Jazz, Dance Bands & Vocalists - Newsletter 136 - Eden Ahbez -> Mary Lou Williams

NEW DVDS

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted all DVDs offered are in NTSC format which means that they will not play on a European DVD players unless you have a multiple format player.

NORMAN GRANZ "JAZZ IN MONTREUX" DVDS on EAGLE EYE MEDIA

Granz, with JATP (Jazz At The Philharmonic) in the 40s, pioneered live jazz recordings & all star aggregations on his Clef, Norgran, & Verve labels from the 40s until 1960 when he sold Verve. After being out of the business for years, Granz re-emerged with the Pablo label, which specialized in recordings of live all-star combos, most of them older swing-based performers, many who'd been on his old labels. One of his favorite places to record was the Montreux Jazz Festival, releasing numerous LPs by loosely based all-star groups, which later came out on CD on Fantasy. Now through Eagle Eye Media, here's those same sets, however now you can enjoy watching as well as hearing 'em! (GM)

COUNT BASIE	Eagle Eye 39055	Jazz in Montreux Presents Count Basie Jam '75	● CD $10.98
4 jams, 58 min, essential DVD issue of "Basie Jam Session At Montreux" (Pablo 2310750). The blues, here called Montreux Blues I & II, as well as extended jams on Billie's Bounce & Lester Leaps In with (how's this for a line-up?) Roy Eldridge - t, Johnny Griffin - ts, Milt Jackson - vibes, Basie - p, Niels Pederson - b, Louis Bellson - d. (GM)

RAY BRYANT	Eagle Eye 39056	Jazz in Montreux Presents Ray Bryant '77	● CD $10.98
10 tunes, 51 min, excellent DVD issue of Pablo 2308201, a solo concert including some standards (Georgia On My Mind/ St. Louis Blues) some Ellington (Things Ain't What They Used To Be/ Take The A Train/ Satin Doll), & gospel (Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/ If I Can Just Make It Into Heaven). (GM)

BENNY CARTER	Eagle Eye 39051	Jazz in Montreux Presents Benny Carter '77	● CD $10.98
7 tunes, 47 min, highly recommended A visual version of a set originally released on LP as "The Benny Carter Quartet - Montreux '77," with the then 70-year-young Carter leading the Ray Bryant Trio on a set of jazz standards on his main axe, alto sax, though he takes his trumpet out for Body & Soul. Also Three Little Words/ In A Mellow Tone/ Undecided, etc (GM)

ROY ELDRIDGE	Eagle Eye 39054	Jazz in Montreux Presents Roy Eldridge '77	● CD $10.98
6 tracks, 53 min, highly recommended DVD issue of Eldridge's Montreux '77 LP for Pablo, his final set as a leader. Six extended tunes backed by Oscar Peterson (p), Niels Pedersen (b) & Bobby Durham (d). Roys' 2nd to last recording (his final would be a Pablo studio date the next year) & he still was sounding strong, with Perdido/ Bye Bye Blackbird/ I Surrender Dear/ Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea. (GM)

ELLA FITZGERALD & COUNT BASIE	Eagle Eye 39057	Jazz in Montreux Presents Ella & Basie '79	● CD $10.98
15 performances, 73 min, essential A final hurrah at the twilight of the careers of 2 giants. This is an expanded DVD of "A Perfect Match" (Pablo 2312110). Ella fronts The Basie Orch that has Paul Smith on piano, but then eventually the Count saunters out. The original release had 11 tracks - this is expanded to 15 & includes Fine & Mellow/ Dindi/ Some Other Spring/ I've Got A Crush On You. (GM)

MILT JACKSON & RAY BROWN	Eagle Eye 39052	Jazz in Montreux Presents Milt Jackson & Ray Brown '77	● CD $10.98
5 tracks, 51 min, highly recommended DVD of Milt Jackson - Ray Brown Jam (Pablo 2308205), a wonderful all-star jam with MJQ vibist Jackson & bass vet (especially with Oscar Peterson) Brown joined by Clark Terry (t), Lockjaw Davis (ts), Monty Alexander (p) & Jimmie Smith (d) on five extended jams including Red Top which doesn't appear to have been on the original LP, along with Slippery/ Beautiful Friendship/ Mean To Me & You Are My Sunshine (!) (GM)

