (p), Al McKibbon (b), Specs Wright (d) - NYC 11/21/49
15-16: same except replace with Floyd Smith (g). Add Chino Pozo (bongo), Joe Carroll (vcl)
NYC 1/10/50


Capitol Jazz M-11059  mono   vinyl rip

Wardell Gray - Central Avenue

A friend asked me to repost this lp. It was a perfect opportunity to revisit it as well and I thought it was so fantastic that I decided to revise my much earlier post and give it it's due right here.

 Wardell Gray came of age in that special time between swing and bop. It was the west coast and things were as far out as they were back east just yet. Gray's easy tone and swinging feel make this a delight to listen to. Too bad his early demise relegated him to obscurity to all but hardcore jazz fans.

Other than a couple of alt versions this lp was also released as Wardell Gray Memorial Album. With the additional tracks it will no longer fit on a snigle disc so....
The first disc worth of tracks are the same as the memorial lp, you can skip them if you have a copy.


1. Twisted
2. Southside
3. Sweet Lorraine
4. Scrapple from the Apple
5. Move
6. A Sinner Kissed An Angel
7. Blue Gray
8. Grayhound
9. Treadin'
10. April Skies
11. Bright Boy
12. Jackie
13. Farmer's Market
14. Sweet and Lovely
15. Lover Man
16. The Man I Love
17. Lavonne
18. So Long Broadway
19. Paul's Cause


This bonus disc is the bomb! The first 3 tracks are the unissued sessions from Central Ave. "The Great Lie" is from an IAJRC release. "Stoned" is on a Mainstream comp. The last track is actually Gray's first ever release.

1. Twisted (alt.)
2. Easy Living (alt.)
3. Southside (alt.)
4. The Great Lie
5. Stoned
6. The Chase - Dexter Gordon's All Stars
7. Relaxin' at Camarillo
8. Cheers
9. Carvin' The Bird
10.Stupendous
11. Easy Living



There ya go. The whole shebang! A much better post than the first time around.

The Blue Note Lost Sessions comp.

Embarrassingly I am offering up another cd copy. Once again though, I don't believe it ever saw light as a vinyl release.
It was also apparently made available as part of a 7 disc set for the Connoisseur series. Popular opinion is that this disc is the only only one really worthwhile.
There are many fine players spread across these tracks as one might expect from what made have been the world's most "perfect" label at one time.
Any flaws these tracks may have that kept them from being released originally are beyond my scope.

A few observations... apparently the opening Charlie Rouse track was the only thing salvageable from his two sessions. I have always enjoyed his work with Monk so I am surprised. I also have a Charlie Rouse lp that I will share soon that I think is swell.
Tadd Dameron's arrangements always astound me, and Ike Quebec is highly under rated.

Blue Note Records presents
THE LOST SESSIONS

1. One For Five
2. The Elder Speaks
3. Bevan Beeps
4. Lament For The Living
5. Aloof Spoof
6. For All We Know
7. I See Your Face Before Me
8. Sweet Slumber
9. Lady Be Good
10. Blues On Trial
11. Cowbell Boogie
12. Don't Even Go There

1. Charlie Rouse - tenor; Freddie Hubbard - trumpet; McCoy Tyner - piano; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Billy Higgins - drums 1/22/65
2 -5. Tadd Dameron - piano; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Curtis Fuller; Julius Watkins - french horn; Sam Rivers - tenor sax; Cecil Payne - baritone; Paul Chambers - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums 12/14/61
6-8. Duke Pearson - piano; Ike Quebec - tenor; Israel Crosby - bass; Vernel Foournier - drums 6/26/60
9. Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon - tenor sax; Don Patterson - organ; Paul Weeden - guitar; Billy James - drums 5/14/62
10. Ike Quebec - tenor sax; Gene Harris - organ; Andrew Simpkins - bass; Bill Dowdy - drums 2/4/62
11. Fred Jackson - tenor sax; John Patton - piano; Grant Green - guitar; Herbie Lewis - bass; Ben Dixon - drums 6/12/62
12. Herbie Hancock - piano; Melvin Lastie - cornet; Stanley Turrentine - tenor sax; Eric Gale, Billy Butler - guitars; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Bernard Purdie - drums 7/19/66

BN 21484


I'm betting many of these tracks have ended up tacked to individual lps as bonus cuts. The "leader" of each date is in bold.

Okeh Jazz

Okeh was a really cool label. This double lp reissue of some of their jazz stuff is a must own, although they have taken some liberties.
While not strictly bebop, there is enough crossover between these sides and the last couple of lps I posted, to make me want to share it now...while I have your attention.
The first side is all big Texas tenor dude, Arnett Cobb. Dig out some old Lionel Hampton to hear Cobb come of age. These sides are macho and swinging, a trend that was soon to make an appearance.
Side two starts with "Little Johnny Griffin", joined by Babs Gonzales on a couple. On the lp next up would be Red Rodney, but I just posted the same songs on the IAJRC post.
Side Three is the one that sends me to my happy place. Early Ahmad Jamal. With the so sublime original "Ahmad's Blues"
Finishing the records off is some crazy organ trio stuff by Wild Bill Davis. I love his stuff with Johnny Hodges that came about much later. And lastly we get some sides by Mary Ann McCall, which were not actually released on Okeh, presumably because the label was on brief hiatus. Apparently whoever assembled this comp felt they belonged. Hmmm...well they are fun songs from a great band.

