A weblog in English and Dutch about jazz and related music, record collecting and other music projects originally created by Hans Koert.|Een webblog in het Engels en het Nederlands over jazz, jazz-verwante muziek, platen verzamelen en verrassende projecten, oorspronkelijk opgezet door Hans Koert.
Showing posts with label Coleman Hawkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coleman Hawkins. Show all posts
Mary Osborne(1921-1992) was an American jazz guitarist, who is almost forgotten today but should be ranked among the best of the 1940s pioneers of the electric jazz guitar. - Osborne was born in Minot, North Dakota. She learned violin as a child and could also play guitar and bass by age 15. She heard Charlie Christian play in Al Trent's band at a stop in Bismarck, North Dakota; Christian became one of her most prominent influences. She went on to tour with Buddy Rogers, Dick Stabile, Terry Shand, Joe Venuti, and Russ Morgan, and recorded with Mary Lou Williams, Beryl Booker, Coleman Hawkins, Mercer Ellington, Ethel Waters, Wynonie Harris a.o.. - Below I'll insert some examples of Mary Osborne's excellent playing which have been uploaded at You Tube.
Signature 15087-A, Blues In Mary's Flat
Mary Osborne had recorded her own Blues In Mary's Flat together with Stuff Smith in 1944, two years later she recorded it again with her own trio for the Signature label. The trio has Sanford Gold on piano, Mary Osborne on electric guitar and Frenchy Couette double bass.
Signature 15087-B, Oops My Lady
The flip side of the Signature 15087 disc had another tune by the trio composed by Mary Osborne, Oops My Lady
Mary Lou Williams
Mary Osborne was featured with pianist Mary Lou Williams' Girl Stars in a session for Continental recorded February 1946 in New York. The quintet include Mary Lou Williams (p), Mary Osborne (el g), Bea Taylor (b), Marjorie Hyams (d) and Bridget O'Flynn (vib). The session was produced by Leonard Feather, here is the quintet's version of Feather's tune titled D.D.T.
At the same session was recorded a version of the well known He's Funny That Way, where Mary Osborne also gets a chance to add her pleasant vocal to the music
Coleman Hawkins
The day after the Mary Lou Williams recording session, Mary Osborne was featured with Coleman Hawkins And His 52Nd Street All Starsin four sides recorded for Victor in New York. The All Stars ensemble is an octet and include Charlie Shavers (tp), Pete Brown (as), Coleman Hawkins, Allen Eager (ts), Jimmy Jones (p), Mary Osborne (el g), Al McKibbon (b) and Shelly Manne (d). One of the recorded tunes titled Spotlite has Mary Osborne in the spotlight contributing great solo playing
To end this small portratit of a great jazz guitarist, here's a saved live recording on TV from 1958 - audio and video quality is not the best, however, the music is excellent. The tune played is I Surrender Dear
Taking their name from a show written by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, a small group led by Don Redman recorded in the late '20s as the Chocolate Dandies. Redman also used the name for some McKinney's Cotton Pickers record dates. During the early '30s the name was picked up by other musicians, notably Benny Carter, who used it for a string of recordings he made with Coleman Hawkins, among others. Carter revived the name in 1940, again with Hawkins recording some small group jazz sides. - Below I'll insert some examples of recordings made by the various Chocolate Dandies studio ensembles.