OSCAR PETERSON TRIO	Eagle Eye 39050	Jazz in Montreux Presents Oscar Peterson Trio '77	● CD $10.98
9 tunes, 56 min, highly recommended DVD of Live-Montreux '77 (Pablo 2308-208), with an unusual version of his trio - he's here with regular Montreux vet Niels Pedersen & long time trio member Ray Brown for piano with 2 basses! Mostly standards of solo & trio performances including Sweet Georgia Brown/ Indiana/ People>D>, along with Milt Jackson's Reunion Blues. (GM)

MARY LOU WILLIAMS	Eagle Eye 39053	Jazz in Montreux Presents Mary Lou Williams '78	● CD $10.98
8 pieces including extended medley, 48 min, essential Mary Lou has always been one of my favorite pianists, from her days with Andy Kirks Clouds of Joy staring in '29 to her solo stuff from the 50s-70s. This DVD is her performance originally released on vinyl as "Solo Recital" (Montreux Jazz Festival '78) - Pablo 2308218, the last recording she made. A wonderful solo stint starting off with an extended medley including a wonderful version of Roll 'Em, along with the gorgeous Offeratory Meditation/ The Man I Love, a beautiful Over The Rainbow, & with the closing Honeysuckle Rose, show that she was one of the migtiest stride players ever! (GM)

NAT KING COLE	Eagle Eye 39034	When I Fall in Love - The One and Only Nat King Cole	● CD $17.98
57 min, 20 songs + interviews, highly recommended Excellent compilation featuring clips from Nat's ground-breaking TV show, '56-57. Includes recent interviews with family members including wife Maria (an-ex Ellington vocalist) & daughter Natalie, along with the show's original producer/director. The clips are outstanding, my fave being a duet with Sammy Davis Jr - Sammy starts Somewhere Along The Way with a spot-on Cole imitation, & Nat joins in as Sammy! There's solo tunes, tunes with such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Mercer, The Mills Bros., The Oscar Peterson Trio & another fave, with Billy Preston who was probably 10 or 11. Includes The Christmas Song/ Crazy Rhythm/ Mona Lisa, & an especially sweet Sweet Lorraine with the Peterson Trio. (GM)

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Kino Video 168	The Last Of The Blue Devils	● CD $29.98
90 mins, color and black & white, essential Now on DVD with bonus material. Outstanding tribute to Kansas City Jazz featuring relaxed music and conversation from KC's Mutual Musicians Foundation, plus film clips and Count Basie concert footage. Mostly featuring the Jay McShann big band, performers at the foundation include Big Joe Turner, McShann, Jesse Price, Paul Quinichette, Claude Williams, Eddie Durham, Charles McPherson & Baby Lovet, plus sitting around the club BSing with all the above plus Count Basie, Jo Jones, Budd Johnson, Jimmy Forest, lots more. The artists reminisce about Boss Pendergast, Lester Young, Bennie Moten, Charlie Parker and the old days. Includes vintage Basie & Turner footage, a great 1952 clip of Bird and Diz doing Hot House and some 70's footage of The Basie Orch. with such greats as Jimmy Forest, Freddie Green, Sonny Cohn & Al Grey. Filmed 1975-79. Bonus material on the DVD includes a commentary by director producer Bruce Ricker and 19 minutes of out-takes including four songs by Big Joe Turner with Jay McShann. (GM)

NEW COMPACT DISCS

EDEN AHBEZ	Collector's Choice 467	Eden's Island	● CD $11.98
Back in print. Originally issued on LP by Del-Fi in 1960 this is described by the book "Incredibly Strange Music" as "One of the truly strange masterpieces on record". Ahbez was responsible for writing Nat King Cole's #1 hit Nature Boy in 1948 after which he disappeared and when Capitol eventually tracked him down to pay him royalties he gave them away! He was discovered by Del-Fi pres Bob Keane in 1959 living on commune and persuaded to record this album - a blend of exotical, beatnik jazz and poetry with Ahbez singing, speaking and playing flute accompanied by an orchestra led by Stan kenton alumnus Paul Moer. Includes Eden's Island/ Mynah Bird/ Tradewind/ Mongoose/ Banana Boy/ Island Girl and six more.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG & OTHERS	Avid 737	The Wonderful Duets	● CD $14.98
25 track collection featuring Satchmo duetting with vocalists like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Jack Teagarden, Velma Middleton and Billie Holiday on songs like Gone Fishin'/ You Rascal You/ The Frim Fram Sauce/ My Sweet Hunk O' Trash/ Life Is So Peculiar/ You Won't Be Satisfied/ Big Butter And Egg Man/ Please Stop Playing Those Blues, Boys and others including a version of Memphis Blues with Ella and Bing.

