Three Wishes

While hanging out with Larry Gales one evening Nica asked him what he would wish for if given three he said:

1. “Eternal life.”
2. “More knowledge of the instrument.”
3. “Safe journey.”

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Larry Sonn was born in Woodmere on Long Island, New York on January 17, 1919. GraduatING from the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, he began his career with the Southern Symphony Orchestra in Columbia, South Carolina, as first trumpet, but later turned to the popular idioms of jazz and the big band sound.

He soon was playing trumpet and arranging for the top orchestras in the United States which included Glenn Miller, Teddy Powell, Bobby Byrne, Charlie Barnett, Hal McIntyre and Vincent Lopez.

A series of engagements in the early 1940’s took him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and San Antonio, Texas.  An executive from the new Hotel Reforma in Mexico City heard him play and, impressed by his virtuosity, offered Larry an appearance at the hotel’s Ciro’s Night Club. The short-term contract lasted nine years and falling in love with Mexico, the country reciprocated.

Sonn returned to the States in the late-50’s and put together a new orchestra to play jazz and dance music. He gained national exposure on NBC’s Monitor with Al Jazzbo Collins commentating. When Mexico called again he went back and formed one of the foremost big bands in the country. He toured, did radio shows for XEW, Mexico’s largest station, and recorded for RCA Victor, CBS, Cisne, Peerless, Sonart and other labels.

Retiring from music in 1972 he relocated 40 miles south of Mexico City and opened a popular book store specializing in US editions for English-speaking residents and tourists. After several years he retired completely.

Trumpeter, arranger, composer, and bandleader Larry Sonn transitioned in 2015 at 95 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Charles Theodore Straight was born on January 16, 1891 in Chicago, Illinois. He started his career in 1909 at 18 accompanying singer Gene Greene in Vaudeville. In 1916, he began working at the Imperial Piano Roll Company in Chicago, where he recorded dozens of piano rolls.

Becoming a popular bandleader around town during the Jazz Age, his band, the Charley Straight Orchestra, had a long term engagement at the Rendezvous Café from 1922 to 1925 and recorded for Paramount Records and Brunswick Records during the decade.

This period also saw Straight working with Roy Bargy on the latter’s eight Piano Syncopations. Besides working as a pianist or leading an orchestra, he also composed and arranged music, both ragtime and jazz.

Pianist, bandleader and composer Charley Straight transitioned on September 22, 1940 in Chicago after being struck by an automobile while  working as a city sanitary inspector. He was emerging from a manhole in the street.

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Requisites

All Day Long ~ The Prestige All-Stars | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s discussion is about an album I initially discovered as a youngster and have wanted in my library for a long time. All Day Long (Prestige PRLP 7081) is one of three 1957 jam sessions released by The Prestige All-Stars. It was recorded on January 4 and is the companion album to All Night Long, which the group recorded a week earlier. The sextet on this date is an exceptional ensemble of musicians, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Frank Foster on tenor sax, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Arthur Taylor on drums. My copy is the 1979 Prestige Jazz Masterpieces Series Japanese Mono reissue (Prestige SMJ-6604M) by Victor Musical Industries.

The album opens with the title tune, Kenny Burrell’s All Day Long, a laid-back blues occupying the entire first side. Burrell, Watkins, and Taylor provide the foundation in the opening chorus, then Byrd, Foster, and Flanagan enter to complete the melody. Frank gets the solos underway with an inspired performance, and Donald follows with a down-home statement as satisfying as a delicious meal. Kenny takes the following solo with exemplary poise, then Tommy soars effortlessly into the following interpretation. Doug adds a few elaborate ideas to the finale preceding the closing chorus. Slim Jim by Donald Byrd begins Side Two with a Latin-flavored introduction by piano, drums, and the front line. Foster, Byrd, Flanagan, and Burrell cruise comfortably in each solo, leading to the closing theme and dissolution.

Say Listen, also by Donald Byrd, starts with the sextet’s finger-popping theme in unison. Kenny steps up first with an opening solo as smooth as satin. Frank gets into a spirited groove on the second interpretation, then Donald takes over for an incredibly effective reading. Tommy has the last word and makes his point convincingly ahead of the ending theme and conclusion. A.T. by Frank Foster pays homage to Art Taylor, with the ensemble collectively taking flight on a lively melody. Foster takes the lead and gives a scintillating reading; next, Burrell takes a quick romp on the second statement. Byrd takes over for a presentation of aggressive energy, then Flanagan adds fresh fuel to the fire in a short solo. Taylor engages in a brief conversation with his fellow soloists into the sextet’s vigorous close.

Bob Weinstock supervised the initial album, and Rudy Van Gelder was the recording engineer. The sound is superb, and Victor Musical Industries has done a stellar job remastering this reissue. The highs sparkle, the midrange is crisp, and the low end is stunning, transporting the musicians to your listening room with exceptional sound quality. If you’re a Hard-Bop fan, I offer All Day Long by The Prestige All-Stars for your consideration on your next vinyl shopping trip. Like its companion, All Night Long, the two albums complement each other perfectly; either is a title you won’t regret adding to your library

~ All Night Long (Prestige PRLP 7073), Earthy (Prestige PRLP 7102) – Source: Discogs.com
~ © 2023 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Alvin “Buddy” Banks was born on January 15, 1927 in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada and grew up in the United States. He became interested in music during high school, starting out on piano before switching to saxophone. During World War II he joined the United States Army Band as a bass player.

Making his first appearance on record was in Vienna, Austria with Thurmond Young, this group also played live at the Colored Club. He played in Paris, France with Gerry Wiggins in 1950, and then with Bill Coleman in Bern, Switzerland, Le Havre, France and Belgium. After problems with his passport in Switzerland, he left for Paris in 1953, where he recorded often with expatriate American jazz musicians as well as local performers.

These include Hazel Scott, Buck Clayton, Lionel Hampton, Mezz Mezzrow, Don Byas, Albert Nicholas, and André Persiany. He toured with Michel Attenoux and with Sidney Bechet through Western and Central Europe in 1954.

Double bassist Buddy Banks transitioned on August 7, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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