Five-Star Collection... Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie

Horn Of Plenty 

In the spring of 1952, as modern jazz continued to spread across Europe, Dizzy Gillespie returned to Paris already established as one of the central figures of modern music. The city had largely ignored him when, barely twenty years old, he first arrived in Europe with Teddy Hill's orchestra in 1937. But Paris could no longer ignore him during his second visit, in February 1948, when he caused one of the greatest upheavals jazz had ever known by unleashing the explosive force of his bebop big band upon an audience still largely unprepared for it. Whether through that brief but unforgettable adventure or through his decisive role in shaping the entire language of bebop, Dizzy's contribution ensured that jazz would never be the same again. His name had by then joined that small circle of fundamental figures who altered the course of jazz history.

When he returned to Europe in 1952 to appear at the Paris Salon du Jazz — his third trip to the continent — memories of the triumphs of his big band four years earlier were still deeply etched in the minds of French jazz enthusiasts. But the context had changed. The big band itself already belonged to the past, and bebop had moved beyond the shock of its first youthful explosion. Dizzy still had bop, but he also had roots: his style was beginning to mature into a broader synthesis, an amalgam of all his musical experience that hinted at a new kind of modern classicism.

It was in this atmosphere that Gillespie led a flexible Paris-based group including tenor saxophonist Don Byas, pianist Arnold Ross, and several French musicians such as Hubert and Raymond Fol, Pierre Michelot, and Pierre Lemarchand. The sessions — held on March 27 and April 11 at Parisian studios such as Jouvenet and the Schola Cantorum — were recorded for the Blue Star label, distributed by Vogue, which at the time was actively documenting the presence of major American jazz soloists in the French capital.

A year later, Blue Note Records, always alert to high-quality jazz being recorded outside the United States, acquired the American release rights to part of those recordings. Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff decided to include them in their 10-inch LP "5000 series", devoted to modern jazz in compact format. The result was Horn Of Plenty (BLP 5017), released in 1953 with eight performances combining standards such as "Sweet Lorraine", "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams", and "Somebody Loves Me" with more recent pieces like "Afro-Paris".

Unlike most Blue Note productions of the period, there was no New York recording session and no direct supervision by Lion or Wolff; the material was licensed entirely from the French masters. This also explains the album's distinctive sound and the presence of European musicians throughout several of the performances. Blue Note issued the album with its characteristic graphic design but without liner notes, perhaps because the label had not participated directly in the recording process and lacked complete session details.

In retrospect, Horn of Plenty stands as a singular document within both Dizzy Gillespie's and Blue Note's catalogs: an early example of transatlantic collaboration that demonstrated the vitality of bebop far beyond its original birthplace. These Paris sessions captured Gillespie at a moment of artistic transition — more relaxed and reflective, surrounded by French colleagues and removed from the pressures of the big-band world — at a time when his music had already begun to assume an international dimension.

Cut in Paris a year ago, these were made at two dates. The numbers with four horns (Diz, Don Byas, Hubert Fol, Bill Tamper) have a French rhythm section (Raymond Fol, Pierre Michelot, Pierre Lemarchand); titles with smaller group have an American rhythm section (Arnold Ross, Joe Benjamin, Bill Clark). Lady Bird is the only title to make full use of an arrangement and of the French soloists (Hubert sounds like a boppish Benny Carter, Tamper like a Bill Harris). 

Although there are minor flaws (Dizzy's lip falters here and there; the rhythm section is logy on the last title) the overall impression is highly favorable. Rejecting comedy for the nonce, Diz played fine, sincere horn with true emotional content and melodic value. His one slow chorus on Lorraine, three choruses on Somebody and muted work on the fast, exciting minor Afro are especially effective. Don Byas is all over the place too, sounding like old times.

*Down Beat, Chicago, March 11, 1953 [5 stars]*

Side 1

1 - Sweet Lorraine

(Mitchell Parish, Cliff Burwell)

2 - Lady Bird

(Tadd Dameron)

3 - Hurry Home

(Buddy Bernier, Romert D. Emmerich, Joseph Meyer)

4 - Afro Paris

(Billy Taylor)

Side 2

5 - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

(Harry Barris, Ted Koehler, Billy Moll)

6 - She's Funny That Way

(Neil Moret, Richard Whiting)

7 - Somebody Loves Me

(George Gershwin, Buddy G. De Sylva, Ballard MacDonald)

8 - Everything Happens To Me

(Matt Denis, Tom Adair)

#3, #4:

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Don Byas (tenor sax), Arnold Ross (piano),

Joe Benjamin (bass), Bill Clark (drums), Umberto Canto (congas).