Star Dust_Okeh 8668
Don Redman directed McKinney's Cotton Pickers in four titles recorded October 13, 1928 in New York for Okeh as Chocolate Dandies. Personnel included Don Redman (as,dir), Langston Curl, John Nesbitt (tp), Claude Jones (tb), Milton Senior (as,cl), George Thomas, Prince Robinson(ts,cl), Todd Rhodes (p), Lonnie Johnson (g), Dave Wilborn (bj), Ralph Escudero (bb), Cuba Austin (dm). Besides the shown Star Dust the titles included Paducah, Birmingham Breakdown and Four Or Five Times
Benny Carter
On September 9, 1929 another combination of Chocolate Dandies recorded two titles for Okeh in New York. Personnel this time included Benny Carter (as,voc), Don Redman (as,cl,voc), Leonard Davis (tp), Rex Stewart (co), Coleman Hawkins (ts), J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Cyrus St. Clair (tuba), Fats Waller (p), Unknown (bj), George Stafford (dm). The recorded titles were That's How I Feel Today and Six Or Seven Times
Dee Blues_Columbia 2543-D
December 1930, Benny Carterrecorded two dates with a sextet of musicians drawn from Fletcher Henderson's orchestra as Chocolate Dandies for Columbia in New York. Personnel included Benny Carter (as,cl,voc,arr), Horace Henderson (p), Bobby Stark (tp), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Jimmy Harrison (tb,voc), Benny Jackson (g) and John Kirby (sb). On December 3 was recorded only one title, Goodbye Blues, but on December 31 were recorded Cloudy Skies, Got Another Sweetie Now, Bugle Call Rag and the shown Dee Blues
Blue Interlude_Decca 18255 A
Benny Carter recorded another session October 10, 1933 under the name of Chocolate Dandies, this time for Okeh/Decca. Personnel included Benny Carter (as,tp,arr), Max Kaminsky (tp), Floyd O'Brien (tb), Chu Berry (ts), Teddy Wilson (p), Lawrence Lucie (g), Ernest "Bass" Hill (sb) and Sidney Catlett (dm). Recorded titles besides the shown Blue Interlude were I Never Knew,Once Upon A Time and Krazy Kapers
Krazy Kapers_Okeh 41568
Coleman Hawkins
Benny Carter was featured with Coleman Hawkins in a session for Commodore May 25, 1940 and recorded three titles under the name of Coleman Hawkins and The Chocolate Dandies. Recorded titles included Smack!, I Surrender Dear and I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me. Participating musicians were Benny Carter (as,p), Roy Eldridge (tp), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Bernard Addison (g), John Kirby (sb), Sidney Catlett (dm)
Allan Reuss was an American jazz guitarist, who spent most of his career in the famous big bands of the swing era or as a studio musician. He was born in New York City in 1915 and began playing professionally as a banjoist at age 12. He took lessons and learned guitar from George Van Eps, who recommended Reuss to Benny Goodman. Reuss took over Van Eps' chair in Benny Goodman's orchestra in 1935 and played with Goodman on and off until 1943. He also played with Paul Whiteman's String Wing (1939) and joined Jack Teagarden's orchestra 1939-40. Next Reuss was with Jimmy Dorsey (1941-42) and Harry James (1942-43). At the same time he was a frequent session musician in the recording studios in New York until 1945, when he moved to Los Angeles. Here he continued as a studio guitarist and played with Arnold Ross, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter a.o. After 1946, he was less frequently on jazz dates, but he took part in occasional reunions with Benny Goodman a.o. and continued studio work in hundreds of various recordings during the 1950s and 1960s as an anonymous musician.
Promo photo 1936
Allan Reuss was an extraordinary guitarist who formed the foundationin in the rhythm section of the swing orchestra . His role was primarily to keep the rhythm going, which he did excellently, but from time to time he had a chance to show off his sophisticated chord style solo playing placing him in the top class of swing guitarists. Below I'll insert some examples of Allan Reuss' solos with various artists.
Benny Goodman
As mentioned above, Allan Reuss joined Benny Goodman and his orchestra in 1935 on the recommendation of George Van Eps. Benny Goodman recorded frequently and was on radio at the time, but only a couple of times Reuss got the opportunity to play solo. An example from November 22, 1935 is heard in If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight with the full Benny Goodman orchestra
Lionel Hampton
Reuss freelanced as a studio musician from 1937 and was engaged by a.o. Lionel Hampton to take part in some of Hampton's studio sessions for victor. From a session recorded April 26, 1937 Allan Reuss has a short elaborated solo in a version of I Got Rhythm, here titled Rhythm, Rhythm. Participating musicians are Buster Bailey (cl), Johnny Hodges (as), Lionel Hampton (vib), Jess Stacy (p), John Kirby (b), Cozy Cole (d) besides Allan Reuss (g)
Jack Teagarden
Reuss joined Jack Teagarden and his orchestra 1939 and stayed with him through 1940. During this engagement, Allan Reuss had the opportunity to record his own Pickin' for Patsy - his highly sophisticated solo piece with big band. The piece was recorded in New York, May 5 1939 and sounded like this
Variations in Jazz, I Never Knew (Asch 350-3B), 1939
A rather special recording was made for Moses Asch's record label in 1939 featuring Allan Reuss as a member of a pick-up ensemble named Peck's Bad Boys. Reuss contributes some extraordinary solo work which alone is worth this special record
Coleman Hawkins
Allan Reuss moved to Los Angeles, CA in 1945 to continue as a studio musician. For some time he led his own trio, but there were no recordings made. He was engaged by Coleman Hawkins to take part in his recording sessions for Capitol February-March 1945 and did a couple of short solos, a.o. in Stuffy recorded February 23, 1945. Participating musicians are: Howard McGhee (tp), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Sir Charles Thompson (p), Allen Reuss (g), Oscar Pettiford (b) and Denzil Best (d)
Benny Carter
The last solo work by Allan Reuss to be presented here is from a session with Arnold Ross Quintet featuring Benny Carter (as), Artie Berstein (b), Nick Fatool (d), Arnold Ross (p) and Allan Reuss (g) recorded in Los Angeles, April 1946. Three takes of The Moon Is Low were recorded, below is inserted the version uploaded a You Tube to end this small presentation of Allan Reuss
Lionel Hampton signed a favorable contract with RCA Victor in 1937 that allowed him to invite musicians from other popular jazz orchestras of the time to record a series of sessions that otherwise would have been difficult if not impossible to organize. From 1937 to 1941 Hampton recorded 107 sides featuring musicians from the orchestras of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Luis Russell, Fletcher Henderson, Fats Waller and Earl Hines, giving him the cream of the period’s soloists and rhythm players. These recordings rank among some of the best small band swing jazz of the late 1930s and they have since been reissued both on vinil and CD, i.e.. at the 5 CDs box-set from Mosaic some years ago, shown below (- unfortunately out of print).
