Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Wilfred Theodore Wemyes, known to the world as Ted Weems, was born on September 26, 1901 in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. He learned to play the violin and trombone, and his start in music came when he entered a contest, hoping to win a pony. He won a violin instead and his parents arranged for music lessons, and was a graduate of Lincoln School in Pittsburgh. While still at Lincoln, he organized a band there, initially providing some instruments himself.
As an enterprising young man he reinvested money given him by his teacher and that collected from band members to buy better instruments for the band. His family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he enrolled at West Philadelphia High School, joined the school’s band and became its director. Ted went on to the University of Pennsylvania, where he and his brother Art organized a small dance band that became the All American Band. They soon started receiving offers to perform in well-known hotels throughout the United States. They were one of the bands that played at the inaugural ball of President Warren G Harding in 1921.
Going professional in 1923, Weems toured for the MCA Corporation and began recording for the Victor Talking Machine Company. His first #1 hit was Somebody Stole My Gal in early 1924 and recorded for Victor/RCA Victor and their Bluebird Records arm. He then signed with Columbia, and on to Decca. He also co-wrote several popular songs: The Martins and the McCoys, Jig Time, The One-Man Band, Three Shif’less Skonks, and Oh, Monah!, which he co-wrote with band member Country Washburn.
Moving to Chicago, Illinois with his band around 1928, his orchestra charted more success in 1929 and the band gained popularity in the 1930s, making regular radio broadcasts. He would go on to enlist with his entire band into the United States Merchant Marine in 1942, directing the Merchant Marine Band. After the war, with his new-found popularity of the 1938 Heartaches, Decca continued to re-release several of his hits, however, he reaped no benefit as his contract expired while he was in the military.
Weems made front-page news in 1947 when he publicly repaid his debt to disc jockey Kurt Webster, who had revived Heartaches and thus his career. He staged a benefit performance by his band and gave all proceeds going to war veteran Webster. Decca cashed in once again on his new popularity by reissuing another oldie, I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now with vocals by Perry Como, which became another major chart hit.
The hits dried up after 1947 but Ted continued touring until 1953 then accepted a disc jockey position in Memphis, Tennessee, later moving on to a management position with the Holiday Inn hotel chain.
Violinist, trombonist and bandleader Ted Weems, who operated a talent agency in Dallas, Texas with his son, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, died of emphysema in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 6, 1963.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dave Wilkins was born on September 25, 1914 in Barbados. He first played in Salvation Army bands in his native country. In 1937, he moved to London, England, where he worked with Ken Snakehips Johnson’s West Indian Swing Band among others.
He recorded with Una Mae Carlisle and Fats Waller in 1938, and continued to work with Johnson until 1941. Following this, he played with English jazz musicians such as Ted Heath, Harry Parry, Joe Daniels and Cab Kaye.
Trumpeter Dave Wilkins, who stopped playing in the 1970s, died on November 26, 1990 in London, England.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jack James Costanzo was born on September 24, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois to Italian parents. Starting his career as a dancer, he toured as a team with his wife before World War II. After his discharge from the Navy, he worked as a dance instructor at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Latin band leader Bobby Ramos heard him playing bongos in a jam session and offered him a job.
He visited Havana, Cuba three times in the 1940s and learned to play Afro-Cuban rhythms on the bongos and congas. Throughout the 1940s, Costanzo worked with several Latin bands, including a revived version of the Lecuona Cuban Boys, Desi Arnaz, and Rene Touzet.
Jack toured with Stan Kenton from 1947 to 1948 and occasionally in the 1950s, and played with Nat King Cole from 1949 to 1953. He also played with the Billy May Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Danny Kaye, Perez Prado, Charlie Barnet, Pete Rugolo, Betty Grable, Harry James, Judy Garland, Patti Page, Jane Powell, Ray Anthony, Martin & Lewis, Frances Faye, Dinah Shore, Xavier Cugat, Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Eddie Fisher.