Recorded at Studio Jouvenet, Paris, France, March 27, 1952

#1, #2, #5, #6, #7, #8: 

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Bill Tamper (trombone),

Hubert Fol (alto sax), Don Byas (tenor sax),

Raymond Fol (piano), Pierre Michelot (bass), Pierre Lemarchand (drums)

Recortded at the auditorium of the Schola Cantorum, Paris, France, April 11, 1952

✤✤✤✤

For those who prefer the digital versions of these recordings, the material originally issued by Blue Note as Horn of Plenty can be found in the second of the two volumes Vogue devoted to documenting Dizzy Gillespie's Parisian stay in 1952 and 1953. While this volume gathers the studio sessions recorded for the French label, the other focuses on the live performances documented during those same European visits.

The Vogue edition also offers several advantages over the original Blue Note LP: not only does it include performances omitted from Horn of Plenty, but also a number of alternate takes later recovered from the French archives. In this way, the listener gains access to a far more complete picture of Dizzy's Paris period, both in the studio and on stage.

Dizzy Gillespie

In Paris • Volume 2

Recording opportunities were not lacking for Dizzy and Vogue lured him into the studios twice within barely a fortnight. He recorded a total of twelve titles and included here are four previously unissued alternate takes. The first session took place on March 27th 1952 with Dizzy backed by the trio then accompanying Lena Horne at the Lido. Giving the main support was the very man who had been his fellow quintet member at the Onyx Club in 1944, tenor saxophonist (and now European resident) Don Byas. Afro Paris and Say Eh belong to Dizzy's Afro-bop and "oo-bop-sha-boo" side, while Hurry Home and I Cover the Waterfront are handled in a sober classical ballad style while still bringing endless unmistakably bop turns and inflections.

The April 11th session finds Dizzy playing with an open, vibrant and rich sound throughout, backed by Hubert Fol's prestigious quartet, with trombonist Bill Tamper and Don Byas mainly present to strengthen the ensemble voices. The programme opens with the erroneously titled Cripple Crapple Crutch, a dragging blues which Dizzy was to perform throughout the rest of his career. "I wouldn't give a blind sow an acorn, wouldn't give a cripple crab a crutch", he sings, and you can't get much crueller than that! Dizzy Song, Somebody Loves Me and Wrap Your Troubles (the latter in two takes) are taken at brisk medium tempos, while the other four titles are slow ballads which allow Dizzy to expand truly magnificently.

The following year Dizzy returned to Europe, this time with his own quintet and singer Joe Carroll. For the February 22nd 1953 Vogue studio session, whose eight titles include Joe Carroll's vibrant vocal on Clappin' Rhythm issued here for the first time, Nat Peck's trombone replaces Bill Graham's baritone saxophone. Dizzy again plays open throughout and produces some of the most fabulous trumpet solos one could wish to hear. This session has humour (the tongue-in-cheek quality of Always, 'S Wonderful and even Mon homme), bop surrealism in Joe Carroll's Oo-Bla-Dee, beauty (Moon Nocturne, This Is the Way), blues (Watch Out) and a constant natural swing. In short: excellent music, still completely contemporary forty years later.

*Don Waterhouse (from the liner notes)*

1 - Afro Paris

(Billy Taylor)

2 - Afro Paris

(Billy Taylor)

3 - Hurry Home

(Buddy Bernier, Romert D. Emmerich, Joseph Meyer)

4 - Hurry Home

(Buddy Bernier, Romert D. Emmerich, Joseph Meyer)

5 - Say Eh

(Dizzy Gillespie)

6 - Say Eh

(Dizzy Gillespie)

7 - I Cover the Waterfront

(Johnny Green, Edward Heyman)

8 - You Ain't Such a Much

(Pleasant Joseph)

9 - Dizzy Song (Lady Bird)

(Tadd Dameron)

10 - Somebody Loves Me

(George Gershwin, Buddy G. De Sylva, Ballard MacDonald)

11 - She's Funny That Way

(Neil Moret, Richard Whiting)

12 - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

(Harry Barris, Ted Koehler, Billy Moll)

13 - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

(Harry Barris, Ted Koehler, Billy Moll)

14 - Sweet Lorraine

(Mitchell Parish, Cliff Burwell)

