The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

This Jazz Voyager is still being very cautious about masking indoors and social distancing as the new B variants are cropping up around the world and are now hitting the shores of America. In light of these occurrences, today we are going to listen to the 1955 Ethel Ennis album recorded titled Lullabies For Losers that was released the same year on the Jubilee record label.

The cover was designed by Si Leichman, the liner notes were written by Mort Goode, and the photography by Charles Varon.

Track List | 37:32

1. Love For Sale (Cole Porter) ~ 3:19
2. Dreamer~Dreamer (Irving Caesar, Oskar Strauss) ~ 4:30
3. Blue Prelude (Gordon Jenkins, Joe Bishop) ~ 3:00
4. Off Shore (Leo Diamond, Michael H. Goldsen) ~ 3:55
5. Casually (Alan McCarthy, Richard Freitas) ~ 3:57
6. Hey Jacques (Eden Ahnez, Wayne Shanklin) ~ 3:03
7. Lullaby For Losers (Robert Stringer) ~ 3:00
8. Say It Ain’t So, Joe (Al Frisch, Kathleen G. Twomey, Fred Wise) ~ 2:58
9. You Better Go Now (Bickley Reichner / Robert Graham) ~ 3:29
10. Blue Willow (Vic Harrington) ~ 3:23
11. Bon Voyage (DeSylva-Brown-Henderson) ~ 4:18

• Ethel Ennis ~ Vocal
• Hank Jones ~ Piano
• Eddie Biggs ~ Guitar
• Abie Baker ~ Double Bass
• Kenny Clarke ~ Drums

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

As the virus is continuing to evolve the Jazz Voyager is staying close to home, especially since the country has lifted the masking mandate and it appears that everything is “back to normal”, even though it is not yet. Supply chain is still limiting production and delivery of items. As you travel around your city, state, country, and internationally please continue to be careful and protect yourself and others.

Carnaval is an album recorded Live Under The Sky in Denen Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan on July 30, 1978 by bassist Ron Carter, pianist Hank Jones, saxophonist Sadao Watanabe and drummer Tony Williams. The album was produced by Ed Michel and released five years later in 1983 on the Galaxy record label.

he art direction for the album was performed by Phil Carroll, the recording engineer was Jim Stern, mastered by George Horn, and the remix was done by Allen Sudduth.

1. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn) ~ 10:12
2. Manhã de Carnaval (Luiz Bonfá, Antônio Maria) ~ 9:01
3. I’m Old Fashioned (Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer) ~ 8:18
4. Confirmation (Charlie Parker) ~ 6:40
5. Moose the Mooche (Parker) ~ 8:05

• Ron Carter ~ bass
• Hank Jones ~ piano
• Sadao Watanabe ~ alto saxophone
• Tony Williams ~ drums

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Closing out the final week of the month is The Swing Machine. It’s another offering from the continent that this Jazz Voyager has discovered not in his collection but one that requires sharing.The title really says it all so aptly named by tenor saxophonist Gérard Badini in preparation for a good time!

The album was recorded May 30, 1975 at the Hoche Studio in Paris, France and was produced by Jacques Lubin. The recording engineer was Gerhard Lehner, the liner notes were written by Alexandre Rado, and the photography by Christian Rose.

1. It Don’t Mean A Thing (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) ~
2. Let’s Do It (Cole Porter) ~
3. Sam Woodyard Is Back In Town (Gérard Badini) ~
4. Cute (Neal Hefti)
5. Asphodèle (Raymon Fol) ~
6. Stomp, Lok And Listen ( Duke Ellington) ~

• Michel Gaudry ~ Double Bass
• Drums – Sam Woodyard ~ Drums
• Raymond Fol ~ Piano, Celesta
• Gérard Badini ~ Tenor Saxophone

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

This week the Jazz Voyager is choosing from the library of rare gems seldom heard on this side of the pond. Thanks to the internet, as you listen to the twenty-nine minutes of the album, remember to keep vigilant about the safety of your health and others. On the turntable is the hard bop Jazz De Chambre, a 1954 recording by double bassist Buddy Banks.