NORA BAYES & JACK NORWORTH	Archeophone 5007	Together And Alone	● CD $26.98
Two CD set featuring 51 sides from two of the most popular vaudeville stars from the early 20th century. In addition to several duets includes all of Nora Bayes recordings made between 1910 and 1917(two previously unissued), all of Norworth's recordings made between 1910 and 1911, eleven of his rare sides recorded in England 1915 and 1916 and an unreleased home recording of Shine On Harvest Moon from 1950. Includes 32 page illustrated booklet.

ARNETT COBB	Proper Intro 2070	A Proper Introduction To Arnett Cobb - The Wild Man Fro	● CD $9.98
24 tracks, 76 min, highly recommended Legendary big Texas tenor is heard here on his wild small combo sides. Cobb led the sax section in Milt Larkin's band in the late 30s, where Illinois Jacquet played alto. Cobb was asked by Lionel Hampton to join his band - Cobb turned him down, but Jacqet switched to tenor & joined instead, having a huge hit with Hamp on Flying Home. After Jacquet left, Cobb joined up & had a huge hit with the remake Flying Home #2. In '47 Cobb went solo - here are his '48 Apollo sides with a quintet that included Booty Wood on trombone & were sometimes joined by Larkin on vocals. After that, Cobb was out following spinal surgery, but was back on Columbia in '50 with a 7 piece that included for awhile another Texas legend Johnny Griffin. Includes still another wild re-make of the hit, called Still Flying, along with Walkin' Home/ Smooth Sailing/ Chick She Ain't Nowhere. As an extra treat, there's 2 cuts from a live radio broadcast from '52. Full liner notes & discographical info. (GM)

KEN COLYER'S JAZZMEN & SKIFFLE GROup	Upbeat Jazz URCD 198	The Lost 1954 Royal Festival Tapes	● CD $15.98
Previously unissued live concert from April 1954 featuring the recently formed Ken Colyer Jazzmen featuring Colyer on trumpet & vocal with Monty Sunshine/ clarinet, Chris Barber/ trombone, Tony "Lonnie" Donegan/ banjo and Jim Bray/ string bass and sousaphone. It includes mostly jazz standards like Harlem Rag/ Original Tuxedo Rag/ At A Georgia Camp Meeting/ Bourbon Street Parade and other. For four blues inspired songs a subset of the group appears with Donegan on guitar and vocal, Colyer on guitar and vocal, Barber on string bass joined by Bill Colyer on washboard marking the first recorded appearance of this group which was to launch Donegan's career as the top skiffler and ultimately a pop star.

BILLY ECKSTINE	Proper Intro 2068	A Proper Introduction To Billy Eckstine - Blues, Ballad	● CD $9.98
22 tracks, highly recommended Excellent intro to Mr. B, from his beginnings as vocalist for Earl Hines to his smooth ballads & up to some great scat & bop! Opening up is the sole number with Fatha, but it's the classic Jelly Jelly. From there it's the first of Billy's all-star orchestras - including such sidemen as Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt & Sonny Criss & includes such classics as Stormy Monday Blues & Skylark, done '42-'49. However from there Bily goes to slick orchestras as he becomes one of the first Black romantic singers & sings gorgeous versions of such tunes as Sophisticated Lady/ Prisoner Of Love & Body & Soul. Finally, there's a couple two-sided discs done with The Metronome All-Stars including Roy Eldridge, Lester Young & Max Roach - the "A" sides of How High The Moon & St. Louis Blues features a straight ahead vocal, but by the "B" side, the band's cookin' & Billy's scattin'! Booklet with full discographical info. (GM)

