The Sidewinder

by | Oct 25, 2019 | Audio, Quartet/Quintet

The Sidewinder is a tune born in minutes, destined to last a lifetime!  It became one of the defining recordings of the soul jazz genre … a jazz standard that set the tone for an entirely new style of funky jazz that is a driving force even today.

The session was being recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s famous Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey studio.  Although the album was essentially finished, the musicians felt they needed one more song.  Lee Morgan suddenly disappeared into the washroom and emerged about twenty minutes later, passing around a sheet of music with notes on it that turned out to be Sidewinder!

That original date included Lee Morgan playing trumpet, Joe Henderson on sax, Barry Harris at the piano, Bob Crenshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins playing drums.  The album they recorded that day became Blue Note’s best-selling record ever, breaking the previous sales records roughly ten times over!  In addition to the original, two other compelling arrangements of the title tune are presented here by Gene Harris and The Turtle Island String Quartet.

The Sidewinder

by Lee Morgan | The Sidewinder

The Sidewinder

by Gene Harris | Brotherhood

The Sidewinder

by Turtle Island Quartet | Metropolis

String Along With Turtle Island

by | Oct 18, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

The Turtle Island String Quartet is an unconventional musical ensemble which plays jazz standards and original compositions that cross several styles, including blues, classical, jazz, and world music. Violinist David Balakrishnan got the idea for a jazz string quartet in 1985.

As a child, David was inspired by Jimi Hendrix and later discovered jazz through the music of the David Grisman Quartet.  The group has performed with the likes of Billy Taylor, Manhattan Transfer, Modern Jazz Quartet, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and many others.  Since its founding, TIQ has had many members come and go, but their uniqueness, intensity and musical integrity has always remained.

Blue Rondo A La Turk is a jazz composition in 9/8 time written by Dave Brubeck. It first appeared on his classic Time Out album in 1959.  His choice of rhythm was inspired by the Turkish aksak time signatures.

Moment’s Notice, a John Coltrane composition, was recorded live in Brussels featuring David Balakrishnan playing violin, Mark Summer on cello,  Mateusz Smoczynski also on violin and Benjamin von Gutzeit on viola.

Angels / I Remember Clifford – Roy Hargrove

by | Oct 11, 2019 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

Roy Hargrove is known as one of the top trumpet players in jazz for the past quarter-century.  As an incisive trumpeter, doubling on flugelhorn, Roy was discovered by Wynton Marsalis in the 1980s.  He embodied the brightest promise of his jazz generation, both as a young steward of the hard bop tradition and a savvy bridge to both hip-hop and R&B.  His assertive sound embodied a tone that could evoke either burnished steel or a soft, golden glow.  Here we have both.

 

Angels (Above), features the quintet with Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Justin Robinson on alto sax,  Tadataka Unno playing piano,  Ameen Saleem on bass, and Quincy Phillips playing drums.

I Remember Clifford (Below) displays Hargrove’s softer side, with the flugelhorn as a contrast to his big band backing.

Blues On Sunday / Let It Be – Joshua Redman

by | Oct 5, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Blues On Sunday was recorded at the Philharmonic Hall in Munich during the Munich Piano Summer 1994.  Joshua Redman is on saxophone, Brad Mehldau at the piano, Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade plays drums.

The 1970 Beatles tune Let It Be was performed by the Joshua Redman Quartet in 2013 at Jazz In Marciac.  It features Joshua Redman, saxophone; Aaron Goldberg, piano; Reuben Rogers, contrabass; and Gregory Hutchinson, drums.

That Ain’t Right – Fats Waller & Ada Brown

by | Sep 27, 2019 | Lighter Side, Vocal

In a scene from the 1943 film “Stormy Weather” Fats Waller and Ada Brown perform with legendary dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, drummer Zutty Singleton, bassist Slam Stewart, Trumpeter Benny Carter and singer Lena Horne, just to mention a few.  The film is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an African-American cast. It was viewed as a primary showcase of some of the top Black performers of the time, during an era when actors and singers of color rarely appeared in lead roles in mainstream movie productions,

June Christy and Friends

by | Sep 19, 2019 | Big Band, Vocal

How High The Moon is the top video in more than one way.  Besides the fabulous June Christy doing the vocal, two other legendary singers don’t utter a solitary note!  Instead, Mel Torme is on drums and Nat ‘King’ Cole plays piano, which of course was his original musical calling.  Lower left is June in her prime with That Old Feeling and on the lower right she is featured with the Stan Kenton Orchestra Just A-Sittin’ And A-Rockin’.  Christy, of course, was the replacement chanteuse for the incredible Anita O’Day after she left the Kenton band … one of the few singers who could have filled O’Day’s stylish ‘pumps’ fronting that powerful, creative Orchestra.

Movin’ Wess

by | Sep 13, 2019 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

While most often listed as a saxophonist, I prefer the sound of Frank Wess on the flute. Though the tune is nameless, Flauta Jazz uses the same chords as Ellington/Strayhorn Take The ‘A’ Train.  Sound Familiar?

The Very Thought Of You is a jazz and pop standard, first recorded and published in 1934 with music and lyrics by Ray Noble. Frank Wess applies his own magic touch along with big band backing.

Shelly Is The Manne!

by | Sep 6, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

The first song is from Shelly Manne’s Check Mate album, based upon the T.V. show (1960-1962) of the same name …  it’s called The Isolated Pawn.

Shelly Manne and his Men are comprised of Russ Freeman on piano, Richie Kamuca on tenor, Conte Candoli playing trumpet, Monte Budwig at the bass and, of course, Shelly Manne himself on drums.  Shelly has been called “the most musical drummer who ever lived” and virtually any of his solos will bear that out.

The second tune is Speak Low, from the 1943 Broadway play One Touch of Venus and features the same ensemble.  Both performances were recorded live in 1962 for Jazz Scene U.S.A. at Shelly’s Manne Hole in Los Angeles, CA.

Cool Water – Stan Kenton & Tex Ritter

by | Sep 1, 2019 | Audio, Big Band, Vocal

Cool Water is a supplement to this week’s initial Stan Kenton post.  It is from the album Ritter made with Kenton’s Orchestra that convinced him it was time to move from Hollywood to Nashville. At the conclusion of the recording session, however, Tex received a standing ovation from the entire orchestra..  Overall this wasn’t the world’s worst idea but the public never bought it, and the album was removed from print.  As a result, today it is a rarity.

Cool Water

by Stan Kenton & Tex Ritter | Stan Kenton! Tex Ritter!

Artistry In Rhythm / Tiare – Stan Kenton

by | Aug 31, 2019 | Big Band

Stan Kenton’s Artistry In Rhythm was first recorded and released in 1944. It is one of several songs closely associated with this prolific composer, arranger, bandleader and very underrated pianist.

Like Artistry, Tiare features the high powered Kenton Orchestra and is part of a 1972 London concert. Kenton preferred his bands to not swing, instead employing elements of the popular ballroom and classical concert hall.