Results for "JazzWax by Marc Myers"

Bobby Scott: Back to Joe's

December 9, 2015

You probably know Bobby Scott best as the songwriter of two huge pop hits in the 1960s—A Taste of Honey and He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. He co-wrote the former with Ric Marlow and the latter with Bob Russell. Born in 1937, Scott began working professionally at age 11 and could play virtually every instrument ...

Timmons/Patterson: Holiday Soul

December 8, 2015

Each year, for the past eight years, I've chosen a  jazz or pop album for induction into my JazzWax Vintage Holiday Album Hall of Fame. To qualify, the album has to be a sleeper of sorts, usually from the 1950s or '60s. It also has to swing.  This year, I'm welcoming two albums with the same ...

Sal Mosca: Holland, June 1981

December 7, 2015

One of the most important collections of Sal Mosca's piano work has just hit the market. The five-CD package—Sal Mosca: Too Marvelous for Words (Cadence)—includes 56 tracks of the the pianist performing on tour in the Netherlands in June 1981. The material features five solo concerts by Mosca between June 19 and June 24 and gives ...

American 'Rubber Soul' Rules

December 4, 2015

The Beatles' Rubber Soul turns 50 this Sunday—the American version, that is. The British version of the album came out out three days earlier in 1965. As I write in my Wall Street Journal essay (go here), the two versions were a bit different in tracks and tone. For one, the U.K version held 14 songs ...

Doc: Blue Note Records

December 2, 2015

Blue Note Records was the first jazz label to fully grasp the potential of the LP era. When the 78 began to give way to the 10-inch album in 1948, co-founders Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff immediately understood the value of modern jazz, the efficiency of magnetic tape and the marketing potential of album covers. Immigrants ...

From 'Rambo' to 'Lo-Fi'

December 1, 2015

In July 1956, Frank Wess recorded Trombones & Flute, a gorgeous album for Savoy featuring his swinging flute backed by four punchy trombones and a sterling rhythm section arranged by Frank Foster. I recently posted about the album here. One of the album's highlights is Lo-Fi, which is credited to Foster. But as reader Nate Larson ...

Joe Castro: Lush Life

November 30, 2015

Jazz has always had more than its fair share of lucky personalities—highly charismatic, captivating artists who could win over producers, club owners and peers just as easily as they could break audience hearts with their music. One of the most complex and least-known among them was Joe Castro, an upbeat, easy-going and gregarious pianist who was ...

Benny Golson: Germany, 1993

November 27, 2015

In 1993, tenor saxophonist Benny Golson was in Germany for a reunion of sorts with vibraphonist Milt Jackson and trumpeter Art Farmer. They were teamed with guitarist Ulf Wakenius, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Jonas Johansen. The last time Benny was with both Jackson and Farmer was on Bags' Opus, a Milt Jackson record date ...

A 12-Course Thanksgiving

November 26, 2015

Welcome one and all to my annual Thanksgiving musical feast. Snowy outside? Toss your coats on the sofa, rub your hands in front of the fire above and come over to the table. The melodic jazz feast is about to be served... Arrival—Horace Parlan here...   House Warmin'—Howard McGhee here...   Silverware—Horace Silver here...   Glass ...

Gerry Mulligan: Bern, 1990

November 25, 2015