Buddy Banks, originally a saxophonist who switched to bass, had arrived in Europe after World War II. On this session he is accompanied by drummer Roy Haynes, pianist Bob Dorough, and guitarist Jimmy Gourley. The leader takes the spotlight in a subtle take of Yesterdays, though a strange clicking mars an otherwise swinging “I Love You.” Banks’ group also offers serviceable interpretations of modern pieces like Gerry Mulligan’s Line for Lyons and Milt Jackson’s Bag’s Groove.

The album was recorded at Geneix Studio in Paris, France and was produced by Frank Ténot. The liner notes were provided by Alain Tercinet with English translation by Martin Davies.

1. A Night In Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli) ~ 4:26
2. Almost Like Being In Love (lan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe) ~ 3:19
3. Bag’s Groove (Milt Jackson) ~ 3:47
4. Yesterdays (Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern) ~ 3:29
5. I Love You (Cole Porter) ~ 5:58
6. Line For Lyons (Gerry Mulligan) ~ 3:46
7. You Go To My Head (J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie) ~ 4:29
8. Buddy Banks Blues (Buddy Banks) ~ 3:27

• Bob Dorough ~ piano
• Buddy Banks ~ double bass
• Jimmy Gourley ~ guitar
• Roy Haynes ~ drums

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

This week the ever vigilant Jazz Voyager is watching this new version of the virus creeping back to once again exploit humanity’s complacency relative to the collective health. People are still dying, maybe not at the rate over the past two years but dying. So in the spirit of staying healthy, I am selecting a classic funk~fusion album from the shelves and placing it on the turntable to take a renewed listen. This week it is the album Man-Child by Herbie Hankcock.

It is the fifteenth studio album by the jazz pianist. Recorded between 1974 and 1975, it was released on August 22, 1975 by Columbia Records, it was the final studio album to feature The Headhunters. The album was produced by David Rubinson and Hancock, and was recorded at Wally Heider Studios and Funky Features in San Francisco, California as well as Village Recorders and Crystal Studios in Los Angeles, California.

Departing from the music of his early career, Herbie gives us one of his most funk-influenced albums. Utilizing more funk based rhythms around the hi-hat, and snare drum, the tracks are characterized by short, repeated riffs by both the rhythm section, horns accompaniment, and bass lines. With less improvisation, more repetition of riffs along with brief solos, he re-introduces the electric guitar to this new sound.

The core group of The Headhunters was Paul Jackson, Bill Summers, Harvey Mason, Bennie Maupin, and Mike Clark (who replaced Harvey Mason post-1974). Hancock had toured and recorded with them for the previous three years. This was their final album as a group.

1. Hang Up your Hang Ups (Hancock, Melvin Ragin, Paul Jackson) ~ 7:29
2. Sun Touch ~ 5:12
3. The Traitor (Hancock, Ragin, Louis Johnson, Wayne Shorter) ~ 9:38
4. Bubbles (Hancock, Ragin) ~ 9:03
5. Steppin’ In It ~ 8:42
6. Heartbeat (Hancock, Ragin, Jackson) ~ 5.16

• Herbie Hancock ~ piano, keyboards
• Bud Brisbois ~ trumpet
• Jay DaVersa ~ trumpet
• Garnett Brown ~ trombone
• Dick Hyde ~ trombone, tuba
• Wayne Shorter ~ alto and soprano saxophones
• Bennie Maupin ~ soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, alto and bass flutes, saxello, percussion
• Jim Horn ~ flute, saxophone
• Ernie Watts ~ flute, saxophone
• Dewayne McKnight, David T. Walker ~ guitar
• Wah Wah Watson ~ synthesizer, voice bag, guitar
• Henry E. Davis ~ bass guitar
• Paul Jackson ~ bass guitar
• Louis Johnson ~ bass guitar
• Mike Clark ~ drums
• James Gadson ~ drums
• Harvey Mason ~ drums
• Stevie Wonder ~ harmonica
• Bill Summers ~ percussion

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