Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bobby Few was born October 21, 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in the Fairfax neighborhood of the city’s East Side. His mother encouraged him to study classical piano, later discovering jazz listening to his father’s Jazz at the Philharmonic records. His father became his first booking agent and soon he was gigging around the greater Cleveland area with other local musicians including Bill Hardman, Bob Cunningham, Cevera Jefferies, and Frank Wright.
Exposed to Tadd Dameron and Benny Bailey as a youth and knew Albert Ayler, with whom he played in high school. As a young man, Bobby gigged with local tenor legend Tony “Big T” Lovano, Joe Lovano’s father. The late 1950s had him relocating to New York City, where he led a trio from 1958 to 1964; there, he met and began working with Brook Benton, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson and Ayler. Playing on several of Ayler’s albums, he also recorded with Alan Silva, Noah Howard, Muhammad Ali, Booker Ervin, and Kali Fasteau.
In 1969 he moved to France and rapidly integrated the expatriate jazz community, working frequently with Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, Steve Lacy, and Rasul Siddik. Since 2001, he has toured internationally with American saxophonist Avram Fefer, with whom he recorded four critically acclaimed CDs. He plays extensively around Europe and continues to make regular trips back to the United States. Recently, Few has played with saxophonist Charles Gayle and leads his own trio in Paris. He is currently working on a Booker Ervin tribute project called Few’s Blues that features tenor player Tony Lakatos, bassist Reggie Johnson and drummer Doug Sides.
As a leader and co~leader, he recorded eighteen albums and fifty as a sideman. Pianist and vocalist Bobby Few, whose playing style has been described as delicate single-note melodies, roll out lush romantic chords, and rap out explicitly Monkish close-interval clanks, continued to perform and record until he passed away on January 6, 2021 at age 85.
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Three Wishes
Nica was curious as to the response Count Basie would give and his three wishes were:
- “The health of my daughter could be corrected.”
- “I wish I could always be remembered.”
- “I wish everyone could love me as much as I love everyone.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bill Chase was born William Edward Chiaiese in Squantum, Massachusetts on October 20, 1934 His parents changed their name to Chase because they thought Chiaiese was difficult to pronounce. His father played trumpet in the Gillette Marching Band and encouraged his son’s musical interests, which included violin and drums. In his mid-teens, he settled on trumpet and attended his first Stan Kenton concert, which included trumpeters Conte Candoli and Maynard Ferguson.
After high school, he studied classical trumpet at the New England Conservatory but switched to the Schillinger House of Music, now Berklee College of Music. His instructors included Herb Pomeroy and Armando Ghitalla. By 1958 he was playing lead trumpet with Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton in 1959, and Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd during the 1960s.
One of Chase’s charts from this period, Camel Walk, was published in the 1963 Downbeat magazine yearbook. From 1966 to 1970 he freelanced in Las Vegas, Nevada working with Vic Damone and Tommy Vig. 1967 saw him leading a six~piece band at the Dunes and Riviera Hotel where he was featured in the Frederick Apcar lounge production of Vive Les Girls, for which Chase arranged the music.
In 1971 he started a jazz~rock band that mixed pop, rock, blues, and four trumpets. The debut album Chase was released in 1971 where he was joined by Ted Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, three jazz trumpeters who were adept at vocals and arranging. The album contains Chase’s most popular song, Get It On, which garnered them a Best New Artist Grammy nomination.
For the next three years, he released two more and was working on a fourth when Chase’s work on a fourth studio album when en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair, trumpeter and bandleader Bill Chase passed away at the age of 39 on August 9, 1974 along with the pilot, co-pilot, keyboardist Wally Yohn, guitarist John Emma, and drummer Walter Clark in the crash of a chartered twin-engine Piper Twin Comanche in Jackson, Minnesota.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Masabumi Kikuchi was born on October 19, 1939 in Tokyo, Japan and lived his early life in World War II and post-war country. He studied piano and music at the Tokyo Art College High School. After graduating, he joined Lionel Hampton’s Japanese touring band.
Known for his eclectic music that ranges from vanguard classical to fusion and digital music. Not only working with Hampton, but he also performed with Sonny Rollins, Woody Herman, Mal Waldron, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Gil Evans, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, Gary Peacock, Paul Motian, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Peterson.
As a leader and co~leader, he recorded twenty-five albums, and as a sideman or member of other groups, he recorded twenty~eight albums. Pianist and composer Masabumi Kikuchi passed away from a subdural hematoma on July 6, 2015 at a hospital in Manhasset, New York.
