Howard McGhee was one of the first trumpeters (excluding Dizzy Gillespie) to grasp bebop. His blazingly fast fingering greatly helped him fit in perfectly with the early modernist players. McGhee also was on trumpet during Charlie Parker's infamous Lover Man session in Hollywood on July 29, 1946. The session resulted in Parker nearly collapsing from exhaustion and drug and alcohol abuse.
After returning to his hotel following the failed recording session, Parker set fire to his room, was arrested, jailed and then sent to the Camarillo State Mental Hospital for six months of rehabilitation.
When Parker emerged in 1947, McGhee recorded with him on Relaxin' at Camarillo, Cheers, Carvin' the Bird and Stupendous. During this period, Maggie, as he was known, became a leading sideman in Los Angeles, especially on bebop recording sessions.
For much of the 1950s, Maggie wrestled with drug addiction. As a result, he spent critical chunks of the decade at the so-called Narcotic Farm—the federal drug-treatment facility in Lexington, Ky. His first stay came in late 1953 and lasted until '55. During his time away, Clifford Brown and Art Farmer rose to LP prominence on the East Coast and altered the sound of the trumpet.
In 1961, McGhee led a high number of recording sessions. On July 26, he recorded Maggie's Back in Town, for Contemporary Records in Los Angeles. The sidemen on the date were Phineas Newborn Jr. (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b) and Shelly Manne (d). The album has just been remastered by Bernie Grundman and will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl. [Photo above of Phineas Newborn, Jr.]
The tracks:
- Demon Chase
- Willow, Weep for Me
- Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
- Sunset Eyes
- Maggie's Back in Town
- Summertime
- Brownie Speaks
Demon Chase is a blues inspired by Teddy Edwards Jr., son of the West Coast tenor saxophonist. As Maggie told Nat Hentoff for the liner notes, Teddy Jr. had an enormous amount of energy.
Sunset Eyes is a sensual jazz standard by tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards. Dig Maggie's solo and then Newborn's.
Brownie Speaks features not only Maggie playing at a blistering pace but there are lots of fireworks from Newborn, who tears up the keyboard on his solo.
Throughout the session, Vinnegar and Manne keep time with engaging bass lines and drum figures, respectively. This quartet was exceptional on every level.
Howard McGhee died in 1987 at age 69.
JazzWax tracks; You'll find Howard McGhee's Maggie's Back in Town (Craft Recordings) here. The new LP release by Craft Recordings features the original front and back covers issued by Contemporary, a new remastering and high-quality vinyl.
JazzWax clips: Here's Demon Chase...
Here's Sunset Eyes...
And here's Brownie Speaks...
