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Unexpected Vibraphonists
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Over the weekend, a reader sent along two terrific links to videos of artists who don't normally play the vibes. One was pianist Terry Pollard and the other was singer Sammy Davis Jr. The clips inspired me to feature a bunch of unsuspecting vibists: Here's Terry Pollard (at 2:26, with Steve Allen on piano)... Here's Sammy Davis Jr. (at 3:09)... Here's Adrian Rollini in the mid-1930s playing both bass saxophone and vibes (during the vocal) on Nice Work ...
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Bobby Plater + Marshal Royal
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Saxophonists in Count Basie's band didn't record much as leaders. They didn't have to considering how busy Basie kept them on the road. The notable exceptions, of course, were tenor saxophonists Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Budd Johnson and Eddie “Lockjaw" Davis. On the other end of the spectrum, baritone saxophonist Charlie Fowlkes didn't record a single track under his own name. Tenor saxophonists/flutists Jerome Richardson recorded a handful and Eric Dixon recorded just one. Alto saxophonists Bobby Plater and Marshal ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Guitar grooves with Pat Martino
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Today, let's get reacquainted via video with guitarist Pat Martino, who returns to St. Louis next week to play Wednesday, May 11 through Saturday, May 14 at Jazz at the Bistro. Martino has been a fairly regular visitor to St. Louis in recent years, last performing here in December 2013 at the Bistro. That visit was preceded by a Saturday video post spotlighting the guitarist, as were previous gigs here in 2010 and 2009. Martino's bio was summarized in a ...
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Fran Jeffries: the Sixties
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Many female pop singers who were young adults in the mid-1960s ran into career trouble. Most had come up in the late 1950s with their hearts set on becoming traditional pop singers and had dreams of being signed by Capitol Records. But the powerful rock and Motown incursions of the pop charts mid-decade completely changed the landscape, devaluing '50s-style singing. The exception among older female pop singers was Petula Clark, who was 31 in 1964 when she had a No. ...
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Richard 'Groove' Holmes: 1980
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
If you were to wander into a club on the Chitlin' Circuit in the 1960s, you'd likely hear music by Richard “Groove" Holmes or any number of organists leading a trio or quartet. Here are a series of videos posted recently at YouTube of Holmes on organ in Barcelona, Spain, in 1980 with Willis “Gator" Jackson (ts), Steve Giordano (g) and Roger Humphries (d): Here's My One and Only Love. Dig Groove's solo!... Here's The Man I Love and Bar ...
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Phil Woods: 1960
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
I'm just back from Kansas City and will have a full BBQ report this coming weekend. For now, dig Phil Woods in 1960 with the Quincy Jones Big Band and his own ensemble in Paris: Here's Quincy Jones's big band (with Phil) in Belgium playing Birth of a Big Band, Moanin', Lester Leeps In, The Gypsy, Tickle Toe, Everybody's Blues and Big Red. The band featured Clark Terry (tp,flhrn,vcl); Benny Bailey, Lennie Johnson, Floyd Standifer (tp,flhrn); Quentin Jackson, Jimmy Cleveland, ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A Cyrus Chestnut sampler
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, let's check out some videos of pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who will be performing at the Sheldon Concert Hall next Saturday, May 7. Chestnut has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis over the last decade-plus, most recently serving as the pianist for the all-star band assembled for the “Jazz St. Louis at 20" celebration last fall at Jazz at the Bistro. He also has co-headlined at the Bistro with guitarist Russell Malone, and has led his own band ...
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Duke Ellington: Denmark, 1970
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
On Jan. 23, 1967, Duke Ellington was in Copenhagen where he filmed two programs at TV-Byen Studio. The first was an octet of band members playing Ellington hits. The second was a trio featuring Ellington with bassist John Lamb and drummer Rufus Jones. One of the songs they performed was The Fringe of the Jungle. Also known as Eggo, the Ellington TV performance marked the first time he recorded the song. On the 117th anniversary of Ellington's birth, here's the ...
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