Frank Foster/Elmo Hope: Wail, Frank, Wail (1955) Prestige/Esquire

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This gallery contains 3 photos.

Former phantom post, now ready. WordPress thinks this is only an update, so I have had to repost it afresh. Apologies. . Selection : Fosterity (Foster)     Christmas Bonus Selection: Shutout (Foster) . Artists Freeman Lee (trumpet) Frank Foster … Continue reading

Jackie Mclean: Jackie’s Scene (1956-7) Esquire

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This gallery contains 8 photos.

Selection: Outburst (McLean) . Artists: Album recorded in two sessions over 1956/7, but not released until 1959, on Prestige’s New Jazz label.. December 14, 1956 session: Bill Hardman (trumpet) Jackie McLean (alto saxophone) Red Garland (piano) Paul Chambers (bass) Art … Continue reading

Musical Interpretation: “Pent Up House” (Rollins)

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This gallery contains 7 photos.

Subject:  classic jazz tunes Sometimes I think I should write more about the music and less about the etchings in the wax. Then I quickly return to my senses and poke the macro in closer, but to capture the thought, this post … Continue reading

Art of The Saxophone, Two for One.

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This gallery contains 16 photos.

On occasional post, about music, of all things. Music. Who’d have thought it? LJC, LJC, it’s always the same: always something different… Enough of comparing vinyl reissues, all that commercial  competitive chest-beating stuff,  lets get “musical” and what could be more … Continue reading

Gigi Gryce: The Rat Race Blues (1960) Esquire

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This gallery contains 6 photos.

Selection: Blues in Bloom (Norman Mapp) Artists Richard Williams (trumpet) Gigi Gryce (alto saxophone) Richard Wyands (piano) Julian Euell (bass) Mickey Roker (drums) recorded  at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 7, 1960 Music L’expression française du jour … Continue reading

Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus (1956) Esquire

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This gallery contains 3 photos.

Selection: Strode Rode (Esquire press from original Prestige metal (AB)) Artists Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone) Tommy Flanagan (piano) Doug Watkins (bass) Max Roach (drums) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, June 22, 1956 Music: I guess there are may … Continue reading

Sonny Rollins: Plus Four (1956) Esquire

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This gallery contains 9 photos.

Selection 1: Pent Up House . . . Selection 2: Kiss and Run . . . Artists: Clifford Brown (trumpet) Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone) Richie Powell (piano) George Morrow (bass) Max Roach (drums) recorded NYC, March 22, 1956 Music: The … Continue reading

Sonny Rollins: Tour de Force (1956) Esquire (updated)

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This gallery contains 9 photos.

Selection: B Quick (Rollins) (Update: Bonus track –  featuring Earl Coleman vocals) My Ideal (Whiting) Artists: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone) Kenny Drew (piano) George Morrow (bass) Max Roach (drums) Earl Coleman (vocals) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 7, … Continue reading

Prestige/ New Jazz: Esquire UK vs.Victor Japan

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This gallery contains 7 photos.

Alternative pressing comparisons round II: London vs. Tokyo Compare The Pressing subject: New Jazz 8210 Roy Haynes Trio “We Three” Artists Phineas Newborn (piano) Paul Chambers (bass) Roy Haynes (drums) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 14, 1958 … Continue reading

Phil Woods: Phil and Quill (1957) Prestige/ Esquire

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This gallery contains 6 photos.

  Selection: Altology (Woods) Artists Gene Quill, Phil Woods (alto saxophone) George Syran (piano) Teddy Kotick (bass) Nick Stabulas (drums) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 29, 1957 Music In the shadow of Charlie Parker, dazzling technique, blistering … Continue reading

Sonny Stitt – Bud Powell – JJ Johnson (1949) Prestige

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This gallery contains 8 photos.

To kick off, I have two vintage pressings for you to compare. One an original Prestige, the other, one of my native Esquire pressings, from US metalwork. Except there are a few twists along the way. Selection: Fine and Dandy Take 1 … Continue reading

Mengelberg: Regeneration (1983) Monk

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This gallery contains 8 photos.

On one side Mengelberg  Lacy and Rudd took Herbie Nichols for a walk (see previous post) Now on the other side they pick on Monk. This post follows up the Monk selection.  To make sure Mengelberg and his pals don’t get a free pass, I have included a recording … Continue reading

Hal McKusick: Triple Exposure (1957) Esquire

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This gallery contains 6 photos.

  Selection: The Settlers and the Indians Artists Billy Byers (trb) Hal McKusick (as, ts, clar) Eddie Costa (p) Paul Chambers (b) Charlie Persip (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 27, 1957 Music A very obscure recording made … Continue reading

Red Garland: Groovy (1956-7) UK Esquire

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This gallery contains 9 photos.

