Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Adam Cohen was born on March 12, 1963 in Queens, New York but would soon find Los Angeles, California home when his parents moved to the West Coast.  His musical foundation was built upon the piano lessons introduced to him at the age of six by his father Irwin, an accomplished pianist & composer. However, it would be the sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Beatles, Chicago, Tower of Power, and Stanley Clarke that lured him to the low end. Add the influences of Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers, and Dave Holland and lessons on both the upright and electric bass commenced.

Playing both acoustic & electric bass, Cohen has led him to work with Ernie Watts, Ray Charles, The New York Voices, Phil Upchurch, Taylor Dayne, Engelbert Humperdinck, David Benoit, Maxine Nightingale, Eric Benet, and Mark Isham, among others.

Having found his voice, he has become a ubiquitous presence on the Los Angeles scene and a leader in his own right with two albums, Gig Bag and Ritual, along with many compositions to his credit. Bassist Adam Cohen continues to move forward and reach upward, teaching privately and fueling his desire to make a positive impact on the musical situation at hand.

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

It is amazing but not surprising how people want to get back to the same old routine they were in before the pandemic instead of inventing themselves anew. As I move around my city I see more and more people not wearing masks in enclosed spaces. I am not surprised by the robotic sense of normalcy by society.

This week I have selected an album by the underrated and often unappreciated vocalist  Irene Kral. The younger sister of pianist Roy Kral, I discovered her towards the end of her career in 1977 when I heard her album Where Is Love. I was enamored by her voice and the quiet understatement of her singing. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to hear her live as she transitioned the followin year in August.

The album I present today is her third studio session, Better Than Anything, recorded on June 17 & 18, 1963 at the World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles, California. It was produced by Joe Burnett, engineered by Richard Bock and released the same year on Äva Records and distributed by MGM. Making up the quartet with Irene is the Junior Mance Trio.

The cover design was by Richter & Mracky Design Associates, the photography by Fred Seligo and the liner notes were written by Tommy Wolf.

Track List | 29:24

1. Better Than Anything (David “Buck” Wheat, Bill Loughborough) ~ 2:21
2. The Touch Of Your Lips (Ray Noble) ~ 2:22
3. The Meaning of the Blues (Bobby Troup, Leah Worth) ~ 3:11
4. Rock Me To Sleep (Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort II) ~ 2:20
5. No More (Tutti Camarata, Bob Russell) ~ 3:10
6. Passing By (Laurent Hess, Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence) ~ 1:54
7. It’s a Wonderful World (Jan Savitt, Harold Adamson, Johnny Watson) ~ 2:34
8. This Is Always (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) ~ 3:23
9. Just Friends (John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis) ~ 2:40
10. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn) ~ 3:35
11. Nobody Else But Me (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) ~ 1:54

• Irene Kral ~ vocals
• Junior Mance ~ piano
• Bob Cranshaw ~ bass
• Mickey Roker ~ drums

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

George Sylvester “Red“ Callender was born on March 6, 1916 in Haynesville, Virginia. He made his recording debut at 19 with Louis Armstrong’s band. In the early 1940s, he played in the Lester and Lee Young band, and then formed his own trio. Through the 1940s, he recorded with Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Uffe Baadh and many others.

After a period spent leading a trio in Hawaii, Callender returned to the mainland, settling in Los Angeles, California. He became one of the first black musicians to work regularly in the commercial studios, including backing singer Linda Hayes on two singles. He would later turn down offers to work with Duke Ellington’s Orchestra and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars.

On his 1957 Crown LP Speaks Low, Callender was one of the earliest modern jazz tuba soloists. Keeping busy up until his death, some of the highlights of the bassist’s later career include recording with Art Tatum and Jo Jones, playing with Charles Mingus at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival, working with James Newton’s avant-garde woodwind quintet on tuba, and performing as a regular member of the Cheatham’s Sweet Baby Blues Band.

He reached the top of the British pop charts as a member of B. Bumble and the Stingers. In 1964, he was introduced and highlighted in performance with entertainer Danny Kaye  on his television variety show, in a duet on the George and Ira Gershwin song, Slap That Bass.

