Reviews (1)

The last Legend of jazz left us,July 12,2003.So long,Benny!
Benny Carter was more than a musician.Benny was a monument.A landmark in the history of Art during the 20th century.One of the most precious treasures the world had.But now,he's gone.Death took him on Saturday night,July 12,2003;a few weeks later,he would have celebrated his 96th birthday.Just like Compay Segundo,who died the same night at the same age.
Born Lester Bennett Carter,in New York City,August 8,1907,this man happened to become one of the major jazz artists of all times.He played,with the same talent,alto saxophone,clarinet,trumpet,and piano.But he wasn't only an intrumentist: he also became one of the top writers and arrangers of jazz.He knew and played with everybody: Earl Hines,James P.Johnson,Duke Ellington,Chick Webb,Don Redman,Fletcher Henderson,Teddy Hill,Benny Goodman,Django Reinhardt,Coleman Hawkins,Ben Webster,Barney Bigard,Bill Coleman,Dizzy Gillespie,Max Roach,Don Byas,Dexter Gordon,JJ Johnson,Shorty Rogers,Charlie Rouse,Herb Geller,Clark Terry,Quincy Jones,etc, and wrote masterful pieces for the Count Basie band("Kansas City suite",1960,and "The legend",1961).
Today,he would be called a star;but he was just a simple man,very gentle,handsome and humorous.I had the privilege to meet him in Paris,in 1990 or 1991 (if I remember well);he was playing with a band including Jay McShann (also 96 and still alive),Sahib Shihab,Clark Terry,Mel Lewis,and Jimmy Woode,who introduced me to these guys.I'll always remember this night.I had to drive Jimmy from the airport to the concert hall,then from the hall to the restaurant,then to his hotel;I had a small car at this time,and Jimmy wasn't too big,but his bass was !
Tonight,I chose this record as a tribute to Benny's music;maybe because to me,here is one of his finest.Completely devoted to the music of the 20's,Benny plays alto sax and trumpet,with one of the most wonderful rhythm section you can dream of.But can I really say "rhythm section" when the guy who plays piano is Earl Hines (1904-1983) ? No.I'd rather have to write about two of the most fantastic soloists of all times,Carter and Hines,backed by an extraordinary rhythmic support made of Leroy Vinnegar on bass and theexceptionnal Shelly Manne on drums.Recorded November 2,1958,the music in this album seems as young as it was,fourty five years ago.Manne and Vinnegar do some of the finest support that ever was;Hines,of course,was at this time,and since the mid-twenties,the craziest piano player in the history of jazz;he even amazes me more than Monk or Tatum.Here is the most impressive piano player of all times,and gee,he really swings like noone ever did.
Benny's alto is one of the three greatest ones,with Johnny Hodges and Charlie Parker.Benny's trumpet playing is marvelous,and it's a pity he never recorded more on this instrument,because he really was one of the most original blower;sometimes,he reminds me of another Master,Doc Cheatham (1905-1997).How joyful it is to hear Benny performing James P.Johnson's "if I could be with you"(definitly one of the most beautiful melodies ever written),Hines'"Monday date",Gershwin's "someone to watch over me",and old standards like "thou swell","my blue heaven","who's sorry now","all alone" or the gigantic "sweet Lorraine"(what a sublime melody too!).
When I heard about Benny Carter's death on Sunday,that was the first record I played.Here is a highlight from the Contemporary catalog,and a highlight in Benny's immense recorded works.The presence of Earl Hines (listen to him on "sweet Lorraine") makes a monument of this masterpiece,and it's a very very rare opportunity to listen to him as a sideman.Here is a record I'll treasure forever.
During the roaring twenties,Benny was already a professionnal musician;his career lasted for some 82 years!!! If you don't know his music,and you're a jazz addict,please don't miss him,it would be as dramatic as missing Trane,Duke,Monk,Lester,Billie or Louis.

Bye bye Benny,and thanks a million. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Further to...
This is clearly a forgotten corner of the Amazon.com catalogue; in the last year nobody has enlightened us on this subject. I may be in a position to do so myself, and with some apologies for my earlier disparaging comments. Based on the track listing of a CD featuring Sonny Terry, with Woodie Guthrie and Cisco Houston, and based on an imaginative assumption of Houston's singing under presumably extremely primitive conditions, it seems that he may be the singer I maligned. Sincere apologies, then, but still no upgrade on the rating on account of the minimal sleeve notes, non-existent performer credits/recording details, and truly excrable sound. [The CD reviewed has the same title and track listing, but different cover. Legacy International CD 368]

... and who else?
First of all, I quite agree with "James". The tracks featuring Sonny and Brownie (I can't tell if the balance of the disc even involves them) are as lovely as you would expect, and quite decently reproduced. The remaining tracks are dreadfully recorded and poorly selected (the over-riding criterion seeming to be reference to chain gangs). Listening sequentially leads one to incredulous laughter shortly followed by anger and boredom. That said, I would be very interested to know who the mystery voice is (not that he can sing), and the provenance of the recorded songs - genuine country blues, if a little monothematic. And so we come to the final gripe with this CD - the sleevenotes are worthless in the extreme. Is this really a Smithsonian recording??? If so, please let's have some more info.

