Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Born Charles Isaacs on March 28, 1923 in Akron, Ohio, he initially played trumpet and tuba as a child before settling on bass. He served in the Army during World War II, where he took lessons from Wendell Marshall. After the war he played with Tiny Grimes from 1948–50, Earl Bostic from 1951 to 1953, Paul Quinichette in 1953, and Bennie Green in 1956.

Ike, as he was affectionately called, led a local band in Ohio in 1956, then played for two years in the trio behind Carmen McRae, whom he married late in the decade. He went on to work with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, then with Count Basie, Gloria Lynne, and Erroll Garner in the Sixties,

With his own small groups he recorded only once as a leader, At The Pied Piper in 1967 for RGB Records. On this recording he plays in a trio with Jack Wilson on piano and Jimmie Smith on drums. As a coleader he recorded two albums with Maxine Sullivan.

As a sideman he recorded twenty-six albums with Count Basie, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Roy Brown, Ray Bryant, Harry Edison, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Pee Wee Erwin, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Jon Hendricks, Carmen McRae, Big Miller, Esther Phillips, Dan Wall, Jack Wilson, and Joe Williams.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Lisa Lindsley was born March 27, 1957 in Ogden, Utah. Growing up she listened to her father’s records of jazz greats like Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Her mother, a film actress who had to leave Hollywood in the 1950s because of the McCarthy-era blacklist, imbued in her a love of theater.

While as a young teen attending Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah Lindsley gravitated to the rock and pop music of the day, she discovered musical theater in high school, a passion that carried through to college. After graduating from the California Institute for the Arts theater program, she spent a decade touring and performing with The Imagination Company. However, raising two daughters put her performing ambitions on hold for years, but she developed a successful career as a voice over artist, cast in national ad campaigns, radio shows and video games.

Comin to jazz singing in mid-life, she earned national attention with her stellar 2010 debut release Everytime We Say Goodbye, featuring bassist Fred Randolph and pianist George Mesterhazy. At the behest of her high school contortionist daughter’s desire to hone her French while studying at the Fratellini Circus School, she moved to Paris, France in 2013. This was the next natural step in her musical evolution. Settling in the 19th arrondissement filled with cultural vitality Lisa quickly developed a network of regular gigs with skilled accompanists. These relationships on her sophomore album, Long After Midnight, with pianist Laurent Marode, drummer Mourad Benhammou, Esaie Cid on flute, clarinet and tenor saxophone, and Bay Area bassist Jeff Chambers.

Back in the States and living in the San Francisco Bay area, Lindsley has been working steadily around the Bay Area over the past decade. She has honed her skills with Roger Letson at Contra Costa College, and studied with Maye Cavallero, Laurie Antonioli and Pamela Rose at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley.

Vocalist Lisa Lindsley, who received essential on the job training from Bay area pianist/drummer Kelly Park,  continues her career of performance and recording.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Albert Burbank was born March 25, 1902 in New Orleans, Louisiana and was taught clarinet by Lorenzo Tio, one of that city’s most famous clarinet players. Staying in the New Orleans area throughout the 1920s, he played wherever his services were needed. During the 1930s, he worked with Kid Milton’s band but was drafted into the US Navy during World War II.

Upon demobilization, he worked internationally with the bands of Paul Barbarin and Kid Ory. Returning to New Orleans he played with several of the well-known jazz and brass bands in the city. He was regularly seen at Preservation Hall and toured Australia with a band made up of Preservation Hall musicians.

In 1975 Albertsuffered a stroke but continued playing until his death on August 15, 1976. Many of his recordings of broadcast performances with Kid Ory’s band at San Francisco’s Hangover Club, have been issued on the Danish Storyville label, and some with trombonist Bill Matthews appear on Southland.

Burbank would go on to record with Wooden Joe Nicholas, Herb Morand, Kid Clayton, Paul Barbarin, Percy Humphrey, and Jimmy Archey.

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Requisites

It happened like this: after listening to Bass on Top, my memories of my mom led me to another of her favorite jazz albums. Little Johnny C (Blue Note BLP 4144/BST 84144) by Johnny Coles is the trumpeter’s second release as a leader and his only Blue Note session. It was recorded in 1963 and released the following year. Johnny’s joined on this hard bop date by Leo Wright on alto sax (tracks: A1 to A3, B2, B3) and flute (B1), Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Walter Perkins (A1 to A3), and Pete La Roca (B1 to B3) on drums. My copy is the 1990 Toshiba EMI Japanese Stereo reissue sharing the original catalog number.

Little Johnny C is the first of five tunes by Duke Pearson. It kicks off Side One at a fast tempo with Duke’s brisk introduction to the front line’s lively theme. Leo comes out cooking first; then Johnny steps swiftly into the second statement. Joe wails in the following solo; then Duke shows his impressive skills into the group’s climax. Hobo Joe by Joe Henderson is a Latin-flavored blues that opens with the trio’s introduction, ahead of the sextet’s easy going melody. Coles begins this pleasant trip; then, Pearson picks up the next part of the journey. Wright continues the leisurely caravan, and Henderson concludes the trek in a fine finale ahead of the theme’s return and the trio’s fadeout.

Jano picks up the beat to end the first side with the ensemble’s medium melody. Leo sets the scene in the opening solo. Johnny takes over for a lengthy reading; then Joe builds the third statement exquisitely. Duke provides the closing remarks before the group returns to take the song out. My Secret Passion is a pretty ballad taken at a medium bounce, with Johnny leading the sextet in the melody and Pete La Roca taking over on drums. Coles opens the solos with a warm tone. Henderson displays delicacy and sensitivity in the following reading. Wright comes in next on the flute and gives a heartwarming statement. Pearson’s soulful interpretation brings us back to the reprise and ending.

Heavy Legs delivers an upbeat invitation to relax and enjoy the sextet’s ride through the opening chorus. Johnny is concise and to the point in the first reading. Joe follows with an equally enjoyable solo; then Leo steps in next for a rousing interpretation. Duke brings the solos to a happy conclusion ahead of the sextet’s theme restatement, slowly dissolving into nothingness. So Sweet My Little Girl is Pearson’s tribute to his then seven-year-old daughter, Cynthia. Johnny starts the melody softly with the saxes in the background. It sets the scene for the pianist’s tender performance as the song’s only soloist, leading to the front line’s return for a gentle climax.

Alfred Lion produced Little Johnny C and Rudy Van Gelder was the man behind the dials of the recording. The album sounds amazing, with a stellar soundstage that’s so good you’ll think you’re in the studio with the musicians as they are playing. Toshiba EMI did an excellent job with this reissue and the record is also very quiet until the music starts. Johnny only recorded five albums as a leader but has an extensive discography as a sideman. If you’re a hard bop fan and unfamiliar with Johnny Coles, I invite you to look out for Little Johnny C on your next record shop visit. It’s simply a great jazz album that I’m sure would make a perfect addition to any library and become a favorite on your turntable! © 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Alfred Winters was born March 24, 1931 and raised in New York City, New York. He completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Hofstra University and began working professionly since 1957.

He studied with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra principal trombonist Roger Smith. He went on to play with Bobby Hackett, Gene Krupa, Phil Napolean, Wild Bill Davison, Benny Goodman. Recorded with numerous artists including Gene Krupa and Bobby Hackett.

Relocating in 1966 to the Detroit, Michigan area he performed and recorded with the Austin-Moro Big Band and the New Mckinney’s Cottonpickers as well as local artists like Tom Saunders.

He led his own band beginning in 1988 and performed at numerous jazz festivals including Newport Jazz Festival, Montreaux Jazz Festival and the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.

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