Jam sessions at Nick's - No holds barred!

This long article was published in the New York Times, December 5, 1943, and it describes in detail the jam sessions at Nick's. The atmosphere is so accurately reflected that in fact you can almost smell "it".

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Este largo artículo se publicó en el New York Times de 5 de diciembre de 1943 y describe detalladamente las jam sessions en Nick's. Refleja la atmósfera de esas jam sessions con tanta precisión que en realidad casi puedes "olerlo".

[click on the images to get full size scans]

Baby Dodds footage

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 24, 1898, Warren Baby Dodds, brother of clarinettist Johnny Dodds, was one of first great drummers of jazz. Listing just three of the groups he recorded with is like a “who’s who” on classic New Orleans Chicago-recorded jazz: King Oliver’s Creole Band, Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers and Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven.

Here’s Baby Dodds in what must be the first instructional jazz movie ever (1946) and, as far as I know, the only existing footage of him, doing his trademark press roll and soloing on tom-tom with some foot muffle over a rhythmically simplified background piano statement of the “Tea For Two” theme.

Alphonse Picou's funeral procession

Alphonse Picou's funeral procession in February 1961 was one of the largest New Orleans had seen. There was music and there was dancing; there was also pain but, above all, there was joy. Several brass bands (and many additional musicians) played that day to give Picou a send off, among them The Eureka Brass Band. The American Music DVD called Sing On. A Film Of New Orleans Brass Bands (AMVD-2) includes footage from that performance.

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El desfile del funeral de Alphonse Picou en febrero de 1961 fue uno de los más multitudinarios que jamás había tenido lugar en Nueva Orlans. Hubo música y baile, y también estuvo presente el dolor pero, sobre todo, hubo alegría. Algunas brass bands (y muchos otros músicos) tocaron aquel día para despedir a Picou, entre ellas la Eureka Brass Band. El DVD editado por American Music Sing On. A Film Of New Orleans Brass Bands (AMDV-2) incluye una grabación de esa actuación.

© Robert W. Kelley / LIFE


© Robert W. Kelley / LIFE


© Robert W. Kelley / LIFE


© Robert W. Kelley / LIFE


© Robert W. Kelley / LIFE

The Great Eight on tour

Let's take a glance at this mixed-bag all-star band touring Europe in 1983, doing an uptempo rendition of Charlie Shavers' "Undecided". Under the name of The Great Eight, you can have small pills of Teddy Wilson's swinging piano, Slam Stewart's vocalizing bass, Buddy Tate's powerful Texas-tenor tone and Tal Farlow's modern guitar style, all in the same plate.

During this European tour, this group was recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie on February 20, 1983 and a double LP was issued on Wim Wigt's Timeless label: Swingin' The Forties With The Great Eight (Timeless SPJ185/86). It has never been reissued on CD.

Billy Butterfield (tp), Johnny Mince (cl), Buddy Tate (ts), Red Norvo (vib), Teddy Wilson (p), Tal Farlow (g), Slam Stewart (b), Sam Woodyard (d).

"Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue" on cd

GRABACIONES DE “DIMINUENDO AND CRESCENDO IN BLUE” PUBLICADAS EN CD
Por Agustín Pérez Gasco

Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en Tomajazz (2006).

A) 20 de septiembre de 1937. Nueva York.

Sesión de estudio para ARC-Brunswick.

Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra: Rex Stewart (corneta), Freddy Jenkins, Arthur Whetsel y Cootie Williams (trompetas) (*), Lawrence Brown (trombón), Juan Tizol (trombón de pistones), Barney Bigard (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (clarinete, saxos soprano y alto), Otto Hardwick (saxos alto y bajo), Harry Carney (clarinete, saxos alto y barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitarra), Billy Taylor (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo In Blue (M648-1)

- Diminuendo In Blue (M648-2)

- Crescendo In Blue (M649-1)

- Crescendo In Blue (M649-2)

Las tomas máster (M648-1 y M649-1) se encuentran disponibles en CD en The Chronogical Duke Ellington 1937, vol.2 (Classics 687) y las tomas alternativas (M648-2 y M649-2) en Duke Ellington: The Alternative Takes In Chronological Order Vol. 6: 1937-1938 (Neatwork RP 2042) y en 1932-1941 (Giants Of Jazz CD 53046).

(*) Otras fuentes citan a Danny Barker como trompetista en esta sesión y dejan fuera a Freddy Jenkins y Arthur Whetsel.

B) 9 de junio de 1945. Toledo, Ohio.

ABC Treasury Broadcast No. 9 "Your Saturday Date With The Duke" desde el teatro Paramount.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Rex Stewart (corneta), Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan y Ray Nance (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Joe Nanton (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Otto Hardwick y Johnny Hodges (saxos altos), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitarra), Junior Raglin (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería), Marie Ellington (voz en “Rocks In My Bed”).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

Blues Cluster :

- Diminuendo In Blue (VP-1492)

- Rocks In My Bed

- Crescendo In Blue(VP-1492)

Disponibles en CD en Duke Ellington And His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, volume 5 (Storyville/D.E.T.S. DETS 9005).

C) 7 de julio de 1945. Nueva York.

ABC Treasury Broadcast No. 13 "Your Saturday Date With The Duke" desde Radio City, Studio 6B.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Rex Stewart (corneta), Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan y Ray Nance (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Otto Hardwick (saxo alto y clarinete), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono y clarinete), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitarra), Junior Raglin (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

MEDLEY:

- Diminuendo In Blue (D5TC588)

- Carnegie Blues

- Crescendo In Blue (D5TC588)

Disponibles en CD en Duke Ellington And His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, volume 7 (Storyville/D.E.T.S. DETS 9007).

