Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Harry Lim was born on February 23, 1919 in Batavia, Jakarta, Indonesia. He grew up in the Netherlands where he became very fond of jazz, moving to the U.S. in 1939. After working as a freelance record producer, he was the Keystone label’s jazz producer from 1943-46, putting together scores of classic sessions. His emphasis was on small-group jazz that ranged from Dixieland to bop but mostly focused on top swing all-stars.

Although he was a lifelong fan of jazz, he was primarily active in jazz during two different periods. The quality of the music under Harry’s guidance was very high but unfortunately, however, in 1946 John Hammond replaced him and Keynote subsequently declined and became defunct. Lim had his own short-lived HL label in 1949, produced a few obscure sessions for Seeco, and tried reviving Keynote in 1955, but ended up working at Sam Goody’s New York record store from 1956-73.

During his years at Keystone he was able to produce sessions by Count Basie, Roy Eldridge, Cozy Cole, Barney Bigard, George Barnes, Paul Gonsalves, Bud Freeman, Ann Hathaway, Coleman Hawkins, J.C. Heard, Neal Hefti, Earl Hines, Milt Hinton, Chubby Jackson, Ted Nash, Jonah Jones, Paul Robeson, Red Rodney, Charlie Shavers, Wilie Smith, Rex Stewart, Juan Tizol, Dinah Washington, Lennie Tristano, George Wetting, Lester Young, and the list just goes on.

Harry didn’t return to producing until 1972 when he formed the Famous Door label, a top mainstream record company that recorded a variety of valuable and now hard-to-find sessions with Bill Watrous, Red Norvo, Zoot Sims, and others up until his death.

Record producer Harry Lim passed away on July 27, 1990 in New York City. He was most active on the jazz scene between 1940s to through the 1950s, and happily was still living when Polygram reissued all of the Keynote jazz sessions on a huge LP box set in 1986.

Dose A Day – Blues Away

More Posts: record producer

Review: Alex Lattimore | Live

The recorded session has historically been the medium for the listener to fashion a personal venue to partake of an artist’s talent, be it vinyl, cassette or compact disc. But with a live date there is something magical that occurs, and in that space when the artist and the audience connect, an ephemeral relationship is generated. The ordinary becomes exceptional and we remember and carry with us the emotion of the experience. This is just such the case with vocalist Alex Lattimore.

He humbly flaunts a timbre and ease of delivery reminiscent of the spirits of Jon Lucien and Terry Callier, bringing to the fore a small peek into the volume of his talent. With this outing’s arrangements we are privy to two original tunes and also two classic compositions that are songbook standards. His ability to scat is defined right out the gate on Heaven’s Design and justly so closes it out with a winsome whistle that is seldom heard, thus refreshing. Paying homage to Steveland Morris’ My Cherie Amour is a monumental undertaking that he accomplishes with a joie de vivre evident in his inimitable style.

Witnessing a hush fall over the audience exhibits his tenderness with the lyric in his rendition of the Johnny Mercer/Hoagy Carmichael classic Skylark. Alex graciously saves the best for last leaving the audience feeling good and a part of something greater than the individual with Sunlight In My Rain.

But let us be mindful and with the utmost respect to Mr. Lattimore, no man is an island. Understanding that is why he enlisted an exceptional rhythm section comprised of pianist Tyrone Jackson, bassist Brandon Boone, with Henry Conerway and Robert Boone holding down the drum kit. They skillfully apply nuance, reflection and exuberance where and when best needed, griots in their own right. As pleasant an outing as this has been, this band of musicians left the audience wanting more, and thus, we await in anticipation of new treasures that will spring forth.

carl anthony | notorious jazz | february 22, 2016

Give A Gift Of Jazz ~ Share

    #preserving genius

More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,review,vocal

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Harvey William Mason was born on February 22, 1947 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He began taking formal drum lessons at the age of seven, playing in various school bands and ultimately buying his first drum kit at 16. He went on to attend Berklee College of Music then on to and graduate from the New England Conservatory of Music.

While in Boston, Harvey worked at Triple A Studios recording everything from jingles to religious albums, molding him into a versatile first-call session musician. Early gigs included four months with Erroll Garner in 1970 and a year with George Shearing from 1970-1971. Soon after leaving Shearing he moved to Los Angeles, California and quickly became established in the studios and working in films and television.

