The Tom Kubis Big • Keep Swingin'ː The Tom Kubis Big Band Plays Steve Allen

Review by Scott Yanow

Steve Allen wrote a countless number of songs in his career, most of which have been long forgotten. On two CDs (of which this is the second), bandleader Tom Kubis and his orchestra perform Kubis' arrangements of some of Allen's tunes. Although the melodies are generally not memorable, the band's performances are impeccable, reasonably inventive, and swinging. Many soloists are heard from along the way, including Kubis himself (on tenor and soprano), trumpeters George Graham, Jeff Bunnell, and Stan Martin, all three trombonists, guitarist Grant Geissman, altoist Sal Lozano, and Rusty Higgins on tenor. Jack Sheldon guests on "Tango Blues" (which he sings) and "Chittlins," while Steve Allen himself sings the humorous if downbeat "Livin' in L.A."

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Reseña de Scott Yanow

Steve Allen escribió un sinnúmero de canciones en su carrera, la mayoría de las cuales han sido olvidadas hace tiempo. En dos CDs (de los cuales este es el segundo), el director de la banda Tom Kubis y su orquesta interpretan los arreglos de Kubis de algunas de las canciones de Allen. Aunque las melodías no son generalmente memorables, las actuaciones de la banda son impecables, razonablemente inventivas y swinging. Se escuchan muchos solistas a lo largo del camino, incluyendo al propio Kubis (en tenor y soprano), los trompetistas George Graham, Jeff Bunnell y Stan Martin, los tres trombonistas, el guitarrista Grant Geissman, el altolista Sal Lozano y Rusty Higgins en tenor. Jack Sheldon es invitado en "Tango Blues" (que canta) y "Chittlins", mientras que Steve Allen canta el humorístico aunque pesimista "Livin' in L.A.".

 

 

 

The Rhythm Rockets • Come Ride The Rocket

 

 

 

Making the Sceneː Contemporary New York City Big Band Jazz

The received wisdom of popular jazz history is that the era of the big band was the 1930s and '40s, when swing was at its height. But as practicing jazz musicians know, even though big bands lost the spotlight once the bebop era began, they never really disappeared. Making the Scene challenges conventional jazz historiography by demonstrating the vital role of big bands in the ongoing development of jazz. Alex Stewart describes how jazz musicians have found big bands valuable. He explores the rich "rehearsal band" scene in New York and the rise of repertory orchestras. Making the Scene combines historical research, ethnography, and participant observation with musical analysis, ethnic studies, and gender theory, dismantling stereotypical views of the big band.

The Dutch Swing College Band • Meets Joe Venuti

Review by Scott Yanow

Violinist Joe Venuti is actually only on half of this LP, playing three songs from his earlier days, two standards and a blues with the Dutch septet. The remaining five selections are between Dixieland and swing and feature fine playing by leader Peter Schilperoort and Bob Kaper on reeds, cornetist Bert De Kort and trombonist Dick Kaart.

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Revisión por Scott Yanow

El violinista Joe Venuti solo está en la mitad de este LP, tocando tres canciones de sus primeros días, dos estándares y un blues con el septeto holandés. Las cinco selecciones restantes están entre Dixieland y swing, y cuentan con una excelente interpretación del líder Peter Schilperoort y Bob Kaper en las cañas, el cornetista Bert De Kort y el trombonista Dick Kaart.

 

 

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J Street Jumpers • Good For Stompin'

Passion for classic American music including Jump Blues, Swing era jazz and 1940’s Rhythm & Blues is what The J Street Jumpers are all about. Founded in 1993 by saxophonist Charlie Hubel, J Street has spent most of the last 15 years honing their chops in clubs, halls and ballrooms in the mid-Atlantic. The band has wowed crowds at numerous appearances at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, music festivals, and concerts. Their horn driven sound, combined with the powerful vocals of Juanita Williams has made this band a favorite with listeners and dancers alike. From jazz and blues festivals to inaugural balls, dances and private events, the band brings a consistently energetic and fun atmosphere to wherever they perform.

