Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Stephen Russell Race was born April 1, 1921 in Lincoln, England and learned the piano from the age of five. His education from 1932 to 1937 was at Lincoln School, where he formed his first jazz group. At sixteen, he attended the Royal Academy of Music, studying composition under Harry Farjeon and William Alwyn. After leaving the academy, he wrote occasional dance band reviews for Melody Maker and, in 1939, joined the Harry Leader dance band as pianist, succeeding Norrie Paramor.

Race joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, and formed a jazz/dance quintet. After World War II, he began a long and productive career with the BBC, where his ready wit, musicianship and broad musical knowledge made him a much sought after musical accompanist for panel games and magazine shows, such as Whirligig and Many a Slip.

Simultaneously he played in the Lew Stone and Cyril Stapleton bands, and arranged material for Ted Heath. By 1949 The Steve Race Bop Group recorded some of the first British bebop records for the Paxton label. These included four sides with Leon Calvert, Johnny Dankworth, Peter Chilver, Norman Burns, Jack Fulton. He also developed a sideline arranging player piano rolls for the Artona company.

the 1950s to the 1980s, he presented numerous music programs on radio and television. Steve was the chairman of the long-running light-hearted radio and TV panel game My Music which ran for 520 episodes from 1967 to 1994. He also presented Jazz For Moderns and Jazz 625 for the BBC in the 1960s.

As a composer, he produced a number of pieces in the jazz, classical and popular idioms. Blue Acara, Esteban Cera, Faraway Music, Nicola, Ring Ding and Pied Piper aer just a few of his well known compositions. He appeared as pianist/bandleader in the 1948 film Calling Paul Temple and with Sid Colin wrote two of the songs performed by Celia Lipton. He also wrote other scores for films. His autobiography, Musician at Large, was published in 1979, and was inducted into the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Pianist, composer, radio and television presenter Steve Race had his first heart attack in 1965 and transitioned from a second attack at his home in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, on June 22, 2009.

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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Not belaboring the point, with all that is going on in the world, I am continuing to remain ever vigilant relative to the pandemic which is ever present in our lives. I can only hope you are doing the same.

My latest offering for those who enjoy good music comes from Moon Beams, a 1962 album by pianist Bill Evans. It is the first trio album recorded by Evans after the death of Scott LaFaro.

Bassist Chuck Israels replaced LaFaro and Evans recorded several songs on May 17, 1962 (#5,9), May 29, 1962 (#1, 8), June 2, 1962 (#2-4, 6-7) and June 5, 1962 (#10-11) at Sound Makers Studio, New York City. The album was released in December 1962 on the Riverside label and is a collection of ballads recorded during this period.

The recording sessions were produced by Orrin Keepnews, the woman on the album cover is Nico, who would later achieve recognition as a musical artist herself, the photographer was Peter Sahula and the cover design was by Ken Deardorff.

1. Re: Person I Knew (Bill Evans) ~ 5:44
2. Polka Dots and Moonbeams (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) ~ 5:01
3. I Fall in Love Too Easily (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) ~ 2:42
4. Stairway to the Stars (Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish) ~ 4:53
5. If You Could See Me Now (Tadd Dameron) ~ 4:29
6. It Might as Well Be Spring (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) ~ 6:05
7. In Love in Vain (Leo Robin, Jerome Kern) ~ 5:00
8. Very Early (Bill Evans) ~ 5:06

• Bill Evans – piano
• Chuck Israels – bass
• Paul Motian – drums

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Three Wishes

Once Nica questioned Milt Sealey about three wishes he replied with:

1. 1. “I wish I could be immortal in jazz. You know, go down with a nice name.”

   2. “I’d wish that my family ~ my wife, my child, and myself ~ would live a happy and healthy life.”

   3. “I wish that people… that I live to see the day when people will accept one another more humanly. As people, you know? Period. Well, that’s it. You know?”

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jørgen Emborg was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 29, 1953 and was influenced by Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett.

He has played at international festivals since 1975, releasing his first album, Sargasso in 1979 on the Kong Pære label. In the following years he belonged to Six Winds with Marilyn Mazur, Uffe Markussen and Alex Riel and formed with Palle Mikkelborg, Bjarne Roupé, Bo Stief and Ole Theill the ensemble Alpha Centauri.

