Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Kurt Henkels was born in Solingen, Germany on December 17, 1910. He led jazz and light music ensembles. He conducted radio and television dance bands from the 1930s well into the 1970s.
Unfortunately, little is known or written about his early childhood or his formal education years. Bandleader Kurt Henkels, who made over 250 recordings, passed away on July 12, 1986 in Hamburg, Germany.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Quarantined Jazz Voyager requests that you remain vigilant in maintaining your health as exposure to the variants is on the rise again as society rushes to get to the 2019 party before Covid. Those who have it without masks can spread it, even those who have been vaccinated.
With that said, I am listening to a new young drummer on the rise who has taken the torch and remixed some of the classic jazz compositions by the legendary performers of the 20th century.
Deciphering The Message is the Chicago-based drummer, producer, and beat scientist Makaya McCraven puts a modern bounce on Blue Note classics by a host of artists who recorded on the label. Released on November 19, 2021 on vinyl, CD, and digital download, you can stream the playlist Deciphering The Message: The Originals.
With this project McCraven is an educator making available to his peer audience the opportunity to not only hear what he heard in his remixes but to experience the original compositions. He honors these jazz masters in their tradition while offering a good listen to vibe with.
Track Listing | 42:00
- A Slice Of The Top (aka Sliced Off The Top) ~ 3:13 [from A Slice Of The Top by Hank Mobley]
- Sunset (aka Son Set) ~ 3:49 [from Whistle Stop by Kenny Dorham]
- When Your Lover Has Gone (aka When You’ve Left Your Lover) ~ 2:12 [from A Night In Tunisia by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers]
- Ecaroh (aka Revlis) ~ 2:58 [from Horace Silver Trio by Horace Silver]
- Tranquillity (aka Corner Of The World) ~3:40 [from Components by Bobby Hutcherson]
- Wail Bait (aka Wait Bail) ~ 2:10 [from The Memorial Album by Clifford Brown]
- Coppin’ The Haven (aka At The Haven Coppin’) ~ 2:36 [from One Flight Up by Dexter Gordon]
- Frank’s Tune (aka De’Jeff’s Tune) ~ 3:38 [from Easterly Winds by Jack Wilson]
- Autumn In New York (aka Spring In Chicago) ~ 5:56 [from Blue Lights, Vol.1 by Kenny Burrell]
- Monaco (aka Monte Negro) ~ 2:25 [from ‘Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia by Kenny Dorham]
- Mr. Jin (aka Mr. Gin) ~ 2:58[from Indestructible by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers]
- C.F.D. (aka D.F.C.) ~ 3:18 [from Something Personal by Jack Wilson]
- Black Rhythm Happening ~ 3:35 [from Black Rhythm Happening by Eddie Gale]
- Makaya McCraven ~ Bass, Percussion, Drums
- Joel Ross ~ Vibraphone
- De’Sean Jones ~ Tenor Saxophone, Flute
- Jeff Parker ~ Guitar
- Matt Gold ~ Guitar
- Junius Paul ~ Bass, Percussion
- Marquis Hill ~ Trumpet
- Greg Ward ~ Alto Saxophone
More Posts: adventure,album,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
John Laird Abercrombie was born in Port Chester, New York on December 16, 1944. Growing up in the 1950s in Greenwich, Connecticut he was attracted to the rock and roll of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, and Bill Haley and the Comets. He also liked the sound of jazz guitarist Mickey Baker of the vocal duo Mickey and Silvia. He had two friends who were musicians with a large jazz collection and they listened to albums by Dave Brubeck and Miles Davis.
The first jazz guitar album he heard was by Barney Kessel, and taking guitar lessons at the age of ten, asked his teacher to show him what Kessel was playing. After high school, John went to Berklee College of Music and while there he was drawn to the music of Jim Hall, Sonny Rollins, and Wes Montgomery. He cites George Benson and Pat Martino as inspirations. His playing around Boston, Massachusetts led to his meeting the Brecker Brothers and organist Johnny Hammond Smith, who invited him to go on tour.
From Berklee in 1967 to North Texas State University to a move to New York City in 1969 where he became a popular session musician. He joined the Brecker Brothers in the jazz-rock fusion band Dreams, followed by recordings with Gato Barbieri, Barry Miles, and Gil Evans. He continued to play fusion in Billy Cobham’s band until an invitation from drummer Jack DeJohnette led to the fulfillment of Abercrombie’s desire to play in a jazz-oriented ensemble.
