Jazz on 78s

[calstone]

As I mentioned in my introduction, I have been working on 78s, which were mostly my father's and were my musical education once I was allowed to use the family gramophone. You can hear my efforts here

www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_01.php

which I hope you will enjoy.

[Admin]

Undoubtably a great undertaking. Thanks for providing the link.

Now, AlanB has raised the possibility of a recording with Blues artist Lonnie Johnson with Lonnie Donegan at Royal Festival Hall in 1952. Any thoughts?

talk-music.proboards.com/post/15484

[calstone]

Another CD's worth of Duke Ellington's marvellous music has been added to my site, it is labelled " Duke1". When I started on this lark I used about a third of my father's Ellington 78s with a fair number of tracks that were lively and would show off the process, when/if successful. Then, when the website came into being I chose to process all the other ones so as to come fresh to them, as I was a bit over-familiar with the third I'd used. Anyway, these new tracks are from the original third and there are some gems.
There is the existential angst of "Haunted Nights" and the mellow charm of the first recording of "In a Sentimental Mood" which must be one of Duke's most recorded compositions. Listen out for the interesting harmonisation of the second "B" 8-bar section, the overall structure being AABA. " High Life" has a marvellous trumpet solo and a surprise toward the end ( well, only if you don't know the piece). "Jubilee Stomp", "The Duke Steps Out" and "Double Check Stomp" have an infectious joie-de-vivre and the final track "Steamboat Shuffle" is a musical portrait of the steam-driven paddle-wheels.... and on top of all that is the extraordinary "The Mooche" with its insistent rhythm sounding for all the world like coconut shells.
www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_14.php

[Admin]

I have a couple of old 78s

Jelly Roll Morton - King Porter Stomp on Vogue with a solo on the other side.

[calstone]

The latest addition to my site is a selection of Benny Goodman tracks with his orchestra, trio and quartet. There is some marvellous stuff here beginning with four tracks featuring Jack Teagarden's lugubrious vocals and his trenchant trombone. Lionel Hampton gets to deliver "Exactly Like You", very much to my taste but maybe not universal.

www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_15.php

[Admin]

Among the great Detroit Jump Bands of the 40's was T. J. Fowler. Here's his T. J. Boogie.



A little story, back in the 40's, there were a number of Fraternities in the South that would have their Spring Formals (Dances) featuring the music of artists like T. J. Fowler. The music just seemed to fit the "jitterbug" well!

[calstone, really]

there's no way that I can work out how to put this in the proper place ( personal performances)so I hope you will indulge me by clicking on the link and listening to a little bit of Borodin via Kismet performed by yours truly.

www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/vinyl5.php

[calstone. really]

you won't be seeing much of me around here, not only can I not post on my own thread without having to be a guest and if there's another way it is far from obvious, and in order to prove I'm human, the new management have managed to prove they are not ( IKEA being the least human organisation on the planet, have you ever been in one of their stores, it's like a casino, we dare you to find your way out). So, listen to my little offering and then remove me from your e-mailing list, thanks and goodbye,
calstone, really!

[calstone]

re the above, my fault utterly and completely for not logging in hence the invalid criticism of the posting for which I apologise, however the validation procedure is still rubbish.

[calstone]

There is now another 20 track collection of Duke Ellington recordings listed as " Duke 2". I think fantastic is not inappropriate for the range of sonorities he gets from a relatively small group of musicians, helped by the differing acoustic qualities of the studios the band records in, including two tracks recorded in London. Ivy Anderson is on 4 of the tracks including the standard "It Don't Mean a Thing....." The other standard is "Sophisticated Lady" with the piano-player showing off. I enjoy the way he has with major and minor. "Blues of the Vagabond" has a minorish feel for 32 bars ( after an intro with banjo glissandi !) but then the mood is lifted with a new theme. "What Can a Poor Fellow Do?" has quite a lilt to it considering the bass is bowed throughout.

The next instalment of Jazz 78s, Jazz 10, is now uploaded. A mixed bag as usual with some undoubted gems and some surprises. Among the gems are Louis' Hot 5 with "West End Blues", Bix on Frankie Trumbauer's "Singing the Blues" and Fletcher Henderson's "Big John's Special" from 1934 which has an early Ben Webster contribution and some crackling Henry "Red" Allen trumpet. Among the surprises are a frantic "You Rascal You" by Garland Wilson and his stride piano, a charming "Sweet Lorraine" from Joe Venuti and at some point on this 78 you can hear a high note from the violin which I calculate to be 5 Khz or thereabouts.

If you have looked at my site you will have seen lots of classical stuff and also some uploaded Jazz LPs. Following a reference elsewhere to Gil Evans and his "Great Jazz Standards" with Johnny Coles, Steve Lacy and Budd Johnson, I revisited my LP with my new Ortofon cartridge. My conclusion was that this LP, uneven in quality compared to "Miles Ahead", "Porgy.." etc. is nevertheless beautifully recorded and the scoring intriguing. Evans plays quite a bit of piano and there is a guitarist who solos at length on one track, not my favourite! ( In fact he is Ray Crawford)
I found I had an LP by a Jimmy Woods who recorded twice under his own name and that is almost all the "All Music Guide to Jazz" has to say. The LP is called "Conflict" and is distinguished by some anguished, intense playing by the leader, some pertinent thrashing about from Elvin Jones (who also solos on the Gil Evans album) and pieces in 3/4 time that pound away interestingly. The tenor sax man is Harold Land and the trumpeter Carmell Jones (who I only know from Horace Silver albums). The pianist is Andrew Hille who I guess is the same Andrew Hill who played with Kirk.
I also have some Harold Land with the Curtis Counce Quintet: Rolf Ericson, Elmo Hope and Frank Butler complete the line-up. There is some remarkably impassioned playing on this album, called "Exploring the Future" . (mono)

www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_17.php

will take you to Jazz 10, Duke 2 is easily found