A Real Mishmash -- Look Elsewhere
The CD starts out great. Tracks 1-7 are Brownie & Sonny at their finest. Then, beginning with Track 8, it devloves into an incomprehensible, badly produced collection of recordings that sound like they were taped in someone's living room. I suppose it might be worth the price for 7 great songs, but otherwise I would recommend you look elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Blues Smorgasbord
In just under an hour this disc takes you on a brief history tour of the blues. Some of these songs are classics, like Blind Willie Johnson's plaintive "Motherless Children" and Robert Johnson's haunting "Cross Road Blues." Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie's original 1929 "When the Levee Breaks" gives you a chance to hear what the song sounded like before Led Zeppelin rewrote it forty years later. Muddy Water's powerful reworking of his "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll" is from his Johnny Winter-produced album Hard Again. Winter's supercharged live version of "Johnny B. Goode" is a smoking take on the Chuck Berry classic--but when was this considered blues? This is immediately followed by Blind Willie McTell's 1931 acoustic blues "Southern Can Is Mine." And it's sequencing like this that emphasizes the scattershot approach of this album. One minute you're listening to the powerful singing of Bessie Smith, next it's Brownie McGhee's country blues "Key to the Highway," followed by the horn-driven Electric Flag's take on Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" with some excellent guitar playing by Michael Bloomfield. Even Tony Russell's brief liner notes fail to make any real direct connection between all of these songs other than some vague concept that everyone at some point has the blues. The album comes full circle with Keb Mo's wonderful Robert Johnson-influenced "Am I Wrong." Most serious blues fans will already have much of this music in their collection. If you're a novice fan, it's hard to argue with the quality of the songs contained on this disc. (Just don't base your entire blues library on this one disc!) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Flawed, but Fun.
Of the four discs in this series, this one is my favorite. Appreciation starts with understanding what it is, a collection of recordings from the archives of Bluebird Records. Some of these artists and their recordings were very influential on subsequent blues and rock artists, some are just fun, and others will only interest hard core fans who simply have to hear everything. The flaw usually cited for most of the Bluebird sides is that the art of the African-American musicians was "filtered" through the sensibilities of a white man, Lester Melrose. Therefore, the criticism goes, these recordings are less authentic than some on other labels, especially those made after WWII. Still, there's some great stuff here, all nicely remastered. It's worth buying just for Memphis Minny's "I'm Selling My Porkchops, but I'm Giving My Gravy Away." Other highlights include Sonny Boy Williamson's "Good Morning Little School Girl," Tommy McClennan's "Bottle It Up and Go," Jazz Gillum's "Key to the Highway," and Pine Top Spark's "Every Day I Have the Blues."

Do these four discs, collectively entitled "When the Sun Goes Down" really represent, as the subtitle goes, "The Secret History of Rock and Roll"? I don't know, maybe. They certainly are milestones along that road. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent--and "The Courtship" is fantastic
This is an excellent album. The two giants really listen to each other and complement each other. The group achieves a real chemistry together. The playing and material are all first rate. To my ears, "The Courtship" is one of those rare recorded performances where magic invades the room and leads to something truly memorable. To me, such recording magic occurs very rarely and is to be cherished. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anytime Jimmy Rushing stepped to the microphone, he seemed absolutely able to overwhelm with a booming blues shout. Instead, he'd notch it back a bit, still grabbing a lyric but giving it a hug along with a shoving shout. On the 12 tracks on Every Day (and the 12 on a companion CD, Oh Love), Rushing fronts all-star, midsize bands and barrels away on the vocals splendidly. John Hammond produced these sessions in 1956 and '58, giving the band lots of room to solo--with trombonist Lawrence Brown and tenor saxist Buddy Tate standing out spectacularly--and focusing Rushing on some classic blues. "See See Rider" is stunning, and "Sent for You Yesterday" has an unhurried, freewheeling flow that the band digs deeply. This Kansas City-spurred band revels in Count Basie's often relaxed, punching swing, and Rushing bellows up front with such assurance that these count among his best sessions on record. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Rushing in top form
In my view, Rushing was, along with Satchmo, the best male singer of the jazz era; the counterpart to Billie Holiday. This disc and its companion, Oh Love, are the best Rushing records. Not only is his voice sublime, but he is well featured by clear and haunting production that "feels" so real you can picture the band performing in a smoky club. Rushing remains one of the underappreciated gems of jazz. If you are not familiar with him, start here.

Essential Jimmy Rushing Vanguard material...
This CD Jimmy Rushing & Friends contains 12 of the 24 songs Rushing recorded for Vanguard Records during the mid to late 50's, for 3 generally excellent LP's. half of those sessions are here and the other half is on Jimmy Rushing & Friends "Oh Love," which is also in print. This CD's highlights include "Sent For You Yesturday," "Evinin'," and the excellent "See See Rider" the best version since the classic Ma Rainey version. Also there are some fine jazzmen here including pianist great Pete Johnson, all musicians are given plenty of solo space. These Vanguard sides may very well be the highlight of his career, however he rarely ever did anything wrong. Both CD's are highly recommended and go hand in hand. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

See 'em live if you can. But if you can't, buy this CD.
I saw them in a tiny theater in southeast Kentucky. Don't ask why, just the luck of the draw. Their playing wasn't a performance. It was a celebration of music they live and breathe and love. They also clearly have a commanding respect and affection for one another. Each one anticipates the other without feeling rehearsed, just locked into the other's heart.

Does this CD relive their live presence? Sadly, I'm not sure any recording can. How could you see the sly smile John Cephas flashes Phil Wiggins after he blasts a particularly hot harmonica solo? Well, you can't. But you do get all the notes played here. And that's something. ... Read more

Album Description

More Rockin' 50's saxophone from the vaults of roulette and its sister companies, featuring many of the greatestexponent's of Mr. Adolphe Sax instrument ever honk on wax. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

He really does wail!
This generous compilation (over 70 minutes of music) offers a greatopportunity to hear Flip Phillips outside of the usual endless cycle ofJATP concerts and superstar sessions.He was what I would characterize asa second-string bopper----came up with Herman's First Herd, not aswell-known or original as Getz or Parker, but a solid, talented craftsman. In fact, it's a good thing that CD's aren't supposed to wear out, becauseI've played this one obssessively.Good stuff. ... Read more