In addition to his work through the years with Minnie Riperton, The Sylvers, Earth, Wind & Fire and Carlos Santana, Mason has often been part of the jazz world. He played with Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, co-composing the hit Chameleon in 1973, Gerry Mulligan, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Grover Washington, Jr., George Benson, Gary Bartz, Bobbi Humphrey, Ralph MacDonald, Chick Corea, Lee Ritenour, Victor Feldman and Bob James, Gene Harris, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hitcherson and Joe Henderson, among numerous others.

By 1998, Harvey was paying tribute to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in some local Los Angeles club gigs. By the turn of the millennium he was continuing with his steady session work, releasing two albums with Trios and With All My Heart and has since revisited his ’70s Headhunters roots. He is a mainstay in the fusion genre as a member of the group Fourplay along with Chuck Loeb, Nathan East and Bob James, whose success led their debut album to hit and stay at the top of the charts for 34 weeks.

He has worked with Michael Colombier, Michel Legrand, Miles Davis, Dave Grusin, Thom Newman, John Williams, Lalo Schifrin, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Pate and Alan Silvestri on such films as Purple Rain, Dingo, Three Days of the Condor, The Fabulous Baker Boys, On Golden Pond, The Player, The Lion King, Mission Impossible 1,2 & 3, Ratatouille and Dream Girls. In addition he composed the music for the films The Color Purple, Only The Strong and Deadly Takeover.

Multi-Grammy nominated and winning drummer and composer Harvey Mason continues to stretch his musical diversity across four decades and many jazz genres.

Take A Dose On The Road

More Posts: drums

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Warren Vaché, born February 21, 1951 in Rahway, New Jersey came from a musical family. His father was a bassist, author of several jazz books and a critic, while his mother was a secretary at Decca Records. He began playing piano in the third grade but soon switched to trumpet so he could play in the fourth grade band and his father immediately bought him a cornet.

Over the years Warren has looked to Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Bobby Hacket, Fats Navarro, Tom Harrell and Ruby Braff as his sources of inspiration. Throughout high school and while attending Montclair State College he played gigs from dance to weddings and all kinds of receptions.

Part of his formal training by studying under Pee Wee Erwin and continued with him playing in polka, Dixieland, big dance and Broadway pit bands, as well as small jazz groups and large free-wheeling combos.

His first professional job was with the Billy Maxted band in Detroit in 1972. From there he ventured on to play th Broadway production of Mr. Jazz, work with George Wein and finally landing in Benny Goodman’s band. There he played with Hank Jones, Urbie Green, Zoot Sims and Slam Stewart.

He became part of the Condon’s house band, had his debut release, First Time Out on the Monmouth label, but Concord Records gave him his biggest exposure working with Scott Hamilton, John Bunch, Jake Hanna and Cal Collins. He has also worked with Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden.

Swing master cornet, flugelhorn and trumpeter Warren Vaché currently maintains a full schedule of recording, worldwide festivals appearances, Broadway and club dates.

Give The Gift Of Knowledge

More Posts: cornet,flugelhorn,trumpet

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Anthony Davis was born in Paterson, New Jersey on February 20, 1951. He has received acclaim as a free-jazz pianist, having co-leader or been a sideman with various ensembles, playing with Wadada Leo Smith from 1974 to 1977. He has worked with Anthony Braxton, Barry Altshul, Marion Brown, Chico Freeman, Jay Hoggard, Leroy Jenkins, George Lewis, David Murray, to name a few.

In 1981, Davis formed an octet called Episteme, wrote incidental music for the Broadway version of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, and has incorporated into his music jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, non-Western, African, European classical, Indonesian and experimental styles.

Davis is best known for his operas including X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Amistasd, Wakonda’s Dream, and Lilith, all composed between 1986 and 2009 and appeared at the New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera in Chicago, Opera Omaha, and Conrad Prebys Music Center at University of California, San Diego, respectively.

As an educator, he has taught at Yale and Harvard Universities, and is currently professor of music at the University of California, San Diego. In between teaching and performing, pianist and composer Anthony Davis has two orchestral works, seven for stage, and nineteen albums as a leader or co-leader.

Put A Dose In Your Pocket

More Posts: piano