Okeh Jazz
1. Smooth Sailin'
2. Walkin Home
3. Jumpin The Blues
4. I'm In The Mood For Love
5. Whispering
6. Open House
7. Lil Sonny
8. The Shy One
9. For Dancers Only
10. Flying Home
11. Chicago Riffin'
12. Till We Meet Again
13. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
14. Will You Still Be Mine
15. Aki and Ukthay
16. Billy Boy
17. Ahmad's Blues
18. A Gal In Calico
19. Azure Te
20. Rough Ridin
21. April In Paris
22. Money Is Honey
23. I Want A Big Butter and Egg Man
24. On Time

Arnett Cobb 1-8
NYC 9/12/50 (1), 8/7/51 (2-4), 11/20/51 (5-6), 8/52 (7-8)
Johnny Griffin - bs (2-4)

Johnny Griffin 9-12
NYC circa 1954
Babs Gonzales - vcl (9-10)

Ahmad Jamal 13-17
Chicago 10/25/51 (13-14), 5/5/52 (15-17)
Ahmad Jamal - p, Ray Crawford - b, Eddie Calhoun - d

Wild Bill Davis (18-20)
NYC 11/20/51 (1), 2/4/52 (2), 1/8/53 (3)
Bill Davis - organ, Bill Jennings - g, Chris Columbus - d

Mary Ann McCall 21-23
LA 6/19/47
Howard McGhee - tp, Dexter Gordon - ts, Jimmy Rowles - p, Barney Kessel - g, Red Callender - b, Jackie Mills - d, Willie Smith - as

EG 37315

Dexter Gordon Quartet - There Will Never Be Another You.

The back story - this recording is taken from a cassette that I have carried around for what seems an eternity. I hadn't played it years for fear of wearing it out, breaking it or something else stupid since I never ran across another copy.
I suspect I dubbed it from a disc which I checked out from the library when I was living outside of Chicago. The library system in that area was fantastic and my interest in jazz had been recently rekindled by some local djs. I was dubbing off as much stuff as I could while I had access to it in an attempt to learn more about what I did and didn't like in jazz. At the time Dexter did not click with me and so it went unlistened to for a very long time. I have since rectified that mistake and filled my life with many later period sessions by Gordon. I was ecstatic to find this in a box of cassettes set aside for conversion.

A little research shows me that these tracks were originally released by Black Lion as part of "Dexter Gordon - The Montmartre Collection" - a pair of lps.

There Will Never Be Another You

1. But Not For Me
2. There Will Never Be Another You
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. Doxy
5. For All We Know

Dex - tenor
Kenny Drew - piano
Al Heath - drums
Niels Orsted Pederson - bass

recorded Copenhagen 7.20.67

I have also attached an orphan track that I have had laying about for years. I'm pretty sure I got it off a Smithsonian set at some point. It has never turned up on any of Gordon's early compilations that I have. Since I am not a huge fan of his early work, chances are this will be the only way I own this track. The songs is -

6. Bikini (Blues Bikini)

and is a Dial Session. The players listed are -
Dex - tenor
Jimmy Bunn - piano
Red Callender - bass
Chuck Thompson - drums

Recorded 6/12/47 Hollywood, CA

It's all here.

Wardell Gray - Central Avenue

I really dig Wardell Gray. I love the way he embraces bebop and swing both and yet manages to be the precursor to that whole west coast sound.

Gray later became semi-famous for his battles with Dex but I think these sessions stand up as well as anything he did.

Most have been reissued in various forms but were originally released as Prestige 78's.

Everything here comes from a Prestige twofer released the year I graduated high school. I can't imagine how I missed it. Due to time constraints I have not included a couple of alternate takes.

Wardell Gray
Central Avenue

1. Twisted*
2. Easy Living*
3. Southside*
4. Sweet Lorraine*
5. Scrapple from The Apple #
   
6. Move #
   
7. A Sinner Kissed an Angel ~
8. Blue Gray ~
9. Grayhound ~
10. Treadin ~
11. April Skies ^
    
12. Bright Boy ^
    
13. Jackie ^
    
14. Farmer's Market^
15. Sweet and lovely ^
16. Lover man ^
17. The Man I Love +
    
18. Lavonne +
19. So Long Broadway +
20. Paul's Cause +
21. 
    

Wardell Gray - tenor sax with
Al Haig - piano
Tommy Potter - bass
Roy Haynes - drums
Clark Terry - trumpet
Sonny Criss - alto sax
Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Jimmy Bunn - piano
Billy Hadnott - bass
Chuck Thompson - drums
Phil Hill - piano
John Richardson - bass
Art Madigan - drums
Art Farmer - trumpet
Hampton Hawes - piano
Harper Crosby - bass
Lawrence Marable - drums
Robert Collier - conga
Frank Morgan - alto sax
Sonny Clark - piano
Teddy Charles - vibes
Dick Nivison - bass

