The WASO Quartet - Part 1

Georg Lankester

Georg Lankester has collected info about the legendary  Belgian Gypsy swing ensemble WASO and shares the story in two parts. Below is published the first part, the second part will follow here.

One of The Greatest Django Interpreters of The Benelux 

We have to go back to the year 1975 when Koen de Cauter  took the initiative to form,  together with his friend Fapy Lafertin, a quartet in the Hot Club de France style, which was created about 40 years earlier in France by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.

l-r: Fapy Lafertin and Koen de Cauter (courtesy petrus53.com)

There is a certain parallel with the original French quintet. The new formation also had two great soloists because Fapy and Koen were both acknowledged musicians in Belgium.

The Origins of the Gypsy Jazz

The  original Hot Club quintet was founded in 1934 and received international reputation due to the unparalleled playing of Manouche guitarist Django Reinhardt and the great jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, backed up by a three-men rhythm section.

Quintette du Hot Club de France (1937)

These five musicians formed the first jazz string quintet the world had ever seen and which surprised jazz fans all over Europe and even in the USA. The many records of this French quintet -  in particular those released between 1934 and ’39 - are still available everywhere, even today. These show marvellous guitar and violin improvisations in a unique swing rhythm  – a new kind of jazz, but now created in Europe. When the second  World War broke out the cooperation between the two giants suddenly ended. During five years Stéphane stayed in England whereas Django lived in Paris, now playing with clarinettist  Hubert Rostaing. -  It is probably the latter formation which has inspired Fapy and Koen after  listening to the records of the Forties of last century.

Quintette du Hot Club de France (1940s)

The First Years of WASO

WASO quartet - early 1970s

In the early days of the formation  WASO included: Fapy Lafertin solo guitar with Jeff C. Wickle rhythm guitar, Koen de Cauter clarinet/sax, violin & vocals and Michel Verstraeten double bass. - As far as I know this Django-formation of the Seventies was one of the first in the authentic line-up of the war time, in which the focus was on guitar and a reed instrument. Several Django compositions formed part of the group’s repertoire, sometimes re-arranged by Fapy or Koen and it also included American jazz standards and some own compositions.

Koen with Sammy Rimington

During the first year WASO made a tour in Belgium with the British soprano saxophonist Sammy Rimington. They often performed in Gent and one of  their ‘live’ concerts was recorded in April 1976, later released on an LP  titled WASO ‘live’ at Gringo’s.

WASO - Live at Gringo's, LP (1976) (info, click here)

The album reveals interesting recordings which show ‘Django guitarist’ ’Fapy Lafertin in all tracks  and  the versatility of Koen on soprano- and alto sax, violin and in vocals. Remarkable is a certain New Orleans influence in Koen’s clarinet playing. - Some titles: Hot lips, Running wild, Swing ’41, Tears and the first recording of Fapy’s beautiful composition Fleur de lavande.

In the course of 1976 rhythm guitarist Jeff went back to the USA and was replaced by Vivi Limberger (member  of a well-known gypsy family in the Benelux). Vivi formed part of the “Piottos” and his strong rhythm on guitar (and vocals) could from now on be heard  giving the right swing to the WASO quartet.

WASO - late 1970s

Increasing Popularity

The performances of the reformed WASO group were more and more noticed and the formation was invited in the UK, Scandinavia, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and France,  where they played in jazz clubs and in all kinds of theatres.

LP 1977 - Rommages (info, click here)

In 1977, a second WASO album  was released called Rommages on which the musicians in several tracks could be heard with singer Jacques Mercier – born in the French Ardennes and called Valentin. The recordings  were made in Belgium, probably partly in the preceeding year. Some of the 12 titles are: Une petite amie, Tu restes, Credo and, of course, Rommages (an homage to the Romani). In the cover text Fapy’s  name gets special attention.

That same year Didier Geerts joined the group for a short time on drums.

In the late Seventies WASO got a Dutch impressario (Elly Joosten) and as a result the band had more bookings in Holland. The musicians could now be heard at big Jazz Festivals eg. in Maastricht and Breda as well as in jazzclubs throughout the country.

Later, when the Django society for Holland was founded, I invited them as well (see further on in this review).

