Rather than provide Glide’s usual detailed reviews of these never-before-released and/or reissued jazz recordings, we will instead provide a brief summary of each in alphabetical order by artist. All six come courtesy of Zev Feldman, AKA “The Jazz Detective” including his newly stamped Jazz Detective along with the usual Resonance, Reel to Real, and Elemental. Feldman consistently packages these with terrific booklets, stock full of terrific liner notes, historic photos, and remembrances from those who played or just admired the musicians. Three owe to sessions at Baltimore’s Left Bank Ballroom. Although we don’t have the breadth of 2022, these choice recordings are well worth your while. THEY ARE ALL LIMITED PRESSINGS.
NEW DISCOVERIES
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Artist – Chet Baker
Album – The Blue Room – The 1979 Vara Studio Sessions in Holland
Label – Jazz Detective/Elemental Music (Produced by Zev Feldman and Frank Jochemsen)
Overview – This set includes the two performances recorded by Dutch Radio as listed below. Most will associate Chet Baker’s prime with the ‘50s as first a member of Gerry Mulligan’s quartet and then as a band leader who reached pop audiences as a vocalist with most of his recordings on Pacific Jazz. He had numerous career setbacks in the ‘60s but regained form in the ‘70s and ‘80s via live performances and recordings in Europe. He sounds great in these sessions, especially his warm trumpet tone in the lower registers, which one would likely mistake for a flugelhorn, due to its rich depth. The relaxed tone and use of space are essential to the overall sound. Like most of Baker’s sessions, he plays extended versions (The title track for example is 16 minutes) of standards, favoring ballads but does include a Wayne Shorter tune (“Beautiful Black Eyes’) and two from Miles Davis (“Down” and Nardis’) in this set. Baker sings on three selections – “The Best Thing For You” and “Down” (Disc One) and “My Ideal” (Disc Two). As mentioned with last year’s Baker RSD Set, Live in Paris, Paris-based journalist Mike Zwerin summed it up perfectly – “Appreciating late Chet Baker was mostly a European habit. Americans considered him ‘history’.” Those who love late-night romantic jazz will savor these pristine tracks although some will wish that there were more vocal tracks as Baker had a one-of-a-kind vocal style.
Location and Date Recorded – By Dutch Radio KRO-NCRV in Hilversum, the Netherlands April 10 and November 9, 1979
Personnel – April 10 – Chet Baker (trumpet and vocals), Phil Markowitz piano), Jean-Louis Rassinfosse (bass), Charles Rice (drums) – This group appears on both Discs.
November 9 – Chet Baker (trumpet and vocals), Frans Elsen (piano), Victor Kaihatu (bass), Eric Ineke (drums) on four of the six on Disc Two
Most Impressive Accompanist – Pianist Markowitz who graces seven of the ten tracks.
Must Hear Tracks –. Disc One picks – “Beautiful Black Eyes,” “The Best Thing For You” Disc Two picks – “Blue Gilles,” “Old Devil Moon”
Available Formats and Dates– 2-LP (4-22), 2-CD and digital (4/28)
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Artist – Walter Bishop Jr.
Album – Bish at the Bank/Live in Baltimore
Label -Reel to Real (Produced by Cory Weeds and Zev Feldman)
Overview – Pianist Walter Bishop Jr. was one of the hard boppers with a strong association with the late Jimmy Heath, yet post-1966 unfortunately flew under the radar but remains influential to generations of pianists. If you were to listen to Emmet Cohen, to cite just one, you’ll hear echoes of Bishop. This is another hard bop set of swingers and ballads, mostly standards that fits right in with other Weeds/Feldman offering as last year’s set from Roy Brooks, Understanding, and 2021’s George Coleman Quintet in Baltimore. Bishop Jr.’s quartet is intact across both discs, buoyed on the second disc by an amazingly enthusiastic Left Bank audience, delivering a fiery, explosive performance.
Location and Date Recorded – (Disc One) Madison Club, Baltimore on August 28,1966 and (Disc Two) the Famous Ballroom, Baltimore on February 26, 1967
Personnel – Walter Bishop Jr. (piano), Harold Vick (tenor, soprano, flute), Lou McIntosh (bass), Dick Berk (drums)
Most Impressive Accompanist – Harold Vick doesn’t get nearly enough notoriety, but his talents are on full display here.