15 - Everything Happens to Me

(Matt Denis, Tom Adair)

16 - I Don't Know Why

(Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert)

17 - Always

(Irving Berlin)

18 - Mon Homme

(Maurice Yvain, Albert Willemetz)

19 - Clappin Rhythm

(Dizzy Gillespie)

20 - Fais Gaffe (Watch Out)

(Dizzy Gillespie)

21 - Moon Nocturne

(Nathaniel Shilkret)

22 - This Is the Way

(Dizzy Gillespie)

23 - 'S Wonderful

(George Gershwin)

24 - Oo-Bla-Dee

(Mary Lou Williams, Milt Orent)

Note:

The recording locations on the artwork are incomplete or incorrect

and are added to, or corrected, below:

#1 to #7:

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet, vocal), Don Byas (tenor sax), Arnold Ross (piano),

Joe Benjamin (bass), Bill Clark (drums), Umberto Canto (congas).

Recorded at Studio Jouvenet, Paris, France, March 27, 1952

#8 to #16:

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet, vocal), Bill Tamper (trombone), Hubert Fol (alto sax),

Don Byas (tenor sax), Raymond Fol (piano),

Pierre Michelot (bass), Pierre Lemarchand (drums).

Recortded at the auditorium of the Schola Cantorum, Paris, France, April 11, 1952

#17 to #24:

Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet, vocal [#19]), Nat Peck (trombone), Wade Legge (piano),

Lou Hackney (bass), Al Jones (drums), Joe Carroll (vocal [#24]).

Recorded at Studio Rex, Paris, France, February 22, 1953

No Strings Sextet And Mannie Klein's Sextet - Rare And Obscure Jazz Albums

 

Peter Matz (1928–2002) was an American musician, composer, arranger, and conductor. His illustrious musical career in film, theater, television, and studio recording spanned five decades, during which he collaborated with several renowned artists, including Marlene Dietrich, Anita Ellis, Noël Coward, and Barbra Streisand. In 1962, he conducted the orchestra for the Broadway show "No Strings" and led the sextet from the production in this jazz-oriented rendition of the musical's songs. The combo performs the songs in a light and breezy style, enhancing the Richard Rodgers tunes with finesse. Matz's fresh and imaginative arrangements of Rodgers' superb "No Strings" score are brought to life by six exceptionally talented wind players and two of the best rhythm musicians in the business. Qualities, which fully highlight the essentially lyrical nature of these songs.

Emmanuel Klein (1908–1994) was an American jazz trumpeter closely associated with the Swing Era. He was active throughout the 1930s, working as a studio musician and performing with bands such as Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and others. In 1937, he moved to California and joined Frank Trumbauer's orchestra, quickly becoming one of the most sought-after trumpet players in Hollywood studios. In this album, he and a group of West Coast jazz musicians perform selections from the highly successful Rodgers and Hammerstein II musical "The Sound of Music" with taste and imagination, resulting in an outstanding recording. The arrangements were crafted by Henry Beau and Bobby Hammack. For this session, Klein assembled a stellar line-up of musicians, including Bobby Hammack on piano, Ronnie Lang on saxophone, Al Hendrickson on guitar (alternating with Bobby Gibbons), Morty Corb on bass, and Frank Flynn (alternating with Irving Cottler) on drums and percussion. *Jordi Pujol*

If you are a fan of the "Cool School" of jazz from the 50s and 60s, you're in for a treat on this disc of some real obscurities. The first album on this single disc is a 1962 session arranged by Peter Matz, who put together a team of oboe, flute, bass clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax, bassoon as well as trumpet and trombone for the pianoless rhythm team of Joe Benjamin/b and Ronnie Bedford/dr-bong. The result is a lithe a floating collection of concise readings of material from the Richard Rogers Broadway production No Strings. There are some richly swinging moments such as on "Eager Beaver" and velvety reed work on "The Sweetest Sounds" and "Be My Host" with solos weaving in and out to n ever overstay their welcome. Amber moods.