D) 21 de septiembre de 1945. Nueva York.

Emisión radiofónica desde el club New Zanzibar.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Rex Stewart (corneta), Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan y Ray Nance (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Otto Hardwick (clarinete y saxo alto), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete, clarinete bajo y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitarra), Junior Raglin (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería), Joya Sherrill (voz en “Rocks In My Bed”).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo In Blue

- Rocks In My Bed

- Crescendo In Blue

Disponibles en CD en Duke Ellington And His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, volume 8 (Storyville/D.E.T.S. DETS 9008).

E) 4 de enero de 1946. Nueva York.

Concierto en el Carnegie Hall.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan y Francis Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Wilbur DeParis (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Otto Hardwick (saxo alto y clarinete), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Al Lucas (guitarra), Oscar Pettiford (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería), Kay Davis (voz en “Diminuendo In Blue” y “Transbluency”).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo In Blue

- Transbluency (A Blue Fog You Can Almost See Through)

- Crescendo In Blue

Disponibles en CD en The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1946 (Prestige 2PCD-24074-2).

F) 23 de octubre de 1946. Nueva York.

Sesión de estudio para Musicraft en el WOR Studio 3.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Shorty Baker, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Francis Williams y Ray Nance (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Wilbur DeParis (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Fred Guy (guitarra), Oscar Pettiford (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería).

Se grabó, además de “Magenta Haze”:

- Diminuendo In Blue (5765-4)

Disponible en CD en Happy Go Lucky Local (Musicraft MVSCD-52).

G) 31 de agosto de 1947. Los Angeles.

Concierto en el Hollywood Bowl.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Shorty Baker, Dud Bascomb, Shelton Hemphill y Francis Williams (trompetas), Ray Nance (trompeta y violín), Lawrence Brown y Tyree Glenn (trombones), Claude Jones (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Al Sears (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano),Fred Guy (guitarra), Oscar Pettiford (contrabajo), Sonny Greer (batería), Kay Davies (voz en “Transbluency”).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo In Blue

- Transbluency (A Blue Fog You Can Almost See Through)

- Crescendo In Blue

Disponibles en CD en At the Hollywood Bowl 1947 (Unique Jazz RKO1033).

H) 30 de marzo de 1953. Pasadena, California. (*)

Concierto en el Civic Auditorium.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), Juan Tizol (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Rick Henderson (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Oscar Pettiford (violonchelo), Wendell Marshall (contrabajo), Butch Ballard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (**)

Disponible en CD en 1953 Pasadena Concert (GNP 9045).

(*) Otras fuentes citan abril de 1953.

(**) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

I) 7 de julio de 1956. Newport, Rhode Island.

Concierto en el Newport Jazz Festival, Freebody Park.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*) (CO56806)

Disponible en CD en Complete Ellington At Newport (Columbia C2K 64932).

(*) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

J) 28 de julio de 1956. Fairfield, Connecticut.

Concierto en el University Stadium.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Willie Cook, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue

Disponible en CD en The Happening / Paul Gonsalves (Musica Jazz MJCD 1153).

K) 1 de junio de 1957. Carrolltown, Pennsylvania.

Concierto/Baile en el Sunset Ballroom.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Joe Benjamin (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en All Star Road Band Vol. II (CBS AGK 39137).

(*) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

L) 24 de junio de 1958. Chicago.

Sesión de grabación en los Universal Studios.

Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Happy Reunion (Sony AK 40030).

(*) Aunque aparece así listado en las ediciones, en realidad se trata únicamente de “Wailing Interval”.

M) 29 de octubre de 1958. París, Francia. (*)

Concierto en el Teatro Alhambra.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Duke Ellington At The Alhambra (Pablo PACD-5313-2).

(*) Otras fuentes citan 28 de octubre de 1958.(**) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

N) 6 de noviembre de 1958. Gotemburgo, Alemania.

Concierto en el Konserthuset.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue

Disponible en CD en (Jazz Life 267322) y (Bandstand BDCD 1509).

Ñ) 14 de noviembre de 1958. Munich, Alemania.

Concierto en el Deutsches Museum.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson y Britt Woodman (trombones), John Sanders (trombón de pistones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en The Duke in Munich (Storyville STCD 8324).

(*) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

O) 20 de septiembre de 1959. París, Francia.

Segundo concierto en la Salle Pleyel.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Andre Ford, Ray Nance y Clark Terry (trompetas), Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman y Booty Wood (trombones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmy Woode (contrabajo), James Johnson (batería).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Top Jazz (Sarpe SJ 1013).

(*) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

P) 27 de mayo de 1960. Santa Monica, California.

Concierto en el Civic Auditorium.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Willie Cook, Andre Ford, Ray Nance y Ed Mullens (trompetas), Lawrence Brown, Britt Woodman y Booty Wood (trombones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Aaron Bell (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabaron, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Duke Ellington in Concert 1960 (Hindsight HCD-268).

(*) Aunque las ediciones no lo mencionan, contiene “Wailing Interval” como interludio entre “Diminuendo” y “Crescendo”.

Q) 22 de julio de 1960. Sacramento, California.

Concierto/baile en la Mather Air Force Base.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Willie Cook, Fats Ford, Ed Mullens y Ray Nance (trompetas), Lawrence Brown, Booty Wood y Britt Woodman (trombones), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Aaron Bell (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo In Blue

- Wailing Interval

Disponible en CD en Hot Summer Dance (Red Baron AK 48631).

