Beryl Booker • Chronological Classics 1953-1954

Beryl Booker (1922-1978) nacida en Philadelphia, cantante y prodigiosa pianista que nunca aprendió leer música comienza su carrera profesional dentro del mundo del jazz por 1945 con Slam Stewart, en 1954 forma un trio femenino junto a la baterista Elaine Leighton y la contrabajista Bonnie Wetzel, haciendo con gran exito los circuitos europeos y de Estados Unidos.

Ha participado en grabaciones de grandes del jazz como Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Miles Davis y Don Byas.

En los 60 y 70 su actividad es intermitente, tocando eventualmente en clubes.

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Beryl Booker (June 7, 1922 – September 30, 1978) was an American swing pianist of the 1950s.

Born in Philadelphia, she played with Slam Stewart's trio in 1946, and played off and on with him until 1951. She also played accompaniment for Dinah Washington. In 1951 she became part of the newly formed Austin Powell Quintet (consisting of former Cats and the Fiddle members Doris Knighton, Johnny Davis and Stanley Gaines, and also Dottie Smith) which recorded one Decca single entitled "All This Can't Be True" before disbanding. In early 1952, Booker led a quintet which played Birdland, featuring Don Elliot, Chuck Wayne, Clyde Lombardi and Connie Kay. Recordings with Miles Davis sitting in on the group have been preserved. In 1953, she formed her own trio with Bonnie Wetzel and Elaine Leighton. This group toured Europe in 1954 as part of a show entitled "Jazz Club USA", which featured Billie Holiday. After another stint with Dinah Washington in 1959, she slipped into obscurity. In the 1970s she continued to play and record with small groups.

Don Byas • Featuring Mary Lou Williams Trio & Beryl Booker Trio

Biography by Scott Yanow
One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byas-mn0000172350/biography

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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Uno de los más grandes tenores, la decisión de Don Byas de trasladarse permanentemente a Europa en 1946 hizo que fuera subestimado en los libros de historia del jazz. Su conocimiento de los acordes rivalizaba con el de Coleman Hawkins y, debido a su similitud en los tonos, Byas puede considerarse una extensión del tenor mayor. Tocó con muchas bandas de swing de primera línea, como las de Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940) y, sobre todo, Count Basie (1941-1943). Un estilista de swing avanzado, la forma de tocar de Byas miraba hacia el bop. Tocó en el Minton's Playhouse a principios de los años 40, apareció en la calle 52 con Dizzy Gillespie e interpretó un par de impresionantes dúos con el bajista Slam Stewart en un concierto en el Town Hall en 1944. Después de grabar extensamente durante 1945-1946 (a menudo como líder), Byas se fue a Europa con la banda de Don Redman y (con la excepción de una aparición en 1970 en el Festival de Jazz de Newport) nunca volvió a los EE.UU. Vivió en Francia, los Países Bajos y Dinamarca; a menudo apareció en festivales; y trabajó constantemente. Siempre que los músicos estadounidenses estaban de gira, preguntaban por Byas, que tuvo la oportunidad de actuar con Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (incluida una batalla de tenores grabada con Hawkins y Stan Getz), Art Blakey y (en una grabación de 1968) Ben Webster. Byas también grabó a menudo en la década de 1950, pero fue olvidado en gran medida en los Estados Unidos en el momento de su muerte.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byas-mn0000172350/biography

 

Clark Terry - Terry Pollard • Cats vs. Chicks

 

Miles Davis & Milt Jackson • Complete Recordings

This 2CD set collates Miles Davis and Milt Jackson complete recorded collaborations both live and in the studio. These two seminal figures in the development of modern jazz only recorded together on a few occasions (between 1954 and 1956) - but predictably, the results more than lived up to expectations.

Also featuring an all-star cast of musicians : Thelonious Monk, Jackie McLean, Lester Young, Ray Bryant, John Lewis, Percy Heath & Kenny Clarke.

As a bonus, two further examples of Miles sparse small group recordings with vibraphonists: the complete album Blue Moods (1955) with Teddy Charles, Charles Mingus & Elvin Jones (which received a 5 star rating in Down Beat) and an ultra rare 1952 Birdland broadcast with Don Elliott - appearing here on CD for the first time ever.
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/miles-davis-albums/5337-miles-davis-milt-jackson-complete-recordings-2-cd-set.html

 

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Este set de 2CD recopila colaboraciones grabadas completas de Miles Davis y Milt Jackson tanto en vivo como en el estudio. Estas dos figuras fundamentales en el desarrollo del jazz moderno solo grabaron juntas en unas pocas ocasiones (entre 1954 y 1956), pero como era de esperar, los resultados estuvieron a la altura de las expectativas.

También cuenta con un elenco estelar de músicos: Thelonious Monk, Jackie McLean, Lester Young, Ray Bryant, John Lewis, Percy Heath y Kenny Clarke.

Como beneficio adicional, dos ejemplos más de grabaciones dispersas en grupos pequeños de Miles con vibrafonistas: el álbum completo Blue Moods (1955) con Teddy Charles, Charles Mingus y Elvin Jones (que recibió una calificación de 5 estrellas en Down Beat) y una transmisión ultra rara de Birdland de 1952 con Don Elliott, que aparece aquí en CD por primera vez.
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/miles-davis-albums/5337-miles-davis-milt-jackson-complete-recordings-2-cd-set.html