Costanzo formed his own band in the 1950s which recorded and toured internationally. Hollywood stars Marlon Brando, Rita Moreno, Carolyn Jones, Hugh O’Brian, Keenan Wynn, Van Johnson, Tony Curtis, Betty Grable, Vic Damone, James Dean, and Gary Cooper among others, studied bongos with him.
He went into retirement until 1998 when he decided to make a comeback. In 2001 he recorded Back From Havana featuring Gilbert Castellanos, Steve Firerobing and singer Marilu. In 2002 he released his sophomore album with the same cast called Scorching The Skins. He continued to tour and perform in California and abroad.
Percussionist, dancer, composer and bandleader Jack Costanzo, nicknamed Mr. Bongo, died of complications from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm at his home on August 18, 2018 in Lakeside, California at the age of 98.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Michel Gaudry was born on September 23, 1928 in Eu, France on 23 September 1928. He learned clarinet and piano as a child before switching to bass. Following studies at the Geneva Conservatory, he played with Michel Hausser, beginning his professional career in 1955. In the latter half of the 1950s he worked with Billie Holiday, Quentin Jackson, Carmen McRae, and Art Simmons.
In the early 1960s he was very active playing with Elek Bacsik, Kenny Clarke, Sonny Criss, Stephane Grappelli, Bud Powell, Stuff Smith, and Billy Strayhorn, as well as continuing a long time slot as a member of Jack Diéval’s group.
The Seventies he played with Gérard Badini’s group, Swing Machine, and was a regular performer at the Grande Parade du Jazz in Nice, France. In the 1980s he played with Jimmy Owens and Irvin Stokes.
In his later life, he dedicated himself to the history of World War II occupation of Normandy, France. Double bassist Michel Gaudry died on May 29, 2019 in Saint-Lô, France at the age of 90.
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Requisites
Blowing In From Chicago ~ Cliff Jordan & John Gilmore | By Eddie Carter
As a youngster discovering this music, I was always captivated by jazz’s unique and spontaneous nature, particularly the ‘blowing session’ or ‘jam session.’ These impromptu performances, where musicians control the flow of musical ideas from moment to moment, are a testament to the music’s excitement and unpredictability. Whether in a live setting at a club, concert, or jazz festival or captured in a studio session, jazz’s enthusiasm, vitality, and freedom are always present.
This morning’s choice from my library is an excellent LP from 1957 by two tenor saxophonists who made significant impressions in jazz, Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore. Their only album as co-leaders is titled Blowing In From Chicago (Blue Note BLP 1549), which signifies their roots in the vibrant jazz scene of Chicago. The quintet has an excellent rhythm section consisting of Horace Silver on piano, Curly Russell on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. My copy is the 1983 Pathé Marconi-EMI French Mono reissue, sharing the original catalog number. Before I proceed, let me state that this is not a DMM (Digital Metal Mastering) pressing.
The album opener, Status Quo, is a lively tune by John Neely, with both horns leading the charge through the uptempo melody. John rips into the opening solo, aggressively slicing through each verse like a sharp blade. Clifford joins him next in a short exchange, then takes off with a supercharged reading. Horace shifts into high gear on the third statement with a blazing swiftness that’s equally inspired and scintillating. Art engages in a brief conversation with both horns, then brings the solos to a close with an electric performance illustrating his incomparable artistry before the ensemble returns to the theme and quick stop. The first of two originals by Jordan follows.
Bo-Till slows the tempo to a laid-back pace with a Latin flavor. After a short introduction by the trio, the quintet states the theme collectively, stepping aside for Jordan, who makes a profound impression with a beautifully conceived statement displaying a great tone throughout. Silver gets into the groove next with an incredible, smooth reading, one of his best on the album. Gilmore delivers the closing choruses of the song proficiently with meticulous execution. Blakey constructs a concise comment during the ensemble’s end theme and close.