 They've garnered the respect of the Washington music community as well, evidenced by Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) Wammie Awards wins for six years in a row: Best Big Band - Swing Duo/Group, Best Big Band - Swing Recording and Best Jazz.

http://www.jstreetjumpers.com/index.cfm

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La pasión por la música clásica americana, incluyendo el Jump Blues, el jazz de la era Swing y el Rhythm & Blues de los años 40, es lo que caracteriza a los J Street Jumpers. Fundados en 1993 por el saxofonista Charlie Hubel, los J Street han pasado la mayor parte de los últimos 15 años perfeccionando sus habilidades en clubes, salones y salones de baile en el medio del Atlántico. La banda ha asombrado a las multitudes en numerosas apariciones en el Millennium Stage del Kennedy Center, festivales de música y conciertos. El sonido de sus trompetas, combinado con la poderosa voz de Juanita Williams ha hecho que esta banda sea la favorita de oyentes y bailarines. Desde festivales de jazz y blues hasta bailes inaugurales, bailes y eventos privados, la banda trae una atmósfera energética y divertida a donde sea que se presenten.

 También se han ganado el respeto de la comunidad musical de Washington, como demuestran los premios Wammie de la Asociación Musical del Área de Washington (WAMA), ganados durante seis años consecutivos: Mejor Big Band - Dúo/Grupo de Swing, Mejor Big Band - Grabación de Swing y Mejor Jazz.

http://www.jstreetjumpers.com/index.cfm

Jack Teagarden & Jonah Jones • Old Timey Jazz

 

John Dankworth • The Big Band Sound Of Johnny Dankworth

 

 John Phillip William Dankworth, (20 de septiembre de 1927 – 6 de febrero de 2010), conocido en sus inicios musicales como Johnny Dankworth, fue un compositor de jazz, saxofonista y clarinetista inglés.

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Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist. He was the husband of jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, who survives him; they married in 1958.  

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Harry James • Best Of Big Bands

 

Maynard Ferguson • A Message From Birdland

 

Si Zentner & Martin Denny • Exotica Suite

Si Zentner • Big Band Brilliance!

From Wikipedia:

Simon Hugh "Si" Zentner (June 13, 1917 in New York City – January 31, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American trombonist and jazz big-band leader.

Zentner played violin from age four and picked up trombone a few years later. As a teenager, he was awarded the Guggenheim Foundation Philharmonic Scholarship. He attended college for music and had intended to pursue a career in classical music, but became more interested in pop music after recording with Andre Kostelanetz. Zentner played in the bands of Les Brown, Harry James, and Jimmy Dorsey in the 1940s, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a studio musician. He also landed a job with MGM from 1949 to the mid-50s, and was involved in the music for films such as Singin' in the Rain and A Star Is Born.

In the late 1950s Zentner put together his own studio big band and signed with Bel Canto Records. The Zentner band began recording for Liberty Records in 1959 releasing numerous successful pop/jazz albums during the 1960s and touring steadily with a large well-rehearsed outfit. He also briefly recorded for RCA Victor. Zentner was a tireless promoter and claimed to have played 178 consecutive one-night performances when the band was at its peak. His ensemble was voted "Best Big Band" for 13 straight years by Down Beat, and Zentner himself was voted Best Trombonist in Playboy Jazz Readers' Poll. Zentner was known for his bold, brash and bright playing with great breath control and distinctive vibrato. In 1962, his album Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2) (arranged by Bob Florence) won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.[2]

Zentner's success was thoroughly unusual; he had a thriving big band going at a time when big band music was, for the most part, on the wane. The general downturn in interest eventually caught up to him, and by mid-decade the orchestra performed only on a limited basis despite recording through the late 1960s. He then moved to Las Vegas and accompanied Mel Tormé at the Blue Room of the Tropicana Hotel. In 1968 he became musical director of the long-running Vegas show Folies Bergere. It wasn't until the 1990s that Zentner returned to big band performance, assembling a new group and releasing several more albums. He suffered from leukemia late in life, though he continued performing into 1999; he died of the disease in early 2000.

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Traducción Automática:

De Wikipedia:

Simon Hugh "Si" Zentner (13 de junio de 1917 en la ciudad de Nueva York - 31 de enero de 2000 en Las Vegas, Nevada) fue un trombonista estadounidense y líder de grandes bandas de jazz.