R) 22 de enero de 1963. Londres, Reino Unido.

Programa de televisión grabado en los estudios Granada Chelsea, titulado Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra y emitido el 13 de febrero de 1963.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Ray Nance (corneta), Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes y Cootie Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Buster Cooper (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Ernie Shepard (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en London: The Great Concerts (MusicMasters 65106-2).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, en realidad se trata de “Diminuendo In Blue” seguido de “Wailing Interval”. “Crescendo In Blue” no se interpretó.

S) 14 de enero de 1964. Nueva York.

Retransmisión de la emisora WNEW desde Basin Street East.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, Herbie Jones y Cootie Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Buster Cooper (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Ernie Shepard (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Diminuendo and Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en At Basin Street East: The Complete Concert of 14 January 1964 (Music & Arts CD 908).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, en realidad se trata de “Diminuendo In Blue” seguido de “Wailing Interval”.“Crescendo In Blue” no se interpretó.

T) 29 de marzo de 1964. Nueva York.

Concierto en el Carnegie Hall.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, Herb Jones y Cootie Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Buster Cooper (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Major Holley (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó, entre otros temas:

- Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Live At Carnegie Hall 1964 (Moon MCD061-2/68-2 y Jazz Up JU322/JU323).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, se trata en realidad de “Wailing Interval”.

U) 31 de mayo de 1964. Chicago.

Concierto/baile en el Holiday Ballroom.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Herb Jones, Cootie Williams y Nat Woodard (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Buster Cooper (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Peck Morrison (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Se grabó entre otros:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en All Star Road Band (CBS AGK 40012).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, en realidad se trata de “Diminuendo In Blue” seguido de “Wailing Interval”. “Crescendo In Blue” no está incluido.

V) 26 de julio de 1966. Juan-les-Pins, Francia.

Concierto en el Square Frank Jay Gould.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herb Jones y Cootie Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Buster Cooper (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Johnny Hodges (saxo alto), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Jimmy Hamilton (clarinete y saxo tenor), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Ellington (piano), John Lamb (contrabajo), Sam Woodyard (batería).

Entre otros temas se grabaron:

- Diminuendo In Blue- Blow By Blow (*)

Disponibles en CD en Côte d'Azur Concerts (Verve 314 539 033-2) y en Ella and Duke at the Côte d'Azur (Verve V-4072-2).

(*) También llamado “Wailing Interval”.

W) 10 de noviembre de 1969. Colonia, Alemania.

Primer concierto en la Opernhaus.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Benny Bailey, Mercer Ellington, Cootie Williams y Nelson Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown y Ake Persson (trombones), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Johnny Hodges, Norris Turney (saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harold Ashby (clarinete y saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Wild Bill Davis (órgano), Victor Gaskin (contrabajo), Rufus Jones (batería).

Entre otros temas, se grabó:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en April In Paris (West Wind 2046).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, en realidad se trata de “Diminuendo In Blue” seguido de “Wailing Interval”. “Crescendo In Blue” no está incluido.

X) 20 de noviembre de 1969. París, Francia.

Concierto en el Teatro L’Alcazar.

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Cat Anderson, Rolf Ericson, Mercer Ellington, Cootie Williams y Nelson Williams (trompetas), Lawrence Brown (trombón), Chuck Connors (trombón bajo), Russell Procope (clarinete y saxo alto), Johnny Hodges, Norris Turney (saxo alto), Paul Gonsalves (saxo tenor), Harold Ashby (clarinete y saxo tenor), Harry Carney (clarinete y saxo barítono), Duke Ellington (piano), Wild Bill Davis (órgano), Victor Gaskin (contrabajo), Rufus Jones (batería).

Entre otros temas, se grabó:

- Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue (*)

Disponible en CD en Top Jazz (Sarpe SJ 1024).

(*) Aunque figura así en las diversas ediciones, en realidad se trata de “Diminuendo In Blue” seguido de “Wailing Interval”. “Crescendo In Blue” no está incluido.

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Notas:

Los músicos e instrumentos citados en cada entrada son los presentes en la sesión de grabación, no necesariamente en la versión correpondiente de “Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue”.

Cuando está disponible, se cita el número de matriz junto al título del tema, entre paréntesis.

La relación de CDs en los que aparece cada versión de “Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue” no es exhaustiva y, en algunos casos, dichos CDs pueden estar descatalogados.

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Otras grabaciones conocidas de “Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue” no publicadas en CD

- 19 de abril de 1947. Concierto en la Universidad de Cornell. Ithaca, Nueva York.

- 30 de junio de 1951. Concierto en el Club Birdland. Nueva York.

©2006, Agustín Pérez Gasco

Anatomy of a jam session [revisited]

Regarding my post from May 4, and thanks to jazz critics (and faithful readers) Fernando Ortiz de Urbina and Michael Steinman, we now have a few more educated guesses for that 1943 picture taken at photographer Gjon Mili's studio in New York: George Wettling is on the right, behind the piano; Al Hall is most probably on bass, and drummer O'Neill Spencer is talking to the white woman on the second picture. On the other hand, jazz scholar C.J. Hazevoet confirms that it is Leo Parker on alto sax.

There are several more pictures from that jam session available at the LIFE magazine on-line archives. As an example, here's a couple, one of them showing Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet.

© Gjon Mili / LIFE

© Gjon Mili / LIFE

When Chopin turned to swing

Jazz music heard at the Carnegie Hall, April 23, 1941.

John Coltrane on Ben Webster

"The sound of that tenor… I wish he’d show me how to make a sound like that. I’ve got to call him up and talk to him!"

