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 and His Orchestra play "Wee Albert" here:

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) (Purchase the vinyl at Amazon.com.)
• Bird/The Savoy Recordings (Master Takes) (Savoy SJL 2201, 2 LPs) (Purchase the vinyl at Amazon.com.)

Jim Determan (who has updated the Lyons list for CD) also recommends the following:

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

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 "All the Things You Are" here:

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 from Amazon.com. A good alternative on CD is The Lester Young Story, which is re-issued on the Jazz Archives label. (Purchase the CD, The Lester Young Story, at Amazon.com.)

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 was 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 Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• Weather Report: 8:30 (Buy at Amazon.com.)

Shorter plays "Footprints" with Herbie Hancock on piano here:

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 Amazon.com)
• Count Basie: April in Paris (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Count Basie: Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Buy at Amazon.com)

Basie and his orchestra play "Blue Skies" here:

Robert
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Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

After four years of maintaining this blog, it's time for me to say "Good bye."  Effective August 31 (the anniversary of Lionel Hampton's death in 2002), this blog will cease.

I will maintain the Core Jazz Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/corejazz) and the Core Jazz Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/corejazz), so please follow me there.

In the meantime, here's a little Bill Evans for old time's sake.

Recent Links :: 16 August 2015

Cannonball Adderley: At Jazz Backstory, Monk Rowe remembers the day that Cannonball Adderley died.

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi recaps the recent Satchmo Summerfest.

Miles Davis: Andy Cush discusses Sony Pictures Classics' acquisition of "Miles Ahead," Don Cheadle's biopic of Miles Davis at Defamer. Miles Davis Online has a similar story.

Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross: According to JazzTimes, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross will appear at Birdland in New York on September 16.

Billie Holiday: Night Lights looks at Billie Holiday's recordings with Verve in the 1950s.

Earl Hines: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a clip of Earl Hines performing on Ralph J. Gleason's "Jazz Casual" TV show in 1963.

Jaco Pastorius: According to JazzTimes, "Jaco," the documentary about the life of bassist Jaco Pastorius, will be released in August, and streaming will begin in November.

Oscar Peterson: At Today Is the Question, Ted Panken shares an interview with Oscar Peterson from 2002.

Oscar Peterson: Peter Hum discusses "the timeless appeal of Oscar Peterson" at The Ottawa Citizen.

Oscar Peterson: Peter Hum also talks with several Canadian jazz pianists who remember Oscar Peterson at The Ottawa Citizen.

Oscar Peterson: On August 15, his birthday, Oscar Peterson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Oscar Peterson: According to ArtDaily.org, Sotheby’s and Warner Music Denmark has announced the sale of a single-issue album, Take Me Home, by the Oscar Peterson Legacy Quartet, to take place on September 29.

Robert
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RIP, Max Roach (1924 - 2007)

Jazz drummer Max Roach died on August 16, 2007, in Manhattan. Over 1,900 people attended his funeral at Riverside Church in Manhattan, and Roach was interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.

Roach is regarded as one of the greatest jazz drummers and was a pioneer of bebop. He worked with a number of famous jazz musicians, including Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, and Eric Dolphy.

Writing about Roach's work with Parker, Len Lyons notes, "Max Roach was wholly comfortable with Parker's rhythmic gymnastics, one of the few drummers at the time who was."  Roach was given a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant in 1988, cited as a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France (1989), twice awarded the French Grand Prix du Disque, elected to the International Percussive Art Society's Hall of Fame and the Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame, named a Harvard Jazz Master, and awarded eight honorary doctorate degrees, including degrees from Medgar Evers College, CUNY, the University of Bologna, Italy and Columbia University.

Roach appears on several albums in The 101 Best Jazz Albums, most notably:

• The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever (Prestige).  (Purchase the CD from Amazon.com.)
• Clifford Brown: The Quintet, Vol. 1 (EmArcy/Mercury).  (Purchase the vinyl from Amazon.com.)

Jim Determan also recommends the CD, Clifford Brown and Max Roach (EmArcy/Polygram).  (Purchase from Amazon.com.)

Roach plays a drum solo on "The Third Eye" here:

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 Amazon.com.)

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 Amazon.com: the remastered The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 and Intuition.

Evans, who rarely played Thelonious Monk's compositions, plays Monk's "Bemsha Swing" 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).  The album is available only in vinyl and not in CD or MP3 format through Amazon.com.

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 in CD from Amazon.com.

Peterson plays piano here on Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues":

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, which is available from Amazon.com in vinyl.

Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, also recommends the following titles:

• Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Cannonball Adderley Sextet in New York (Buy at Amazon.com)

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 Amazon.com.)

Roberts plays "Railroad Blues" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 6 August 2015

Louis Armstrong: On August 4, his birthday, Louis Armstrong was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Bix Beiderbecke: Bill Wundram writes about cornet player Scott Black's collection of Bix Beiderbecke memorabilia at The Quad-City Times.

George Benson: According to an interview in The Scotsman, George Benson "has no plans to hang up his guitar."

Ornette Coleman: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Ornette Coleman CD, Ornette Coleman At The Golden Circle, Volume 1. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: According to JazzTimes, Bob Gluck's new book, The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other Revolutionary Ensembles, will be published in 2016 by the University of Chicago Press.

John McLaughlin: According to JazzTimes and Downbeat Magazine, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a two-CD version of John McLaughlin and Santana's "Invitation to Illumination — Live At Montreux 2011" in September.

Charles Mingus: New Jazz United shares a clip of Charles Mingus playing piano and performing "She’s Just Miss Popular Hybrid." (The song is available on the album, Mingus Plays Piano, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Airto Moreira: On August 5, his birthday, Airto Moreira was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Bud Powell: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht provides transcriptions from two interviews with Bud Powell from 1963.

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), which is available in vinyl from Amazon.com.

According to Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons book for CD, there are two good alternatives on CD:

• 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 plays "Royal Garden Blues" with his New Orleans Lucky Seven 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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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)  (Available in vinyl at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, 1928 (Smithsonian Collection R-002, 2 LPs)  (Available in vinyl at Amazon.com)

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 Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: Hot Fives and Sevens (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: The Big Band Recordings 1930-1932 (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives, Volume I (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives & Hot Sevens, Volume II (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives & Hot Sevens, Volume III (Buy at Amazon.com)
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, Volume IV (Buy at Amazon.com)
• 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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Recent Links :: 3 August 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses the the 15th annual Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans, which takes place between July 31 and August 2.

Charlie Christian: On July 29, his birthday, Charlie Christian was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Miles Davis: St. Louis Jazz Notes has several links to stories about Miles Davis, including news of Don Cheadle's new biopic, "Miles Ahead."

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Miles Davis Sextet performing "Flamenco Sketches." (The song is available on the album, The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1955 - 1961, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis, Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers reviews four jazz and R&B box sets, including:

• Miles Davis: Miles Davis at Newport, 1955-1975. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans: The Complete Fantasy Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John McLaughlin: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a video of the John McLaughlin Trio performing in Hamburg, Germany in 1990.

Thelonious Monk: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Thelonious Monk Quintet playing "Brilliant Corners." (The song is available on the album, Brilliant Corners, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Oscar Peterson: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a clip of Oscar Peterson on British television in October 1964.

Lester Young: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Lester Young Quartet playing "Slow Motion Blues."

Robert
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