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

Coleman Hawkins Quartet - The Jazz Version of No Strings

Here's another in honor of Bean's birthday this weekend. I really don't see this one about much, so here ya go. as usual, ripped from the vinyl.

This quartet is the same one that recorded Today and Now for Impulse and that record remains one of my favorites to this day. There is not nearly as much stretching out on this lp, not surprisingly as it was released under the Moodsville imprint.

Apparently No Strings - the play - has the distinction of being the first for which Richard Rodgers wrote both music and lyrics. Guess the lyric part is kinda pointless here.

If the liner notes are to be believed this lp was recorded within weeks of the show opening on Broadway. Rodgers moved the orchestra from the pit and behind the stage with soloists wandering on stage to accentuate certain moods. Sounds interesting. I wonder if it worked. The show itself opened 3/15/62.

The Coleman Hawkins Quartet
The Jazz Version of No Strings

1. Look No Further
2. La La La
3. Nobody Told Me
4. Maine
5. Loads Of Love
6. The Sweetest Sounds
7. Be My Host
8. The Man Who Has Everything
9. No Strings

Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Major Holley - bass
Eddie Locke - drums

recorded 3/30, 4/4/62

Moodsville 25

Tommy Flanagan - It's Magic

As promised, here is a nice recording by Tommy Flanagan. This dude was a workhorse playing om some of the finest lps ever recorded by many many artists. But he didn't really come into his won as a leader until later into his career. I really wish I would have held onto some of those later Muse lps i had at one time. I bet I would appreciate them much more now.

This is a pretty straight ahead bop session from 57. The standards medley may be the highlight.

Flanagan may not have set the world on fire but he certainly should be remembered. I am glad to contribute one of his own efforts here.

Of course, not to be missed is his work on the previous post of Wilbur Harden Quartet's "King and I" set.

Tommy Flanagan
It's Magic

1. Two Ton
2. Medley:
It's Magic
My One and Only Love
They Didn't Believe me
3. Soul Station
4. Club Car
5. Upper Berth

Tommy Flanagan - piano
Sonny Redd - alto sax
Curtis Fuller - trombone
George Tucker - bass
Louis Hayes - drums

recorded 9/5/57 at Van Gelder studios

Savoy 12209

the usual disclaimer of late; recorded from a vinyl version of SJL 1158

Wilbur Harden - The King and I

Somehow I have always been a sucker for this musical, and these takes on the songs are some of my favorite versions. Wilbur Harden is always so lyrical in his playing so this rendition of the soundtrack seems natural.

Later on this was to be credited often to Tommy Flanagan who seems to have claimed larger fame than Harden, although mostly through longevity. Not to say Flanagan was a slouch, far from it as my next post will show.

There is such a joyful quality about this whole lp that it always leaves me smiling at the end. And generally befuddled as what to play next. Later versions of the lp included alternate versions of "Getting To Know You" and "Something Wonderful". Very nice recordings that languished in the Savoy faults for 30 years but unessiantal and therefore left off of this post. I can provide them upon request.

And once again, a great record to play just after an intimate dinner, but before dessert. Who can resist the charms of a beautiful companion and the wonderful strains of "Shall We Dance"? Not me.

The Wilbur Harden Quartet
Plays the Music of Rogers and Hammerstein

1. Getting To Know You
2. My Lord and Master
3. Shall we Dance
4. We Kiss In A Shadow
5. I Have Dreamed
6. I Whistle A Happy Tune
6. Hello Young Lovers
7. Something Wonderful

Wilbur Harden - trumpet, flugelhorn
Tommy Flanagan - piano, celeste
George Duvivier - bass
Granville T. Hogan - drums

recorded 9/23 and 9/30, 1958 at Van Gelder studios.

Savoy 12134

disclaimer: recorded from a vinyl copy of SJL 1189