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"El sonido de ese tenor... Ojalá me enseñara cómo crear un sonido como ese. ¡Tengo que llamarle por teléfono y hablar con él!

[John Coltrane in Leonard Feather's Blindfold Test, Down Beat, February 19, 1959]

Shuffle Along

After a restricted invitation performance at the Sixty-Third Street Music Hall on May 22, 1921 [see review from NYTimes], Shuffle Along premiered on May 23, 1921. Written by the famous comic duo of Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, with music and lyrics by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, it was a surprising hit that ran for 504 performances at the Cort Theatre, establishing a new era of African-American participation in American theatre and striking a major blow against racial stereotyping and segregation, not the least because the production did not follow the racist practice of restricting black theatergoers to the balcony, welcoming them to the orchestra seats as well.

This revue legitimized the African-American musical, demonstrating to producers and managers that audiences were ready to pay to see African-American talent on Broadway. With its all-black cast, the musical brought black actors back to Broadway after a 10-year absence and laid the foundation for public acceptance of African-American performers in other than "burlesque" roles.

Florence Mills

Shuffle Along introduced Broadway to Florence Mills, then a rising star who obtained international fame due to the success of the show, and Paul Robeson. The revue also had an innovative female chorus, which included 15-year-old dancer and singer Josephine Baker. They combined jazz dance and jazz music, creating an improvisational style of dancing that encouraged individual expression. Other Broadway producers, including those of the Ziegfeld Follies, were so impressed that they hired several of the Shuffle Along girls.

Noble Sissle with chorus girls

Chorus girls - publicity shot

It also featured the first serious, realistic and somehow sophisticated African-American love story. Until Shuffle Along, love scenes between blacks had been a taboo unless they were stereotyped and often degrading cartoon caricatures, under the belief that white audiences would not accept anything more sophisticated. Loften Mitchell, author of Black Drama: The Story of the American Negro in the Theatre, credits Shuffle Along (1921) with launching the Harlem Renaissance. Written, staged, and performed entirely by black people, Shuffle Along was the first show to make African-American dance an integral part of American musical theatre. It also introduced the song "Love Will Find a Way” and other hits that would be part of the jazz and popular music repertory such as “I’m Just Wild About Henry” or “Bandana Days”. As a bit of trivia, years later President Harry Truman picked the former for his campaign anthem.

Here’s the complete program of Shuffle Along:


Act I
-I'm Simply Full of Jazz - Ruth Little and Syncopation Steppers
-Love Will Find a Way - Jessie Williams and Harry Walton
-Bandana Days - Alderman and Company
-Sing Me to Sleep, Dear Mammy - Harry Walton and Board of Aldermen
-(In) Honeysuckle Time (When Emmaline Said She'd Be Mine) - Tom Sharper
-Gypsy Blues - Jessie Williams, Ruth Little and Harry Walton

Act II
-Shuffle Along - Jimtown Pedestrians and Traffic Cop
-I'm Just Wild About Harry - Jessie Williams and Jimtown Sunflowers
-Syncopation Stenos - Mayor's Staff
-Good Night Angeline - Board of Aldermen
-If You Haven't Been Vamped by a Brownskin, You Haven't Been Vamped at All - Steve Jenkins, Sam Peck and Jimtown Vamps
-Uncle Tom and Old Black Joe - Uncle Tom and Old Black Joe
-Everything Reminds Me of You - Jessie Williams and Harry Walton
-Oriental Blues - Tom Sharper and Oriental Girls
-I Am Craving for That Kind of Love/ Daddy (Won't You Please Come Home) - Ruth Little
-Baltimore Buzz - Tom Sharper and Jimtown's Jazz Steppers
-African Dip - Steve Jenkins and Sam Peck

Road versions of the show toured successfully throughout the country until 1924, and there were several revivals through the years: in 1932, the show was revived at the Mansfield Theatre but closed after seventeen performances and, in 1933, Blake, Sissle, Miller, and Lyles reunited but the production did not gain critical success. Then there was the 1952 revival, starring Sissle and Blake and choreographed by Henry LeTang, but it was also unsuccessful.

Eubie Blake recorded several of the Shuffle Along tunes in 1921. Here’s the discographical information for those recording sessions, according to Brian Rust’s JAZZ AND RAGTIME RECORDS 1897–1942 (Sixth Edition — CD-ROM Version).


New York, June 30, 1921
Piano solos, with probably Vess Williams, as / Leroy Vanderveer, bj added*

-Bandana Days - Victor test (unnumbered)
-I'm Just Wild About Harry - Victor test (unnumbered)
-*Baltimore Buzz - Victor test (unnumbered)

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New York, July 11, 1921
Same personal, with Broadway Jones, v added.

-Baltimore Buzz – Victor test (unnumbered)
-Dah's Gwinter Be Er Landslide [sic] - Victor test (unnumbered)

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New York, July 15, 1921
EUBIE BLAKE AND HIS SHUFFLE ALONG ORCHESTRA: Eubie Blake, p, dir: Billy Hicks, Russell Smith, t / Calvin Jones, tb / Bill Johnson, cl / Vess Williams, as / Sam Yearwood, f / o / Willie Carroll, vn / Leroy Vandervaer, bj / John Ricks, bb / George Reeves, d

-25465-2 - Baltimore Buzz (intro: In Honeysuckle Time) - Victor 18791, Victor 18789 (Canada only), HMV B-1297
-25466-4 - Bandana Days (intro: I'm Just Wild About Harry) - Victor 18791, Victor 18789 (Canada only), HMV B-1297, Zon-O-Phone 3325

NOTE: Both sides of US Victor 18789 are different titles, by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra.