More Albums And a (Recorded) Radio Broadcast

At the end of 1979 “Munich Records”in Heelsum (Holland) arranged – on the initiative of WASO’s management -  recordings for a new LP record. The producer was Job Zomer, an enthusiastic jazz specialist and his engineers were experienced in recording small groups as well. The result was an album with 12 fine jazz tracks with Django themes such as Si tu savais and Cavalerie, the Hawkins theme Mop Mop and Summertime.

LP  1979 - WASO 4 - "Gipsy Swing" (info, click here)

The different titles offer again a lot of variety because – next to Koen’s clarinet and sax playing - he can be heard on guitar and in vocals. Fapy’s guitar solos are charming and  show his own interpretation of Django Reinhardt’s playing in the Thirties/Forties.

One year later, in August, a radio broadcast was made from a popular jazz café in Laren (not far from Amsterdam) where jazz sessions frequently took place. Their ‘live’ concert that evening was recorded by Polydor and later released on an album called WASO live in Laren. It is a great and historical album also because of the enthousiastic audience which created a real jazzy atmosphere,

LP 1980 - WASO Live in Laren (info, click here)

The formation was in top form and one can now hear the announcements which Koen usually made and some of his special vocals. Beautiful ballads as well  as up-tempo themes demonstrate the quality of the group as a unit, but also in the individual improvisations of Fapy and Koen. Some titles: Douce ambiance, Si tu savais, It had to”be you and the unforgettable Le danseur de Charleston with Koen’s special vocal and announcement.

In June 1979 a festival in Belgium named “Folk aan Zee” took place where a friend of mine played with his group .During this festival WASO was also present with a real gypsy repertoire. My friend remembers that he heard great  gypsy themes which  they produced like Tu djaial and a beautiful execution by Fapy of the waltz La Gitane (composed by Tchan-Tchou). Koen also played violin and Vivi was singing as well.

WASO feat. Denis Vereeckeren (1978)

Both in 1979 and 1980 WASO occasionally had Denis Vereecken as a guest player on guitar.(here shown on a rare picture above).

To be continued here

georglankester@gmail.com

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Jo

keepitswinging.domain@gmail.com

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Stuff Smith And His Onyx Club Boys

Streetview, West 52nd street, NYC (1947) (William P. Gottlieb collection)

The Onyx Club was a jazz club located on West 52nd Street in New York City. The Onyx Club opened in 1927 at 35 West 52nd Street as a speakeasy. In February of 1934, after the end of prohibition, the Onyx Club became an authorized club in a new location — 72 West 52nd Street. The Onyx featured musicians that included the Spirits of Rhythm and Art Tatum, who then was the regular intermission pianist. It burned down in 1935, but was rebuilt and reopened July 13, 1935 with Red McKenzie, Stuff Smith, Jonah Jones, John Kirby, Maxine Sullivan, and others. (info excerpted from Wikipedia)

Stuff Smith outside the Onyx Club (YouTube still photo)

Violinist and vocalist Stuff Smith had come to New York early 1930s after having toured and recorded with the Texas based Alphonso Trent and his Orchestra. In 1935, he was discovered by saxophonist and empresario Dick Stabile, who booked Smith to play at the Onyx Club with his regular ensemble. In 1936, Smith signed a contract with Vocalion that labeled the band as Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys.

Stuff Smith a.h. Onyx Club Boys (1936)

The initial formation of The Onyx Club Boys consisted of: Stuff Smith (v,voc), Jonah Jones (tp), Raymond Smith (p), Bobby Bennett (g), Mack Walker (b) and John Washington (d). This sextet recorded four sides for Vocalion on February 11, 1936, among them was Smith's I'se A Muggin'

I'se A Muggin' was in two parts, the inserted audio video only covers the first. The text is non-sense, if you are unfamiliar with the slang and jive talking associated with Harlem's 'tea parties', another word for social gatherings involving the consume of narcotics, i.e. marihuana (reefer), a customary habit among jazz musicians at the time. There was in fact a whole catalog of songs at the time associated with the consume of narcotics, often referred to as reefer songs, and Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys also contributed to this catalog with another song, You'se A Viper that was a hit with the reefer smoking public