Must Hear Tracks – “Days of Wine and Roses” (a favorite of Heath’s) on Disc One and “Willow Weep for Me” on Disc Two
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP and 2-CD (4-21), and digital (4/28) – 3000 copies
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Artist – Bill Evans
Album(s) – Treasures – Solo, Trio and Orchestra Recordings from Denmark (1965-1969)
Label – Elemental (Produced by Zev Feldman)
Overview – This marks the tenth Bill Evans project for Feldman, and it presents new offerings of orchestra and solo recordings, not to mention his great performances with four different trios. After all, Bill Evans practically defines the piano which has grown to be a whole sub-genre of jazz. Before Evans, the accompanists provided only subtle support, but he changed that dynamic by giving each member a distinctive voice and encouraging spirited interplay. The 3-LP layout lEists as follows: LP 1 Bill Evans Trio with NHOP in live performance, LP2 – Bill Evans Solo and Orchestra, LP3 – Bill Evans Trio (all w/ Eddie Gomez, drummer either Morrell or Riel). The 2-CD set features the NHOP Trio and the Orchestra on Disc One while solo and Gomez trios are on Disc Two. Evans scholar Marc Myers states this so succinctly – “On this set, we hear Evans in 1965, 1966, and 1969 in different locations in Denmark, with varied ensembles that feature a range of superb sidemen. The joy of this set is that it offers us every type of performance configuration during an ambitious and poetic phase of his career…All document Evans’s steady ascent as a premier global jazz figure.”
Location and Date Recorded – Trio and Orchestra (Disc One) – Copenhagen -October 31, 1965, Slotmarksskolen, Holbaek November 28, 1965, Copenhagen, November 1969, Solo and Trio (Disc Two) – Danmarks Radio, Copenhagen late November 1965, Danmarks Radio, Copenhagen late October 1966, and Stakladen, Aarhus, Denmark November 21,1969
Collective Personnel ––Bill Evans (piano), Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (NHOP) (bass), Alan Dawson (drums), Alex Riel (drums), Eddie Gomez (bass), Marty Morrell (drums), The Royal Symphony Orchestra & the Danish Radio Big Band
Most Impressive Accompanist(s) – Gomez and Morrell have long been acknowledged as Evans’ best trio mates but Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen is always interesting too.
Must Hear Tracks – Admittedly we’ve heard “Waltz for Debbie, “Nardis,” and “Some Day My Prince Will Come” on other sets such as last year’s Morning Glory and Inner Spirit but this is again proof that no two renditions are ever exactly alike. On this set listen to “Waltz for Debbie” with the NHOP Trio and then with the full orchestra. Likewise, listen to his original “Time Remembered” solo and then with the Gomez-Riel Trio. And,” Who Can I Turn To?” features a strong NHOP solo.
Available Formats and Dates – 3-LP (4/22), 2-CD and Digital (4/28)
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Artist – Shirley Scott
Album – Queen Talks Live at the Left Bank
Label – Reel to Real (Produced by Cory Weeds and Zev Feldman)
Overview – The classic jazz organ trio began in Philadelphia and Shirley Scott, “Queen of the Hammond B3” was a pioneer of the sound, having begun in the ‘50s. This is one performance of two volcanic sets at The Famous Ballroom and depicts the versatility of this trio that did plenty more than the expected blues and shuffles. They begin with a massively up-tempo take on John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” cover recent pop hits at the time such as “Never Can Say Goodbye” and “By The Time I Get to Phoenix,” render jazz standards, and bring on vocalist Ernie Andrews for an expanded narrative of Jim Croce’s current hit at the time, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim.” George Coleman and drummer Bobby Durham are electric throughout the set and Scott’s organ playing is over the top with her pianistic approach, her walking bass lines, her block chords, and ability to stretch out in creative, intense solos. This is a must-have for fans of jazz organ and of George Coleman, to say the least.
Location and Date Recorded – The Famous Ballroom, Baltimore on August 20, 1972
Personnel – Shirley Scott – Hammond B3, George Coleman (tenor), Bobby Durham (drums), Ernie Andrews (voice)
Most Impressive Accompanist(s) – George Coleman and Bobby Durham are both on fire throughout.