Zentner tocó el violín a los cuatro años y recogió el trombón unos años más tarde. En su adolescencia, recibió la Beca Filarmónica de la Fundación Guggenheim. Asistió a la universidad para la música y tenía la intención de seguir una carrera en la música clásica, pero se interesó más en la música pop después de grabar con Andre Kostelanetz. Zentner tocó en las bandas de Les Brown, Harry James y Jimmy Dorsey en la década de 1940, luego se mudó a Los Ángeles, donde trabajó como músico de estudio. También consiguió un trabajo en MGM desde 1949 hasta mediados de los 50, y participó en la música de películas como Singin 'in the Rain y A Star Is Born.

A fines de la década de 1950, Zentner armó su propia gran banda de estudio y firmó con Bel Canto Records. La banda de Zentner comenzó a grabar para Liberty Records en 1959 lanzando numerosos álbumes de pop / jazz exitosos durante la década de 1960 y haciendo giras de manera constante con un gran atuendo bien ensayado. También grabó brevemente para RCA Victor. Zentner fue un incansable promotor y afirmó haber tocado 178 actuaciones consecutivas de una noche cuando la banda estaba en su apogeo. Su conjunto fue votado como "Mejor Big Band" por 13 años consecutivos por Down Beat, y el mismo Zentner fue elegido Mejor Trombonista en la Encuesta de Lectores de Playboy Jazz. Zentner era conocido por su juego audaz, temerario y brillante con un gran control de la respiración y un vibrato distintivo. En 1962, su álbum Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays Big Hits, Vol. 2) (organizado por Bob Florence) ganó un premio Grammy a la Mejor Interpretación Instrumental Pop. [2]

El éxito de Zentner fue completamente inusual; él tenía una gran banda próspera en un momento en que la música de la gran banda estaba, en su mayor parte, en decadencia. La recesión general en el interés finalmente lo alcanzó, y para mediados de la década la orquesta actuó solo de manera limitada a pesar de la grabación hasta fines de los años sesenta. Luego se mudó a Las Vegas y acompañó a Mel Tormé en la habitación azul del hotel Tropicana. En 1968 se convirtió en director musical del espectáculo Folies Bergere de Las Vegas. No fue hasta la década de 1990 que Zentner regresó a la actuación de big band, formando un nuevo grupo y lanzando varios álbumes más. Sufrió leucemia en una etapa avanzada de la vida, aunque continuó actuando en 1999; Murió de la enfermedad a principios de 2000.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra • Songs From Lonely Avenue

 

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John Sheridan's Dream Band • Get Rhythm In Your Feet

Personnel:
John Sheridan, leader, arranger, pianist; Randy Reinhart, cornet; Russ Phillips, trombone; Brian Ogilvie, tenor sax; Ron Hockett, clarinet; Reuben Ristrom, guitar; Phil Flanigan, bass; Ed Metz, Jr.; and Becky Kilgore, vocalist on eight of sixteen tracks.
 

Johnny Dankworth • The Criminal

Charlie Barnet • Lonely Street

This release contains the complete Charlie Barnet LP Lonely Street plus all of the LP Dancing Party with the exception of two tracks.

Duke Ellington • Uppsala 1971

 

In Duke Ellingtons tape collection (The Stockpile) were several tapes with concert recordings of the bands performances on tour. One can only guess whether these tapes were required by Duke for some purpose, or were given to him (or his son Mercer) on the initiative of the concert arrangers. At any rate it was a great delight to find a tape box marked Ellington Uppsala 9-11-71 in the collection, containing a tape with a concert at the university town of Uppsala, Sweden on Nov. 9th 1971. The second of two concerts in Uppsala that day. Uppsala is a very old and very beautiful town with a cathedral founded in the 13th century, and a university. The concert in Uppsala, the second on this Tuesday evening, started with The C Jam Blues as it was usual at that time. C Jam Blues had sort of replaced Take The A Train as the bands signature tune. Norris Turney is heard on the clarinet over the band at the beginning, and Cootie Williams, Paul Gonsalves, Booty Wood, and Russell Procope follow. The centerpiece of the concert was the bands performance of A Tone Parallel to Harlem or HARLEM as it was also called. To end the evening properly and bring the audience in a more relaxed mood before leaving the concert hall Ellington chose to finish the concert alone at the piano, just accompanied by Joe Benjamin on the bass, playing his own arrangement of Billy Strayhorns lovely tune Lotus Blossom. As evident from the performance at the Uppsala concert, the band could live up to the challenges, and it was received everywhere with enthusiasm and love.


storyvillerecords.com ...