A viper is another word for a person addicted to smoking reefer (a marijuana cigarette). As mentioned, the song became a hit for The Onyx Club Boys, it was recorded at the second session for Vocalion on March 13, 1936. The sextet had now a change of personnel, as Raymond Smith was replaced by James Sherman (p) and John Washington was replaced by Cozy Cole (d). This formation of The Onyx Club Boys recorded twelve sides for Vocalion at four sessions from March to August 1936. The flip-side of You'se A Viper also recorded March 13, 1936 was the sextet's version of the standard After You've Gone - a tune, which Smith had recorded with Alphonso Trent and his Orchestra in 1930 (- Trent's version is available here)

On July 1st 1936 the Onyx Club Boys and Stuff Smith recorded three tunes, among them was a version of It Ain't Right 

Also from the July 1st session was a recording of yet another popular song, Old Joe's Hittin' The Jug

On August 21 1936 The Onyx Club Boys recorded another song associated with the catalog of reefer songs - Here Comes The Man With The Jive

There were no new recordings by the ensemble until May 1937. Now the sextet had been extended to a septet by adding Buster Bailey (cl); piano player James Sherman further was replaced by Clyde Hart. This formation of The Onyx Club Boys recorded four sides for Brunswick/Decca on May 4, 1937, among them the instrumental Upstairs - a hot swinging tune featuring great solos by Jones, Hart and Smith

Another tune recorded at the same session, which in fact was the last session labeled as Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys, was dedicated to the Onyx Club. The title of the tune was Onyx Club Spree, which was recorded in two versions (takes)

The recordings of Stuff Smith and His Onyx Club Boys 1936-37 belong to the core of small band swing contributions of the 1930s, the leader's violin playing was among the foremost examples of swing violin at the same high level as i.e. Stephane Grappelli. Later Stuff Smith would continue his career in other combinations, but that's another story.

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Jo

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Mads Tolling Quartet Feat. Jacob Fischer - Celebrating Svend Asmussen

CD front - Gateway Music (2016)

Later this month - the 28th of February - Danish jazz fiddler supreme Svend Asmussen can celebrate his 100th anniversary. On the occasion of this great day there has already been initiated several events to mark the centennial of the remarkable and world famous Danish jazz musician, a.o. a new book recollecting Asmussen's life and career was released in Denmark last year and a collection of poetry in English and Danish celebrating Svend Asmussen as a person written by his wife, Ellen Bick Asmussen, has also been published. Last year also presented the music of Svend Asmussen in a new constellation by the Mads Tolling Quartet feat. Jacob Fischer in a series of concerts around Denmark and Sweden. Now this ensemble has just released the above shown CD recorded October 2015 featuring some of the music presented at the concert tour appropriately titled Celebrating Svend Asmussen.

Mads Tolling (photo courtesy madstolling.com)

Mads Tolling (b 1980) is an internationally renowned violinist and composer conducting a successful career worldwide. He grew up in Copenhagen and moved to the USA at age 20 to pursue jazz studies and graduated summa cum laude from Berkelee College of Music in 2003. While still attending Berklee, the renowned jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty recommended him to join Stanley Clarke’s band. Since then, Tolling has performed more than one hundred concerts with Clarke worldwide, including the Newport Jazz Festival. In 2007 Mads Tolling started his own trio and recorded the album Speed of Light. The following year the trio expanded to a quartet. With this quartet Mads Tolling released a live CD album in 2012 celebrating Jean-Luc Ponty, another CD

titled The Playmaker released in 2009 featured Stanley Clarke, Russell Ferrante and Stefon Harris. More about Mads Tolling's international career and recordings at the official website, here 

The Mads Tolling Quartet presented at the new CD has Mads Tolling playing violin in a repertoire of music known from Asmussen's own quartet live performances and recordings during the 1990s and 2000s. Besides Tolling this quartet has Scandinavian sidemen. Danish jazz guitar ace Jacob Fischer was a mainstay with Asmussen's quartet for 15 years and shares solo spots with Tolling, and they are accompanied by two very competent rhythm players, Kasper Tagel on double bass and Snorre Kirk on drums.

l-r: Kaper Tagel (b), Mads Tolling (v), Snorre Kirk (d), Jacob Fischer (g) (press photo)

There are eleven tracks at the new CD, four of them feature compositions by Asmussen - Take Off Blues, Hambo Om Bakfoten, Nadja and Scandinavian Shuffle. Also featued are two Gershwin tunes - Someone To Watch Over Me and I Got Rhythm, further two jazz standards in a duo performance by Tolling and Fischer - After You've Gone and Honeysuckle Rose. Two latin pieces are also presented - Piazzolla's Libertango and Jacob Fischer's Latino, and finally Asmussen's well known signature tune June Night. 

