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

Dizzy Gillespie - Have Trumpet.../ The Ebulliant...

Tonight, a pair of overlooked Dizzy lps on the Verve label.
The first one is covers, mostly standards, with the exception of his own Woody'n You which has found its way into the bop standards in it's own right. Full of grace and lyricism and no less tha a dash of humor and you'll find this recording can hold its own against any middle period Gillespie lp. Upon archiving these, the one thing that took me by surprise was Les Spann's flute and guitar work. I have long considered those to be some of my least favorite instruments in the jazz idiom. The guitar I had come to accept as a necessary evil but the flute I still avoided like the plague. Turns out the flute is like cold beets. I don't mind at all, and even enjoy them in medium doses. Surely wouldn't want a steady diet of beets (or flute, for that matter) but damn if I didn't find myself digging it way beyond what I had ever thought I would. I guess growing older does open the possibilities for new things. Who knew?

The second lp, finds Dizzy sporting the same band but with the inclusion of Chino Pozo on congas, it takes a decidedly more percussive flair. While nothing will top the Cole Porter cover on the last record, over all I find this lp more interesting.
Since he takes great liberties with Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac; Always, and Willow Weep For Me are the only straight forward standards on this lp.

As Dizzy had been working this combo in the clubs for awhile, I'm assuming these songs were comfortable for all, and so the recording sessions were very relaxed and highly entertaining.

For the record, Chino Pozo was said to be the nephew of the more famous Chano Pozo.

I have not been able to listen to one of these records without pulling out the other immediately for many years now. I hope you enjoy this pair together as I have.

Dizzy Gillespie
Have Trumpet, Will Excite

1. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
2. My Man
3. Moonglow
4. St. Louis Blues
5. Woody'n You
6. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
7. There Is No Greater Love
8. I Found A Million Dollar Baby In The Five And Ten Cent Store

Dizzy Gillespie
The Ebullient Mr. Gillespie

1. Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac
2. Always
3. Willow Weep For Me
4. Ungawa
5. Lorraine
6. Girl Of My Dreams
7. Constantinople
8. The Umbrella Man

Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet. vocals
Junior Mance - piano
Les Spann - flute, guitar
Sam Jones - bass
Lex Humphries - drums
Francisco "Chino" Pozo - conga drums


MG V-8313

MG V-8328

Once again - my apologies as these were taken from my less than perfect vinyl copies.