DUKE ELLINGTON	Columbia 87041	Blues In Orbit	● CD $11.98
19 tracks, 61 min, highly recommended A rare blues set of after hours sessions from The Duke & band, recorded in '58 & '59, with such titles as Pie-Eye's Blues/ Sweet & Pungent/ The Swingers Get The Blues Too & Villes-Ville Is The Place, Man to give you an idea of what you're in for, as well as new recordings of In A Mello Tone & C-Jam Blues. Interesting arrangements as often, Ray Nance is the only one in the trumpet section. There's also 8 bonus tracks, 7 from French-only reissues & a never-before heard alternate take of the title track. (GM)

DUKE ELLINGTON	Columbia 87107	Piano In The Foreground	● CD $11.98
14 tracks, 64 min, essential As with the Background set, this mis-titled set is another anomaly in the Ducal catalog! Each tune from this '60 set starts off with "The Piano Player" taking a few choruses, with the band coming in next, & each ends with a piano statement! The opening Happy-Go-Lucky Local became better known when recorded by former Ellington saxist Jimmy Forest as Night Train! A lot of classics get new workouts including Take The A Train/ Main Stem/ Perdido/ I'm Beginning To See The Light, as well as the first recording of a concert fave, the medley of Kinda Dukish leading into Rockin' In Rhythm. With five bonus tracks including a never before heard version of Harlem Air Shaft. (GM)

DUKE ELLINGTON	Columbia 87942	Piano In The Background	● CD $11.98
18 tracks, 69 min, essential A rarity in the Ducal catalog - a full LP of trio & solo piano, with his then ('61) rhythm section of Aaron Bell & Sam Woodyard. This includes Standards - Summertime/ I Can't Get Started/ Body & Soul, along with new Duke tunes including Blues For Jerry/ Cong-Go & Fontainebleu Forest, ranging from trio to expressionistic solo. There's also 7 bonus tracks taken from the multi-volume French Duke 56/62 sets as well as the US "World Of Duke Ellington" series, including the gorgeous Piano Improvisations #1-4. (GM)

LUD GLUSKIN	Jazz Oracle 8045	1924-1933	● CD $28.98
Two CD set featuring 48 tracks recorder in Europe by bands led by one of the most succesful American jazz musicians to cross the Atlantic in the 1920s to work in Europe. Includes recordings unknown until recently. Recordings were made for labels like HMV, Pathe, Perfect, Tri Ergon, British Phototone, Artiphon, Polydor and others labels. Includes 36 page booklet with extensive documentation, rare photos, label shots and full discographical information.

CHARLES MINGUS	Proper BOX 77	The Young Rebel	● CD $26.98
4 discs, 88 tracks, essential Another incredible example how Proper can round up all the disparate sides by someone like Mingus, who was a leader & a sideman, who recorded for numerous labels both major & obscure, & put 'em in one place. This set goes from his start on Illinois Jacquet's '45 Apollo sides to the '53 Octet sides cut by his own band on his own label, Debut. There's all his small label sides as leader, including his '45 & 46 Sextett sides on Excelsior, his '46 4 Star, '48 & '49 Dolphin's Of Hollywood & '49 Fentone sides as Baron Mingus, his early sides done for his own Debut label, and as sideman for numerous greats including the Red Norvo Trio w/ Tal Farlow & rare broadcasts with Miles Davis, Charlie Parker & Bud Powell. With 52 page booklet. (GM)

THE ORIGINAL MEMPHIS FIVE	Retrieval 79044	1922-1926: Pathe Instrumentals - Complete Set	● CD $18.98
Two CD set featuring all the Pathe recordings made this fine white jazz band from New York featuring trumpeter Phil Napoleon, trombonist Miff Mole (who left in late 1923 to be replaced by Charlie Panelli), clarinetist Jimmy Lytell and drummer Jack Roth.

BEN POLLACK	Jazz Oracle 8044	Volume 7: The Whoopee Makers/ Ben Pollack & His Orchest	● CD $15.98
Seventh and final volume devoted to the complete recordings of Ben Pollack's Orchestra from 1926-1933, excluding the Hotsy Totsy Gang sides which sometimes used members of Pollack's Orchestra. Includes Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Scrappy Lambert, Pee Wee Russell, Fats Waller and others.