The arrangements of the featured tunes are excellent and so is the performance of the music, all members of the quartet contribute to the impression of a solid, swinging record.  The interplay between the musicians is great and well tested through several live performances at the time when the CD was recorded. Mads Tolling has the lead voice in all tracks and his touch at the violin resembles Asmussen's, a trained ear may also be able to trace other influences in Tolling's tone and approach, however, his versions of the featured tunes are great and leave plenty of space for his personal improvisation that gives renewed life and intensity to well-known tunes from Asmussen's book. It is hard to pick out highlights of the CD, all eleven tracks keep the attention of this listener at an intense level. Should I nevertheless point out a few highlights, then it must be the two duet recordings by Tolling and Fischer. Both men have ample opportunity to display their individual capacity as excellent improvisers and attentive musicians, especially the duo's version of Honeysuckle Rose marvels with inventive improvisation by both musicians. As mentioned, the rhythm section in the remaining tracks is competent and also gets solo spots a couple of times which generates a varied impression of the music when listening to the CD. 

- I highly recommend the CD as a splendid homage to the musical legacy of Svend Asmussen and not the least as an opportunity to celebrate his centennial while listening to the music.

The CD is released by Gateway Music and is available for purchase  here and here.

- If you are in Scandinavia this month, there are plenty of opportunities to attend a live performance by Mads Tolling Quartet featuring Jacob Fischer, a tour schedule is available at Tolling's website, here, or check out local media to keep updated on concert dates and locations.

To end this small review of the Quartet's celebration of Svend Asmussen, I'll insert a couple of uploaded videos of live performances from the quartet's concert tour in 2014. - Here is first a performance of It Don't Mean A Thing ...

Mads Tolling (v) and Jacob Fischer (g) - press photo

From another location, here is Tolling and Fischer's live duet performance of Honeysuckle Rose

Finally, here is the Quartet in a live performance of Asmussen's Scandinavian Shuffle

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Jo

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Leon Redbone - Flying By

Leon Redbone (photo courtesy www.leonredbone.com)

Recently I found out that the incomparable troubadour and pre-World War II ragtime, jazz, blues and Vaudeville stylist Leon Redbone has retired from both public appearances and recording last year. The official website, however, does not give many details of the reason for his retirement, but only states "(...) that his health has been a matter of concern for some time.  It has become too challenging for him to continue the full range of professional activities.". The music scene has indeed become poorer since this official announcement of Leon Redbone's retirement hit the news. Fortunately, we still have access to his records (- approximately fifteen single releases on LP and/or CD), further there are uploaded many recordings of live-performances at YouTube to fill in the missing of new releases and concert performances. - Below I'll focus on Leon Redbone's latest - and last - studio recording, the CD titled Flying By released in January 2014.

The Flying By CD was released after a hiatus of thirteen years when no new studio recordings were made, the previous studio recorded CD by Leon Redbone was Any Time from 2001. In the interim, however, a couple of CDs featuring live performances from the 1980s and 1990s were released. Asked about the reason for this long pause in his recording career, Leon Redbone answered the question in an interview  by simply stating “Things take time.” The answer indicates the seriousness and carefulness of a true artist, the material and conditions for the recording of a new studio album 

are not a haphazard affair but rely on the right moment and the perfect setting. According to the mentioned interview the actual recording of the CD further met practical obstacles and had to use more studio locations before the material was ready for release in January 2014. - The CD has a rather short playing time (c.35 min.) and contains twelve tracks. Leon Redbone is featured as a vocalist on all tracks, he accompanies himself on acoustic guitar but is also supported by a small combo featuring clarinet, cornet, piano and rhythm in several tracks and two tracks have accompaniment by Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks big band. Mr. Redbone's regular pianist is Paul Asaro, who participates in all tracks. The material chosen for the CD is eclectic, several of the recorded tunes do not belong to the often heard songs even if you are collector of pre-WW II jazz, blues and sentimental recordings.Firstly, there are two songs originally recorded by female vocalist Lee Morse  for Columbia in 1928, 'Just You And I' and 'Main Street', and Leon Redbone explains the reason for this choice in the mentioned interview, quote "She was a unique individual - everything about her was unique, ... you hear [a Morse] recording one time and it stays with you."

