Weekend Music Roundup

 

It's the weekend...and it's a long weekend. For the holiday weekend, I've decided to make this list a jazz list. They say jazz is the only true American art form and as we take time over the next few days to think about the collision of east and west, it might be nice to celebrate something good that came out of that collision that had so many devastating effects on culture. But out of the melting pot that was created, jazz was born.

Stuff Smith - Sweet Swingin' Stuff: Over the past several years, Stuff has become one of my favorite jazz artists. A rare jazz artist whose instrument is violin, he plays it in a way unlike anyone else. He transforms this typically formal instrument in a tool to create swing music. Released in 1959, this album features a ton of Stuff vocals that are truly endearing. Of the four Stuff albums I own, this one is the most traditional. It's a wonderful example of swing jazz and is just super cool. 

Cannonball Adderly - Cannonball Enroute: One of four albums released by saxophonist in '61, and one of dozens released in the period that covered the seven year period at the height of his career. Hard Bop has always been my favorite jazz genre, though in the past few years, I've moved into exploring others, so when I do pick up a hard bop record, it always grabs me right way, pulling my back into that joyful space. Sam Jones on bass and Julian Mance on piano are pretty brilliant on here. "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" and "A Foggy Day" are mesmerizingly good.

 

Dizzy Gillespie and Django Reinhardt - Jazz from Paris: The Verve label split album was released in '56 and recorded in the early 50s. By this time Dizzy had already had a blistering career, playing with all the giants and having made a name for himself as trumpeter. He was already popular in Paris and he plays here with string accompaniment. It's mellow fairy tale recording and quite pretty, if not altogether essential. The Django Reinhardt side was an afterthought for me, but ended up being the star. The Gypsy guitarist totally swings on this eerie recording, which was done only months before he died. If Dizzy captures the romance of Paris, Django captures the underworld of Paris. 

Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker - Timeless: Though not released until '63, these recordings were made between '52 and '54. There was a lot of improvisation going on in the quartet in those days, with the two legends of cool jazz playing off of each other and essentially inventing the genre. There's something magical in these recordings, like a soundtrack taken from a dreamworld. The version of "My Funny Valentine" on here is pretty mind-blowing.  

The Jonah Jones Quartet - Jumpin' With Jonah: Released in '58, this was the height of the swing jazz trumpeter's career. Having worked with Stuff Smith and Cab Calloway, Jonah was well versed and at the top of his game. Often referred to as King Louis II, Jones has that same riverboat style as Louis Armstrong, and spent a lot of his career unable to pull out of that shadow. But let's face it, there are worse shadows to have to live in, and this album proves to me that he deserved his own spotlight. 

Charlie Parker - Volume V: I've been coming across these Everest Records Archive of Folk and Jazz records in the cheap bins for years and always snatch them up. I already have Charlie Volume 3 and 4 so was pretty excited to add this one to the mix. Charlie is an icon for a reason. He is a master at the Bop and swing sound. This compilation features some great recordings, and like all albums in this series, I recommend picking them up if you come across them. 

Pretty Baby Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: I don't typically go for soundtracks, but this one is basically just a New Orleans jazz comp featuring some of the great players of the time doing some of the classic tunes from the earliest days of jazz. There was promotional copy in the $2 bin and I figured there was nothing loose. I was right, a pretty fantastic record that contains none of the usual soundtrack filler that turns me off.