Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Skeeter Best was born Clifton Best was born on November 20, 1914 in Kinston, North Carolina. From 1935 to 1940 he played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940, he joined the Earl Hines Orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942.
After his Naval discharge, he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with Oscar Pettiford in 1951 and 1952, forming his own trio in during the decade. He did a critically acclaimed session with Ray Charles and Milt Jackson in 1957 called Soul Brothers.
In 1958, he recorded with Mercer Ellington and taught in New York City. He also recorded with Harry Belafonte, Etta Jones, Nellie Lutcher, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Paul Quinichette, Jimmy Rushing, Sonny Stitt, Charles Thompson, and Lucky Thompson.
From 1959 to 1980 he recorded twenty-six albums as a sideman with Eugenie Baird, Aretha Franklin, Bennie Green & Paul Quinichette, Lionel Hampton, Erskine Hawkins, Earl Hines, Marva Josie, Mahalia Jackson, Milt Jackson, Ray Charles, Etta Jones, Frankie Laine, Buck Clayton, Ellis Larkins, Howard McGhee, The Modern Jazz Sextet, Mel Powell, Ike Quebec, Freddie Roach, Jimmy Rushing, Charles Thompson, Lucky Thompson, Cootie Williams. Guitarist Skeeter Best passed away on May 27, 1985, New York City.
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The pandemic has given me time to indulge in listening to a variety of music but for this post, Soul Finger is the album I’ve chosen for this week’s edition of The Quarantined Jazz Voyager. The album was recorded by drummer Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers recorded on May 12 & 13, 1965 in New York City and its original release date was in August of the same year on the Limelight label. The sessions were produced by Jack Tracy.
On the 2009 CD edition, Gary Bartz, whose recording debut this was, was left off the credits – he is the alto saxophonist for 5 of the 6 cuts. Lucky Thompson is only on one cut, playing soprano saxophone on Spot Session with the quartet of Blakey, John Hicks, and Victor Sproles.
A sixth cut from the Bartz sessions was used on the later Hold On, I’m Coming album. This recording was trumpeter Lee Morgan’s last recording with Art Blakey after a seven-year association; Freddie Hubbard would return to tour with Blakey’s group again in the 1980s.
Track Listing | 36:42
- Soul Finger (Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan) ~ 3:17
- Buh’s Bossa (Morgan) ~ 5:33
- Spot Session (Lucky Thompson) ~ 7:21
- Freedom Monday (Art Blakey) ~ 6:15
- A Quiet Thing (Fred Ebb, John Kander) ~ 6:56
- The Hub (Hubbard) ~ 7:20
- Art Blakey ~ drums
- Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan ~ trumpet (except on “Spot Session”)
- Gary Bartz – alto saxophone (except on “Spot Session”)
- Lucky Thompson – soprano sax (on “Spot Session”)
- John Hicks – piano
- Victor Sproles – bass
As you listen I hope you enjoy this great addition to the jazz catalog. Continue your vigilance of social distancing, wear your masks, and stay healthy. During this sabbatical from flying and investigating jazz around the globe, this Quarantined Jazz Voyager is looking forward to listening to this lineup of talented musicians and enjoy the listen and know that the world and I will be back.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Keg Johnson was born Frederic Homer Johnson on November 19, 1908 in Dallas, Texas. His father was a choir director and he and his younger brother, Budd began their musical careers singing and playing first with their father and later with Portia Pittman, daughter of Booker T. Washington. They played in Dallas-area bands like the Blue Moon Chasers, then with Ben Smith’s Music Makers, eventually performing with Gene Coy and The Happy Black Aces.
Playing a variety of instruments but most noted as a trombonist, around 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri they played in several bands but by 1930 Keg left for Chicago, Illinois to play with Louis Armstrong, recording his first solo on Armstrong’s Basin Street Blues album. His move to New York City in 1933 Keg played with Fletcher Henderson, Benny Carter, and Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club, remaining with Cab for 15 years.
Leaving New York City for Los Angeles, California he briefly changed careers renovating houses. During the 1950s he returned to New York City where he and his brother reunited and recorded the album Let’s Swing. In 1961, he began playing with Ray Charles and was still in his band when trombonist Keg Johnson passed away in Chicago on November 8, 1967.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Victor Sproles was born on November 18, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. During worked in the 1950s with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan and appears on the Sun Ra recordings Super-Sonic Jazz, Sound of Joy and Deep Purple.
>As a session player he recorded with Stan Getz and Chet Baker on the 1957 Verve album Stan Meets Chet. In 1960 he joined Johnny Griffin’s Big Soul Band and the following year he played in Muhal Richard Abrams’ Experimental Band.
1964 saw him joining Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, recording the album ‘SMake It for Limelight, Lee Morgan and his old Sun Ra bandmate John Gilmore were in the group. He recorded two more albums with the Messengers after Gilmore left. This led to his subsequent appearance on Morgan’s Blue Note albums The Rumproller and The Sixth Sense.
In 1974 he played in Clark Terry’s big band and appeared on Buddy DeFranco’s album Free Fall. He recorded sixteen albums as a leader and another fifteen as a sideman. Bassist Victor Sproles passed away on May 13, 2005.
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Three Wishes
Baby Laurence responded to the Baroness’ question of this wishes with these answers:
- “That show business~not Negro or white show business, but show business~would come back like it used to be.”
- “That the American people would have a better appreciation of art.”
- “That pretty soon again, you won’t see a presentation show without a jazz tap dancer.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter
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