Just You And I opens the CD, the audio of this as well as the other tracks on the CD has been uploaded at YouTube, here.  Below is inserted Leon Redbone's version of the tune, and if you like to hear the original recording by Lee Morse, it's available here  

According to the mentioned interview, band leader of The Nighthawks big band, Vince Giordano, wanted to cut a version of the tune Wanna Go Back Again Blues with Redbone singing the lyrics in an arrangement similar to a recording made by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra in 1926 for Gennett, available here  

Here is Leon Redbone's version of Wanna Go Back Again Blues accompanied by Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks

There is also featured a blues by ragtime guitarist and vocalist Blind Blake, Police Dog Blues, here in a 1920s small combo  arrangement featuring Vince Giordano on bass sax

Also featured are Leon Redbone's version of Jelly Roll Morton's Mr Jelly Lord with the lyrics known from the famous Library of Congress 1938 recordings, sentimental Tin Pan Alley tunes like Baby Won't You Please Come Home (Marion Harris, Bessie Smith and McKinney's Cotton Pickers a.o. recorded this), the Isham Jones 1924 hit I'll See You In My Dreams, Get Out Get Under The Moon ( recorded by Anette Hanshaw a.o.), Save Your Sorrow (Gene Austin a.o. had a hit with this) and the CD ends with a seldom heard or recorded song composed by Irving Berlin But Where Are You. The song was originally sung In the 1936 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie classic Follow the Fleet by Harriet Hilliard - you can hear it and watch Harriet Hilliard singing the song in the movie here  - Here is Leon Redbone's version accompanied by pianist Paul Asaro and violin

There seems to be a preponderance of sentimental songs on the CD, and according to the mentioned interview with Mr. Redbone there is a good reason for that, quote: "Sentimentality in music, suggests Redbone, has “evaporated". It’s just noise volume level, with no sentimentality at all,” he says of contemporary music. “It didn’t get better over the years, which is unfortunate. Maybe a slight jog in the planets might make it get better!" It's my impression that Leon Redbone has put down his foot in a satisfactory way to achieve a slight jog in the planet Earth with the Flying By CD release. I highly recommend it to other fans of the great man as well as newcomers. The CD is available for purchase here. 

It's a pity that Leon Redbone has retired, but Lorne Michaels is preparing a documentary with the title Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone: The Search for Leon Redbone. A short promo has been uploaded at YouTube, here. - I don't know, if the documentary has been finished by now, but it's certainly worth waiting for. To end this, here is Leon Redbone in a live performance of Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone



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Jo
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Joe Sodja - A Forgotten Musician And Entertainer

Joe Sodja (1911-1992)

The name of Joe Sodja does not pop up frequently nor is easily found in the usual reference books and articles about jazz or popular performers, and the info found on the internet only provides fragmentary details about his career. However, below I'll refer what I found available about Joe Sodja - a remarkable, but forgotten musician and entertainer.

Joe Sodja 1938 - YouTube still shot

This inserted photo of Joe Sodja is a still shot from a Vitaphone (soundie) film featuring Fred Rich and his orchestra recorded in 1938. Joe Sodja performs as a guest appearance at the end of the film playing a version of Chinatown, My Chinatown accompanied by Fred Rich's band.

Excerpt of Vitaphone trailer

The Vitaphone soundie has been uploaded at YouTube and is inserted below, Joe Sodja performs Chinatown, My Chinatown starting at 8:19

Joe Sodja's performance in the Vitaphone film shows his extraordinary dexterity as a guitarist combined with a humorous attitude appealing to a wide audience expecting to be entertained. This stage appearance seems to have been a successfull choice, although his attitude may seem outdated nowadays. Nevertheless, Joe Sodja had success and spent most of his career as a professional performer in the popular field of entertainment business. But in 1937 he also had a short stint in a regular jazz setting, when he had the opportunity to record a session under his own name for the Variety label as Joe Sodja's Swingtette accompanied by some top notch jazz artists of the time: Joe Marsala (cl), Frank Froeba (p), Artie Shapiro (b) and George Wettling (d). The session was recorded in New York on June 18, 1937 and four sides were cut, but only two of them were issued. The discographical info is inserted below

Info excerpted from Tom Lord's discography vers. 9.0 (click to enlarge)

This session by Joe Sodja is the only registered jazz session during his career, moreover the recording of Limehouse Blues is the only tune from the session that has been reissued. It was reissued in the 1970s on a double LP by Columbia Records titled 50 Years of Jazz Guitar featuring various artists.