Eubie Blake an his Shuffle Along Orchestra - 1921 - left to right back row: Vess Williams, John Ricks, Calvin Jones, Russell Smith, Billy Hicks. left to right front row: George Reeves, Yarborough, L. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Carroll.

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New York, July, 1921
Piano solos

-41885-4 - Baltimore Buzz - Emerson 10434
-41886-4-5-6 - Sounds Of Africa (African Rag*) - Emerson 10434, Symphanola 4360, Paramount 14004*

NOTE: Paramount 14004 as by “unknown rag pianist”, dubbed from a blank-labeled test bearing the title AFRICA. The selection is a retitling of Blake's CHARLESTON RAG.

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Rust lists only 78 rpm issues. LP reissues of these recordings were scarce and, to my knowledge, there's no CD reissue.

Henry Red Allen - Obituary

As published in The New York Times, April 19, 1967.

Anatomy of a jam session

© Gjon Mili / LIFE

This photograph was taken in 1943 at photographer Gjon Mili's studio in New York. Apart from the obvious Count Basie and Lester Young, and with the invaluable help of the good physiognomists at the organissimo jazz forums, one can recognize Earle Warren just below Prez, with Mezz Mezzrow on clarinet and drummer Kansas Fields next to him. Jo Jones and Sid Catlett flank Kansas Fields to make sure he does not miss a beat! The older bespectacled man on the extreme left is Pops Foster and the trumpeter up front at the left is the great Hot Lips Page. The saxophonist on the right looks like a 19-years-old Leo Parker on alto, his instrument until he turned to baritone around 1944. The following close-up doesn't allow me to recognize the second trumpet player. Any help 'round there?

© Gjon Mili / LIFE

Duke Ellington 1924-1931 - Selected discography on CD

As a small tribute to a great man on his 110th Anniversary, here's a selected (but quite complete) discography of Duke Ellington cd's with recordings from 1924 to 1931, as was published a couple of years before in the Spanish jazz website Tomajazz.

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DUKE ELLINGTON: DISCOGRAFÍA SELECCIONADA EN CD - RECOMENDACIONES 1924-1931

La producción discográfica de Duke Ellington en este período puede ser catalogada en cuatro grandes grupos:

– Sesiones de grabación para el sello Brunswick y su filial barata Vocalion, a partir de noviembre de 1926.

– Sesiones para los sellos OKeh y Columbia (algunos discos salieron en las filiales baratas Diva, Harmony y Velvetone), a partir de marzo de 1927.

– Sesiones para el sello Victor (luego RCA-Victor), a partir de noviembre de 1927.

– Grabaciones para sellos pequeños, entre las que se pueden distinguir por un lado las grabaciones iniciales (previas a la primera sesión significativa, la de 29 de noviembre de 1926 para Vocalion en la que se grabó la versión original de “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo”) y, por otro, el resto de discos para sellos pequeños. Esos sellos pequeños para los que grabó EKE en el período 1924-1931 fueron: Blu-Disc (algunos discos se editaron/reeditaron en la compañía vinculada Up-To-Date), Pathe, Cameo, Plaza, Durium, Gennett y Paramount (únicamente el rollo de pianola de “Jig Walk”).

Todas las grabaciones para los sellos Brunswick/Vocalion del período 1926-1931 -incluyendo varias tomas alternativas- se hallan recogidas en el triple CD Early Ellington: The Complete Brunswick And Vocalion Recordings Of Duke Ellington, 1926-1931 (Decca Jazz GRD-3-640), publicado en 1994. Una selección de las mismas puede encontrarse en The Brunswick Era, vol. 1 1926-29 (Decca MCAD-42325) y The Brunswick Era, vol. 2 1929-31 (Decca MCAD-42348).

Las grabaciones para Columbia/Okeh del período 1927-1930 pueden encontrarse en el doble CD The Okeh Ellington (Columbia C2K 46177), publicado en 1991 como parte de la serie “Columbia Jazz Masterpieces”.

Las sesiones para Victor se encuentran incluidas en la magnífica integral The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition – The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1927-1973) (RCA 09026-63386-2), publicada en 1999, que se encuentra descatalogada desde hace unos años y que puede encontrarse ocasionalmente en tiendas de internet de segunda mano por precios astronómicos. A principios de los 90 se publicaron también tres CD que recopilaban una buena parte de estas grabaciones para Victor: Early Ellington, 1927-1934 (Bluebird 6852-2-RB), Jungle Nights in Harlem, 1927-1932 (Bluebird 2499-2-RB) y Jubilee Stomp, 1928-1934 (Bluebird 66038-2).

Tanto la Centennial Edition como el triple CD del sello Decca presentan un magnífico sonido. La remasterización de Steven Lasker no elimina todo el ruido de superficie, pero consigue una separación de instrumentos y una nitidez realmente destacables. La recopilación de Columbia tiene un sonido más plano, puesto que se emplearon sistemas de reducción del ruido en el proceso de remasterización. Lo mismo sucede con los tres CD individuales del sello Bluebird, pero éstos no dejan de ser una buena alternativa a la costosa adquisición de la Centennial Edition para las grabaciones Victor de este período, puesto que, aunque descatalogados, se encuentran con cierta facilidad de segunda mano y a buen precio.

Como aproximación cronológica para completistas -y como único camino para conseguir los temas grabados para sellos pequeños-, existen dos vías alternativas: [1]

-La serie “The Chronogical (sic) Duke Ellington” del sello francés Classics, que recopila de forma cronológica todas las tomas máster de este período en 10 CD. El complemento perfecto son los 3 CD del sello Neatwork que agrupan las tomas alternativas.

