Requisites

This Time The Drum’s On Me ~ Stan Levey | By Eddie Carter

Stan Levey, one of the great Bebop drummers, enters the spotlight with his second album as a leader, This Time The Drum’s On Me (Bethlehem BCP-37). Stan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and started playing with Dizzy Gillespie at age sixteen. He left for New York City, where he worked with Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Oscar Pettiford. Levey also spent some time with the Stan Kenton Orchestra before moving to the West Coast and becoming an essential contributor to West Coast Jazz with Howard Rumsey, Don Joham, and The Lighthouse All-Stars. Here, he’s accompanied by Conte Condoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Dexter Gordon on tenor sax, Lou Levy on piano, and Leroy Vinnegar on bass. The copy in this report is a friend’s original 1956 US Mono deep groove release.

Diggin’ For Diz, by George Handy, sets the album in motion with a danceable beat for the sextet’s collective melody featuring a few comments by the front line. Conte swings into the opening solo with a joyful improvisation that builds to an effective climax. Dexter follows with a marvelous statement that cooks convincingly, then Frank follows with a captivating performance. Stan shares the subsequent interpretation with all three horns, and Lou closes with a concise reading into the theme’s restatement and close. Thelonious Monk’s hauntingly beautiful Ruby, My Dear, is a feature for Condoli. He leads the ensemble in a thoughtfully tender melody, then gives an elegant first solo. Before the group’s gentle ending, Levy compliments him with a short, delicately attractive reading.

Tune Up, by Miles Davis, brings the sextet back to a vibrant beat, and the ensemble begins the melody briskly before Dexter starts the solos with some spirited blowing. Conte comes behind him for a quick and agile interpretation; then Frank sparkles on an energetic reading. Lou takes the listener on a swift joyride, followed by Leroy’s scintillating walk. Stan shares a short conversation with Dexter preceding the closing chorus. The first side ends with La Chaloupée by Jacques Offenbach from the 1881 French opera, The Tales of Hoffman. The front line starts the melody collectively at a medium groove, giving way to Frank, Dexter, Conte, Stan, and Lou, who all excel in five utterly charming presentations ahead of the ending theme.

Side Two starts with the sextet’s upbeat rendition of Day In, Day Out by Rube Bloom and Johnny Mercer. Conte leads the ensemble’s theme, then Gordon launches into a scintillating opening statement. Condoli is next to give a vigorous interpretation; then Rosolino delivers a vitalized performance. Levy has the last word and reveals his keyboard artistry with energy to spare, leading to the group’s reprise and climax. Dexter Gordon’s Stanley The Steamer is a bluesy tribute to Stan Levey. Lou brings the song to life with a brief introduction segueing into the sextet’s easygoing theme. Dexter delivers an inspired improvisation as the song’s only soloist to the rhythm section’s infectious accompaniment before the ensemble’s conclusion.

The title tune, This Time The Drum’s On Me, was initially titled Max is Making Wax, Oscar Pettiford’s tribute to drummer Max Roach. The sextet puts the accelerator to the floor at a breakneck pace from the opening chorus to the final note. Gordon ignites the opening statement with blazing heat, then Condoli shines like a bright beacon on the second solo. Rosolino takes over to give a speedy presentation; next, Lou moves into the next spot aggressively. Stan wraps up things nicely in a high-powered workout ahead of the enthusiastic ending. It’s unknown who produced the album, but Val Valentin was the man behind the dials of the recording. The sound quality is excellent, with a clean and crisp soundstage that’s a delicious treat for any jazz fan!

Stan Levey recorded three albums for Bethlehem as a leader but appeared on many more as a sideman with some of the best jazz musicians. Levey retired from music altogether in 1973 and became a professional photographer. He died at age seventy-nine on April 19, 2005. If you’re a fan of Bop like me, I invite you to check out This Time The Drum’s on Me on your next vinyl hunt. It’s a perfect introduction to drummer Stan Levey and an excellent release worthy of a spot in any jazz library and repeated listening on the turntable!