Joe Sodja's guitar playing in this swinging version of Limehouse Blues is quite intriguing and remarkable. His approach does not resemble the commonly applied technique by any of his well known contemporary American fellow guitarists. His guitar solo style has been compared with Django Reinhardt's because of the use of fast and long solo runs up and down the fretboard especially well known from Reinhardt's 'manouche' approach to the guitar soloist's opportunities. Sodja's right hand picking technique seems to have been transferred from a mandolin or banjo approach, which incidentally seems likely, since he also knew and played these string instruments. When not playing solo, his approach to comping also resembles Reinhardt's style - very unusual for an American guitarist at the time.

Joe Sodja featured in an ad for Gibson guitars

Joe Sodja was from Cleveland, where he was born in 1911 in a family with Slovenian roots. He had four brothers with whom he formed a band, The Arcadian Melody Pilots, that performed locally playing polkas and waltzes at dance hall gigs and was featured on local radio networks. At that time his great idol and inspiration was Harry Reser, the famous tenor banjo player and bandleader, and he concentrated on learning and refining his banjo playing technique. At age 16 he was discovered by talent scout and bandleader Paul Ash, who had a longer stint at a theatre in Cleveland with his orchestra. Sodja was invited to perform with the orchestra as a soloist, and after this engagement he became a popular solo attraction on the radio, first locally but in the early 1930s he was discovered and hired by bandleader Fred Waring, who had his own programs featuring his orchestra and invited guest on the NBC radio that reached all regions of the US. His engagement with NBC and Fred Waring brought Sodja to New York where he was a regular featured artist in Waring's programs during the 1930s. He also toured as a soloist on the national night club and conventional circuit performing light entertainment music besides appearing in various TV shows from the late 1940s and on. From about 1946 Sodja started a collaboration with pianist and bandleader Julian Gould with whom he recorded 150 transcriptions for Langworth during the following ten years in a trio setting labeled as the Joe Sodja Trio.

Julian Gould

The Langworth transcriptions by the Joe Sodja Trio - like similar recordings by other artists -  were not commercially issued but were strictly decided for radio broadcast only. As far as I know, none of these transcriptions by the Joe Sodja Trio have since been reissued on LP or CD, but a couple of examples are available at YouTube. - Here is first Joe Sodja Trio performing Guitar Boogie 

Sodja's guitar solo in this version of Guitar Boogie shows his inspiration from Les Paul, who had a hit with his version of the tune in 1947. The interplay with Gould's piano is excellent and the result is a swinging take that withstand repeated listening, I think. The same applies to the recording by the trio of a version of Exactly Like You from the Langworth transriptions

Sodja's collaboration with Julian Gould also included a recording of a LP that featured Sodja playing tenor banjo

LP front cover illustration

The audio from this LP has been uploaded at YouTube, here's an example of the duo's playing in the honky tonk style

In 1957 Joe Sodja was hired to participate in a low-budget Hollywood Western movie titled The Parson and the Outlaw where he had a small role as a newspaper agent, moreover he composed and recorded the soundtrack music for the movie showing off his banjo playing

Original movie poster

The movie was a success and was followed by a couple more in the same genre, Sodja again was offered small roles and participated in the screen play. About the same time there was recorded a couple of solo performances on screen featuring Joe Sodja showing off his capacity as a guitar player. To end this presentation of a remarkable musician and entertainer, here is Joe Sodja playing his version of The Old Mill Stream 

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Jo

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Seasonal Joys

As editor of Hans Koert's website and blogs I want to thank you readers for your support in 2015 and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016. - It's the time for the seasonal joys, here are some musical recordings to accompany the spirit of the holidays.













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Jo
keepitswinging.domain@gmail.com

Retrospect Keep Swinging (old) Oscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Friends of the Keep Swinging blog Keep Swinging Contributions

When Lights Are Low - Lionel Hampton All-Star Session, September 1939

Lionel Hampton

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

l-r: Webster, Carter, Berry, Hawkins (sax), Hart (piano)

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 ...!

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Jo

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Retrospect Keep Swinging (old) Oscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Friends of the Keep Swinging blog Keep Swinging Contributions