-La serie “Duke Ellington – Complete Edition” del difunto sello francés Masters Of Jazz, que recopila, en 12 CD, todas las grabaciones existentes hasta enero de 1931, incluyendo tomas alternativas y alguna grabación en la que la participación de Duke Ellington es dudosa, como el rollo de pianola de “Jig Walk” del sello Paramount. Es una lástima que este sello francés distribuido por Média 7 desapareciera, puesto que su labor de recopilación y documentación de las grabaciones de algunos maestros del jazz (entre los que también se encuentran Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton o Count Basie) fue magnífica. Las notas de los discos de Duke Ellington –que por desgracia están descatalogados y son muy difíciles de encontrar– fueron escritas por Alexandre Rado, profundo conocedor de la música de Ellington.

A la hora de elegir recopilaciones de uno o dos CD, que combinen material de los archivos de RCA-Victor, Columbia-OKeh y Brunswick-Vocalion, las primeras opciones serían las de Naxos y ASV-Living Era, por tratarse de reediciones recientes, fácilmente disponibles a precio reducido, y que presentan un magnífico sonido y una adecuada selección de temas:

– Cotton Club Stomp: 1927-1931 (Naxos Jazz Legends 8.120509) (1 CD)

– Duke Ellington In The Twenties – The Duke Steps Out (ASV-Living Era CDAJA5573) (1 CD), con una selección de temas que va desde 1924 hasta 1929

– Duke Ellington In The Thirties – Creole Rhapsody (ASV-Living Era CDAJS2015) (2 CD), con una selección que va desde 1930 hasta 1939 (y entre los que se encuentran siete temas de 1930 y 1931).

Como curiosidad, Great Original Performances, 1927-1934 (BBC CD 643) es parte de la serie “Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo” producida por Robert Parker, en la que se aplicó la técnica del “falso estéreo” a una selección de grabaciones de algunas de las más destacadas figuras del jazz, con resultados que han suscitado división de opiniones.

Notas:

[1] Series cronológicas:

Classics 1924-1931

-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1924-1927 (Classics 539)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1927-1928 (Classics 542)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1928 (Classics 550)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1928-1929 (Classics 559)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1929 (Classics 569)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1929-1930 (Classics 577)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1930 (Classics 586)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1930, vol. 2 (Classics 596)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1930-1931 (Classics 605)
-The Chronogical Duke Ellington And His Orchestra 1931-1932 (Classics 616)


Neatwork 1924-1931

-The Alternative Takes In Chronological Order, Volume 1 (1924-1929) (Neatwork RP 2009)
-The Alternative Takes In Chronological Order, Volume 2 (1930-1931) (Neatwork RP 2018)
-The Alternative Takes In Chronological Order, Volume 3 (1931-1933) (Neatwork RP 2023)


Masters Of Jazz 1924-1931

-Duke Ellington Volume 1 1924-1926 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 8)
-Duke Ellington Volume 2 1926-1927 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 9)
-Duke Ellington Volume 3 1927-1928 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 25)
-Duke Ellington Volume 4 1928 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 30)
-Duke Ellington Volume 5 1928 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 52)
-Duke Ellington Volume 6 1929 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 69)
-Duke Ellington Volume 7 1929 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 88)
-Duke Ellington Volume 8 1929 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 101)
-Duke Ellington Volume 9 1929-1930 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 123)
-Duke Ellington Volume 10 1930 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 145)
-Duke Ellington Volume 11 1930 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 173)
-Duke Ellington Volume 12 1930-1931 Complete Edition (Masters of Jazz MJCD 174)


©2007, Agustín Pérez Gasco

Johnny Guarnieri with Lester Young - April 18, 1944 session

In his comments to the third instalment from my series on jazz records advertisements, Michael Steinman appropriately reported about the fashions in jazz hagiography, and how the Johnny Guarnieri April 18, 1944 Savoy sides with Lester Young have been released many times as if Prez had been the leader, though they were sessions led by the very talented pianist.

He is totally right that these sessions were originally recorded and released under Guarnieri's leadership, as the labels from the original Savoy 78 rpm discs (Savoy 509 & Savoy 511) show. On those issues, group is named Johnny Guarnieri's All Star Orchestra, though Bruyninckx discography lists Johnny Guarnieri Swing Men.

Anyway, the group was composed by Billy Butterfield (tp), Hank d'Amico (cl), Lester Young (ts), Johnny Guarnieri (p), Dexter Hall (g), Billy Taylor (b) and Cozy Cole (d) and they recorded four tunes -three originals, named “Exercise In Swing” (four takes), “Salute To Fats” (five takes) and “Basie English” (two takes), and “These Foolish Things” (one take)-, all of them magnificent examples of mid-size ensemble swing. Recording session lasted from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and, in the afternoon, Lester Young recorded another session with the Earl Warren Orchestra, which was actually the Basie Band minus Basie.

According to Bruyninckx and Lord, all the LP issues including any of these tunes were released as by the Lester Young Orchestra, being two of the earliest examples The Immortal Lester Young (Savoy MG 12068) and The Master’s Touch (Savoy MG 12071). But general discographies are wrong once again, as the Savoy twofer LP called Lester Young, Pres/The Complete Savoy Recordings (Savoy SJL 2202) only mentions in its liner notes that this session was made under the leadership of Johnny Guarnieri and gives no exact band name.