Blue Lights by Gigi Gryce is a catchy tune that opens with the quintet laying down a gorgeous medium beat on the theme and gives everyone a solo opportunity. John steps into the spotlight with a spirited performance. Horace follows with notes of undeniable pleasure in one of his most robust solos. Clifford weaves his way through the next musical improvisation with astounding skill. Curly puts together a condensed reading that walks for one chorus with solid bass lines. Art breezes into a straightforward interpretation that culminates into a splendid summation of the first side.
The second side gets underway with Charlie Parker’s Billie’s Bounce, which gives everyone except Russell a lengthy solo canvas on which to work. Blakey begins with a high-voltage introduction that sets the pace for the following fiery quintet theme. Clifford packs a mighty punch on the opening statement with a fire-breathing showcase, preceding John, who exhibits a robust attack on the subsequent interpretation with extremely hot choruses. Horace takes over next for a scintillating performance, taking his piano on a sizzling uptempo ride. Both horns exchange a few riffs with Art before the drummer gives an unaccompanied propulsive exhibition into the ending theme.
Clifford’s second original is a blues titled Evil Eye, which eases the throttle back from the previous burner to a medium pace with a collective melody by the quintet. Jordan opens the solos with a series of choruses that are smooth and well-structured. In the following presentation, Gilmore shows that he can also interpret blues with plenty of soul, which develops nicely. Silver delivers a lightly swinging performance that expresses pleasure as he moves masterfully through each chorus. Both horns return to share a few more thoughts. Blakey makes a short statement preceding the theme’s reprise and finish.
The album’s final track is Everywhere, a mid-tempo original by Horace Silver, which I believe made its debut on this album. It opens with a simple opening melody by the ensemble in unison, and the solo order is Gilmore, Jordan, Silver, and Blakey. John takes the stage first with a bewitchingly delightful opening statement. Clifford makes his case with a captivating contribution that moves sprightly alongside the rhythm section’s groundwork drive. Horace takes over next, communicating his points well with a pronounced beat. Art puts the joyous exclamation point on the song and album with a compelling statement that leads the group back to the ending theme and close.
Clifford Jordan recorded three albums for Blue Note; the other two LPs are Cliff Jordan and Cliff Craft. He played and recorded with many elite jazz musicians, including Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Clifford also enjoyed success recording as a leader and sideman, and in my opinion, his discography is well worth investigating. He remained in demand over the next three decades and toured worldwide. His final album was a 1992 live recording at Condon’s in New York City for Milestone, where he performed with his big band, Down Through The Years. He lost his battle against lung cancer on March 27, 1993, at age sixty-one.
Blowing In From Chicago was the first of three appearances on Blue Note by John Gilmore. The other two were as a sideman on two of Andrew Hill’s LPs, Andrew and Compulsion. He began playing the clarinet at fourteen, then pursued a musical career after a four-year stint in the United States Air Force, where he took up and played the tenor saxophone. He began a forty-year term with Sun Ra in 1953 and recorded for various labels with his group, Sun Ra Arkestra. During this time, Gilmore also toured with The Jazz Messengers and recorded with Paul Bley, Andrew Hill, Pete LaRoca, McCoy Tyner, and Dizzy Reece. After Sun Ra’s death on May 30, 1993, Gilmore led the Arkestra for two years before his death from emphysema on August 20, 1995, at age sixty-three.
As for the music on Blowing In From Chicago, it’s fantastic, as are the solos on each track, and the sound quality of this reissue is exemplary. The instruments deliver an excellent soundstage throughout the treble, midrange, and bass that places your sweet spot in the studio with the musicians. It’s a cut above the average debut album and a title I recommend as a terrific addition to any jazzophile’s library, particularly if you’re a hard-bop fan or love a good “blowing session” or “jam session.”
~ Andrew (Blue Note BLP 4203/BST 84203), Cliff Jordan (Blue Note BLP 1565), Cliff Craft (Blue Note BLP 1582/BST 81582), Compulsion (Blue Note BLP 4217/BST 84217), Down Through The Years (Milestone MCD-9197-2) – Source: Discogs.com
~ Billie’s Bounce – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ John Gilmore, Andrew Hill, Clifford Jordan – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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