Coltrane

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Quartet/Quintet

The 1960 video (above) is from John Coltrane’s first time in Europe, touring as a member of one of Miles Davis’ first great quintets. On Green Dolphin Street was recorded in Dusseldorf Germany, and features Coltrane on tenor, Wynton Kelly playing piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb at the drums. Miles sat out this particular evening, thus leaving the spotlight all to Trane.

(Upper right) Stan Getz joins the quartet in a medley of standards with John soloing on What’s New? and Stan doing the chores with Moonlight in Vermont. Alabama (Lower right) is a powerful tune penned by Coltrane in response to the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four young Black girls.

Jaws!

by | May 3, 2025 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

Virtually from the beginning of his career, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis achieved one of the primary goals of all jazz musicians: to have his own sound. Most jazz fans are able to identify “Jaws” within two or three notes. Was he a bop, swing, hard bop or early R&B improviser? Duke Ellington’s description of a “beyond category” perfectly fit “Jaws” because his highly individual voice always stood apart from everyone else. No one seems quite sure how Davis acquired the moniker “Lockjaw” (later shortened to “Jaws”) … it is thought that it either came from the title of a tune, or from his way of biting hard on the saxophone mouthpiece.

The top video, If I Had You, was recorded live in 1985 at the Jazzhus Slukefter Club in Copenhagen Denmark. Lockjaw was on tenor, Niels Jorgen Steen played piano, Jesper  Lundgaard was on bass, and Ed Thigpen was at the drums. In the middle is the jazz standard Green Dolphin Street from his Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis album … but there is nothing standard about his ‘saxy’ approach to this popular 1947 tune.  Finally, “Jaws” delivers an outrageous solo in this 1965 live performance of Jumpin’ at the Woodside … also featuring Rufus Jones on drums, Freddie Green on guitar and the rest of the Basie Band in its prime!

Green Dolphin Street

by Eddie Lockjaw Davis | Eddie Lockjaw Davis

Shades of Mahogany

by | Jul 14, 2024 | Trio, Vocal

Since I Fell For You

by Kevin Mahogany | Double Rainbow

Kevin Mahogany became prominent in the 1990s and became particularly known for his scat singing. His singing style has sometimes been compared with that of Billy Eckstine, and Joe Williams, with many of his more mellow tones containing a touch of Johnny Hartman. Since I Fell For You (above) is from Kevin’s first album Double Rainbow in 1993, where his vocals were paired with the piano of Kenny Barron, sax of Ralph Moore, drums of Lewis Nash and bass from Ray Drummond.

[On] Green Dolphin Street features Kevin Mahogany with the vocal chores, Larry Fuller playing piano, Ray Brown on bass, and George Fludas on drums.

Like Green Dolphin Street, My Foolish Heart was recorded with The Ray Brown Trio at Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen 2001 in Germany.

The Very Classic Carmen

by | Jul 14, 2023 | Vocal

With her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretation of lyrics, Carmen McRae is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century.  Her heartfelt rendition of Monk’s ‘Round Midnight in 1962 (above) was only a precursor of the greatness to come.  Carmen is joined here by pianist Norman Simmons, bassist Victor Sproles, and drummer Walter Perkins. 

Nearing the end of her career in 1990, she performed one of my personal favorites –– On Green Dolphin Street –– in Tokyo (below left) at the Good Day Club, together with Eric Gunnison (p), Scott Colley (b), and Mark Pulice (d). 

In 1980, during what some say was her “prime” (never figured how anyone can determine that, especially with the great ones), McRae paints some vivid word pictures (below right) with Miss Otis Regrets; she makes you feel like you personally missed a lunch date, but fortunately, we don’t have to miss Carmen’s impassioned performance of the Cole Porter tune.

Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet

by | May 16, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet, Sextet

Green Dolphin Street is from the landmark album Kind of Blue, which has been regarded by many critics as Davis’s masterpiece and one of the greatest jazz albums of all time.  It is a studio recording cut in 1959 featuring saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb.

The Dave Brubeck composition In Your Own Sweet Way is part of the album Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet.  Although recorded in 1956, it wasn’t released until January 1960.  Miles, of course, played trumpet, John Coltrane was on tenor sax, Paul Chambers on base, and Philly Joe Jones played drums.  To my ear, these were Miles Davis’ finest years.

On Green Dolphin Street

by Mies Davis | Kind Of Blue

In Your Own Sweet Way

by Miles Davis | Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet

On Green Dolphin Street – John Coltrane

by | Dec 1, 2017 | Quartet/Quintet, Video

This video was taken on March 28, 1960 in Düsseldorf, West Germany during Coltrane’s first time in Europe. The band is one of Miles Davis’s first great quintets, but without Miles who chose to sit out this particular night.  It’s John Coltrane on tenor with sidemen Wynton Kelly on Piano, Paul Chambers bass and Jimmy Cobb drums … all stars in their own right.  The clip is sourced from the John Coltrane “Jazz Icons” DVD.