In The Wall Street Journal last week, my monthly "Album at 50" essay for the Arts in Review section looked at the Allman Brothers Band's Brothers and Sisters LP, which was released in August 1973 (go here). By the time the album's recording began, one member was dead from a motorcycle accident and another would meet the same fate just weeks into studio work. In addition, the band was wracked with heroin addiction and alcoholism.
But as serious rock writing emerged in the early 1970s with the New Journalism and Rolling Stone magazine, the Allman Brothers Band became a great story of goodhearted underdogs fighting for their lives to be special and succeed. Fans flocked to record stores. Brothers and Sisters was a shift for the band, from blues rock to country rock, and the LP became the band's best-selling release, providing a superb example of pure country rock before the Eagles smoothed out the genre in 1975.
Here's Ramblin' Man in 1972, around the time it was recorded and before the album came out. Berry Oakley was on bass on the far right. He would die nine days later...
Last week in the WSJ, I also interviewed bestselling novelist Ann Patchett for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Ann's latest book is Tom Lake. [Photo above of Ann Patchett by Heidi Ross]
Here's Ann on the Today show recently...
Count Basie. What a week. Wow. Readers had an enormously favorable response to my five days devoted to the Count.
Following my post on Thursday, I heard from Bruce Collier. Bruce started 90th Floor Records in Dallas in 1960 and taped Dick and Kiz Harp, Texas's short-lived version of Jackie and Roy, at the city's 90th Floor Club. Bruce also taped the Texas Lab Band, with Stan Kenton's comments, before Bruce was drafted. Here's Bruce's email:
Marc, I've sent you a photo (above) of Count Basie, Joe Williams and three college dudes (I'm in the middle). We were at Chicago’s Blue Note, circa 1960. The three of us were there enjoying the band and drummer Sonny Payne when the club's "cigarette girl" came by to see if we wanted our picture taken. To which we responded (sarcastically?), "Sure, if you can get Basie and Joe to join us…" Voila!
Here's Dick and Kiz Harp. We have Bruce to thank for these recordings. Otherwise, nothing would remain of their performances, with Dick on vocal and piano and Kiz on vocal (dig Kiz's "Oy's" while Dick's opening vocal)...
Sonny Payne, Count Basie's drummer from 1954 to 1964, had just one leadership session for a single track, with Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone: Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie, which appeared on an album called More Drums on Fire! on the World Pacific label in 1960. Go here and move the time bar up to 19:37. Or listen to the entire album, which features different artists...
Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan. When Annie Ross's drug addiction prohibited her from traveling back to the U.S. from the U.K. to rejoin Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert had to find a replacement. That singer was Yolande Bavan. For my multipart interview with Yolande, go here.
Here's Yolande in the trio singing This Could Be the Start of Something Big, with Pony Poindexter on soprano saxophone, in 1962...
And here's the Basin Street East recording of the same song in 1963...
And thanks to Bill Kirchner, I've added one more—Yolande on TV's To Tell the Truth in 1962 (move the time bar to 8:15). Go here...
The Pacific Jazz Orchestra. Last week, Kurt Kostad hipped me to the launch of the Pacific Jazz Orchestra, sponsored by the Herb Alpert Foundation. The PJO will produce an annual concert season under the artistic direction of Chris Walden (above) and feature various headlining guest artists, and each concert will be presented at a different venue throughout Los Angeles. The full line-up of the band's inaugural season starting this fall will be announced soon. For more, go here.
Tommy Dorsey's post-war band in the late 1940s with arrangements by Bill Finegan was spectacular. The band's personnel was a knockout, with Louis Bellson on drums, Paul Smith on piano, Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Billy Ainsworth on alto saxophone, Boomie Richman on tenor and Marty Berman on baritone, to name a few chairs. [Photo above of Tommy Dorsey]
Here's Finegan's Pussy Willow...
I know of only one contemporary band able to pull off this difficult arrangement—a band led by drummer Brooks Tegler in 2007. You can read my interview with him here. Here's his Pussy Willow...
Buster Keaton. Not nearly enough praise is given to the pioneers of film comedy in the silent era. Most of the focus is on Charlie Chaplin, and deservedly so. But Buster Keaton is just as worthy and is the father of movie stuntmen and cinematic suspense and ingenious resolutions. [Photo above of Buster Keaton, courtesy of IMDb]
Here's a piece from Seven Chances (1925). I have no idea how this was shot, but my mouth is still hanging open...
Claude Thornhill. The following clip of Count Me In from 1942 features singers Martha Wayne and Buddy Stewart. The latter would go on to become a leading vocalese singer in the late 1940s. Gil Evans arranged the song. But the clip also features trumpeter Conrad Gozzo seated in the middle of the horn section; John Graas on French horn, on the left, would go on to be a leading force in the rise of West Coast jazz in the early 1950s; and Barry Galbraith is on guitar. [Photo above of Claude Thornhill by William P. Gottlieb]
The full band: Rusty Dedrick, Conrad Gozzo and Louis Mucci (tp); Tasso Harris and Bud Smith (tb); John Graas and Vincent Jacobs (fhr); Danny Polo (cl); Dale Brown (cl,as,arr); Jack Ferrier (cl,as); Ted Goddard and Carl Swift (cl,ts); Marty Berman (cl,b-cl,bar); Claude Thornhill (p); Barry Galbraith (g); Marty Blitz (b); Lou Fromm (d); Martha Wayne and Buddy Stewart; and Gil Evans.
Go here...
Fishink is a British blog that regularly features marvelous mid-century artists and their works. This time around, Fishink showcases Chris Turnham. You can subscribe for free and get the blog posts sent to you regularly. Go here.
Mike Jones—Are You Sure You Three Guys Know What You’re Doing? (Capri). Pianist Mike Jones opens nightly for Penn & Teller in Las Vegas at the Penn & Teller Theater. Mike also gigs and records with Penn Jillette, who plays bass, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. Their latest album features 11 tracks, most of which are songbook standards, including Watch What Happens, You've Changed and Gone With the Wind. No magic tricks here, just straight ahead jazz that grabs the ear. You'll find the album here.
Here's the trio playing Gone With the Wind...
Dave Thompson wrapped up rehearsals at his piano studio yesterday, working on I Fall in Love Too Easily. I love Dave's playing and often listen to his SoundCloud clips for up to an hour when I put on one of his songs. Here's the recording he sent along yesterday...
Charlie Parker and Lester Young Birthday Broadcast. Love Bird and Pres? You're in luck. From August 27 to 29, WKCR-FM in New York is producing a 72-hour marathon tribute to the alto and tenor saxophonists. Both musicians changed the direction of jazz in the 1940s—Parker, by pioneering bebop along with a new approach to improvisation, and Young, with a new, more relaxed sound on his instrument. Both were so influential that entire schools of artists emerged who tried to play like them.
Tune in from anywhere in the world next week by going here.
And finally, here's Charlie Parker playing Moose the Mooch at the Chez Parée, in Montreal on February 7, 1953...
And here's Lester Young in 1947 playing East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)...