Must Hear Tracks – “Impressions” with top solos from each member, “Blues By Five” for a great Scott solo, and “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” to hear the best of the three vocal performances from Ernie Andrews
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP and 2-CD (4-21), and digital (4/28) – 3000 copies ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Artist – Sonny Stitt
Album – Boppin in Baltimore – Live at the Left Bank
Label – Jazz Detective/Reel to Real
Overview – As saxophone giant Charles McPherson put it: “Sonny Stitt scared people. [Drummer] Roy Haynes said that he seemed to be the only guy that Charlie Parker would be nervous around.” No doubt that Stitt and McPherson are the two altoists long regarded as picking up Bird’s mantle of carrying the torch for bebop. Supported by a first-call group of musicians who are legends as well, Stitt is in peak form on this set, playing both alto and tenor (although the notes incorrectly list only an alto) of one combustible evening at The Famous Ballroom. The set comprises extended Stitt originals based on 12-bar blues and standards. Some are tunes Parker did such as “Lover Man” and “Star Eyes,” performing most of these standards on alto except for “Stella by Starlight” on tenor as are his three lengthy blues tracks. As McPherson also said when describing Stitt, “Everything about him was fast. He talked fast. He talked like he played. Very brisk and fast and a little short.” And later, “To be as good as Sonny Stitt, you really damn near have to be as good as Charlie Parker really.” You will attest to that when hearing these tracks.
Location and Date Recorded – Famous Ballroom, Baltimore on November 11, 1973
Personnel – Sonny Stitt (alto. tenor), Kenny Barron (piano), Louis Hayes (drums), Sam Jones (bass)
Most Impressive Accompanist(s) – Honestly, we’d be splitting hairs here. All three are legends – Barron, Hayes, and Jones.
Must Hear Tracks – To gain an appreciation for Stitt’s fluidity on both horns, check the lengthy opener on tenor “Baltimore Blues” and then listen to his Bird-like feel for ballads in any of the standards such as “Lover Man.”
Available Formats and Dates – 2-LP and 2-CD set (4/21), Digital (4/21) 2500 copies
Given that three of these offerings are from Baltimore in the heyday of the Left Bank Jazz Society, this seems appropriate. John Fowler, who worked on Left Bank’s concert promotions from the organization’s inception in 1964, notes the affection the players had for their Baltimore hosts: elaborates: “After a while, it became the place to play. In the 50 years that we were in existence, no musician ever left Baltimore without their money, which I understand is unheard of. Once word got out that you can go to Baltimore, have a good time, get fed, and get free drinks — and you’re going to get your money, it came a flood. Everybody wanted to play.”
REISSUES
Artist – Eric Dolphy
Album – Musical Prophet – The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions
Label – Resonance
Location and Date Recorded – July 1 &3, 1963 at Music Maker’s Studio and NYC and bonus track at WUOM, Ann Arbor, MI on March 2, 1964
Overview – This has the complete tracks from long out-of-print Conversations and Iron Man as well as bonus tracks and outtakes. The albums were originally produced by Alan Douglas, best known for his association with Jimi Hendrix but also for his work on classic jazz albums from Mingus, Ellington, and Roach. All tracks are monaural, The album won the 2019 NPR Jazz Critics Poll. This is a “must have” for fans of Dolphy who had limited output as a leader.
Personnel –Eric Dolphy (alto sax, flute, bass clarinet), William “Prince” Lasha (flute), Huey “Sonny” Simmons (alto), Clifford Jordan (soprano), Woody Shaw (trumpet), Garvin Bushell (bassoon), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Richard Davis (bass), Eddie Kahn (bass), J.C. Moses (drums), Charles Moffett (drums)
Most Impressive Supporting Musicians – This is impossible to pick any one of these legendary players – Clifford Jordan, Sonny Simmons, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, and Richard Davis
Must Hear Tracks – These are the prominent ones featuring those listed above – “Iron Man,” Music Matador,” “Mandrake,” and “Burning Spear” but suggest you not miss “Jitterbug Waltz” and “Come Sunday” as well.
Available Formats and Dates – 3-LP (4/22)
