The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol 2 - Impulse Comp

The second set of amazingly unreleased (at the time) sessions from the Impulse stable. Other than the Ray Charles track this is easily as strong as the last batch. Not that the uncle Ray track is a slouch, it just seems a tad outta place. Granted it does make a fine opener.

Highlights for me this time include Shirley Scott doing an instrumental version of the song that was her vocal debut, Coltrane's massive take on contemporary Stan Getz' signature tune and Oliver Nelson making his septet sound huge!

The Definitive Jazz Scene
Vol. 2
1. Without A Song
2. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But Some Pain
3. Moon Over My Annie
4. Night Lights
5. Gloria
6. Dear Old Stockholm
7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
8. Blues Company
9. Anything I Do

1. Ray Charles - piano; and a whole crapload of people of whom you have never heard. 7/10/63
2. Shirley Scott - organ; Bob Cranshaw - bass; Otis Finch - drums 5/14/64
3. Lionel Hampton - vibes; Clark Terry - flugelhorn; Ben Webster - tenor sax; Hank Jones - piano; Milt Hinton - bass; Osie Johnson - drums 10/28/64
4. Oliver Nelson - arr.; Thad Jones - tp; Phil Woods - alto sax; Phil Bodner - french horn; Pepper Adams - baritone sax; Roger Kelleway - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Grady Tate - drums 11/11/64
5. J.J. Johnson - tb; Harold Malbern, Jr. - piano; Arthur Harper, Jr. - bass; Frank Gant - drums 5/1/64
6. John Coltrane - tenor sax; McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Elvin Jones - drums 4/29/64
7. McCoy Tyner - piano; Jimmy Garrison - bass; Albert Heath - drums 6/4/63
8. Manny Alban - arr.; Johnny Coles - tp; Urbie Green - tb; Phil Woods -slto sax; Oliver Nelson - tenor sax; Jim Hall - guitar; George Duvivier - bass, Gus Johnson, Jr. - drums; others 1/12/62
9. Tommy Flanagan - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Connie Kay - drums


Impulse A-100

Jimmy Smith - Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

The last time I saw this record offered in the blog-o-sphere was almost 4 years ago. It was at Orgy In Rhythm, a fine place to visit. It's time for my copy and my tale.

First, my Jimmy Smith introduction story. I don't know where I first heard of him, I suspect it was through the NPR station outside Chicago. However I was enlightened, my first purchase was a Verve "Best of" collection. Or so I thought...
Usually I pull every record out of the sleeve and check the condition... must've missed this one because when i got home I found I had a copy of Organ Grinder Swing stuffed into the wrong sleeve.
Later as I was to discover I enjoyed this lp far more than I liked the "best of" that I should have purchased. I am confident to this day that had I ended up with that "best of" record it would have taken far longer to explore Smith's catalog. As it was, I thought the lp swing like a mofo.

Many years later I ran across this lp, which I had not even seen, not even so much as a review. Why? Was it that shitty? By now I knew Smith has crossed over into cheese at times (re: Verve - best of). I took the chance for a couple of bucks. What the hell? Even if no musicians are listed, arrangements were by Oliver Nelson, his rep was good enough for me. So the arrangements are shared by some fellow named Claus Ogerman... this is nice stuff. Recorded by Van Gelder and produced by Creed Taylor, we've heard those names before.

Jimmy Smith
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

1. Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
2. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (pt.1)
3. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (pt.2)
4. John Brown's Body
5. Wives And Lovers
6. Women Of The World
7. Bluesette

Jimmy Smith - Hammond B3
other personnel unnamed

recorded in NYC, Jan. 20, 21, and 27, 1964

Verve records V6-8583