By1986 he recorded with Bjarne Rostvold and through the Nineties he performed and/or recorded with Thomas Hass and Tomas Franck. Emborg teamed up with Alex Riel again and recorded Over The Rainbow on the Storyville label, with the saxophonist Fredrik Lundin, the bassist Steve Swallow. He played in the Tolvan Big Band and the Per Carsten Quintet.

Jørgen has also composed music for children, rhythmic choir music, big band, a cappella work, ironworks and piano quizzes. He taught piano, theory and composition at the Rytmisk Conservatory of Music from 1988 to 2016.

In 1981, his LP en 20:33 with Alpha Centauri received an award from Statens Kunstfond, the State Art Foundation. He received the Ben Webster Prize with the Frontline Fusion Group as well as others.

Pianist and composer Jørgen Emborg, who ensures there is a Nordic feel to his compositions, continues to perform and compose.

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Requisites

Giant Steps (In Memory of John Coltrane) ~ Tommy Flanagan | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s choice from the library was recommended to me years ago because of my love of piano trios. I finally acquired a copy and am pleased to submit it for your approval. Giant Steps (Enja Records 4022) is a terrific 1982 album that’s a loving tribute to John Coltrane by pianist Tommy Flanagan. The tenor saxophonist composed all the tunes on this date and five of them appeared on his album Giant Steps (1960). Here, he’s working with an outstanding rhythm section, George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. My copy used in this report is the original German Stereo release.

Side One opens with Mr. P.C., John’s tribute to bassist Paul Chambers who alongside Flanagan first recorded it with him. After the trio swings in unison on the melody, Tommy constructs the first solo vigorously. George gives an inspired statement next, then Al shares the spotlight with the leader on an energetic exchange into the reprise.

Central Park West is the first of two pretty ballads on the album and was first heard on Coltrane’s Sound (1964). Flanagan starts the song tenderly, then the rhythm section joins him to complete the melody. The pianist handles the opening chorus with great sensitivity and delicacy. Next up is Mraz who provides a brief thoughtful expression, then the pianist reappears for a concise comment preceding a gentle ending.

Syeeda’s Song Flute is Coltrane’s original written for his then ten-year-old daughter and returns the ensemble to an upbeat mood with a collective happy theme. Tommy captures the sheer joy of this tune in the opening statement. George responds with a cheerfully carefree interpretation that bounces along into Al’s zesty brushwork on the third performance. The pianist makes a few final points ahead of the ensemble’s culmination.

Side Two gets underway with Coltrane’s song about his Cousin Mary. The group is in perfect harmony on the melody. Flanagan starts it off with a vivaciously spirited solo that’s sure to have the listener tapping their toes to this irresistible beat. Mraz makes an indelible impression next, and Foster dazzles in an exchange with the leader ahead of the trio’s sprightly climax. Naima is John’s gorgeous tribute to his first wife and the trio opens with a heartfelt melody. Tommy paints a beautiful portrait as soft as an affectionate embrace on the song’s only solo with George and Al supplying the subtle support into an enchanting ending.

Giant Steps completes the album in high spirits from the start of the trio’s brisk theme. Flanagan leads off with an exhilarating reading, then Mraz greets the next solo enthusiastically. Foster and Flanagan share a lively exchange ahead of the closing chorus and finish.

Giant Steps was produced by Horst Weber and Matthias Winckelmann, and the album’s recording engineer was David Baker. The sound quality is excellent with superb fidelity across the highs, midrange, and low end that transports the trio to your listening room vividly. Tommy Flanagan was one of the most admired pianists in jazz and it might be easier for me to tell you who he didn’t play with because his discography is so extensive. Flanagan recorded forty albums as a leader, appeared on over two hundred more as a sideman and his career lasted over fifty years. He passed away on November 16, 2001, at the age of seventy-one. If you’re a fan of jazz piano, piano trios, or are new to the music of Tommy Flanagan, I invite you to seek out Giant Steps on your next vinyl hunt. It’s an exceptional album that’s worth checking out for a spot in your library!

~ Coltrane’s Sound (Atlantic 1419/SD 1419), Giant Steps (Atlantic 1311/SD 1311) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Giant Steps, Naima – Source: JazzStandards.com © 2022 by Edward Thomas Carter

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