ALVINO REY	ASV CDAJA 5581	King Of The Guitar	● CD $11.98
26 tracks, 76 mins, recommended 26 tracks recorded between 1940 and 1949 by band led by string instrument wizard from Oakland, California Alvino Rey. Rey helped develop the prototype electric guitar in the 30s and experimented with adding pedals and tone controls to the Hawaiian steel guitar to expand its range and versatility. His fine band during this period including such musicians as Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Buddy Cole, Frank Strasek, Danny Vanelli and others with vocalists including Yvonne King & The Four King Sisters, Rocky Collucio and others. Although the guitar is not always in the foreground there are a lot of fine steel and electric guitar intros and solos. Tracks include Blue Rey/ Idaho/ Deep In The Heart Of Texas (a no.1 pop hit in 1942)/ Picnic In Purgatory/ Dearly Beloved/ Two Guitars (featuring some of Rey's fine acoustic guitar playing)/ Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti)/ Johnson Rag/ The Third Man Theme/ Steel Guitar rag and more. Excellent sound na d booklet has informative notes and full discographical info. (FS)

ARTIE SHAW	Hep 1024	In The Beginning	● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 73 mins., recommended Available again. As critics of the time noted, Shaw's unorthodox instrumentation produced a style that could "do a neat job on both swing and schmaltz." Here are some if not all of clarinetist Shaw's first recordings as a band leader in 1936. Band textures were provided by strings, rather than the deeper horn sections included in most of the other big bands, avoiding a hard-edged sound and going for a more polite swing. Some tracks here have distracting levels of hiss, but Shaw's velvety clarinet always comes through. With tenor Wes Vaughn and warbly Peg La Centra handling vocals, the early Shaw band delivered a sort of "easy rock" alternative to the high-voltage jazz of Basie or Goodman. Jitterbug fanatics should stick with Shaw's later dance recordings. But Shaw was one sweet player, with some good ideas from the start, as these tracks clearly show. (DC)

SUN RA	ESP 1045	Nothing Is	● CD $15.98
8 tracks, 40 min., recommended Available again. It's not often that we get to hear a clean, well-balanced live recording of the Sun Ra Arkestra, like this one made in 1966. During the mid-60's heyday of free jazz, the Arkestra enjoyed relative prosperity in New York, and made many of their most durable recordings. The opener Dancing Shadows is a potent reminder of tenorist John Gilmore's influence on Coltrane, followed by the outer space explosions of Imagination, and Marshall Allen's lengthy oboe feature on the aptly titled Exotic Forest. After a Sun Ra piano interlude, Allen comes back on alto to take Shadow World into the stratosphere, paving the way for spacy bass and electronic keyboard solos before the set's climactic ending. Group vocals wander in and out, enforcing the celestial themes in good humor. (MB)

WILBUR SWEATMAN'S ORIGINAL JAZZ BAND	Archeophone 6004	Jazzin' Straight Thru' Paradise	● CD $14.98
25 tracks recorded between 1918 and 1920 featuring this important and pioneering jazz clarinetist and bandleader. Includes 24 page booklet with extensive notes by Steve Tracy.

JACK TEAGARDEN	Proper BOX 80	Big "T"	● CD $24.98
Four CD set with 92 tracks tracing the career of this giant of the jazz trombone from his earliest sides in 1928 with Roger Wole Kahn & His Orchestra and Ben Pollack & His Park Central Orchestra to 1953 recordings with his sextet. Along the way we hear him with Eddie Condon's Hotshots, Red Nichols & His Five Pennies, Fats Waller & His Buddies, Benny Goodman & His Orchestra, Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra and others as well as with his own Orchestra. Includes 48 page illustrated booklet with notes by Stan Britt and full discographical information.

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Archeophone 3002	The Complete Hit Of The Week Recordings, Vol. 1	● CD $26.98
First of four volumes documenting the flexible "Hit Of The Week" records, made by the Durium company, that were sold on newsstands during the Depression. This two CD set features all the weekly releases issued between February and December 1930 featuring performances by The Hit Of The Week Orchestra, Bert Lown & His Hotel Biltmore Music, The Ben Pollack Orchestra, Statler Pennsulvanians, Jan Garber's Orchestra, Phil Spitalny's Music, The Happy Rose Orchestra and others. Includes 24 page illustrated booklet with detailed notes on the performances and the history of the company.

