For me, Hampton Hawes's finest recordings were the three All Night Session! albums captured on the evening of November 12, 1956 and the early morning hours of November 13. The studio date for Contemporary Records featured Hawes (p), Jim Hall (g), Red Mitchell (b) and Bruz Freeman (d). According to Hawes in his autobiography, Raise Up Off Me: A Portrait of Hampton Hawes: "I got together a quartet, using Jim Hall on guitar. We recorded 12 tracks in one continuous session from 9 at night to 8:30 the next morning."
Clearly there were false starts and multiple alternate takes or lengthy breaks, since 11 1/2 hours in the studio, by Hawes's accounting, was needed to record just two hours of music on vinyl. For another, Hawes's drug addiction during this period left him "in bad shape" by his own admission. Which means he was likely using during the session, a stunning revelation given how impeccable the material is. This, of course, leads one to imagine that the reason for All Night Session! was likely because Hawes was sorely in need of cash. He may have suggested he give Contemporary enough music for three albums all at once for three cash paydays up front.
No matter how you look at this marathon session, it remains among the finest piano studio recordings in jazz history.
Here are all three albums, at 2 hours and 3 minutes, without ad interruptions...
Other ad-free Backgrounders in my series:
- Zoot Sims Plays Bossa Nova, go here.
- Lee Morgan: Lee-Way, go here.
- Bossa Nova for Swinging Lovers, go here.
- Leon Spencer: Louisiana Slim, go here.
- Bossa Nova Modern Quartet: Bossa Nova Jazz Samba, go here.
- Bill Evans & Luiz Eça: Piano Four Hands, go here.
- Ray Brown Trio: Don't Get Sassy, go here.
- Os Tatuis: Os Tatuis, go here.
- Waltel Branco: Mancini Tambem É Samba, go here.
- Jack Wilson Plays Brazilian Mancini, go here.
- Conjunto Copacabana Bossa: Bossa, go here.
- Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Swings Lightly, go here.
- Charles Earland: Charles Earland, go here.
- Kenny Burrell: Crash! w/ Jack McDuff, go here.
- Jack McDuff: The Heatin' System, go here.
- Horace Silver: Horace-Scope, go here.
- Antonio Carlos Jobim: Wave, go here.
- Sonny Stitt: Sonny Stitt Plays, go here.
- Sonny Stitt with Bennie Green: My Main Man, go here.
- Johnny Hodges and Earl Hines: Stride Right, go here.
- Lionel Hampton: Bossa Nova Jazz, go here.
- Johnny Hodges & Ben Webster: Cellar Session, go here.
- Bill Evans: Solo Sessions Vol. 1, go here.
- Frank Wess: Trombones & Flute, go here.
- Presenting the Buddy DeFranco & Tommy Gumina Quartet, go here.
- Ernest Ranglin: Wranglin', go here.
- Dave Pell Octet: Plays Rodgers & Hart, go here.
- Milt Buckner: Block Chords Parade, go here.
- Roberto Menescal: A Nova Bossa, go here.
- Count Basie: Have a Nice Day, go here.
- Freddie Green: Mr. Rhythm, go here.
- Leny Andrade: Leny Andrade, go here.
- Johnny Alf: Ele é Johnny Alf, go here.
- Dodo Marmarosa: Dodo's Back, go here.
- Freddie Redd: The Music From the Connection, go here.
- Nicola Stilo & Toninho Horta: Duets, go here.
- Urbie Green: Persuasive Trombone, go here.
- Johnny Richards: Something Else, go here.
- Wayne Shorter: JuJu, go here.