Most CD issues, such as the Lester Young - Complete Savoy Recordings 2-CD set or The Chronological Johnny Guarnieri 1944-1946 (Classics 956), have corrected this common mistake and given leader credit to Guarnieri.

Alphonse Picou playing High Society (1958)

Alphonse Picou (born New Orleans, October 19, 1878 and died New Orleans, February 4, 1961) formed his own Independence Band in 1897 and played with Oscar Duconge in 1899, the Excelsior Band (1900) and Freddie Keppard's Olympia Band. Then he had short periods with other bands such as Bunk Johnson's, Wooden Joe Nicholas' and Emanuel Perez's. He was semi-retired in the 30's, but due to the New Orleans revival he started to play again making records with Kid Rena (1940) and Papa Celestin (1947).

Picou is best known for originating the clarinet part on the standard "High Society". Although it is believed that George Baquet was the first clarinet player who played the difficult solo part of "High society", it is without doubt Picou who made it popular. He has been mistakenly credited as the writer of this tune, but in fact it was a 1901 marching band composition by Porter Steele. Picou made his own arrangement, making it gently swing and paraphrasing the Piccolo part to create his famous clarinet solo, which became a standard part that every New Orleans clarinetist should be able to duplicate.

Now you can watch him playing "High Society" with the Paul Barbarin band. Although the uploader states it was recorded in New Orleans, I think it could be from an Art Ford's Jazz Party on December 25, 1958, with the following line-up, according to Bruyninckx and Lord discographies: Punch Miller, Percy Humphrey (tp) Jim Robinson (tb) Alphonse Picou (cl) Armand Hug (p) George Guesnon (bj) Alcide Pavageau (b) Paul Barbarin (d).

Cotton Club programs on ebay

Two Cotton Club programs have surfaced on ebay, as a big game hunting trophy for extremely wealthy collectors of memorabilia.

The first one, listed as a "RARE 1929 ART DECO DUKE ELLINGTON COTTON CLUB PROGRAM" and with Buy It Now price of USD 150, has a colourful cover made by Julian Harrison. In fact, as you can easily discover by the listed songs and the presence of Ivie Anderson (spelled as Ivy Anderson), it IS NOT from 1929. It is from 1938, and it was partially reproduced on Duke Ellington: Day by Day and Film by Film by Dr. Klaus Strateman (Jazz Media, 1992). If you ever wanted to know the menu at the Cotton Club, you're lucky to have come to the right place [see the fourth picture].

The second one, also from the mid 1930's, also includes the great Ethel Waters, and it has an amazingly crazy starting bid of USD 800, maybe because it bears Duke Ellington's autograph.

What Pee Wee Russell said [1]

Ralph Berton, from WNYC radio, promoted Pee Wee Russell's appearance at the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street program on January 6, 1941. The radio program featured Pee Wee playing two blues numbers accompanied by Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon and Dave Tough. After the show, a 15-year-old clarinet student who had been in the audience approached his hero for some technical advice and, according to Ralph Berton, this was the conversation:

"Mr. Russell... I've always w-w-wanted to ask you - how do you manage to g-get that wonderful dirty tone on your instrument? I've tried everything. I tried soaking my reeds in water overnight". Pee Wee, hunching and twisting as he finally glanced at his tremulous admirer, advised: "Why don't you try soaking your head in whisky?"

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Ralph Berton, de la radio WNYC, promovió la actuación de Pee Wee Russell en el programa Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street el 6 de enero de 1941, donde Pee Wee, acompañado por Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon y Dave Tough, tocó dos blues. Después del show, un estudiante de clarinete de quince años que había estado entre el público, se aproximó a su héroe buscando algún consejo ténico y, de acuerdo con Ralph Berton, ésta fue la conversación:

"Señor Russell... Siempre he querido preguntarle... ¿cómo consigue sacar ese maravilloso tono sucio de su instrumento? Lo he intentado todo, incluso poner las cañas a remojar en agua durante toda una noche". Cuando por fin Pee Wee le echó una mirada a su tímido admirador, se retorció y encorvó para aconsejarle: "¿Por qué no pruebas a poner tu cabeza a remojar en whisky?"

Downbeat "Immortals Of Jazz"

From September 1939 to August 1941, Downbeat published a series of biographical sketches called "Immortals Of Jazz". A quick look at the complete list may supplement Downbeat polls in order to give a hint of what was "popular" at the time.

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Desde septiembre de 1939 hasta agosto de 1941, Downbeat publicó una serie de perfiles biográficos con el nombre de "Inmortales del Jazz". Un rápido vistazo a la lista completa de estos perfiles y a la de las encuestas de Downbeat puede dar una idea de lo que era "popular" en el jazz de aquellos años.