VARIOUS ARTISTS	ASV CDAJA 5520	Hits Of '20 - When My Baby Smiles	● CD $11.98
22 of the most popular recordings of 1920 plus two previously unissued sides (by Lopex & Hamilton and Vaughn DeLeath). About half of the duplicate Archeophone 9001 and sound on these is not as good as on the Archeophone release. Includes Ben Selvin & His Novelty Orch., Paul Whiteman & His Orch., Billy Murray, Joseph C. Smith, Nora Bayes, Art Hickman & His Orch., The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Ernest Hare, Frank Crumit, Eddie Cantor and others. NORA BAYES: Prohibition Blues/ EDDIE CANTOR: You'd Be Surprised/ FRANK CRUMIT: Chili Bean/ Oh, By Jingo! Oh, By Gee! You're the Only Girl for Me/ VAUGHN DELEATH: I Love the Land of Old Black Joe/ ERNEST HARE: Rock Me in My Swanee Cradle/ MARION HARRIS: Left All Alone Again Blues/ The St. Louis Blues/ ART HICKMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA: Hold Me/ AL JOLSON: In Sweet September/ Swanee/ You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet!/ TED LEWIS: When My Baby Smiles at Me/ LOPEX & HAMILTON "KINGS OF HARMONY": Original Dixeland One-Step/ BILLY MURRAY: I'll See You in C-U-B-A/ Marion, You'll Soon Be Marryin' Me/ Wait Till You Get Them Up in the Air, Boys/ ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND: Margie/ ORIGINAL INDIANA FIVE: Mean, Mean Mama/ BEN SELVIN: Dardanella/ JOSEPH C. SMITH & HIS ORCHESTRA: Alice Blue Gown/ The Love Nest/ PAUL WHITEMAN ORCHESTRA: The Japanese Sandman/ Whispering

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Disky 990622	The Jazz Collection	● CD $44.98
Eight CD set featuring 96 tracks drawn from the Blue Note catalog. Each disc is devoted to a different "theme" - "Romantic Jazz Vocal","Jazz Piano Delight", "Jazz Ballads For Easy Listening", "A Declaration Of Love With Jazz", etc. Attractive packaging but no notes or discographical info. CANNONBALL ADDERLEY: Autumn Leaves/ Work Song/ CHET BAKER: My Ideal/ You Don't Know What Love Is/ CLIFFORD BROWN: Easy Living/ KENNY BURRELL: Chitlins Con Carne/ JUNE CHRISTY: Angel Eyes/ It Don't Mean A Thing (if It Ain't Got That Swing)/ They Can't Take That Away From Me/ SONNY CLARK: Blues In The Night/ Deep In A Dream/ Deep Night/ I'll Remember April/ Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise/ NAT KING COLE: Just One Of Those Things/ Sweet Lorraine/ CHRIS CONNOR: Cry Me A River/ CHICK COREA: My One And Only Love/ Pannonica/ BOBBY DARIN: Charade/ MILES DAVIS: It Never Entered My Mind/ Yesterdays/ MATT DENNIS: My Blue Heaven/ LOU DONALDSON: Blues Walk/ KENNY DREW: Ballade/ Everything Happens To Me/ Stella By Starlight/ DUKE ELLINGTON: Prelude To A Kiss/ Stardust/ BILL EVANS: I'm Getting Sentimental Over You/ My Funny Valentine/ ART FARMER: Five Spot After Dark/ CLARE FISCHER: Quiet Nights/ TOMMY FLANAGAN: Tonight {from West Side Story}/ THE FOUR FRESHMEN: Love/ On The Sunny Side Of The Street/ Somebody Loves Me/ BENNY GOODMAN: Sing, Sing, Sing/ DEXTER GORDON: Don't Explain/ Manha De Carnaval/ Stairway To The Stars/ HERBIE HANCOCK: Cantaloupe Island/ Sorcerer/ BILL HENDERSON: Se�or Blues/ JOE HENDERSON: Blue Bossa/ BOBBY HUTCHERSON: Maiden Voyage/ JUNE HUTTON: I Should Care/ HANK JONES: Summertime/ DUKE JORDAN: I Should Care/ WYNTON KELLY: Moonlight In Vermont/ PEGGY LEE: Days Of Wine And Roses/ Mack The Knife/ Strangers In The Night/ JOHN LEWIS: I Can't Get Started/ DEAN MARTIN: Just In Time/ HANK MOBLEY: Recado Bossa Nova/ THELONIOUS MONK: 'round Midnight/ LEE MORGAN: I Remember Clifford/ Sidewinder/ Whisper Not/ HORACE PARLAN: C Jam Blues/ There Is No Greater Love/ JOE PASS: Django/ DUKE PEARSON: I'm A Fool To Want You/ ART PEPPER: Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered/ What Is This Thing Called Love?/ You Go To My Head/ BUD POWELL: Cleopatra's Dream/ Over The Rainbow/ IKE QUEBEC: Loie/ Nancy (with The Laughing Face)/ SUE RANEY: Here's That Rainy Day/ LOU RAWLS: Autumn Leaves/ ANNIE ROSS: All Of You/ It Don't Mean A Thing (if It Ain't Got That Swing)/ GEORGE SHEARING: Lullaby Of Birdland/ What's New?/ DINAH SHORE: April In Paris/ My Melancholy Baby/ That Old Feeling/ JIMMY SMITH: I Can't Get Started/ Jumpin' The Blues/ Lover Man/ LOUIS SMITH: Stardust/ SUPERSAX: Cool Blue/ THE THREE SOUNDS: Besame Mucho/ Nothing But The Blues/ Satin Doll/ Willow Weep For Me/ STANLEY TURRENTINE: More Than You Know/ MCCOY TYNER: I Didn't Know What Time It Was/ SARAH VAUGHAN: 'round Midnight/ All Or Nothing At All/ Sophisticated Lady/ NANCY WILSON: But Beautiful/ Moon River