Selection: C Jam Blues Artists Red Garland (p) Paul Chambers (b) Art Taylor (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 14, 1956 and August 9, 1957 Music Enter stage left, the Miles Davis Quintet rhythm section, Red Garland and … Continue reading

Eric Dolphy: Outward Bound (1960) Esquire

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This gallery contains 9 photos.

Selection 1 : GW (dedicated to Dolphy’s mentor Gerald Wilson) .  .  . The track closest in lineage to Out to Lunch Selection 2: On Green Dolphin Street .  .  . Hubbard’s muted introduction gives a false sense of reassurance.  One reviewer … Continue reading

Roy Haynes: We Three (1958) UK Esquire

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This gallery contains 4 photos.

Selection 1: Reflection (Bryant) Selection 2: Sneakin’ Around (Bryant) Artists Phineas Newborn (p) Paul Chambers (b) Roy Haynes (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 14, 1958 Year: 1958, The Cold War rages on. 1958 March 11,  U.S. B-47 bomber … Continue reading

Art Farmer Quintet (1955) Prestige/UK Esquire

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This gallery contains 5 photos.

Selection: Evening in Casablanca (Gryce) Lush romantic ballad from the  “Alone Together” school of late night listening. Artists Art Farmer (t) Gigi Gryce (as) Duke Jordan (p) Addison Farmer (b) Philly Joe Jones (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, October … Continue reading

Eric Dolphy: Out There (1960) Prestige UK Esquire

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This gallery contains 5 photos.

Selection 1: Feathers (Hale Smith) Selection 2: Serene (Dolphy) Something both malevolant and beautiful about the avant-garde’s treatment of tenderness, peace and tranquility, exposing flashes of barely concealed danger, somewhere Freddie Krueger is loose in Snow White’s boudoir. Artists Eric Dolphy (as, … Continue reading

Phil Woods The Young Bloods (1956) Esquire

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This gallery contains 8 photos.

Selection 1: Lover Man (Ramirez Davies Sherman) Selection 2: House of Chan Artists Phil Woods (as) Donald Byrd (t)  Al Haig (p) Teddy Kotick (b) Charlie Persip (d) Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 2, 1956 (Despite the presence … Continue reading

Garland Coltrane Byrd: Soul Junction (1957) Esquire

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This gallery contains 4 photos.

Selection: Birks Works (Gillespie) A favourite Gillespie tune which haunts the corridors of bop along with A Night in Tunisia, given a good outing here by Byrd and Coltrane tearing through the changes. Artists Donald Byrd (t) John Coltrane (ts) … Continue reading

Miles Davis Steamin’ (1956) Esquire

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This gallery contains 4 photos.

  Track selection 1: Well You Needn’t  (Monk) .  .  . Thelonious Monk gets kudos on “Well, You Needn’t.” The quintet makes short work of the intricacies of the arrangement, adding the double horn lead on the choruses, redefining this … Continue reading

Changing times: Sonny Stitt, 1950 and 1970

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This gallery contains 7 photos.

It’s Time Travel Time, again Welcome on board this 24-7 Rolex Time Cruiser, bound for 1950. The crew will shortly be passing through the cabin with cocktails, cigarettes and bubblegum. Don’t forget, smoking is permitted on board, at any time. If you need a … Continue reading

Lem Winchester Lem’s Beat (1960) Esquire

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This gallery contains 6 photos.

Track Selection: Lem & Aide Artists Oliver Nelson, Curtis Peagler (as, ts) Lem Winchester (vib) Billy Brown or Roy Johnson (p ) Wendell Marshall (b) Art Taylor (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 19, 1960 Music: A serving policeman … Continue reading

Art Farmer Early Art (1954) Esquire

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This gallery contains 5 photos.

Track Selection 1: Confab In Tempo – Rollins! Art Farmer (tp) Sonny Rollins (ts) Horace Silver (p) Percy Heath (b) Kenny Clarke (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, January 20, 1954 Track Selection 2. AloneTogether  – Wynton Kelly! Art Farmer … Continue reading

John Coltrane Lush Life ( 1958) Esquire

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This gallery contains 6 photos.

Track Selection: Lush Life (Strayhorn) Warning: long (13 minutes) profound, demands uninterrupted active listening. Artists: trio, quartet and quintet Lush Life: Donald Byrd (tp) John Coltrane (ts) Red Garland (p) Paul Chambers (b) Louis Hayes (d) recorded Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, … Continue reading