Mosaic #238, The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-41
Here I like to put focus on a famous session from September 11, 1939 that unites Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry and Ben Webster as the dream sax section with a young Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Clyde Hart (piano), Charlie Christian (guitar), Milt Hinton (double bass) and Cozy Cole (drums); Hampton leads the session and contributes both on vibes and as vocalist.
Exerpt of discograpical info, Mosaic #238 (click to enlarge)
Benny Carter's arrangement of When Lights Are Low was the first tune and recorded in two takes, the second take probably is the best known featuring solo spots by Carter, Hampton, Hart and Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
The first take of When Lights Are Low has a different solo by Hampton
One Sweet Letter From You has vocal by Hampton and the guitar playing obligato is by Charlie Christian (- here on acoustic strings)
Charlie Christian
The tenor solo is by Hawkins or Webster (- unfortunately I'm not the expert to differentiate the two in this session, sorry)
Hot Mallets has a nice muted trompet solo by a young Dizzy Gillespie exchanging riffs with Carter's alto followed by a short tenor contribution by Chu Berry and a lengthy Hampton solo
Dizzy Gillespie
The last tune in this session was Early Session Hop that has fine examples of the sax section playing in unison followed by solos by Hawkins, Hampton and Carter
What makes these recordings magnificent examples of small band swing of the late 1930s is not only the solo contributions by the reed players and the leader. The rhythm is execellently supported by great playing of both Milt Hinton's double bass, Christian's guitar comping and Cozy Cole's drums.
Cozy Cole
The rather short playing time of each of the recorded tunes leaves a wish for more, however, you could also say that the session is a fine example of the artistic formula expressing the experience that - sometimes - less is more ...!
Georg Lankester, expert in the French pre-WWII jazz scene, Django Reinhardtand the Quintet of Hot Club de France, continues his account of the visit(s) of QHCF in the Netherlands 1937. The first part was published here - Below follows the second part.
Django and Stéphane’s second visit to
Holland
On
top of the numerous performances and recording sessions during the World
Exhibition in Paris, with the best American reedmen and French players Ekyan
and Combelle, a second invitation for Django & Stéphane to play in Holland
arrived.
This
time the occasion was, first a jazz
contest in Amsterdam, then a concert in the Hague and finally radio recordings
in Hilversum.
The
evening of the 5th of November 1937 the two stars and their rhythm group scored
triumphs. The numerous students and other jazz fans were all excited and,
of course, the Hot Club quintet gloriously
won the first prize.
Django (center) et al in Holland, November 1937
Although
little is known about their stay in Amsterdam, it is reported that the
musicians spent some time to visit musea and ‘Madame Tussaud’ where Django was
obsessed by the chambers of horror.
Freddy Johnson
Interesting
is that in the night hot jam sessions took place with Django, Freddy Johnson, Benny Carter and Coleman
Hawkins who were also engaged in Holland - they all knew each other from their performances in Paris.
Next
to the quintet’s playing in the Dutch capital, a concert was given in the zoo
of the Hague. On November 6, the Dutch “Jazz Liga” celebrated its 5th
anniversary on which occasion the Hot Club formation formed the highlight of
the evening.
As
many will know, there is a film fragment of this concert which was made by the
Dutch ‘Polygon” company which also showed the arrival by train of the quintet
earlier in the News program.
With
regard to the concert film fragment, it is striking that Django is moving his body while he is accompanying Stéphane. For the many Django fans
always remains the question which theme was played since the violin (audio) improvisations
do not easily reveal that.