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Proper BOX 76	The Arranger's Touch	● CD $265.98
4 discs, 90 tracks, highly recommended Once the bands started getting big, an arranger was needed to whip tunes into shape so everyone sounds great & people aren't stepping on toes. It was Benny Goodman using Fletcher Henderson's arrangements that help really popularize the Swing Era. And it was Glenn Miller's arrangements, especially putting a clarinet in with the sax section,that helped make him a superstar. This set shows the growth of the arranger, from Jelly Roll Morton's arrangement of Grandpa's Spells for his band The Red Hot Peppers in '26, to Quincy Jones' arrangement of Bum's Rush done for a Paris all-star date by Gigi Gryce (band included Clifford Brown, Art Farmer & Henri Renaud) in '53. Besides getting a taste of what the great arrangers do, & they're all here - Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Horace Henderson, Shorty Rogers, Gil Evans, Neal Hefti, Billy May, Gerald Wilson, Don Redman, etc, as well as a personal fave for his bizarre arrangements for Stan Kenton, Bob Graettlinger, who's represented here with his 4 part City Of Glass suite. But it's the music you're buying this for, & it's SOLID, with just about any big band you can imagine, from McKinney's Cotton Pickers to Dizzy Gillespie. And of course, there's a 68 page booklet to explain everything! (GM)

VARIOUS ARTISTS	Proper BOX 82	Jazz At The Philharmonic	● CD $26.98
From 1944 onwards, impresario Norman Granz put together some of the definitive musical "package tours" booking nationwide concert hall tours that included many of the star jazz soloists of the day, playing in a jam session-style setting. These proved phenomenally popular and were notable for the racial integration of the lineups and recordings of the events were originally issued on Granz's Verve label. This four CD set with 42 tracks presents some of the best of these sessions from 1946 through 1953. Among the many musicians featured are Illinois Jacquet, Nat King Cole, J.J. Johnson, Howard McGhee, Les Paul, Buck Clayton, Wardell Gray, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Red Callender, Coleman Hawkins, Bobby Tucker, Roy Eldridge, Ray Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Flip Phillips, Charlie Shavers, Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessell, Charlie Savers, Gene Krupa and more. Includes 44 page illustrated booklet with notes and discographical details.

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