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Maynard Ferguson: New York, 1950
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In December 1950, the Stan Kenton Orchestra appeared on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town TV broadcast. While the variety show hosted by an awkward Sullivan aired on CBS, not many people saw the band's newest addition—trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. Television was in its infancy then and few homes had one. Fortunately tapes survived of Kenton's first TV appearance and Ferguson's spectacular debut. Great coverage of Shelly Manne on drums, a pan of Shorty Rogers in the trumpet section, Bob Cooper ...
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Sol Yaged: Clarinet Swing
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
In 1955, clarinetist Sol Yaged was playing at New York's Metropole at Seventh Avenue and 48th Street. In 1960 he was at Nick's on Seventh Avenue South and 10th Street. In the early 1970s, Yaged led a quartet in New York with pianist Marty Napoleon at Jimmy Weston's on 54th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. And in the 1980s, he was routinely at the Red Blazer Too on West 46th Street and at Dino Casini's on West 32nd Street. ...
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Doc: British Trad Jazz
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
After World War II, Britain was a mess. The country had been bombed during the war, the country lost roughly a half-million people and Britain had to borrow significantly to pay its war bills. On the home front, the post-war economy was in miserable shape and the government instituted austerity measures such as rationing. The mood was bleak and lasted for about 15 years. During this period, many people kept their spirits up by gravitating toward traditional New Orleans-style jazz. ...
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Hot Track: I Talk to the Trees
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
In an effort to capitalize on Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe's Broadway winning streak in the 1950s, Orrin Keepnews of Riverside Records produced an album in July 1959 of Chet Baker playing their songs. Aptly titled Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Lowe, the album featured the lyrical trumpeter accompanied by some of the prettiest jazz players in New York. On I Talk to the Trees, from Paint Your Wagon (1951), Baker was teamed with Herbie Mann ...
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Bud Powell at Birland, 1953
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
The modern jazz piano starts with Bud Powell. It's almost impossible to listen to any post-World War II jazz pianist without first studying the recordings of Powell. If you're new to Powell, the best entry point is The Complete Bud Powell on Verve, a five-CD set that covers Powell in a trio studio setting from 1949 to 1956 on the Clef, Norgran and Verve labels. If you're already familiar with Powell, a terrific live set you might be unaware of ...
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Songs By Jackie Paris
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
The high-point of singer Jackie Paris's recording career came in November 1955. Over the course of three days, Paris recorded Jackie Paris for the Wing label, a Mercury subsidiary (the album also is known as Songs by Paris). Paris's voice was at its romantic club-cool peak, but even more impressive was the arranger—Manny Albam—and the players on the three sessions. They were some of New York's finest. There Will Never Be Another You, Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams, Indiana and ...
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Guy Lafitte's Quartet and Quintet
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Paris was loaded with French saxophonists in the years immediately after World War II. Native-born eed players included Alix Combelle, Michel de Villers, Michel Attenoux, William Boucaya, Maurice Meunier, Andre “Teddy" Hameline and Andre Debonneville, Armand Conrad, to name a handful. One of the best of the French soloists was Guy Lafitte (above). More on him in a minute. There are several reasons for the explosion of reed talent in the French capital in the late 1940s and early '50s. ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Introducing Alex Mercado
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Today, let's take a look at some videos featuring pianist Alex Mercado, who will make his St. Louis debut in a concert next Friday, September 28 at the Kranzberg Arts Center. The date is part of a brief tour of the Midwest, for which Mercado will be accompanied by Rodrigo Villanueva on drums and St. Louis' own Bob DeBoo on bass. While he's here, Mercado also will present a free, public master class at 1:00 p.m. on Friday in Room ...
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