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.  

 

Weekend Music Roundup (Jazz Edition)

 

It's the weekend, and time to roundup some music. Looking over my list, I decided it was about time to do another Jazz themed weekend. So I apologize to all you uncultured non-Jazz fans, but jazz it is. I've written over the past few years about how my interest in jazz has grown way beyond what it had been in my youth. I've delved deeper into the archives of jazz to find new artists, new sounds, and enjoy the different feelings and ideas that they conjure up. Enjoy.

 Harlan Leonard - Harlan Leonard and His Rockets 1940: This compilation features 17 or the 23 tracks ever recorded by the "forgotten man of Kansas City." After Basie left for NYC, Harlan took over his slots in K.C. clubs. It is classic swing jazz, and all of the players talented. There's not many of these records, thankfully though rare, it's not highly sought after. I stumbled across it during a sale at the local shop and ended up paying $2 for it, a total steal.

Donald Byrd - Platinum Selection: Donald Byrd is one of the most renowned trumpeters of the hard-bop era, releasing lots of music in the 50's-60's, mostly for Blue Note. This newly released digital compilation focuses primarily on that era, rather than his fusion stuff of the 70s. It's a pretty fantastic collection of music that highlights the power of the hard bop era and why it remains one of the most popular sub genres of jazz. There's soul in chaos of this music and it shines through.

Gerry Mulligan - The King of Jazz: A remastered digital compilation from one of the undisputed kings of Cool Jazz. I've been really into this West Coast late 50s early 60s time period and the laid back smoothness it captures. L.A. during this time was the golden age of Hollywood, the glorious simplicity of evolving consciousness that was taking place in the Beat Generation writers is present in the cool jazz of Mulligan and Baker and Pepper. It's swinging stuff, and it's all together cool.  

Gertrude "Ma" Rainey - Archive of Jazz Volume 28: I've picked up a lot of albums in this "Archive of Jazz" series over the past few years. They usually feature artists whose work isn't widely available, and wasn't ever widely available on LP. Ma Rainey is one such artist. She released a lot of singles back in teh '20s and was a fine vaudeville blues singer with a great voice. This compilation collects a lot of her recordings and was a nice addition to my collection.

Bunk Johnson and His Superior Jazz Band: This compilation was originally released in in '62, but recorded in '42. Bunk is one of the New Orleans jazz legends. He blows that sweet Dixieland jazz that always blows me away because it simply doesn't sound like anything else in the world. It captures a moment in time, in specific place, in music. "Ballin' the Jack" and "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor" were two tracks that stood out to me, but I've always felt that Dixieland was kind of an experience, with no divide between songs, it's all just one great ride.

 

Fats Navarro - Good Bait: One of the great Be-Bop trumpeters of the early 20th Century, Fats is one of the musicians whose catalog I've been digging into over the past few years and will generally snatch up any vinyl that I come across. This collection was released in '68, eighteen years after his death. I love the manic energy that comes through in Be-Bop, that cartoon jazz chaos. The title track is simply amazing.

 

Weekend Music Jazz Roundup

 

I'd warned you all that another Jazz only weekend was going to come, and looking through the queue, it seemed about right for now. This list features mostly heavy hitters, or heavy hitter related. As steady followers are aware, my passion for jazz has really blossomed over the past two years and I love that there are always a few decently priced jazz records to be found in the local shops. If Jazz ain't your thing, I apologize. If it's potentially your thing, but you haven't explored it enough, I encourage you to. If it is your thing, than I'm happy to share with you my thoughts. Enjoy.

Jaki Byard - Jaki Byard with Strings: Released in '68, this albums sees the iconic pianist move headlong into the post-bop era. At times it's erratic, but there are two absolutely brilliant tracks, "Cat's Cradle Conference Rag" and "How High the Moon," both clocking in over ten minutes. Over the past few years, Jaki has become one of my favorites, I think because his music challenges you in a way that some other favorites of mine do not. Chet Baker is instantaneous, you get him. Jaki is not, you must study him. And that's what appeals to me about his music. 

Eric Dolphy - Eric Dolphy: This double album comp was released in 1968 and includes his first two albums, Outward Bound (1960) and Out There (1961). When I was in college, Dolphy was the first  jazz artists beyond Coltrane and Davis that I got into. There was something about his avant style that spoke to me. Whether it was his sax playing or flute or clarinet, he's always taking an exploration. Shockingly, I didn't have either of these first two albums, and was really excited to find a nice copy on Record Store Day, that was reasonably priced and on sale.  As one might expect, Out There is more complex and challenging, but not overly so. "Green Dolphin Street," "Glad to be Unhappy," "245" "Serene," "The Barron," and "Feathers" are all brilliant tracks.

George Benson - White Rabbit: Released in 1972, this is one of the early forays into the emerging jazz fusion scene. The jazz guitarist blends Latin sounds with guitar jazz that is more eerie than a lot of what would come later from big names in jazz fusion. He's always had a knack for reinterpreting pop songs into jazz pieces, The Other Side of Abbey Road is a great example. Here, he gives that treatment to "California Dreaming" with outstanding results. "El Mar" is another standout track with its cinematic leanings. A decent record for those who like more jazz to their fusion.

