Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Sandy Block was born on January 16, 1917 in Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up in Cleveland and Brooklyn, New York he played violin as a child. He picked up the bass in high school and worked professionally in big bands from the late 1930s.
Block worked with Van Alexander, Chick Webb, Alvino Rey, and Tommy Dorsey. He recorded with Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. He played with Charlie Parker on the only television appearance Parker ever made.
After the 1950s Sandy worked extensively as a studio musician, including with folk ensembles such as The Greenbriar Boys. He played with Jimmy McPartland and Johnny Costa, but went into semi-retirement after the 1960s.
Bassist Sandy Block, who was also credited as Sid Block, died on October 1, 1985.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dick Lammi was born on January 15, 1909 in Red Lodge, Montana. Early in his career he played violin and banjo, playing as a banjoist in various dance bands and orchestras in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1920s. Settlling in Portland, Oregon in the early Thirties, and played bass in a group there.
After a move to San Francisco, California in 1936 he began playing tuba alongside bass. His best-known work was as a member of Lu Watters’s rehearsal band, which evolved into the Yerba Buena Jazz Band, playing regularly at the Dawn Club.
With World War II interrupting his tenure with the ensemble, after his discharge he rejoined the YBJB and stayed with them until they disbanded in 1950. The Fifties saw Dick working with Bob Scobey, Turk Murphy, Wally Rose, and Clancy Hayes. He recorded little after the early 1960s.
Tubist and bassist Dick Lammi, who was the first tuba player to record during the San Francisco revival, died on November 29, 1969 in San Francisco.
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Requisites
The Rat Race Blues ~ Gigi Gryce | By Eddie Carter
Multi-instrumentalist Gigi Gryce was one of the most exciting jazz musicians during the hard-bop era. In addition to the alto sax, he also played the flute and clarinet. He was also known as a brilliant arranger and composer. This morning’s record from the library, The Rat Race Blues (Prestige New Jazz NJLP 8262), is a splendid 1960 session that was one of the best records he recorded between 1955 and 1960. It’s the quintet’s second appearance together following their previous release, The Hap’nin’s. The ensemble consists of Richard Williams on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Richard Wyands on piano, Julian Euell on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. My copy is the 1983 U.S. Original Jazz Classics Mono reissue (Prestige New Jazz OJC-081).
Side One opens with The Rat Race Blues by Gigi Gryce. A fiery uptempo smoker that begins with a scintillating introduction by Gigi and Richard soaring over the rhythm section. Wyands begins the first solo with his fingers flying fiercely over the keys. Williams opens the throttle on the muted trumpet next, and Gryce heightens the excitement in the finale. Strange Feelin’ by Sam Finch slows the speed to a medium pace for the ensemble’s relaxing melody. Williams steps up first for a carefree solo. Gryce gets into something good in the following reading. Wyands concludes with a charming interpretation, leading to a perfect climax.
Boxer’s Blues by Gigi Gryce begins with a two-instrument dialogue between Richard and Wyands. Gigi, Julian, and Mickey join them for a mellow theme. Gigi starts the solos with a lovely melodic line. Williams lays down the next elegant groove. Wyands takes over to give a graceful performance ahead of the reprise and slow fade. Blues In Bloom by Norman Mapp begins Side Two with a soft-voiced bass solo by Euell that segues into the quintet’s melody. Gryce goes to work first with an exceptionally tender tone, and then Williams carefully caresses the second reading with sensitivity. Richard delivers the closer with plenty of heart and soul into the theme’s restatement.
Monday Thru Sunday, also by Norman Mapp, is a slow blues that reaches a medium beat for the ensemble’s melody. Gigi solos first with a beautifully conceived interpretation. Williams maintains the therapeutic tempo in the second reading. Wyands is entirely at ease in the third statement, and Euell makes an impeccably polite comment during the ending theme. Esmond Edwards supervised The Rat Race Blues, and Rudy Van Gelder was the recording engineer. Gary Hobish mastered this Original Jazz Classics reissue. The album’s sound quality is excellent, with a superb soundstage placing the listener’s sweet spot in the center, surrounded by the quintet as they’re playing.
The Rat Race Blues is the next to last record Gigi Gryce would make before leaving the music scene to become a beloved music teacher in the Bronx. He continued teaching until just before his death at age fifty-seven on March 14, 1983. Of the eleven albums he recorded in those five years, The Rat Race Blues by Gigi Gryce is one of the gems that hard-bop fans shouldn’t miss on their next record shopping trip. It’s also a superb listening experience I’m sure you won’t be able to listen to just once!
~ The Hap’nin’s (Prestige New Jazz NJLP 8246) – Source: Discogs.com © 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
David A. Young was born January 14, 1912 in Nashville, Tennessee but was raised in Chicago, Illinois. There he joined a band made up of newsboys from the Chicago Defender.
In the 1930s he worked in the bands of Frankie Half Pint Jaxon, Fletcher Henderson, Carroll Dickerson, and Roy Eldridge. He was with Horace Henderson in 1939-1940.
During World War II worked with Walter Fuller, Lucky Millinder, and Sammy Price. He was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1944 and played in a military band until the end of the war. After his discharge Dave returned to Chicago and played with Dinah Washington.
The 1950s had Young leaving his career in music and returning to working for the Chicago Defender, this time as an advertising executive.
Tenor saxophonist Dave Young died on December 25, 1992.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Otis Johnson was born on January 13, 1908 in Richmond, Virginia. He began his career in the late 1920s, working with Gene Rodgers, Henri Saparo, Eugene Kennedy, and Charlie Skeete. In 1929 he joined Luis Russell’s band, and rejoined Kennedy’s group before working with Benny Carter in 1934. He played with Charlie Turner and Willie Bryant in the mid-1930s.
Toward the end of the decade he performed with Louis Armstrong and Don Redman. On December 30, 1940 Otis enlisted in the 369th Coast Artillery of the New York Army National Guard. He was discharged on October 13, 1945.
Trumpeter Otis Johnson, who never returned to active performance after leaving the military, died on February 28, 1994.
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