Unfortunately
there is nothing known about any radio broadcasts – I even contacted people in
Hilversum but nobody could trace that.
So
far, the short story on these two historical visits of the legendary quintet to
the Netherlands. I can just add to this that - after the war - Grappelli gave
several concerts in Holland and I had
the opportunity (in 1984) to meet him and, briefly, could talk with him about those visits of 1937.
Georg Lankester,
expert in pre-WW II French jazz history, introduces in this entry André Ekyan's pre-war
career, the 1930s.
The
post war years of André Ekyan will be discussed in another entry, here
André Ekyan (1907-1972)
This
highly talented musician was born in Meudon. Who could suspect that he would
become one of the pioneers of the French pre-war jazz and play an important
role in it as a soloist? Here is the
story of his career:
Non- French parents
André’s
mother was of Hungarian origin, while his father was born in Armenia – the
official family name was Echkyan. His parents emigrated to France and it was
there that the young André in 1907 was
born and further grew up. Already as a boy he started to play alto-sax. André
first started to follow a medical study in order to become a dentist. During
his study he saved money to buy a clarinet which took quite some time. Finally
he got the instrument and it seems that he could play a bit on it within a few
weeks. By
the end of the Twenties, however, he stopped his dental study and chose for a
professional career in music. Soon he joined the orchestra of Perroquet which
played in Paris; furthermore he was working continuously to improve his
technique.
Cabaret performances and orchestra sideman
From
1930-32 he was active with a small formation under his own name and appeared
frequently in the cabaret “La croix du
Sud”, where – according to Charles Delaunay – also Django Reinhardt came to
listen to him.
Ekyan and Django
André
also joined various big bands. In 1931 he became member of the well-knownEnglish ‘Jack Hylton Orchestra’ and somewhat
later he played in the band of Fred Astaire. Our active reed man could – in
1933 – be found playing with “Grégor & ses Grégoriens” which was quite popular
in Paris those days. Also Stéphane Grappelli joined this orchestra, as we can
see in some old film fragments! In ’34
and ’35 André was playing in“Le Jazz du
poste parisien”.
It
should be mentioned that starting from 1932 Ekyan also arranged and supervised
studio recordings e.g. in parts of “Jazz symphonique Salabert” and in two
recordings of his own group called “the French Hot Boys”. They recorded: ‘St.
Louis Blues’ and ‘Moonglow’.
André Ekyan, saxophonist and clarinetist
In 1935
André, as a band leader, played an important role in the famous cabaret “Boeuf
sur le Toit” where many excellent musicians regularly met. Under his
supervision several recordings were made
in his name, released by “Ultraphone”.
After
lots of activities in France André then travelled to the USA where he played
with stars like trombonist ‘Tommy Dorsey & the piano giants“Joe Turner”and
“Fats Waller”.
Once
back in France he opened a cabaret called ‘Swing Time” where he showed his own
new orchestra. This was the place where terrific ‘jam sessions’ (in French: ‘de
Boeufs’) took place, so remembered tenor saxophonist Alix Combelle. André could
there also be heard with the piano players Léo Chauliac & George Manion, in
addition to his own band.
Paris
was in those times a swinging town, full of theatres, cabarets and cafés
offering jazz. In one of them called “au Florence” the American trumpet
player/saxophonist Benny Carter played. In the early morning, also there unforgettable
jam sessions were held with American and French jazzmen like Coleman Hawkins,
Django Reinhardt and Bill Coleman. After their performances in other cabarets
and cafés, they liked to meet and play spontaneously in unique formations. Note: Carter and Hawkins, who stayed in
Paris, were promoted by the Hot Club de France leaders secretary Charles
Delaunay and president Hugues Panassié.
Historical recordings
1937
was a great year for the European jazz. Because of the World Exhibition in the
capital the Hot Club leaders had invited many American jazz giants for big concert
and recording sessions and…….they met
the best French players of that time –
including André Ekyan. This resulted in many unique recordings, all of them
realised under the supervision of Charles Delaunay who had just launched his
exclusive jazz record label ‘Swing”.
Discque Swing, SW. 1
He
started recording in the spring and possibly
with the best pre-war formation in Europe ever, called “Coleman Hawkins and his
All Star band” featuring Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, André Ekyan, Alix
Combelle, Django Reinhardt, Eugène d’Hellemmes and Tommy Benford.
On
April 28 two titles in this formation were recorded ‘’Honeysuckle rose’ & ‘Crazy
Rhythm’.In the same line-up HMV recorded: ‘Out of nowhere’ and ‘Sweet Georgia
Brown’. For those interested marked SW
no.1 and HMV(E) B 8812.
