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Video: Candoli, Rosolino + Scott
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In May 1973, trumpeter Conte Candoli, trombonist Frank Rosolino and Tony Scott on baritone saxophone were on tour in Rome backed by a local big band. The orchestra included Conte Candoli, Oscar Valdambrini, Cicci Santicci, Alvise Verzella, Beppe Cuccaro, Al Corden (tp); Frank Rosolino, Dino Piana, Ennio Gabbi, Mario Midana, Ernesto Pumpo, Gennaro Marullo (tb); Tony Scott (cl,bar); Attilio Donadio (as); Giancarlo Barigozzi, Salvatore Genovese (ts); Santino Tedone, Gianni Basso (saxophones); Carlo Zoffoli (vib); Antonello Vannucchi (p); Enzo Grillini (g); ...
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Video: Count Basie at Birdland
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
If you were lucky enough to see Count Basie live in New York in the 1950s, you probably saw him at Birdland, where his band was in residence for several months of each year. I can't even imagine how the Basie band must have sounded in that tight room, especially playing April in Paris. Fortunately for us Steve Allen did a segment on Basie and the band and took his show's TV cameras down there for the music. Here's Steve ...
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Erroll Garner: Nightconcert
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
When Erroll Garner died in 1977, his business partner and manager Martha Glaser became executor of his estate. The position gave her full control over Garner's unissued recordings, which she kept under lock and key. When Glaser died in December 2014, the Garner estate passed to the University of Pittsburgh, and material once salted away began to emerge: Concert by the Sea and Ready Take One were the first two. Recently, the third—Nightconcert—was released by Mack Avenue Records. First some ...
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Johnny "H" Smith: Open House
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Organist Johnny “Hammond" Smith was relentlessly tasty. Whenever I dig into one of his albums, my feet can't stop moving. Hi grooves and chord voicings were intoxicating. One of his finest albums from the first track to the last was Open House. Recorded for Riverside in 1963, the album featured Thad Jones (cnt,tp); Seldon Powell (ts,fl); Johnny “Hammond" Smith (org); Eddie McFadden (g); Bob Cranshaw (b); Leo Stevens (d) and Ray Barretto (cga). Smith also was a wonderful composer. He ...
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Billy Taylor: Brazilian Beat
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Another rare and stunning Billy Taylor album is Brazilian Beat. It was recorded in 1963 for Sesac Records. Originally known as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, Sesac is the third largest performance-rights organization, behind ASCAP and BMI. Founded in 1930, Sesac's mission was to support European stage authors and composers in seeking American performance royalties. In the 1940s, Sesac began widening its representation, and in the 1950s it set up an electrical transcription service. Each month, Sesac ...
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Dionne, Tomasz and Buddy
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
This week in The Wall Street Journal, I interviewed Dionne Warwick for my “House Call" column in the Mansion section. There's nothing like picking up the ringing phone and hearing, “Mr. Myers? Dionne Warwick." Dionne's voice is unmistakable—like a long wooden match being drawn slowly and seductively across a flint. We talked about childhood and growing up in East Orange, N.J. And yes, I asked whether she sings her Hal David/Burt Bacharach hits in the shower. The answer will surprise ...
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Electrifying Track: Heavy Dipper
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In September 1957, trumpeter Lee Morgan recorded his album The Cooker with baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Heavy Dipper is a Morgan original. It's a light, high-stepping tune that alternates between minor and major keys and has plenty of snap. Everyone in the quintet gets a chance to solo. This was a rare pairing of Morgan and Adams, who recorded most often with trumpeter Donald Byrd. Interestingly, Morgan, Chambers and ...
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Freddie Slack in the '40s
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Pianist Freddie Slack led smart bands between 1942 and 1949. Many of them featured crafty arrangements that delivered a spectacular snap. They also had marvelous sidemen. Players at different points in time included guitarist T. Bone Walker, trumpeters Mannie Klein and Ray Linn, reed players Barney Bigard and Les Baxter, bassist Howard Rumsey and Harry Babison, arranger Paul Weston, guitarists Remo Palmieri and George Van Eps, bassist Clyde Lombardi, and drummers Irv Kluger, Nick Fatool and Ray McKinley. Singers were ...
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