Around the same time, record producer Manfred Eicher, founder and president of ECM Records, invited him to record an album. He recorded his first solo album, Timeless, with DeJohnette and keyboardist Jan Hammer. who had been his roommate in the 1960s. In 1975 he formed the band Gateway with DeJohnette and bassist Dave Holland.
Between 1984 and 1990, Abercrombie experimented with a guitar synthesizer. Free jaz became a mainstay for him in the 1990s and 2000s as he formed many new associations. Drummer Adam Nussbaum, and Hammond organist Jeff Palmer became his trio and made a free-jazz album, then replaced Palmer with organist Dan Wall and released three albums between 1992 and 1997. Adding trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, violinist Mark Feldman and saxophonist Joe Lovano to the trio he recorded Open Land in 1999.).
He continued to tour and record until the end of his life. who recorded 59 as a leader, 4 with Gateway, 6 with Andy LaVerne and 93 as a sideman for the who’s who in jazz. Guitarist John Abercrombie, whose work explored jazz fusion, free jazz, and avant-garde jazz, passed away of heart failure in Cortlandt Manor, New York, at the age of 72 on August 22, 2017.
More Posts: bandleader,composer,guitar,history,instrumental,jazz,music
Hollywood On 52nd Street
Maybe September is a 1965 song composed by Jay Livingston, Ray Evans and Percy Faith that was debuted by Tony Bennett in the 1966 drama The Oscar, a film written by Harlan Ellison, Clarence Greene, Russell Rouse and Richard Sale for Paramount Pictures.
The film was directed by Rouse and starred Stephen Boyd, singer Tony Bennett in his film debut, comedian Milton Berle in a dramatic role, Elke Sommer, Ernest Borgnine, Jill St. John, Eleanor Parker, Joseph Cotten, Edie Adams, Peter Lawford, Broderick Crawford, Ed Begley, Walter Brennan and Jack Soo. Appearing as themselves are Bob Hope, Hedda Hopper, Merle Oberon, Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra.
Despite the film’s impressive cast and crew, the film did not win any Oscars, though Bennett did pick up the Golden Turkey Award for Wrost Performance By A Popular Singer. Jay Livingston, Ray Evans and Percy Faith
The Story
Rising movie star Frankie Fane finds himself in Hollywood but has used and abused everyone around him, especially the two women who have loved him. Becoming box office poison, at his lowest point he unexpectedly receives an Oscar nomination, which his agent Kappy believes is the result of Fane’s portrayal of a man without morals, therefore portraying himself. To help insure a win, he hires a detective to spread sympathy rumors to influence the voters. The moment of truth comes at the Academy Awards, as the presenter announces the winner, stating the name Frank, whereupon Fane rises instantaneously to head to the stage, but then hears Sinatra, leaving him stunned and crestfallen. Clapping his hands weakly, everyone in the assemblage whom he has wronged enjoys the comeuppance for this wholly self-absorbed, unfeeling individual.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Buddy Cole was born Edwin LeMar Cole on December 15, 1916 in Irving, Illinois. He started his musical career in the theater, playing between movies and by age 19 he was recruited to be part of the Gil Evans band.
Moving to Hollywood, California in the second half of the 1930s, Buddy played in dance bands, including those led by Alvino Rey and Frankie Trumbauer. From the 1940s, his main work was as a studio musician, utilizing piano, electric organ, celeste, harpsichord and Novachord.
Cole worked with Henry Mancini, who used his Hammond organ for the soundtrack to the TV series Mr. Lucky. He also played most of the piano parts in the 1951 film Young Man with a Horn, subbing for Hoagy Carmichael, who appeared on screen. He also wrote the music for the television game show Truth or Consequences.
He performed on Bing Crosby’s hits In a Little Spanish Town and Ol’ Man River, and on the albums Some Fine Old Chestnuts and New Tricks. Buddy also played on Rosemary Clooney’s radio program and some recordings from the show were released on the album Swing Around Rosie.
Pianist, organist, orchestra leader, and composer Buddy Cole, who recorded several organ albums as a leader for Warner Brothers, Columbia, Alshi and Doric, passed away on November 5, 1964 in Hollywood, California.
More Posts: bandleader,composer,history,instrumental,jazz,music,organ,piano