Hidden Jazz Downloads (Vol. 12)

"Nobody tells you nothing about anything these days." This is a line I overheard the other day at Zabar's, a local food store. The line was grunted by a senior gentleman after a friend asked him why no one had told him about a change in venue for some event. The same line can be applied to iTunes.

Downloads are great—but good luck finding out which jazz albums on your "get" list have been added to the artist e-bins at iTunes. That's where JazzWax comes in. As longtime readers know, I routinely comb iTunes to see what gems have been added without as much as a whisper.

Here are five terrific hidden iTunes albums (and one killer bonus CD) that have quietly been making the scene. Just type the names of albums below into iTunes' search engine to find them:

Around the Horn—Maynard Ferguson (1955). This terrific big-band album has never before been issued digitally. Now it seems to have been added to iTunes—complete with a dumb cover (there are no French horns on the session). This cover, of course, ensures no one will ever find it. Who's playing on this album? Oh, just a bunch of your average West Coast monsters: Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Childers, Ray Linn (tp) Bob Burgess (tb) Herb Geller (as) Georgie Auld, Bill Holman (ts) Bud Shank (bar) Lorraine Geller (p) Ray Brown (b) Alvin Stoller (d) Bill Holman (arr).

The Almighty Burner—Charles Earland. The sound quality of downloads at iTunes varies dramatically. For some odd reason, this compilation from Savoy has amazing fidelity. Sounds like Earland is sitting in the room with you. Every single track on this download has a tremendous groove. Sample More Today Than Yesterday, for example, or The Kicker. The album cover? I have no idea why a tenor saxophonist is featured when Earland played the Hammond B3 organ.

Pure Bossa Nova—Sylvia Telles. Another fabulous compilation with terrific sound. Telles is my favorite early 1960s Brazilian singer. Telles died tragically in a car crash at age 32 in December 1966. Had she lived, she probably would have given Astrud Gilberto a run for her money. Telles' intonation, seductive quality and tone are exceptional. This is a terrific and intelligent roundup of Telles' material.

Soul Finger—Art Blakey (1965). This amazing hard-bop album for Limelight featured Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard together, with Gary Bartz on alto sax, John Hicks on piano, Victor Sproles on bass and Blakey on drums. On two tracks—Spot Session and Midtown Strut—Lucky Thompson is featured alone with the rhythm section on soprano sax. Sample Freedom Monday to get a sense of the energy level here.

Ultimate Jazz Archives 24—Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. So when exactly were the tracks on this strange looking album with the generic cover recorded? After matching the album's songs against Davis' discography, it turns out that they are the tenor saxophonist's earliest bebop leadership dates from 1946, including eight tracks with trumpeter Fats Navarro! What's more, the sound is great. Talk about a hidden download.

And here's the killer CD I mentioned at the top of this post:

Band in Boston—Herb Pomeroy Fresh Sound has just released Band in Boston (1958) teamed with Life Is a Many Splendored Gig (1957) on a single CD. These are two of the greatest big band albums of the late 1950s. Long sought by collectors, these albums have never been issued together before on CD. For my JazzWax posts on the Pomeroy band, go here and here. Band in Boston (Fresh Sound) can be found here.

Want more secret iTunes finds? For the previous 11 installments in this series, scroll down the right-hand column of JazzWax to "Hidden Downloads" and click on the links.

Comments

[Doug Zielke]

Marc wrote:
"The sound quality of downloads at iTunes varies dramatically."

I'll say it sure does!! Although I remain solidly-rooted in the analog camp, I still need the occasional digital fix from the likes of itunes. The sound quality usually does not meet my expectations. I'm sure it's fine for ipod & earbuds while waiting for the bus, but otherwise it is mediocre at best. Digital experts...please comment if there is a solution. Or is it a classic example of "Garbage in = garbage out"?

[Marla]

Hi Marc,

I owe you big time for the news about the Pomeroy double LP-to CD release. Can't believe these are out. All of the others listed are gems, too. What would I/we do without you?

Your blog continues to make my day. I love the interviews because I continue to learn more about my beloved jazz (and that's what it is all about - always learning/knowing). I am all eyes when you post a photograph and then have the photographer tell the story about the picture. Your blog makes my day better and forces me (in a good way) to learn more each day.

Thank you!
Marla

[Bruce Armstrong]

What could possibly have prevented the release of the Herb Pomeroy recordings to CD
all these years? "Band In Boston" remains one of the greatest big band recordings ever and sounds as fresh today as when I first bought it in the early 60s when I was in college. I always meant to ask Herb if the charts would ever be made available for purchase, but sadly I never got around to it prior to Herb's passing. Finally there is a CD to document the band's greatness for those who never had a chance to hear it before.