RIP, Lionel Hampton (1908-2002)

Jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton died from congestive heart failure on August 31, 2002, in New York City at the age of 94. He is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.

Hampton was the first jazz vibraphonist and a long-lived talent, who played with jazz giants from Louis Armstrong to Benny Goodman to Charles Mingus. Len Lyons said that Hampton "was the master of a rhythmic vitality that enlivened every band he played in," and critic Scott Yanow said that Hampton "achieved the difficult feat of being musically open-minded ... without changing his basic swing style."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends Hampton's album, The Complete Lionel Hampton, 1937-1941 (RCA AXM6-5536, 6 LPs). The album is available on CD from Amazon.com.

In addition to that album, Jim Determan recommends the following, commenting that "These three volumes contain much of material from the all star sessions that made up the LP boxed set. The first volume is Hampton's pick of his favorites from these sessions.":

• Lionel Hampton: Vol. 1 Hot Mallets! The All-Star Groups (RCA), available from Amazon.com.
• Lionel Hampton: Vol. 2 The Jumpin' Jive: The All-Star Groups: 1937-1939 (RCA), available from Amazon.com.
• Lionel Hampton: Vol. 3 Tempo and Swing: The All-Star Groups: 1939-1940 (RCA), available from Amazon.com.

Hampton plays "Hamp's Boogie" from the 1968 Newport Jazz Festival here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 29 August 2012

• Cannonball Adderley: Peter Hum reviews Legends Live: Cannonball Adderley Quintet at the Ottawa Citizen. (Purchase Legends Live: Cannonball Adderley Quintet from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: According to Miles Davis Online, plans for a Miles Davis statue in the musician's home town on Alton, Illinois, are proceeding.
• Herbie Hancock: George Colligan reviews Bob Gluck's book, You'll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and The Mwandishi Band, at Jazz Truth. (Purchase You'll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and The Mwandishi Band from The University of Chicago Press.)
• Keith Jarrett: Peter Hum reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979, at the Ottawa Citizen. (Purchase Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979 from Amazon.com.)
• Charlie Parker: NPR Music has a nice appreciation of Charlie Parker's tune "Ko Ko."
• Charlie Parker: On August 29, his birthday, Charlie Parker was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Lester Young: On August 27, his birthday, Lester Young was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Charlie Parker

Jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920, in Kansas City. Parker was arguably the most influential jazz musician of all time. As Len Lyons puts it, "If you have never heard Charlie Parker, the experience could permanently change the way you think about music." Parker led the development of bebop, which differed from the straightforward, dance-able tunes of the swing era, replacing these with rapid tempos, fragmented asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that did more than just keep time.

In his 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends two of Parker's albums:

• The Very Best of Bird (Warner Brothers 2WB 3198, 2 LPs)
• Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs)

Unfortunately, both are available only on vinyl. Instead, Jim Determan (who has updated the Lyons list for CD) recommends the following:

• The Legendary Dial Masters, Vols. 1 and 2 (Jazz Classics) (Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.)
• Best of The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings (Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.)
• The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes (Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.)
• The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948 (Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.)

About the latter three, Determan says, "Three reissues let you choose the depth to which you want to delve into this material. These recordings are the basis of bop, so I would recommend the 3 CD Complete Master Takes set, which covers most of what was on the two double albums [Len Lyons] recommended. If you’re not sure and want to try out just a cross-section, then pick up the first disk. If you already know you are a serious fan, then you may be inclined to go for the Complete Recordings."

Parker's Septet plays "Ornithology" here in 1946:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Lester Young

Jazz saxophonist Lester Young was born on August 27, 1909, in Woodville, Mississippi. Nicknamed "Prez," Young was one of the most important tenor sax players in the history of jazz, and Len Lyons ranks him as "the most innovative instrumentalist in jazz between Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends The Lester Young Story, Vol. 1 (Columbia JG 33502, 2 LPs). Unfortunately, this album is only available on vinyl. A good alternative on CD is the British import, The Lester Young Story, which is re-issued on the Proper label and contains four CDs. (Purchase the CD, The Lester Young Story, at Barnes & Noble.)

