Requisites

The Last Concert: The Modern Jazz Quartet broke up after this concert documented on this two-fer, double LP recording. After a glorious 22-year career, it would be nearly seven years before the group would come back together but it certainly went out on top. Mostly revisiting their greatest hits, MJQ is heard playing inspired versions of Softly As In A Morning Sunrise, Bag’s Groove, Skating In Central Park, Confirmation, The Golden Striker and Django. This set is a real gem and an essential addition for all serious jazz collections.

Personnel: Milt Jackson – vibraphone, John Lewis – piano, Percy Heath – bass and Connie Kay – drums

Record Date: November 25, 1974

Songs:  Disc 1 – Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise, The Cylinder, Summertime, Really True Blues, What’s New?, Blues in a Minor, Confirmation, ‘Round Midnight, A Night in Tunisia, Tears from the Children, Blues in H (B), England’s Carol

Disc 2 – The Golden Striker, One Never Knows, Trav’lin’, Skating in Central Park, The Legendary Profile, Adagio from the Guitar Concerto: Concerto de Aranjuez, The Jasmine Tree, In Memoriam, Django, Bag’s Groove

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Jazz In Film

Top Of The Heap:  This 1972 film was written, directed and starred Christopher St. John along with Paula Kelly and Florence St. Peter. The story evolves around a Washington, D.C. cop who is mistrusted and despised by his own black people.

J. J. Johnson scored the excellent and effective music for the film.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Martin France was born on February 29, 1964 in Rainham, Kent, England and began performing at the age of twelve backing singers in working men’s clubs with organ trios in and around Manchester. He studied under Geoff Riley, Kenny Clare, Joel Rothman, and principal percussionist Richard Smith of The Hallé, the Manchester orchestra.

In 1983 Martin began his recording career performing as a sideman on several records for ECM Records, toured with several of the labels roster during the 80s and 90s and subsequently led several sessions as a leader.

The turning point in his early career was as a member of the 1980s big band Loose Tubes, where he began working on projects that included film soundtracks, jazz theatre and cross cultural collaborations with other big bands and orchestras.

France formed his own band Spin Marvel, that showcased more electronic and sequence drumming, and would be an integral rhythm backbone on more than 60 albums working with some of the world’s finest musicians including Kenny Wheeler, Elvis Costello, Bob Mintzer, Steve Swallow, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Marc Johnson and Dave Holland to name a few and is currently a regular performer with the NDR Radio Orchestra in Hamburg.

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Requisites

Love Lifted Me, recorded in 1962, is the debut album of Ron Jefferson as a leader and is infused with gospel flavoring on the title track to the classic “Flamingo” that features some wonderful work by Bobby Hutcherson. Add up-tempo swingers like “Little One” and “George’s Dilemma” makes for a delightful mix of tunes. However, Leroy Vinnegar’s contribution of timekeeping and soloing gives the listener an opportunity to be enthralled especially on his composition “For Carl Perkins”.

Personnel: 
Ron Jefferson – drums, Laurence “Tricky” Lofton – trombone, Wilbur Brown – tenor saxophone, Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone, Frank Strazzeri – piano, Leroy Vinnegar – bass

Recording/Release Date: Hollywood, California – 1962

Label: Pacific Jazz ST 36
CD: Toshiba-EMI PJ0036 (Japan only)

Songs: Love Lifted Me, For Carl Perkins, Little One, Ivy League Blues, Flamingo, George’s Dilemma

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Jazz In Film

Ever have one of those trips where everything goes wrong? Well, buckle up, because George and Gwen Kellerman’s adventure in The Out-Of-Towners (1969) takes “bad travel day” to comedic extremes.

Here’s the setup: George is up for a big promotion, and the company’s flying him and his wife Gwen to New York City—all expenses paid—for an interview with the higher-ups. Sweet deal, right? They’ve got it all planned out: arrive the night before, catch dinner and a Broadway show, wake up refreshed and ready to impress. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything!

Their plane gets diverted to Boston. Okay, minor hiccup. But then comes a train ride from hell, a mugging, getting caught up in a police chase, and—just for good measure—George breaks a tooth. It’s like the universe conspired to turn their dream trip into an absolute disaster.

Director Arthur Hiller orchestrates this chaos beautifully, with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis playing the increasingly frazzled couple to perfection. And keeping the whole madcap adventure moving? A fantastic score by none other than Quincy Jones.

Sometimes the journey to success is… well, let’s just say it’s memorable.

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