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Requisites
Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet | By Eddie Carter
It took only two days in 1956 for The Miles Davis Quintet to record four incredible jazz albums that have not only stood the test of time but are considered by many to be perfect examples of Hard-Bop at its best. All four LP’s the ensemble recorded completed Davis’ contractual obligation to Prestige before moving on to Columbia Records where he would make some of the most important music over the next thirty years. The albums are Cookin’, (1957), Workin’ (1959), Steamin’ (1961), and this morning’s title submitted for your approval, Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige PRLP-7129), released in 1958. The personnel is Miles on muted trumpet (tracks: A1 to A3, B1, B2), trumpet (track: B3); John Coltrane on tenor sax; Red Garland on piano; Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The copy used in this report is the 2013 Mono audiophile reissue (APRJ 7129) by Analogue Productions.
The album opens with If I Were a Bell composed by Frank Loesser from the 1950 Broadway musical Guys and Dolls. It became a jazz standard after Miles’ rendition on Relaxin’ and would become a signature song during the quintet’s live performances. The trumpeter comments the band, then several snaps of his fingers bring the tune to life. The quintet begins the medium melody with Miles leading on the muted horn, then continuing on the first solo cruising along at an easy speed. John steps in next for some smooth sailing and Red ends with an exciting performance that swings masterfully ahead of the leader’s closing chorus into the subtle summation.
You’re My Everything is by Harry Warren, Mort Dixon, and Joe Young. This song debuted in the 1931 Broadway show, The Laugh Parade and after two false starts, the quintet opens with a delicately tender intro and melody by Davis moving into an exceptionally gentle presentation showing off Miles’ sentimental side. Coltrane follows, executing his thoughts intimately with refined grace secured by the tasteful richness of the trio into a pensive ending by the leader.
The tempo moves upward for I Could Write A Book by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. This show tune comes from the 1940 Broadway musical Pal Joey. The trio makes a brief introduction before the quintet delivers the medium-fast melody collectively. Miles takes off on the lead solo with some fast blowing that sets the tone. John attacks the next reading with formidable energy and Red climaxes the performances with exhilarating agility before Davis’ theme reprise ends abruptly.
Sonny Rollins’ Oleo was written in 1954 and first recorded on the album, Miles Davis With Sonny Rollins. This jazz classic is one of Rollins’ most recorded compositions and the title comes from the butter substitute, Oleomargarine that was first made in France in 1869.
Side Two begins with two false starts and some studio small talk leading to the leader’s quick intro and fast-paced theme treatment with Trane finishing the melody. Miles rips into the lead solo with an expedient performance. John soars high into the sky on the second solo and Red provides a speedy resolution of the interpretations with sprightly notes ahead of the quintet’s reprise and brisk ending. Paul and Philly provide the propulsive power behind each soloist on Oleo, inspiring them to the next plateau.
Up next is the 1943 popular song, It Could Happen To You by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. This standard has been a favorite for musicians and vocalists for over seventy years. Jo Stafford made the first recording with The Paul Weston Orchestra. The group eases the throttle back for this rendition with Miles establishing the relaxing midtempo framework for the group on the melody. He then goes to work with a sweet-toned delivery that’s pitch-perfect. John follows with a compelling statement as cool as the other side of the pillow and Red delivers a very happy melodic interpretation showing great interaction with Paul and Philly into the quiet coda.
The 1943 jazz standard, Woody‘n You aka Woody ‘n’ You by Dizzy Gillespie was written for bandleader and clarinetist Woody Herman ends the album at an uptempo beat. The song starts with a brief introduction by Garland ahead of the quintet’s lively theme. Miles fuels the lead solo with plenty of fire from his open horn, then Trane delivers an aggressively energized performance of strength and virility. The final statement of the album is split between Miles and Philly who deliver passionate phrases flowing into the reprise and soft fade into emptiness followed by a few final words by Miles.
Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet is part of Analogue Productions’ Prestige Mono Series and the sound quality is crystal clear demonstration class, and spectacular. The mastering is by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio and was cut from Rudy’s original analog masters using two-hundred-gram Virgin Vinyl, pressed by QRP (Quality Record Pressings) and features a deluxe high-gloss laminated album cover. The record is very quiet until the music starts, and what’s great about listening to this reissue are the false starts, and Miles’ comments while talking to Rudy. Their brief conversations transport the listener into the studio, making them part of the event. On a good mid-fi or high-end audio system, the tonal balance between the highs, midrange, and the low end will stand out. There’s inspired playing from each member of the group on every track and Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet is a great album of standards. It’s also a perfect choice to sit back, listen, and enjoy any time of the day, evening, or night!
~ Cookin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige PRLP 7094); It Could Happen To You (Capitol Records 158); Miles Davis With Sonny Rollins (Prestige PRLP 187); Steamin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige PRLP 7200/PRST 7580); Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige PRLP 7166/PRST 7166) – Source: Discogs.com
~ Oleo, It Could Happen To You, Woody’n You – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ If I Were A Bell, You’re My Everything, I Could Write A Book, Oleomargarine – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2020 by Edward Thomas Carter
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