Red Nichols (Sept., 1939)
Red McKenzie (Oct. 15, 1939)
Gene Krupa (Nov. 1, 1939)
Fletcher Henderson (Nov. 15, 1939)
Louis Armstrong (Dec. 15, 1939)
Duke Ellington (Jan. 15, 1940)
Benny Goodman (Feb. 1, 1940)
Coleman Hawkins (Feb. 15, 1940)
Joe Venuti (Mar. 1, 1940)
Frank Teschemaker (Mar. 15, 1940)
Johnny Dodds (Apr. 1, 1940)
Jelly Roll Morton (Apr. 15, 1940)
Muggsy Spanier (May 1, 1940)
King Oliver (May, 15 1940)
Gil Rodin (June 1, 1940)
Red Norvo (June 15, 1940)
Earl Hines (July 1, 1940)
Sidney Bechet (July 15, 1940)
Bix Beiderbecke (Aug. 1, 1940)
Emmet Hardy (Aug. 15, 1940)
Jimmy Dorsey (Sept. 1, 1940)
Benny Carter (Sept. 15, 1940)
Salvatore Massano (Eddie Lang) (Oct. 1, 1940)
Leon Rappolo (Oct. 15, 1940)
Frank Trumbauer (Nov. 1, 1940)
Don Redman (Nov. 15, 1940)
Jack Teagarden (Dec. 1, 1940)
Mary Lou Williams (Dec. 15, 1940)
Chick Webb (Jan. 1, 1941)
Fats Waller (Jan. 15, 1941)
Miff Mole (Feb. 1, 1941)
Jimmy Noone (Feb. 15, 1941)
Jess Stacy (Mar. 1, 1941)
J.C. Higginbotham (Mar. 15, 1941)
Teddy Wilson (Apr. 1, 1941)
Roy Eldridge (Apr. 15, 1941)
Ben Pollack (May 1, 1941)
Tommy Dorsey (May 15, 1941)
Bud Freeman (June 1, 1941)
Count Basie (June 15, 1941)
Pete Johnson (July 1, 1941)
Mildred Bailey (July 15, 1941)
Wingy Manone (Aug. 1, 1941)

Benny Carter and the QHCF in Barcelona (Jan. 29&31, 1936) [ENG]

After two minor festivals in the summer and the autumn of 1935, the Hot Club of Barcelona went to town signing Benny Carter and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France including Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli for the III Festival de Jazz (January 1936).

Quintet of the Hot Club of France bandmembers were playing in a variety of ensembles and regrouped for the Spanish tour; telegrams were sent to Stéphane in Monte Carlo, and he flew to Barcelona to join the ensemble.

Benny Carter had arrived in Paris in 1935 to play with the Willie Lewis orchestra and would stay in Europe until 1938, as an arranger for the BBC orchestra (at Leonard Feather’s suggestion) and travelling all over Europe, playing and recording with the top-notch British, French and Scandinavian jazz musicians, as well as with other American expatriates such as Coleman Hawkins.

The two Barcelona concerts took place on January 29 and 31, 1936, at the Cine Coliseum and the Palau de la Música Catalana, respectively. On both concerts, Benny Carter played accompanied by the Hot Club of Barcelona Orchestra, conducted by pianist Antonio Matas and made up of outstanding jazzmen from the best orchestras in town, such as Sebastián Albalat (tenor sax), Magín Munill (trumpet) and José Bellés (drums) from the Napoleon’s Band, Francisco Gabarró (trombone) from the Miuras de Sobré, José Domínguez (alto sax) and Fernando Carriedo (trombone) from the Matas Band, José Ribalta (trumpet) and Steve Ericsson (guitar) from the Demon’s Jazz, Antonio Russell (bass) from the Casanovas Orchestra and José Masó (trumpet) from the 16 Artistas Unidos.

Both concerts were a great success and reviews on newspapers were unstinting in their praise, except for JLL from La Veu De Catalunya, who called Benny Carter “an authentic black man playing the most ignoble of the musical instruments” and described the Quintet of the Hot Club of France as “five white men mimicking black men’s primitivism”. [1]. In return, Benny Carter praised the Spanish musicians’ musicality and their outstanding ability to improvise, stating that “I’m amazed by your jazz professionals” [2]. This dedication was published on the cover of Jazz Magazine (official magazine of the Hot Club of Barcelona), #5, February 1936:

“In as few words as possible I should like to thank the members of the Hot Club and also the general public of Barcelona for the enthusiasm shown at my concert. I may truly say that I have enjoyed playing for you much more than you enjoyed listening. Nevertheless, thanks for listening.

Musically Yours,
Benny Carter”

Grappelli recalls that “we had a magnificent reception marked by all the warmth and enthusiasm the Spaniards are capable of. After each concert, hats rained down onto the stage as though it were a bullfight. It was marvellous!”

I’ve found two mentions of additional concerts, but my research to find any document brought no results:

-José María García Martínez, in his book Del Fox-Trot Al Jazz Flamenco. El Jazz En España 1919-1996 (Alianza Editorial, 1996), mentions an extra concert at the Teatro Olimpia, with Jaume Vila sitting in for Stéphane Grappelli, who refused to play.

-Michel Dregni, in Django: The Life And Music Of A Gipsy Legend (Oxford University Press, 2004), states that “the tour began at the Cinema Coliseum on January 29 and 30 and continued at Musica Catalana (sic) on January 31 and February 1 (…). In the end, the Spanish tour was a resounding success (…) and the Quintette played double the concerts scheduled”. In my opinion, according to advertisements and reviews published in La Vanguardia (see images), this possibility is nearly ruled out.

Coda: Dregni also tells this story, not mentioned neither in Chema García’s book nor in Jazz En Barcelona 1920-1965 by Jordi Pujol Baulenas (Almendra Music, 2005) and for which I have found no evidence in the archives of the newspapers from this period. According to Dregni, “when the applause ended, a surprise awaited the musicians. The concert organizer had departed with the proceeds. The band was paid an advance of 3.000 francs before leaving Paris, but now the balance of 4.000 francs plus their travel expenses were gone. Django, Carter, and the bandmates pooled the money in their pockets to afford train tickets home, with one lone Catalonian sausage to slice up between them to quell their stomachs on the long journey to Paris”. You can smell a faint whiff of literature –call it fable or legend- in this passage.

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[1] Quoted by N. Suris in “Así se hace la crítica”, Jazz Magazine, March 1936
[2] N. Suris: “Benny Carter nos hace confidencias”, Jazz Magazine, February 1936