Sunday, May 31, 2009
Noted webwise
Every Coltrane fan on the Internet has watched this video of Coltrane playing So What plus more, as shown with commentary on All About Jazz.
Jazz improvisation, Coltrane particularly, is asserted here as inspiring improvisation in a style of lecturing!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Preserve Jazz Festival -- Hoover, Alabama
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Billy Valentine Session -- a little confusion
The only tune from the session available on CD is “Beer Drinking Baby” which was secondarily issued on the 8-CD set called “The Mercury Blues 'n' Rhythm Story 1945-1955: West Coast Blues” (Mercury 314-528-292-2, and Polygram B000001EH1 ). One of the takes of “Ain't Gonna Cry No More” and/or “I Want You to Love Me” appears to have been released on an LP of the Chicago label, issue number CH-LP-213, title unknown.
Links to Amazon:
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Music and More highlighted even more
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Noted on the web
Thursday, May 21, 2009
CAPITOL 852, 611, 849 & 892 – ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE DAY
The Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra Sessions of January 9, 1950, with John Coltrane again sharing alto duties, produced four songs that contributed several original issues to the Coltrane discography. The song “Coast-to-Coast” was released on an original 78, listed variously as Capitol 852, 15852, or 57-852. (It was also originally released on an EP, Capitol H 326). “Carambola” was originally issued on Capitol 611 (or 57-611)(and EP, Capitol H 235), then the same take was recycled to backup the original issue of the song “Honeysuckle Rose” on Capitol 892 (pictured, and last issued of the bunch). This was the only 78 from the session without a simultaneously released original issue 10-inch EP that played at 33 1/3 rpm. In the mean time “Oo-La-La” had been released on Capitol 849 (57-849, EP Capitol H 325). I'm having difficulty confirming the flip sides of all but 892.
The recordings were made at Capitol Studios in NYC. The band had just closed out 1949 touring Kentucky, St. Louis, Chicago, and a gig spanning Christmas at Harlem's Apollo. Coltrane stayed with Gillespie into 1951, including about four dates with the Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie group. Unfortunately no recordings are known of this brief combo containing of two of the greatest saxophone players in bop, one already a giant – made so by his sheer genius and despite a lack of discipline – the other about to rise rapidly even if a little later than less shy geniuses, by single-minded dedication and practicing 14 hours a day. Coltrane also had a few detours and recording sessions with others as will be noted in the future.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Check out...
Also, new kind of Love Supreme with Strings by the Turtle Island Quartet. Could Trane's original be improved? Not likely but judge for yourself.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Capitol 839 TALLEY-HO/I CAN'T REMEMBER
Coltrane had joined the orchestra – which had started in 1946 and lasted in this form just until 1950 – in September of 1949. This was just before the recording session, and they had been touring east and mid-west before (and after) landing in NYC to make the records. Although he was sharing alto duties with Jimmy Heath, in his spare time he was already spending long hours practicing tenor.
Complete Recordings With Dizzy Gillespie
Friday, May 15, 2009
Recomended by Miles of John Coltrane
Jazz Documentation
Jazz Online This site is a gem with free full-length jazz and other interesting tunes that are in the public domain. From before and after the likes of King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton, to Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, along with scatterings of Dizzy, Miles, and many others.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Capitol 797 – Really the First?
According to some sources, the post below that Capitol 797 represents the first professional recording on which Coltrane played is wrong. The Coltrane discography at jazzdisco.org (and indeed, apparently all relevant discographies at this well-respected site) shows Coltrane made his recording debut at the Dinah Washington sessions of September 27, 1949. The credits on the 3-CD set “Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury, Vol. 1”, the CD “John Coltrane Complete Recordings with Dizzy Gillespie”, and many other references perpetuate this idea. The picture is the cover of Mercury EP 1-3207, an original issue 45 containing four of the tunes from this session; the band is not listed.
The John Coltrane Reference by DeVito, Fujioka, Schmaler, and Wild (Lewis Porter, ed.) has a note specifically stating that Coltrane was not present at the Dinah Washington session. (It also notes that the Billy Valentine session typically listed as November 7, 1949, and thus also predating Capitol 797, was probably actually recorded on March 1, 1950; but at least there is general agreement Coltrane was there even if the date is disputed.) The Reference is so well researched and documented that it must be considered definitive. Yet it does not give any indication as to why the error on the discographies may have occurred.
Did Coltrane record or even play with Dinah Washington? It seems clear that Coltrane joined the Gillespie group around September 1949. Dizzy and the gang were appearing around this time on many of the same bills as Dinah Washington. Teddy Stewart, whose band is credited as backing Dinah Washington for the session in question, left the Dizzy Gillespie band around October 1949 to tour with Washington, with whom he may have been involved, according to Lewis Porter's book “John Coltrane.” But as of yet I cannot point to any particular source for the (apparent) misunderstanding over Coltrane's presence at the Washington session. Research on this question will continue, and anyone with relevant knowledge is invited to ring in.