Home » Jazz News
Video / DVD News
Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, concert series, special events, job postings, crowdfunding campaigns and more. You can find more news by searching our website, viewing our news stream, seeing what's trending or reading our blog posts. Subscribe to our news RSS feed and/or embed AAJ news content on your website or blog. Learn about our news service here. Submit news here.
Electrifying: Eurupeans Only
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In July 1953, drummer Louie Bellson recorded an album in Los Angeles for Norman Granz's Norgran label called Skin Deep. For the big band tracks, he assembled quite a stellar showcase of talent. The band featured Harry “Sweets" Edison, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo and Ray Linn (tp); Hoyt Bohannon, Herbie Harper and Tommy Pederson (tb); Benny Carter and Willie Smith (as); Wardell Gray and Bumps Myers (ts); Bob Lawson (bar); Jimmy Rowles (p); Barney Kessel (g); John Simmons (b) and ...
Continue Reading
Helen Merrill With Strings
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Between 1954 and 1957, singer Helen Merrill recorded five albums for Mercury's EmArcy division. Yesterday, while writing, I spent the day listening to all of them as well as a bunch of assorted tracks she recorded for the label. Perhaps the best known album of the bunch is Helen Merrill, which she made in December 1954 accompanied by the Clifford Brown Sextet. The second most popular EmArcy album is probably Dream of You, arranged by Gil Evans and recorded between ...
Continue Reading
Red Mitchell and Tony Fruscella
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
After my post last week on trumpeter Tony Fruscella, reader Don Frese wrote and asked if knew of bassist Red Mitchell's vocalese rendition of Fruscella's recording of I'll Be Seeing You. That song appears on Fruscella's Tony Fruscella, recorded by Atlantic in April 1955. I wasn't aware of Mitchell's vocal so I tracked it down and gave a listen. I was astonished. Before I share with you how this recording came to be, let's listen to the two tracks. Here's ...
Continue Reading
Tony Fruscella: Lost Trumpet
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Tony Fruscella is among the least known trumpeters of the cool jazz movement. His dry tone sits somewhere on a sliding scale between Miles Davis and Chet Baker, with touches of Art Farmer. Yet Fruscella's sound was plenty distinct. With Fruscella, there were no piercing or bent notes or a fleshy romanticism. His improvised lines were highly melodic but his tone was introspective and dry, like fine sand. When you listen to him, you hear a horn expressing nocturnal introspection ...
Continue Reading
Electrifying Track: A Primera Vez
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Two Jims and Zoot (1964) is a spectacular album that began as guitarist Jimmy Raney's idea. For some time, he had wanted to record an album with two guitars. When guitarist Jim Hall became available, the pair added tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Osie Johnson. On the album, the quintet takes on A Primera Vez (For the First Time) by Guy Mardel and Ralph Bernet. The ensembles opens the song swinging, with Sims taking the first ...
Continue Reading
Ron Feuer: Vital Organ
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Organist Ron Feuer recorded just one jazz leadership album—Vital Organ, in 1959. It also happened to be his first album. The date for Bob Keane's Del-Fi label featured Frank Rosolino (tb), Bill Perkins (ts), Ron Feuer (org), Paul Moer (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Frank Butler and Bill Higgins (d). Feuer was just 20 at the time and displayed an unusual technique and swirling soul. The songs are Too Close for Comfort, Smile, September Song (on which Feuer plays piano ...
Continue Reading
10 Clips: End of a Love Affair
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Here's what we know: The End of a Love Affair was composed by Edward “E.C. or Bud" Redding and published in 1950. That's it. There's virtually nothing about Redding's career online or the purpose of the song. So I rolled up my sleeves and discovered that it was likely written for a New York cabaret or musical revue. In Julius Monk's book, Baker's Dozen (1964), the author's bio says Monk “founded the first repertory group in Provincetown summer stock and ...
Continue Reading
Electrifying Track: The Eagle Flies
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Vibraphonist Teddy Charles was one cool cat. Every time I called him back in the late 2000s, his lingo was straight out of the hipster's manual. And it all came naturally to Teddy, since he lived the jazz life. In addition to being a swinging vibraphonist, he was a superb record producer. In April 1957, Teddy produced and recorded Coolin' for Prestige with a group he called the Prestige All-Stars. Along with Teddy on vibes were trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, alto ...
Continue Reading
