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A three-disc box set from England's Avid Records, Little Jazz Giant
tracks trumpeter Roy Eldridge's career from his early work as part
of the Delta Four in 1935 through his own efforts to front a swing
combo in the late '30s, his work with bandleaders Teddy Hill and
Fletcher Henderson, his brilliant early-'40s sides with Gene Krupa,
his profitable stay with Artie Shaw, his uncertain position with
the modern bop community, and finally, four concluding tracks with
Oscar Peterson. In retrospect, it's interesting how many of the
most striking cuts here were actually written by Eldridge,
including "That Thing," "The Gasser," "Fish Market," "Wild Driver,"
"Yard Dog," and "They Raided the Joint," each of which has a
perceptible modernist edge. Pound for pound, Eldridge was one of
the finest upper-range trumpet players jazz has ever produced, and
this set has countless examples of his jet-propelled solos (check
out his lightning-fast solos in the version of "St. Louis Blues"
that is included here). Avid has released each of the discs from
this set as single packages as well, entitled The Gasser
(1935-1946), Wild Driver (1944-1950), and The Heat's On
(1951-1952). ~ Steve Leggett
Artie Shaw, the world famous clarinet-playing bandleader who became
popular during the Swing Era, was immersed in the music business as
a performer for 30 years, from the summer of 1924, when he began to
study saxophone, until the summer of 1954, when he stopped
performing. This period of activity is the focus of this musical
biography and discography, a detailed account of Shaw's musical
career and recorded output. The book begins with a summary of
Shaw's career in the contexts of jazz history and social setting,
then moves into more detail. The chronologically arranged sections,
mirroring each phase of his career, incorporate contemporary
reviews and interview quotes to create an insightful narrative. The
discography lists all known recordings and is separate from the
text to facilitate easy reference. Includes appendixes and index.
Lenny Bruce was a devoted fan of the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. He
also went out of his way to make fun of Georgia Gibbs, the vocalist
on Artie Shaw's January 20, 1942 recording of "Absent-Minded Moon."
Lenny was playing up his preference for the hipper side of Shaw, as
demonstrated on "Hindustan" and every track recorded at the session
which took place the following day. These remarkable sides, which
sound better every time they are played back, were the last studio
recordings Shaw would make before joining the navy. Composer and
arranger Paul Jordan crafted a number of transitionally
modern-sounding charts for this band. There are several heavies in
the lineup: Dave Tough and Johnny Guarnieri worked well together
under any circumstances. Georgie Auld, Ray Conniff and Max Kaminsky
were fortunate to be blowing their horns alongside Hot Lips Page, a
seasoned trumpeter who conveyed the lyrical potency of ten ordinary
musicians. The string section provides just the right amount of
lilt without injecting too much fluff. There is a gorgeous
rendition of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," with
Shaw's clarinet in full blue cry and a gutsy vocal by Page. The
Shaw discography, interrupted by a world war, resumes nearly three
years later with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's famous
"Accentuate the Positive." Vocalist Imogene Lynn, dutifully
intoning Mercer's imitation Afro-American revival lyrics, sounds a
bit affected after the soulful gravity of Hot Lips Page. But it is
important to place this popular hit record within historical
context. By November of 1944 America needed a straight shot of
optimism, and this catchy, morale-boosting number did more for the
war against fascism than any number of giddy or poker-faced
exercises in rhetorical patriotism. This is Artie Shaw & His
Orchestra at their finest. Roy Eldridge gave the band extra punch,
and the records he made with Shaw are uniformly solid, melodious
and attractive. Billie Holiday, who had worked with Shaw in 1938,
is invoked in Jimmy Mundy's "Lady Day." Poetically, its chord
progressions seem to reference Billie's difficult life and maybe
even the abusive racism she encountered while touring with Shaw at
a time when black women simply did not appear with white bands.
Buster Harding's "Little Jazz" is the definitive portrait of
Eldridge. "Summertime" is exceptionally fine, with magical
tonalities provided by Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel. This
special chemistry is all the more evident on two sides by the
Gramercy Five. Certainly one of the best Artie Shaw reissues, and
well-worth seeking out. ~ arwulf arwulf
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