Harry Betts & His Orchestra • The Jazz Soul Of Doctor Kildare

 

Review by Bruce Eder
This wasn't the first album of its kind -- others had done jazz interpretations of television music, going back to the '50s -- but Harry Betts' Jazz Soul of Doctor Kildare was one of the better ones in the subgenre, an enjoyable and occasionally surprisingly ambitious pop-jazz creation, by a top arranger and trombonist. Betts and company -- including Jack Sheldon, Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, and Red Callender on tuba, no less -- manage to find room for improvisation without straying so far from the mood and character of the series for which the music was written that it ever becomes unrecognizable. And engineer Bones Howe recorded them so crisply and vividly that the record has held up as an audiophile quality release across more than three decades, even earning a Mobile Fidelity CD reissue in the '80s.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-soul-of-doctor-kildare-mw0000193513

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Reseña de Bruce Eder
Este no fue el primer álbum de este tipo - otros habían hecho interpretaciones de jazz de la música de la televisión, remontándose a los años 50 - pero el Jazz Soul of Doctor Kildare de Harry Betts fue uno de los mejores en el subgénero, una creación pop-jazz agradable y ocasionalmente sorprendente, de un arreglista y trombonista de primera. Betts y compañía -incluyendo a Jack Sheldon, Bud Shank, Conte Candoli, y Red Callender en la tuba, nada menos- consiguen encontrar espacio para la improvisación sin alejarse tanto del ambiente y el carácter de la serie para la que se escribió la música como para resultar irreconocible. Y el ingeniero Bones Howe los grabó de forma tan nítida y vívida que el disco se ha mantenido como un lanzamiento de calidad audiófila a lo largo de más de tres décadas, ganándose incluso una reedición en CD de Mobile Fidelity en los años 80.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-soul-of-doctor-kildare-mw0000193513

Duke Ellington • In Coventry

 

Duke Ellington started to present his music in cathedrals in the nineteen sixties. It is easy to see why the cathedral was chosen. Coventry Cathedral has a special place in English history. The original cathedral was very badly damaged in the second world war as was the whole of Coventry. After rebuilding, the cathedral was consecrated on 25 May 1962, and Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, composed for the occasion, was premiered in the new cathedral on 30 May.  The ruins of the original cathedral were preserved at the side of the new church. The interior of the new building is dominated by Graham Sutherland’s tapestry ‘Christ in Glory’.

Ellington’s first sacred concert was introduced in Grace Cathedral in San Francisco in1965.  The second sacred concert (1968) was played in New York   The third was presented in London at Westminster Abbey in 1973 only months before Ellington’s death. Where the Coventry version fits into this scheme is an open question. It has one number that is completely new and was never repeated and other numbers were changed quite markedly.

Ellington said at the time: ‘One may be accustomed to speaking to people. But suddenly to attempt to speak, sing and play directly to God -- that puts one in an entirely new and different position! . . . You can jive with secular music, but you can't jive with the Almighty.’

Undoubtedly, Ellington was sincere in these concerts, and in his religious beliefs.  The gap between the sacred and the profane is thin in Ellington’s world.  There are pieces played that were not particularly sacred. ‘West Indian Pancake’ at that time was a feature for Paul Gonsalves and he plays it with energy and that unique foggy tone. La Plus Belle Africaine’, played at the end of the concert, is quite simply one of the great compositions of Ellington's later years.  It was premiered just three weeks earlier, and it reaches back into African roots and looks forward into a kind of world music. The piece, at one and the same time, is sparse, rich, simple, restrained and yet fierce.

The concert starts with ‘New World A ‘Comin’’ which Ellington composed in the 1940s.  It is a meditative piece played just by Ellington.  ‘Come Sunday’ is a non-vocal version which features Johnny Hodges and Cootie Williams.  Cat Anderson is featured on ‘Light,’ a piece that was also taken from ‘Black Brown and Beige’.

