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June 2004
ByWhat happened to Pinky Winters, a jazz singer during the late 1950s and early 1960s?
Judith:
From the gaps in her discography, I guess Pinky Winters likely left music to pursue another career or raise a family. After the 1950s, she evidently did not record again until making the LP Let's Be Buddies with pianist Lou Levy and bassist Monty Budwig for the Jacqueline label in 1986, followed by a CD for Verve (issued only in France) called 'This Happy Madness,' with Levy again on piano, tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, bassist and cellist Eric von Essen, and drummer Joe LaBarbera.
I had never heard of her until I ran across a couple of her old LPs a few months ago.
Richard Atkinson wrote:
Has the Columbia recording titled Brubeck Plays Bernstein Plays Brubeck ever been released on CD? It's the one where Dave joined Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic to play some of Howard Brubeck's compositions. It dates from around 1960 and includes "Dialogue for Jazz Piano and Orchestra." Any foreign CD pressings floating around somewhere?
Richard:
The Howard Brubeck composition was recorded January 30, 1960, with the Quartet recording Bernstein's music for the other side of the LP on February 14, 1960. Unfortunately, Columbia chose to reissue only the quartet tracks in 1990, adding some unrelated standards from other 1960s Brubeck albums, on the CD Music From West Side Story, which is still available. To the best of my knowledge, it hasn't been reissued in Japan.
There's also a live broadcast of Brubeck, Bernstein & the orchestra on a bootleg LP issued by Ozone (also called Dialogue for Jazz Combo & Orchestra ), which has some broadcasts of the 1950s quartet on the other side. Jazz Record Center in New York City had sealed copies available for $8 apiece when I was there in January.
Teresa Hein of Toronto, Canada wrote:
I was in New Orleans in February and attended Generations Hall. There was a Jazz Band playing there - I think it was 3 men and 1 woman. Name of the Band was Breeses or Breezes. Do you know anything about them? Do they have a CD released?
Teresa:
Chances are it was a locally based band, so if they have a CD it has limited distribution. I have never heard of them and found known trace of them after a web search.
Greg Camphire wrote:
I was recently reading about the quintet Stan Getz had in either 1963 or 1964, with Gary Burton, Jim Hall, Roy Haynes and Steve Swallow. WOW. Did this amazing, all-star line-up ever record? And if so, where can I find it?
Thanks and keep up the great work.
Greg:
The only recording I've found with all five musicians listed on it is Stan's album with Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops, last available as a Bluebird CD called A Song After Sundown. If you omit Jim Hall, Getz made the following recording with Burton, Swallow and Haynes:
Jazz in Paris, Verve CD, recorded Nov. 13, 1966, reissued in 2002. One track from that concert, "Sweet Rain," has only appeared on a French LP.
Stan made other recordings with Burton, Swallow, Haynes or Hall, but not with all of them collectively.
All of the above titles seem to be out of print, but they should be fairly easy to find. Half.com has 'Jazz in Paris' and 'A Song After Sundown' available.
Reed Mathis from Tulsa, OK wrote:
Howdy, Ken.
I am the bassist of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, a group AAJ has profiled and reviewed many times, and we are quite grateful to you and your colleagues for keeping the spirit and the legacy alive and breathing.
My question is this: Miles' historic 1960 Stockholm recordings include a masterful "On Green Dolphin Street" that I transcribed years ago from a cassette (now lost, of course). So, I'm looking for a CD copy, and all I can find is a multi-disc box set with music by the Stitt-quintet as well. While I'm sure it's tasty, I'm not interested in investing the $$$ for all that stuff, when all I really need is that one night's music. Is there a single-disc release that isn't a $50 import?
Thank you for what you do.
Reed:
Thanks for your kind words about all AAJ contributors. It is appreciated!
Several different labels (Secret, Royal Jazz, Giants of Jazz, Dragon, and France’s Concert) have issued the earlier concert in Stockholm featuring one of John Coltrane's final live performances with Miles Davis under various titles, all of which seem to be out of print.
You may be better off getting the full 4-CD set with the later concert with Stitt in Coltrane’s place.