Art Pepper - Early Art: I've been on a west coast jazz kick for the past year, and Art Pepper was the genisus for that. I recently picked up this double LP compilation, released on Blue Note in '76. These recordings are from '56 - '57, when L.A. was still thriving, but changing rapidly. This is the height of the cool jazz that came out of there during that time. Not only is Art's saxophone in top form, but Ben Tucker and Joe Morello are as pretty dynamite. 

Cootie Williams - The Boys from Harlem: This Swedish compilation was released in the early 80s and features music recorded between '37-'39 under "Cootie Williams and His Rug Cutters". There's not a ton of Cootie releases and was super excited to find this (and Volume 2) at an outdoor sale. Cootie was a trumpet player for Duke Ellington, and in the '30s and '40s, Ellington encouraged his band members to form what were called "The Ellington Small Groups." This is one of those outfits and is phenomenal swing jazz. Cootie is one of my favorite jazz musicians and this album is pure treat. 

Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band - Live: This '61 release on Verve was recorded a year earlier and features Gerry's attempt at creating a Big Band, long after the Big Band era was over. It was a bold move on his part, and one that yielded great results, if not overwhelming commercial success. Zoot Simms joins the band by the second disc, which is something that excites me.

 

Weekend Music JAZZ Roundup

 

 

 

I've been planning for quite some time to dedicate an entire Roundup to the one true American art form of Jazz. My jazz journey began in earnest when I was around 16 or 17. It was a time of many opening doors of perception and I recall switching to the jazz radio station in the car one late night drive home from some nefarious adventure and being instantly transported. It wasn't long before I went out and picked up some classics from Miles and Coltrane. Through college, I pretty much stuck with the giants, expanding to Mingus, Dolphey, Monk and the like, but budgets were tight, and rock and hip hop were still commanding my dollars. Though I do remember springing for a used Smithsonian Jazz vinyl box set back then, which was a big deal as it meant spending an amount that could've scored me multiple CDs. In the last decade or so, I've moved deep into the jazz world and typically pick up at least one jazz album on any shopping trip...and boy am I ever glad that random turn of the dial so many years ago woke me to the wondrous world that is JAZZ.

 

 

The Sonny Criss Orchestra - Sonny's Dream (Birth of The New Cool): There's a certain boldness involved in naming an album 'Birth of the New Cool' in 1968, eleven years after Miles Davis' brilliant 'Birth of Cool' record. From the first notes, he earns every ounce of that boldness. This album is on fire! One of the best post bop albums I've ever heard, it is out of this world genies. We are taken into Sonny's dream completely and it's one cool world to be in. This is an album that should be talked about in any discussions about the best records of the era. After several listens, this has moved into my top 10 all time jazz album list.

 

Art Pepper - The Artistry of Pepper: Released in '62 after Art entered prison to serve a two year drug sentence because the law thought he was part of dope gang, though he was simply a user who bought from the top. He would spend most of the '60s battling his addictions, leaving this album to stand in for his contribution to the decade. And true to form, it's cooler than cool. "Zenobia," "Powder Puff," "Popo," and "Bunny" are my personal favorites.  

Albert Ammons - King of Blues and Boogie Woogie: This compilation was released in '75 and spans the career of the Chicago legend. Considered one of the three kings of the boogie jazz sound, I found this in the local shop's 4 for $10 bin and snatched it up. The interesting thing about boogie jazz is that you can pretty much trace the roots of early rock 'n' roll from it. Jerry Lee Lewis pops into mind, and Little Richard, basically any early piano based early rock. That's probably because it's rooted in "rhythm" and follows a similar structure. Great stuff, this. 

 

Stuff Smith Quartet - Swingin Stuff: Recorded live in 1965 at the "Jazzhus Montmarte" in Copenhagen, this is one of the finest live jazz albums I've ever hear. I recently was introduced to Stuff's work when I picked up another album of his from '65, and the way he plays jazz violin is mind blowing. His plays it in a way to mimic trumpet and it's brilliant. "Old Stinkin' Blues," Ellington's "C-Jam Blues," and Basie's "One O'Clock Jump" are standouts.

 

Art Blakey Jazz Messengers - Caravan: Released in '62, at the peak of the Pittsburgh hard bop drummer's career, this was recently re-issued on 180g vinyl. There's a lot of these jazz reissues that you can pick up new for under $10, especially if they are not the top three or four names in jazz. But as readers here know, in the last several years, I've been digging deeper into the jazz trove and there is so many that are just as good as Miles, John, Charlie and Duke. Art is one of them. He was a pioneer of the hard bop genre, one of my personal favorites, and he brought a lot of talented musicians up through his band.

 

Don Patterson - These are Soulful Days: Released in '74, towards the end of the Ohio jazz organists' recording career, this is pretty record. Despite the title, it's attachment to soul music is slim, as this is clearly a jazz record, but a groovy one to be sure. As expected the organ is front and center, but Jimmy Heath on sax is outstanding as well. The epic "Muse Blues" which takes up the last 17+ minutes is a real standout on here.