~ Stan Levey Plays The Compositions of Cooper, Holman, and Giuffre (Bethlehem BCP 1017), Grand Stan (Bethlehem BCP-71) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Day In, Day Out, Tune Up – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2023 by Edward Thomas Carter

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JEFF JENKINS

Jeff Jenkins – Piano | Darryl White – Trumpet, Flugelhorn | Dale Black – Acoustic Bass | Jeffrey Johnson – Drums

Omaha-based jazz pianist, composer, and educator Jeff Jenkins was recently a professor of music in the Thompson Jazz Studies Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder.Grounded in a wide range of jazz styles, he has released seven original CDs in the last 15 years, while appearing as a featured player on dozens more. Throughout his career Jenkins has appeared locally, nationally and internationally in festivals and clubs with his eponymous ensembles, or as a guest artist with jazz greats including Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, The New York Voices, Bobby Hutcherson, and John Abercrombie, among others. A product of the acclaimed jazz program at the University of North Texas, Jenkins continued his piano studies in the New York City studios of Fred Hirsch, Richie Beirach, and Kenny Barron. Based in Manhattan in the 1980s, Jenkins performed in noted jazz venues throughout the city, and appeared as principal pianist forseveral Broadway musicals. A gifted bandleader and in-demand sideman across Colorado, Omaha, and the western region, Jenkins also mixes and produces music professionally in his Mixdown Sound recording studio.

Darryl White’s performance experiences include a wide range of idioms. He has appeared as guest soloist with the Omaha Symphony, Lincoln Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Mesa Chamber Orchestra, Grand Junction Symphony, Lake Forest Chamber Orchestra and many other solo appearances across the nation. He has also appeared as guest soloist for several international festivals including the International Brass Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Montreux Jazz Festival, the International Women’s Brass Conference, the International Trumpet Guild Conference, the Brandon Jazz Festival, the New Mexico Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival and Roaring Fork Jazz Festival in Aspen, Colorado as well as with college jazz bands and high schools across the continent. He can be heard on several recordings including performances with the Denver Brass, “Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue” on Centaur Records, 1997; and “America, The Golden Dream” on Delos International, 1996. He can also be heard on the Capri Record Label with jazz tenor saxophonist Keith Oxman on a 1997 release entitled “Out on a Whim and a 1999 release entitled “Hard Times”. White currently has three solo recordings released. The first is a 1999 release entitled, “Ancient Memories,” and a 2002 release entitled “In the Fullness of Time”. The 2002 release features several original compositions including “Lil I” featured on the PBS special “New Beginnings”. Lastly, White released his first classical recording, “Resonance” (2007) which features ECM recording artist/pianist Art Lande.

Born in Wichita Kansas Dale began playing the clarinet at 8 years old and later became interested in string instruments taking on the upright bass and later the electric bass in church.  In 2008 Dale moved to Los Angeles California where he was embraced for his contributions to the west coast scene and beyond. Working with a myriad of artist including Terence Blanchard, Kamasi Washington, Marcus Belgrave, Terrace Martin, Kenny Burrell and the Late Solomon Burke to name a few.  Dale continues to record as well as tour and has currently been working on releasing his much-antisipated debut album this fall.

A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina and a recent transplant to the Omaha area, Jeffery Johnson is a soulful, swinging presence on the scene. Steeped in the tradition of gospel music as a child, Johnson eventually attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to pursue a B.A. in Music with a concentration in Jazz Studies. During his undergraduate program, Jeffery played R&B, Gospel, and Jazz throughout North Carolina, and embarked on another musical journey to obtain his M.M. in Jazz Studies at North Carolina Central University under the direction of Dr. Ira Wiggins, where he was fortunate to learn from Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo.

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MACHADO MIJIGA

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Carlo Krahmer was born William Max Geserick on March 11, 1914, Shoreditch, London, England. He was partially sighted at birth. He made his first record in 1939 and in the early Forties recorded with Johnny Claes’s band. He later joined Claude Bampton’s Blind Orchestra, a body sponsored by the National Institute for the Blind (now the RNIB), of which George Shearing was also a member. He worked in various bands, sometimes as leader, taking his own group to the Paris Jazz Festival in 1949.

In 1947, Krahmer co-founded Esquire Records with Peter Newbrook, a label which recorded bebop and licensed recordings from American blues and jazz labels. By 1950, Krahmer had retired from active performance, but had begun to teach aspiring drummers such as Victor Feldman.

Drummer and record producer Carlo Krahmer, whose label has continued to release music under the guidance of his wife Greta, transitioned on April 20, 1976 in London.

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The Jazz Voyager

The Jazz Voyager is off to Canada for a first time experience at Frankie’s Jazz Club in British Columbia. Located in Vancouver at 755 Beatty Street V6B 2M4. This week I’m going to witness three young up and coming musicians, guitarist Alvin Brendan, keyboardist Benjamin Millman, and drummer Trent Otter.

A home to live jazz and blues, Frankie’s features local, national and international world class musicians. They offer an evening of casual intimacy with a selection of spirits and wine coupled with an Italian menu to enjoy music to.

Frankie’s Jazz Club phone number is +1 604-688-6368. For more information on showtimes and tickets visit https://www.frankiesjazzclub.ca/

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