Music from The Sound Of Music  is arranged by Heinie Beau and Bobby Hammack as its performed by trumpeter Mannie Klein and his team of Hammack/p, Ronny Lang/as-fl, Al Hendrickson-Bobby Gibbons/g, Morty Corb/b, Irv Cottler/dr and Frank Flynn/vib-perc. The charts here are quite clever, having lives of their own, as on a tropical take of "Climb Every Mountain", a bopping "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" and a deep dig on "Do-Re-Mi". The hills are alive! *George W. Harris*

1 - The Sweetest Sounds

2 - Loads Of Love

3 - The Man Who Has Everything

4 - Be My Host

5 - La-La-La

6 - Love Makes The World Go

7 - An Orthodox Fool

8 - Look No Further

9 - "Maine"

10 - Nobody Told Me

11 - Eager Beaver

12 - No Strings

13 - How Can Our Love Survive

14 - Maria

15 - An Ordinary Couple

16 - Do-Re-Mi

17 - The Lonely Goatherd

18 - My Favorite Things

19 - The Sound Of Music

20 - No Way To Stop It

21 - Climb Every Mountain

22 - Sixteen Going On Seventeen

(All compositions by Richard Rodgers)

#1 to #12, from the album "No Strings" by the No Strings Sextet (Columbia CS-8617)

Music by Richard Rodgers from the Broadway Production "No Strings". Arranged & Conducted by Peter Matz.

Wally Wegner (flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone sax), Aaron Sachs (clarinet, alto sax solos), Ernie Mauro (oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone), Wally Kane (bassoon, flute, bass clarinet, baritone sax solos), Jimmy Sedlar (trumpet), Jimmy Dahl (trombone), Joe Benjamin (bass), Ronnie Bedford (drums, bongos).

Recorded in New York City, May 1962.

#13 to #22 from the album "The Sound of Music" by Mannie Klein and His Sextet (Imperial LP 12038)

Music by Richard Rodgers from the Broadway Production "The Sound of Music". Arrangements by Heinie Beau and Bobby Hammack.

Mannie Klein (trumpet); Ronny Lang (alto sax, flute); Bobby Hammack (piano); Al Hendrickson [#13, #15, #19, #21, #22], Bobby Gibbons [#14, #16, #17, #18, #20] (guitars); Morty Corb (bass); Frank Flynn (vibes, percussion, drums); Irv Cottler (drums, bongos). 

Recorded at United Recorders, Hollywood, October 22 (#13, #15, #19, #21, #22) and 23 (#14, #16, #17, #18, #20), 1959.

Jimmy Jones - The Splendid Mr. Jones

Jimmy Jones is probably best known as a singer's arranger, even though his first credited orchestration on a jazz vocal session didn't come until a live Sarah Vaughan performance in 1955 (though he had been accompanying her since the late 1940s). His first jazz vocal album as a credited arranger was Beverly Kenney Sings With Jimmy Jones and the Basie-Ites for Roost Records a year later. Going forward, his name often popped up on album covers of albums he had arranged.

But Jones was also a prolific and superlative pianist dating back to recordings with bassist Stuff Smith in 1943. A product of the swing era, Jones recorded mostly with swing instrumentalists and jazz-pop vocalists rather than beboppers. Perhaps his first standout session with a modern feel was with the Frank Wess Quintet on an album for Commodore in 1954.

As a pianist, Jones became known for his elegant playing style, an approach that was increasingly in demand as pop singers ascended to stardom with the rise of the LP in the late 1940s. Vocalists looked good on covers and were favored by listeners who didn't have to get up as often to turn over a record.

These vocalists were increasingly in need of tasteful accompaniment and ensemble arrangements as LP fidelity and phonographs improved in the mid-1950s. Pianists who joined Jones in the vocalist accompaniment lane included Stan Freeman, Buddy Cole, Jimmy Rowles, Joe Harnell and Ronnell Bright.

Now, Fresh Sound has released The Splendid Mr. Jones, a collection of early Jones recordings in the solo and trio formats. The nine solo tracks were recorded in 1947 and show off Jones's chord voicings, ear for drama and self-arranging sensibility. These tracks originally turned up on the French Chronological Classics series some years back, but they sound a lot better now with Fresh Sound's 24-bit remastering.

There are two trio sessions on the new compilation. The first featured Jones's four tracks for Escape!, a 1952 álbum for the Gene Norman Presents label that showcased Jones and several other artists. This trio session feature Jones (p), Billy Hadnott (b) and J.C. Heard (d) playing "Moonlight in Vermont", "London in July", "Autumn in New York" and "Cool in Cuba".

The second trio session is the 10-inch Jimmy Jones Trio album for the French Swing label. Recorded in Paris in 1954, the Jimmy Jones Trio was comprised of Jones (p), Joe Benjamin (b) and Roy Haynes (d). The tracks are "Easy to Love", "Little Girl Blue", "Lush Life", "Just Squeeze Me", "My Funny Valentine" and "Good Morning Heartach".