Ekyan,
still in a very good shape, can also be heard with Django in five tracks which
were recorded in 1939 in a small formation under his name. The titles: ‘The Sheyk’, ‘Dream Ship’, ‘ I can’t
believe’, Dark Town Strutters Ball’’ and Blues of Yesterdays’. Three tracks included
trumpet player/saxophonist ‘Big Boy’ Goodie, who originally came from Louisiana
but already lived in Paris from the early Twenties.
Jean Omer, born in Nijvel, the 9th of September 1912, grew up in a well-to-do family and at an early age showed interest in music. He started to play violin, however, also learned trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. The reed instruments would form the basis for his career.
The Baker Boys, directed by Robert De Kers, the band to accompany vaudeville artist Josephine Baker. Jean Omer is the man standing left - Robert De Kers is standing in the middle and Oscar Aleman at the right) (ca. 1931)( photo; Albert Michiels archive)
A quick start:Jean Omer is talented in music and in business. At the age of 16 (1928) he got a contract to play in Blankenberge with his own small group. Soon afterwards he became a professional musician and performed some time in Strasbourg. There he met Billy Smith, joined his orchestra and made tours in Belgium, France and even Italy.
In 1929 the motivated Jean Omer founded a sextet called “Hot Melodians”. With this group he performed in Oostende, at the Palace Club of Antwerp and also played in Blankenberge. One year later he could be heard in the orchestra of Albert Sykes in the Kurhaus hall of Oostende.
the Baker Boys.Oscar Aleman (left) and Gaston Bueno lobo (right) next to Josephine Baker.(photo: ca. 1931)
In the early Thirties our reed player joined the Baker Boys which included the well-known Belgian saxophonist Jean Robert. The latter played an important role in the Belgian jazz scene. The Baker Boys were popular and besides performances in Belgium they travelled to France and Italy (“Savoy Dancing” in Milan). One should realise that it was not so easy to travel in those days – all was done by public transport, because a car was a luxury and the roads were still very poor. Particularly the French press was praising Omer for his performances.
Le Boeuf sur le Toit at the Naamse Poort (Brussels) ( 1930s)
After a succesfull trip to The States he founded, in 1938, the dancing, later jazz club Le Boeuf sur le Toit at the Naamse Poort in Brussels. Here known jazz musicians would perform. Jean Omer directed here his Big Band and performed with soloists like Gus Deloof, Ernst van ’t Hof, Jean Robert, Frank Engelen, Nick Frerar and more. Pianio player Gus Clark, also a member of Omer's Big Band, made its arrangments, like Jean Robert .............
Jean Robert (1908-1981) (photo; Bas Robert archvie)
Robert was labeled as “de Europese Coleman Hawkins”, The European cCleman Hawkins .....Even Hawkins praised him for his sound. Hawkins often asked Robert to be his repelacement in Brussels or Amsterdam, when he had a profitable gig in Paris.
Fud Candrix (1908-1974)
In small combos Jean Omer also accompanied soloist Harry Pohl and e.g. the Dutch lady singer Annie Xhofleer. It is remarkable that a lot of Dutch singers were asked to perform in Belgian bands. From a Belgian relation I learned that Dutch singers were often selected because of their good pronunciation of the English language. Fud Candrix accompanied singers like Tony Jongenelen and Jane Miller.
Coleman Hawkins ( 1904-1969)
On the 5th of November 1938 Omer impressed all jazz enthousiasts with his Big Band featuring saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, the top of the bill. Jean Omer is now quite known in Belgium and sometimes even leads the Stan Brenders Orchestra, when Stan is unable to attend himself. The Omer concerts with guest soloists attract the audience and his concerts often have a full house with lots of enthousiastic reactions. When in the concert room of the Antwerp zZo an ‘Omer night’ is organised, lots of young ladies love to see the young soloist/band leader. His orchestra included excellent musicians like saxophonist Victor Ingeveldt, the piano players Gus Clark and Paul van Nek and the virtuoso trombonist Albert Brinkhuizen. It looked like an US Harem-Style event, with dancers in black make-up ...
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For more blogs about Jean Omer visit MY JAZZ LINKS: Jean Omer
Jean Omer, the active Belgian reed player and bandleader is the key figure in two blogs dedicated to this, nowadays almost forgotten, Belgian jazz musician, founder of the Le Boeuf sur le Toit and responsible for dozens of great swing recordings. Georg Lankester spotlights his prewar years ......
Retrospect
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