‘Come Easter’ is a slow piece;  it was composed for this occasion and never played again. There are short solos by Jimmy Hamilton Harry Carney and Paul Gonsalves. Tell Me It's The Truth’ is largely a feature for the band with solos by Johnny Hodges and Lawrence Brown.

‘In The Beginning God’ is the longest piece in the concert it features the majestic baritone of Harry Carney and the singers.

At this time the Ellington band was particularly strong and the recording shows off the power and subtlety.  The magnificent saxophone section is particularly well represented.

Once again Bjarne Busk at Storyville Records has to be thanked for unearthing this unique slice of Ellingtonia.
https://www.jazzviews.net/duke-ellington---in-coventry-1966.html

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Duke Ellington empezó a presentar su música en catedrales en los años sesenta. Es fácil entender por qué se eligió la catedral. La catedral de Coventry ocupa un lugar especial en la historia de Inglaterra. La catedral original resultó muy dañada en la segunda guerra mundial, al igual que todo Coventry. Tras su reconstrucción, la catedral fue consagrada el 25 de mayo de 1962, y el 30 de mayo se estrenó en la nueva catedral el Réquiem de Guerra de Benjamin Britten, compuesto para la ocasión.  Las ruinas de la catedral original se conservaron al lado de la nueva iglesia. El interior del nuevo edificio está dominado por el tapiz de Graham Sutherland "Cristo en la Gloria".

El primer concierto sacro de Ellington se presentó en la catedral Grace de San Francisco en1965.  El segundo concierto sacro (1968) se interpretó en Nueva York El tercero se presentó en Londres, en la Abadía de Westminster, en 1973, sólo unos meses antes de la muerte de Ellington. Dónde encaja la versión de Coventry en este esquema es una cuestión abierta. Tiene un número que es completamente nuevo y que nunca se repitió, y otros números se cambiaron de forma bastante marcada.

Ellington dijo en su momento: "Uno puede estar acostumbrado a hablar con la gente. Pero, de repente, intentar hablar, cantar y tocar directamente a Dios... ¡eso le coloca a uno en una posición totalmente nueva y diferente! . . . Se puede bailar con la música secular, pero no se puede bailar con el Todopoderoso".

Sin duda, Ellington era sincero en estos conciertos y en sus creencias religiosas.  La brecha entre lo sagrado y lo profano es delgada en el mundo de Ellington.  Hay piezas interpretadas que no eran especialmente sagradas. 'West Indian Pancake', en aquella época, era una característica de Paul Gonsalves y la interpreta con energía y ese tono nebuloso único. La Plus Belle Africaine', interpretada al final del concierto, es simplemente una de las grandes composiciones de los últimos años de Ellington.  Estrenada apenas tres semanas antes, se remonta a las raíces africanas y mira hacia adelante, hacia una especie de música del mundo. La pieza, al mismo tiempo, es escasa, rica, sencilla, contenida y a la vez feroz.

El concierto comienza con "New World A 'Comin'", que Ellington compuso en la década de 1940.  Es una pieza meditativa interpretada sólo por Ellington.  Come Sunday' es una versión no vocal en la que participan Johnny Hodges y Cootie Williams.  Cat Anderson aparece en 'Light', una pieza que también fue tomada de 'Black Brown and Beige'.

Come Easter' es una pieza lenta; fue compuesta para esta ocasión y nunca se volvió a tocar. Hay breves solos de Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney y Paul Gonsalves. Tell Me It's The Truth' es en gran parte una característica de la banda con solos de Johnny Hodges y Lawrence Brown.

In The Beginning God' es la pieza más larga del concierto y cuenta con el majestuoso barítono de Harry Carney y los cantantes.

En esta época, la banda de Ellington era especialmente fuerte y la grabación muestra su potencia y sutileza.  La magnífica sección de saxofones está especialmente bien representada.

Una vez más, hay que dar las gracias a Bjarne Busk de Storyville Records por haber desenterrado este trozo único de Ellingtonia.
https://www.jazzviews.net/duke-ellington---in-coventry-1966.html

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Chris Barber • BBC Broadcasts 1961-1962

 

Brian Setzer • The Boogie Night

 

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