He worked with an array of pop, rock and vocal acts as a member of The Wrecking Crew, a group of first-call session musicians in Los Angeles, California. Double bassist Red Callender, who also plays tuba, transitioned from thyroid cancer at his home in Saugus, California on March 8, 1992.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

James Graham Collier OBE was born on  February 21, 1937 in Tynemouth, Northumberland, England. After leaving school he joined the British Army as a musician, spending three years in Hong Kong, China. He subsequently won a Down Beat magazine scholarship to the Berklee School of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts studying with Herb Pomeroy.

After graduating in 1963 he returned to Britain and founded the first version of an ensemble devoted to his own compositions, Graham Collier Music, which included Kenny Wheeler, Harry Beckett and John Surman. Later configurations included Karl Jenkins, Mike Gibbs, Art Themen and many other notable musicians.

As the first recipient of an Arts Council bursary for jazz, Graham was commissioned by festivals, groups and broadcasters across Europe, North America, Australia and the Far East. He recorded nineteen albums, worked on stage plays, musicals, documentary and fiction film, and radio drama productions.

Collier was an author and educator, writing seven books on jazz, giving lectures and workshops around the world. He launched the jazz degree course at London’s Royal Academy of Music and was its artistic director until he resigned in 1999, so he could concentrate on his own music.

Bassist, composer and bandleader Graham Collier, who along with a group of jazz educators formed the International Association of Schools of Jazz, transitioned from heart failure on September 9, 2011.

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Requisites

This morning’s choice from the library is a recent acquisition I’ve been hunting for since it was reissued as part of The Prestige Mono Series. It’s a swinging Fifties jam session that was originally released in 1957 by The Prestige All-Stars. All Night Long (Prestige PRLP 7073/PRST 7289) brings together a first-class ensemble, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Jerome Richardson (tracks: A1, B1 to B3) on flute, and (track: A1) on tenor sax, Mal Waldron on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. My copy used in this report is the 2012 Analogue Productions Mono audiophile reissue (APRJ 7073 – PRLP 7073).

Side One opens with Kenny Burrell’s All Night Long occupying the entire side. Art kicks off the song with an infectious beat. Kenny starts the opening solo with exquisite execution. Jerome’s flute flows with a happy feeling on the first of two statements. Hank takes us on a carefree joyride in the next reading, then Donald speaks his peace with a stellar presentation. Jerome resurfaces on tenor for a sparkling performance, and Mal gives a soulful effort on the next interpretation. Art follows with a brief exchange with the principal soloists before the group takes the song out. Side Two starts with the first of two tunes by Hank Mobley, Boo-Lu. Richardson sets the mood of this happy groove on the melody and opening chorus. Burrell, Byrd, Mobley, and Waldron follow with four short solos ahead of the reprise and close.

Flickers by Mal Waldron suggests a homage to the movies. It begins with the ensemble’s collective mid~tempo theme. Jerome is up first and shines with a light-hearted warmth. Donald and Hank follow with one easygoing reading each, then trade a few feisty riffs. Kenny turns in a tasty performance next and Mal applies blues-rooted energy to the finale leading to the closing chorus and Doug’s slow fade into oblivion. Mobley’s Li’l Hankie comes at you at medium speed with the ensemble in unison on the melody. Hank leads off the solos with a marvelous interpretation. Donald delves into the second reading on muted trumpet mining a vein of musical riches. Kenny tells a short story that makes every note count on the third statement. Jerome lights a fuse of creative inspiration on the next performance, followed by a stimulating conversation between the front line, Waldron, and Richardson ahead of the ending theme.

Bob Weinstock supervised the original album and the man behind the dials was Rudy Van Gelder. Kevin Gray did the remastering from the analog tapes. The record has a flat-edge and deep groove on the label like the original release, and the album cover has a high gloss. This reissue was pressed on 200-gram audiophile vinyl by Quality Record Pressings. The soundstage is outstanding, transporting the musicians to your listening room and the record is silent until the music starts. Burrell, Byrd, Watkins, and Taylor also appear on the companion album, All Day Long, recorded just a few days after this date. If you’re a Hard-Bop fan and are looking for an album with superb musicianship, I can’t think of a better choice to introduce you to The Prestige All-Stars than All Night Long! It’s a gorgeous recording that’s highly recommended and well worth adding to your library!

~ All Day Long (Prestige PRLP 7081/PRST 7277) – Source: Discogs.com © 2022 by Edward Thomas Carter

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