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Backgrounder: Frank Wess - Trombones + Flute (1956)
In July 1956, during a brief summer break by the Count Basie band, the trombone section went into Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, N.J., studio and, with the addition of trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, recorded five pieces. Two were composed by Basie tenor saxophonist Frank Foster, who arranged by all five. What made the session for Savoy special ...
Perfection: Jackie Paris - Skylark (1953)
For me, the finest and most perfect vocal rendition of Hoagy Carmichael's Skylark is by Jackie Paris. Recorded for Coral Records in August 1953, the session was arranged by Neal Hefti. The band featured Billy Taylor (p), George Barnes (g), Sandy Block (b), Eddie Grady (d), Harry Breuer (vib) and 10 strings, with Hefti conducting. It's ...
Perfection: The Dorseys - Just Swingin' (1955)
In 1954, at the dawn of the 12-inch LP era and hi-fidelity sound, Tommy Dorsey and his brother, Jimmy, joined forces. Billed as the Fabulous Dorseys, the two bands were combined and great songwriters and arrangers were called in to compose for the superband. Both orchestras were enormously elegant, largely because the brothers had spent a ...
Sheila Jordan (1928-2025)
Sheila Jordan, a jazz and scat vocalist whose passion for bebop and the friendship of Charlie Parker lasted for much of her professional life, transforming her into a heroic figure and mentor to a generation of younger singers, died on Aug. 11. She was 96. [Photo above of Sheila Jordan at a 52nd St. club in ...
Documentary: Ben Webster - 'Big Ben' (1971)
Shot for the Danish national television network in 1971, Big Ben profiled the tenor saxophone great Ben Webster two years before his death. Jazz players didn't come sweeter or more soulful than the Brute. Here Webster records with strings and talks about his life. It is impossible to stop a Webster recording once it begins. Your ...
Eddie Palmieri (1936-2025)
Eddie Palmieri, a pianist, composer and leader who pioneered a smoldering Latin-jazz sound fronted by trombones and incorporated the jazz jam session into his approach, helping him widen his music and win eight Grammy Awards, died on August 6. He was 88. Eddie was the younger brother of Charlie Palmieri, a Latin pianist with enormous rhythmic ...
Perfection: Buddy Childers - Sentimental Sam (1955)
Summer always reminds me of Los Angeles and the thick, humid heat. But it's not so much the heat as it is the mood. Because I'm a romantic, when I'm in L.A. in the summer, I always imagine it's 1955. A private detective with his tie loosened and light-colored suit jacket off is sitting in a ...
New Vinyl: Golson and McIntyre
Two Prestige albums recorded nearly one year apart have just been re-issued by Craft Recordings on 180-gram vinyl. Both were cut from the original stereo masters by Kevin Gray. Benny Golson's Gone With Golson was recorded in June 1959, and Ken McIntyre's Looking Ahead, with Eric Dolphy, was recording in June 1960. Both albums are superb ...
Cleo Laine (1927-2025)
Cleo Laine, Britain's finest and most-celebrated jazz-pop singer who, with tenor saxophonist Johnny Dankworth, began recording together in 1951 but became much better known in the U.K. than in the U.S., died on July 24. She was 97. Dankworth and Laine married in 1958, and over the course of her career, she was showered with British ...
Backgrounder: Clarke/Boland - Latin Kaleidoscope
Today, the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band still doesn't get the respect it deserves. Perhaps that's because the band was comprised of American and European musicians, many of whom were little known to record buyers. The band also did much of its touring abroad. But there were other reasons. Most of their records were released on ...
