Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Johnny Mince, born John Muenzenberger on July 8, 1912 in Chicago Heights, Illinois played with Joe Haymes from 1929 to 1934. He recorded with Red Norvo and Glenn Miller in 1935. Working with Ray Noble from 1935-37 and Bob Crosby in 1936 he went on to become a member of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1937.

Mince played with Dorsey through 1941 and was one of the participants in his Clambake Seven recordings before entering the military. After an extended stint to the end of World War II, he became a studio musician for several decades. He taught locally in New York City and played in small-time ensembles in the 1950s and 1960s.

1974 saw Johnny returning to play with the Dorsey Orchestra after Tommy’s death, then followed this engagement with the New Paul Whiteman Orchestra in 1976, Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, and the World’s Greatest Jazz Band. As a member of the Great Eight, he toured Europe in 1983. He continued to play at jazz revival festivals until his retirement due to ill health.

He recorded as a leader only late in his life, for Monmouth Evergreen in 1979, Jazzology Records in 1980, and Fat Cat Jazz in 1982. Never receiving much recognition beyond that of his fellow musicians, he did not lead his own band. As an unknown musician, Tommy Dorsey invited him to become his partner in starting his first band but Johnny’s father talked him out of it due to risk. Clarinetist Johnny Mince passed away on December 23, 1994 in Boca Raton, Florida.

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Three Wishes

When the Baroness inquired of Ira Jackson what his three wishes were and he replied:

1. 1. “My wishes have nothing to do with my music, directly. This has puzzled me all my life. I wish I could make a trip through the entire universe. I’d like to find the key to the univeerse, how it all started, what it is really. What is this? That’s be my first wish.”

   2. “And then, the second, I… since I have to live on this planet, I wish there was peace here. That’s about all for the second wish. ”

   3. “I just wish I could use all of my mind, all of my potential I’m working on that anyway. Like one works on scales, you know? You can practice using it. That’s what it would be.”

*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Charles Redland was born Carl Gustaf Mauritz Nilsson on July 7, 1911 in Södertälje, Sweden. The son of a musician, he learned several instruments when he was young.

In the 1930s he was a member of bands in which he played alto saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. During that decade he also worked as a leader.

On clarinet, he recorded with Benny Carter in Sweden in 1936. He composed and arranged jazz and popular music. He also composed for more than 80 films, as well as for radio and television programs. Alto saxophonist, Charles Redland passed away on August 18, 1994 in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Frank Rehak was born on July 6, 1926, in New York City and started on piano and cello before switching to trombone. He was a member of the Gil Evans band and worked with Miles Davis, appearing with Davis on the broadcast The Sounds of Miles Davis.

As a leader he recorded Jazzville Vol. 2 on the Dawn label but as a sideman he had a prolific career. He recorded with Tony Bennett, Al Cohn, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Gene Krupa, Hugo Montenegro, Cat Anderson, Ernestine Anderson, Charlie Barnet, Big Maybelle, Art Blakey, Bob Brookmeyer, Ruth Brown, Cándido Camero, Chris Connor, Urbie Green, Johnny Hartman, Michel Legrand, Melba Liston, Mundell Lowe, Teo Macero, Carmen McRae, Red Mitchell, Whitey Mitchell, Blue Mitchell, André Previn, Gerry Mulligan, Kai Winding and the list goes on.

Along with a failed marriage to nightclub dancer Jerri Gray, he also had a heroin addiction, which combined with other financial problems led to his withdrawal from music. With that, he lapsed into relative obscurity.

In an effort to deal with these issues he spent time at Synanon, which led to his mention in Art Pepper’s autobiography. Trombonist Frank Rehak passed away on June 22, 1987 in Badger, California.

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Requisites

Heads Up ~ David Newman | By Eddie Carter

Up next from the library is an album by the flutist, alto, and tenor saxophonist, David Newman. Heads Up (Atlantic 81725-1) finds him leading a first-rate quintet with Kirk Lightsey on piano; Steve Nelson on vibraphone; David Williams on bass and Eddie Gladden on drums. My copy used in this report is the original 1987 Stereo release.

Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf starts Side One at a slow ballad tempo.  The song premiered at the Harlem club Connie’s Inn and was the opening tune for the 1929 all-black musical revue, Hot Chocolates.  The show was so successful it ran on Broadway for 219 performances, and Louis Armstrong performed the first instrumental version during the intermission. Kirk opens with a tender introduction that gently grows into David’s seductive melody. Newman also delivers a beautiful work of richness and sincerity on the lead solo.  Kirk and Steve split the next few verses, each man offering a romantic sensitivity before a pretty closing chorus.

Makin’ Whoopee is by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn, first appearing in the 1928 Broadway musical Whoopee, the song was sung by Eddie Cantor who reprised it two years later in the 1930 film. The quintet proceeds smoothly from the introduction to the opening chorus led by Newman who also casts a distinct voice with expressive beauty on the first reading. Nelson also gives an enticing presentation on the second solo. Williams is as sweet as honey on the third statement with an exquisite tone and Lightsey makes the final statement a delightfully nostalgic performance into the coda. Newman’s Heads Up comes at you next vivaciously with David taking off first with a rocking beat compelling one to snap their fingers and tap their toes. Steve conveys a festive celebration on the second reading, then Kirk dazzles with the vigorous zest of a sanctified church service. David sums everything up with a few short comments leading to the group’s finale.

Newman opens Side Two on flute for an upbeat rendition of Delilah by Victor Young. It’s a catchy 1954 tune with the quintet producing a vibrant melody.  David’s opening solo is delivered with abundant spirit and energy. Kirk steps up next with driving ambition, then Nelson takes the final bow with driving ambition and dexterity. Lover Man by Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez, and Jimmy Sherman slows the pace with the leader back on tenor sax. After the ensemble’s ravishingly beautiful theme, David demonstrates his rhythmic mastery with grace and elegance. Kirk etches a delicately thoughtful presentation next, then Steve follows with an amorously tender interpretation. Newman closes with a few sultry comments before the warm-hearted ending. For Buster, David’s second original closes the album with the leader on alto-sax expressing a down-home blues flavor. Newman and Nelson are the featured soloists and each man offers an interpretation eminently fitting for the blues into David’s earthy reprise and climax.

Heads Up was engineered by Tony May whose work has appeared on many Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Soul albums. His assistant Ira McLaughlin has worked on albums for Atlantic, CBS, and Profile Records. This album was digitally recorded and has a highly effective soundstage placing the musicians in the center of your listening room. David Newman who the jazz world would come to know as “Fathead” originally worked with Ray Charles and had a prolific career recording albums of Hard-Bop, Post-Bop, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk, and Jazz-Fusion for another twenty-one years after Heads Up was released. He passed away at the age of seventy-five on January 20, 2009, from pancreatic cancer. If you’re seeking an album displaying his skills as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, consider this your Heads Up!

Heads Up is an album by saxophonist David Newman recorded at the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York City on September 16~18, 1986 and released in 1987 on the Atlantic Records label.

Track List | 37:55

1. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Fats Waller, Andy Razaf) 7:40
2. Makin’ Whoopee (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) 8:24
3. Heads Up (David Newman) 6:21
4. Delilah (Clifford Brown) 7:22
5. Lover Man (Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman) 9:52
6. For Buster” (Newman) :41

• David Newman – tenor saxophone, flute
• Steve Nelson – vibraphone
• Kirk Lightsey – piano
• David Williams – bass
• Eddie Gladden – drums

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