As jazz critic Scott Yanow points out, Young "came up with a completely different conception in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting Coleman Hawkins' then-dominant forceful approach." That style can be heard on his solo on "Oh, Lady, Be Good," recorded in 1936 with Count Basie, here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Wayne Shorter

Jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter turns 79 today, having been born on August 25, 1933, in Newark, New Jersey. Shorter is regarded by many as the greatest living composer in jazz and has won 9 Grammy Awards. He worked with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the late 1950s, Miles Davis's second quintet in the 1960s, and Weather Report in the 1970s.

Critic Richard S. Ginell describes Shorter's style as a "more succinct manner on tenor sax, retaining the tough tone quality and intensity and, in later years, adding an element of funk."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the following recordings that include Shorter:

• Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Weather Report: 8:30 (Buy at Barnes & Noble)

Shorter plays tenor sax on "Deluge" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 24 August 2012

• Count Basie: On August 21, his birthday, Count Basie was Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Count Basie: The Spanish site, Vintage Music, discusses the life of Count Basie.
• Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: According to JazzTimes, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter will be among the jazz musicians playing at the Hollywood Bowl on August 29, 2012.

• Bud Powell: Howard Mandel reviews the new biography of Bud Powell, Wail: The Life of Bud Powell, at JJA News.
• Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Mangione, Modern Jazz Quartet, Sonny Rollins: At JazzWax, Marc Myers explores the use of jazz artists in advertisements in two posts: Part 1 and Part 2. The artists include Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Mangione, the Modern Jazz Quartet, and Sonny Rollins.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Count Basie

Jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer, William "Count" Basie was born on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. Basie first formed his own jazz orchestra in 1935, taking them to Chicago the following year for their first recording. He led the group for almost 50 years, featuring what critic William Ruhlmann calls "a light, swinging rhythm section that [Basie] led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two recordings of Count Basie: The Best of Count Basie and 16 Men Swinging. Unfortunately, these are only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Count Basie: The Complete Decca Recordings (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Count Basie: April in Paris (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Count Basie: Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Buy at Barnes & Noble)

Basie and his orchestra play "Basie Boogie" here: 

Robert
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Recent Links :: 20 August 2012

• Louis Armstrong: Fradley Garner discusses the "Genius at Work" exhibition at the Louis Armstrong House and Museum as well as other news about Armstrong at All About Jazz.
• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online provides a round-up of news about Davis, including an interview with producer Marcus Miller.
• Bill Evans: Michael Conklin provides a biography of Bill Evans at his blog, This Quiet Fire.
• Bill Evans: Michael Conklin shares a video interview with Bill Evans’s first record producer, Orrin Keepnews, who talks about his first meeting with Evans at This Quiet Fire.

• Sonny Rollins: At Open Culture, Colin Marshall shares two videos of Sonny Rollins concerts: a 1965 concert in Copenhagen and a 1992 concert in München, Germany.
• Cecil Taylor: Aaron Cohen reviews the Cecil Taylor album, Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly!, at Downbeat Magazine. (Purchase the CD, Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly!, at Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 17 August 2012

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses the Louis Armstrong classic, "Potato Head Blues," at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. ("Alligator Crawl" is on the CD, Hot Fives & Sevens, available from Amazon.com.)
• Ornette Colement: According to JazzTimes, "Ornette: Made in America," a documentary film about jazz legend Ornette Coleman will open on August 31 at New York City’s IFC Center.
• Miles Davis: Fast Company has a piece entitled "If Miles Davis Taught Your Office To Improvise."
• Bill Evans: Among the top 50 jazz albums for the week of 13 August 2012 was Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate by the Bill Evans Trio. (Purchase the CD, Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate, at Amazon.com.)
• Oscar Peterson: On August 15, his birthday, Oscar Peterson was Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Sonny Rollins: Christopher Carroll writes about "the singular sound" of Sonny Rollins at The New York Review of Books.
• Sarah Vaughan: Marc Myers compares Sarah Vaughan's 1958 and 1964 versions of "Misty" at JazzWax.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Bill Evans

Jazz pianist Bill Evans was born on August 16, 1929, in Plainfield, New Jersey. As jazz critic Richard S. Ginell notes, "There is no more influential jazz-oriented pianist" than Evans, who "brought a new, introverted, relaxed, lyrical, European classical sensibility into jazz."