* nyc - 11/11/49
# hula hut, LA - live - 8/27/50
~ Detroit - 4/25/50
^ LA - 1/21/52
+ LA - 2/20/53


Prestige P-24062

Fats Navarro - Nostalgia

So if you ever wanted to hear what a real Savoy record sounds like, here's your chance. Of course decent copies of these records are few and far between and excruciatingly expensive. Or they are simply so beat as to be worthless. Luckily I found one somewhere between. This has seen its share of late nights and probably a few early mornings.

A Savoy reissue of a couple of different sessions. Everything here should be recognizable but goddamn if it ain't a lot of fun!

I sometimes find myself awed that a talent like this was silenced before I was even born.

Nostalgia
Fats Navarro Memorial No. 2

1. Nostalgia
2. Barry's Bop
3. Be Bop Romp
4. Fats Blows
5. Dextivity
6. Dextrose
7. Dexter's Mood
8. Index
9. Stealing Trash
10. Hollerin' and Screamin'
11. Fracture
12. Calling Dr. Jazz

1-4
Fats - trumpet
Charlie Rouse - tenor
Tadd Dameron - piano
Nelson Boyd - bass
Art Blakey - drums

5-8
Fats - trumpet
Dexter Gordon - tenor
Tadd Dameron - piano
Nelson Boyd - bass
Art Madigan - drums

9-12
Fats - trumpet
Eddie Davis - tenor
Huey Long - guitar
Al Haig - piano
Gene Ramey - bass
Denzil Best - drums

Savoy MG-12133

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.

Dexter Gordon - Something Different

Another great late period Dexter G. record that I never see around. This time with two great European jazz artists and ex-pat Billy Higgins. The inclusion of Philip Catherine on guitar is not something I would generally look forward to, but damn if this isn't a fine set.

Covering Miles is always a risky idea, and covering this classic takes guts, but they pull it off phenomenally.

Once again Dexter shows his masterful interpretation of ballads and that fluid subtlety I love so much on the slow numbers. Throw in a little bossa nova, and you get a well rounded picture of this lp.

Dexter Gordon Quartet
Something Different

1. Freddy Freeloader
2. When Sunny Gets Blue
3.Invitation
4. Winther's Calling
5. Polkadots and Moonbeams
6. Yesterday's Mood

Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Philip Catherine - guitar
Niels-Henning Orsted Peterson - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

recorded 9/13/75

Steeplechase SCS-1136

Dexter Gordon - Blues a' la Suisse

I have a weird relationship with Dexter Gordon's records. Not necessarily a love/hate thing because I don't ever really hate them. His earliest stuff is entertaining but not necessary. A single Bethlehem compilation will suffice. The Blue Note post bop dates are excellent and essential to any decent jazz collection, but more often than not, they are not the records I quickly reach for.
What I have really come to appreciate is his later period stuff where he feels like he has settled into his older, wiser statesman status. He was rarely boring and he played with an ease that seemed to just settle my nerves.
Sure there were a few clunkers that occasionally, on paper should have been better, but I find myself more accepting of even those lately.

This one has always felt like a gem to me, and I don't see it around much, so here it 'tis.

Dexter Gordon
Blues a la Suisse

1. Gingerbread Boy
2. Blues a la Suisse
3. Some other Spring
4. Secret Love

Dexer Gordon - tenor sax
Hampton Hawes - electric and acoustic piano
Bob Cranshaw - electric bass
Kenny Clarke - drums

recorded live @ Montreaux Jass festival, 7/7/73

Prestige P-10079

Stan Levey w/ Dexter Gordon

As a bonus tonight I am also putting up this little gem - credited to Stan Levey but the star here is Dexter Gordon, who recorded rarely in the 50's due to his addiction.
I love the fact that this lp starts off with a short drum intro and finishes off with a long one. Not so long as to be uninteresting and of course, including that last flurry of activity from all the participants.

Now lets see how this works. The original 1955 lp is next to impossible to find. As far as I know it was not reissued again until 1978, 23 years after the original pressing, and the copy from which this was recorded. It is now 2009, making my copy 31 years old. One would think that if someone saw fit to reissue a record after 20+ years, that a copy of that record over 30 years later would have some value other than artistic. Sadly the digital revolution would make this point moot.

Or not. Because no one seems fit to keep this little gem in print. And it really is about the art, isn't it?

Stan Levey
Stanley The Steamer

1. Diggin' For Diz
2. Ruby, My Dear
3. Tune Up
4. La Chaloupee
5. Day In - Day Out
6. Stanley The Steamer
7. Max Is Makin' Wax

Stan Levey - drums
Conte Candoli - trumpet
Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Frank Rosolino - trombone
Leroy Vinnegar - bass
Lou Levy - piano

Bethlehem BCP-6030