It's a shame Jones didn't record more often as a leader. Instead, he opted to sit in as a sideman or accompanist with just about every marquee jazz player and singer of the post-war period. I suspect his arranging responsibilities were too time-consuming for much more.

There were few pianists as delicate, lush and as assertive as Jones. He'd coddle songs patiently with a full understanding of their lyrics and musical personalities, using those factors to direct how he'd frame their melodies and then take them apart during his gentle, swinging improvisation.

*Marc Myers*

Jimmy Jones

The Splendid Mr. Jones

Trio & Solo

James Henry Jones (1928-1982) was born in Memphis but spent his formative years in Chicago. "I always liked music", he said. "Guess that was only natural as my father was a choir director and my mother played a little piano".

His first attempt at creating music was at the age of 13 when he started playing the guitar. Later, Jimmy became interested in harmony and began experimenting at the family piano at the age of sixteen. During his formative years, Jimmy Jones developed a deep appreciation for two influential figures in jazz: Art Tatumand Duke Ellington. He had a natural ability to play the right chords and provide accompaniment for singers in the ensembles he worked with. Gradually, he developed the necessary technique and became a proficient pianist.

Jimmy Jones first gained attention in 1943 at Chicago's Garrick, playing with Stuff Smith. His intense expression accompanied a technical skill at the piano that was bound to capture the listener's attention, whether alone or in combination with others. This talent proved to be a great asset when, later that year, he moved to New York and became exposed to the vibrant jazz scene on 52nd Street.

Primarily occupied by his celebrated and continuous work as an accompanist and arranger for Sarah Vaughan, as well as many other great voices, Jimmy Jones had limited opportunities throughout his career to showcase his remarkable abilities as a soloist. Thus, the recordings featured here serve as a testament to his uncanny ability to strike a delicate balance of restraint and richness, showcasing his nuanced playing and artistic mastery as a highly sensitive musician.

The genesis of his chordal style is the story of his musical beginnings, and it is through this journey that The Splendid Mr. Jones leaves an indeliblemark on the history of jazz and piano performance. *Jordi Pujol*

1 - Easy To Love

(Cole Porter)

2 - Little Girl Blue

(Rodgers, Hart)

3 - Lush Life

(Billy Strayhorn)

4 - Just Squeeze Me

(Ellington, Gaines)

5 - My Funny Valentine

(Rodgers, Hart)

6 - Good Morning Heartache

(Higginbotham, Drake, Fisher)

7 - Moonlight In Vermont

(Blackburn, Suessdorf)

8 - London In July

(Duke, Kahn)

9 - Autumn In New York

(Vernon Duke)

10 - Cool In Cuba

(Jimmy Jones)

11 - New World A-Comin'

(Duke Ellington)

12 - Lazy River

(Carmichael, Arodin)

13 - When I Walk With You

(Ellington, Latouche)

14 - Empty Space

(Renfrow)

15 - Zigeuner

(Noel Coward)

16 - What's New?

(Burke, Haggart)

17 - I’ll See You Again

(Noel Coward)

18 - Mad About The Boy

(Noel Coward)

19 - Someday I’ll Find You

(Noel Coward)

20 - Clair De Lune

(Claude Debussy)

21 - Lover Man

(Davis, Sherman, Ramirez)

22 - New York City Blues

(Duke Ellington)

23 - On A Turquoise Cloud

(Ellington, Brown)

24 - Bakiff

(Juan Tizol)

#1 to #6: from the 10-inch album Jimmy Jones Trio (Swing M.33.3336)

Jimmy Jones (piano), Joe Benjamin (bass), Roy Haynes (drums).

Recorded in Paris, October 28, 1954.

#7 to #10: from the 12-inch album Escape! (GNP-27)

Jimmy Jones (piano), Billy Hadnott (bass), J.C.Heard (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, 1952.

#11 to #24: from 78 rpm records released on Wax Records

#11:

Jimmy Jones (piano), John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums).

Recorded in New York City, 1947.

#12 to #15:

Jimmy Jones (piano); Al Hall (bass); Denzil Best [#12], Bill Clark [#13, #14] (drums); Al Casey (guitar [#12]); Lynn Warren (vocals [#14]).

Recorded in New York City, 1947.

#16 to #24:

Jimmy Jones (solo piano).

Recorded in New York City, 1947.