A wonderful biography of Evans is Peter Pettinger's Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings. (Available from Barnes & Noble)

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Evans, The Village Vanguard Sessions and Intuition. Both are available from Barnes & Noble: the remastered The Coplete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 and Intuition.

Evans plays "My Foolish Heart" here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Oscar Peterson

Pianist Oscar Peterson was born on August 15, 1925, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Peterson won eight Grammy Awards over his career and is one of the few pianists whose technique approaches that of the great Art Tatum, who was a major influence on Peterson. As critic Scott Yanow notes, "Peterson's speed, dexterity, and ability to swing at any tempo were amazing. Very effective in small groups, jam sessions, and in accompanying singers, [Oscar Peterson] was at his absolute best when performing unaccompanied solos."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, In Concert (Verve - England 2683 063, 2 LPs). Unfortunately, that album is available only in vinyl and not in CD or MP3 format. Jim Determan, who updated the Lyons list for DC, offers no alternatives, and Lyons himself warns that "Good Peterson albums are abundant, but great ones are rare." Nevertheless, Lyons does speak highly of the solo album My Favorite Instrument, which is available from Barnes & Noble, both new and used.

Peterson plays solo piano here on "I Can't Get Started":

Robert
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Recent Links :: 10 August 2012

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses the controversy surrounding the exact date of Louis Armstrong's birth at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
• Miles Davis: According to Miles Davis Online, Antoine Fuqua's IMDB page now lists the Miles Davis movie as a "Project in Development."
• Keith Jarrett: John Kelman reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979, at All About Jazz. (Purchase Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979 from Amazon.com.)
• Airto Moreira: On his birthday, August 5, Airto Moreira was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Sonny Rollins: Tim Niland reviews the Sonny Rollins album, The Very Best of Sonny Rollins, at Music and More. (Purchase The Very Best of Sonny Rollins from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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RIP, Cannonball Adderley (1928-1975)

Alto saxophonist Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley died of a stroke on August 8, 1975, in Gary, Indiana. He was just 46 years old. He was buried in the Southside Cemetery, in Tallahassee, Florida.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Cannonball Adderley's album Coast to Coast. Unfortunately, the album is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:

• Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Cannonball Adderley Sextet in New York (Buy at Barnes & Noble)

A good example of Adderley's high-spirited style is "This Here," which features what reviewer Steve Leggett called the "soulful, blues-filled tone in [Adderley's] horn playing":

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Luckey Roberts

Stride pianist Charles Luckeyeth "Luckey" Roberts was born on August 7, 1887, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Along with James P. Johnson and Willie "The Lion" Smith, he developed stride piano in the years following World War I.

Roberts is reported to have had very large hands, which allowed him to span 14 keys on the piano, and his right hand was particularly fluid. He played for the Vanderbilts, Astors, and other wealthy families in New York.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, Luckey and the Lion: Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz). (Buy the CD at Barnes & Noble.)

Roberts plays his "Railroad Blues" here:

Robert
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RIP, Bix Beiderbecke (1903-1931)

Jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke died on August 6, 1931, in Queens, New York, at the age of 28. The official cause of his death was "lobar pneumonia" and "brain edema," but many individuals believe that Beiderbecke died of an alcoholic seizure during delirium tremens. Beiderbecke was buried in the Oakdale Memorial Gardens cemetery in his home town of Davenport, Iowa.

Beiderbecke was one of the first great soloists of jazz and played a sensitive, "cool" style of jazz that contrasted with the hot, hard playing of someone like Louis Armstrong. Jazz critic Terry Teachout called Beiderbecke and Armstrong "the two most influential figures in the early history of jazz."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends The Bix Beiderbecke Story: Bix and Tram, Vol. 2 (Columbia). Unfortunately, this album is not available in CD or MP3 format. According to Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons book for CD, there are two good alternatives:

• Bix Beiderbecke: Singin' the Blues, Volume 1 (Sony), which Determan says "is a better collection than [The Bix Beiderbecke Story], since it includes the best tracks from the LP, has more cuts, and includes Bix's unique piano solo, 'In a Mist.'" It is available on CD from Amazon.com.
• Bix Beiderbecke: Bix & Tram (JSP), which Determan claims "has superior remastering by John R. T. Davies on most tracks, and makes an excellent choice, especially for those who want more than one Beiderbecke disc." It is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Beiderbecke leads His Gang on "Royal Garden Blues" here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Airto Moreira

Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira was born on August 5, 1941, in Itaiópolis, Brazil. Moreira and his wife, singer Flora Purim, moved to the United States in 1967 and began playing with a number of jazz musicians, including Joe Zawinul and Miles Davis.

Moreira participated in several of Davis's jazz fusion projects, including the highly influential album Bitches Brew. Moreira and other musicians who had played with Miles — Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous — then formed Weather Report, and Moreira played percussion on their first album, Weather Report. Moreira then left Weather Report to join Chick Corea's new band Return to Forever, where he played drums on the group's first two albums, Return to Forever and Light as a Feather.

Moreira and Purim also recorded 500 Miles High/At Montreux, a marvelous live album that Len Lyons included in his list of the 101 best jazz albums. As Lyons notes, the album features their "raw, spontaneous, and loose style."

A nice example of Moreira and Purim's music is "Samba de Flora":

Robert
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Recent Links :: 5 August 2012

• Louis Armstrong: On August 4, his birthday, Louis Armstrong was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Miles Davis: PopMatters lists the top 10 performances of American standards by Miles Davis, including "But Not for Me," "Some Day My Prince Will Come," and "My Funny Valentine.""

• Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins: Downbeat Magazine announced the winners of its 2012 critics poll, and the winners include:
  • Historical Album: Miles Davis Quintet, Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy). (Purchase from Amazon.com.)
  • Keyboard: Herbie Hancock
  • Tenor Saxophone: Sonny Rollins
• Bill Evans: Thomas Conrad reviews the Bill Evans album, Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate, at JazzTimes. (Purchase Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate from Amazon.com.)
• Benny Goodman, James P. Johnson: JazzLives discusses the song, "Havin' a Ball," which was recorded by James P. Johnson in 1939 and by Benny Goodman in 1958.
• Charles Mingus: Open Culture shares Thomas Reichman’s documentary "Mingus," which includes footage of Charles Mingus being evicted from his New York apartment in November 1966.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Louis Armstrong

The great jazz trumpeter and singer, Louis Armstrong, was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Armstrong was one of the greatest influences in the history of jazz and shifted the focus of jazz from the collective music of the traditional New Orleans ensemble to a music that valued solo performance and virtuosity.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two records of Louis Armstrong:

• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: The Genius of Louis Armstrong, Vol. 1 1923-1933 (Columbia CG 30416, 2 LPs)
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, 1928 (Smithsonian Collection R-002, 2 LPs)

Unfortunately, these are only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following Columbia titles:

• Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Fives and Hot Sevens (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong: Hot Fives and Sevens (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong: The Big Band Recordings 1930-1932 (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives, Volume I (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives & Hot Sevens, Volume II (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives & Hot Sevens, Volume III (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, Volume IV (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
• Louis Armstrong: Louis in New York, Volume V (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: St. Louis Blues, Volume VI (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: You're Drivin' Me Crazy, Volume VII (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, 1923-1934 (Buy at Amazon.com)

A good example of Armstrong's improvisational genius is "Weather Bird," in which he and pianist Earl Hines turn a traditional ragtime piece into a brilliant interchange of call and response and broken rhythms.

 
Robert
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