Chris Gutendorf’s poster design for the 2015 Monterey Jazz. Festival.
The month of September is a jazz programmers dream.
It is a month that overflows with the birthdays of jazz musician greats: Art Pepper, Horace Silver, Buddy Bolden, Sonny Rollins, Elvin Jones, Cannonball Adderley, any many more.
What is it about September that has resulted in the births of so many brilliant jazz musicians?
And then the crowning touch for September jazz is the annual Monterey Jazz Festival—the 58th.
There’s too many to mention, though, too many to adequately acknowledge by playing their music. So we play what we can. This week’s birthdays: Ray Charles, Les McCann, Frank Foster, John Coltrane, Fats Navarro, Wayne Henderson and more.
For this week’s show I focused on just a few. Here’s the playlist for Tuesday night:
—Few would dispute Ray Charles’ genius (and status) as a great R&B singer and performer; that’s how most of us came to know him. But at the root of his genius lies his ability to adapt and develop as musician. Clearly he is at home with the blues (sample The Genius Sings the Blues, Atlantic, 1961), but lesser known are his abilities as a jazz improviser, born out by his instrumental jazz recordings for Atlantic in 1956 and ’57. This is “serious” music. Lack of vocals pushes these recordings into the realm of the noncommercial, which is a good thing. His cover of “Black Coffee” is nuanced but not at the expense of holding back David “Fathead” Newman’s hard bop solos:
Ray Charles “Black Coffee” composed by Sonny Burke / Paul Francis Webster from The Great Ray Charles (1956) on Atlantic — Ray Charles, piano; David “Fathead” Newman, tenor; John Hunt, trumpet; Oscar Pettiford, bass; William Peeples, drums
Billy Mitchell “Automation” composed by Dave Burns from This is Billy Mitchell (1962) on smash — Billy Mitchell tenor; Bobby Hutcherson, vibes; Dave Burns, trumpet; Billy Wallace, piano; Herman Wright; bass; and drummer Otis Finch
Hal McKusick “Interim” composed by Triple Exposure from OJC (1957) on Concord — Hal McKusick, alto and leader; Billy Byers, trombone; Eddie Costa, piano; bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Charlie Persip
Serge Chaloff “Blue Serge” composed by The Complete Small Group Bop Sessions from The Complete Small Group Bop Sessions on Jazz Factory — Serge Caloff, baritone and leader
John Coltrane “Like Someone in Love” from Lush Lifew (1957) on Atlantic — John Coltrane, tenor; Red Garland, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Louis Hayes, drums.
—Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie on Roy and Diz: nothing but hot jazz. It’s interesting to listen to the two very distinctively different trumpet styles somehow work together, though at times it seems Gillespie just can’t be held back from blowing frenetic bop riffs. But that’s okay: Eldridge’s restraint holds it all together.
Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie “Limehouse Blues” composed by Philip Braham / Douglas Furber from Roy and Diz (1954) on Verve — Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, trumpets; Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge; Oscar Peterson, piano; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Louis Bellson, drums.
Fats Navarro “Everything’s Cool” composed by Navarro from Goin’ To Mintons’ (1946) on Black and Blue
—I first heard Les McCann in early 1970—Swiss Movements’s “Compared to What,” of course. Yes, “What” is overplayed, but there is something about that tune that is hypnotic—maybe that relentless tempo, or the bitterness and anger of McCann’s delivery of the lyrics (“Tired old lady kissin’ dogs/I hate the human, love that stinking mutt (I can’t use it!)”), or maybe that onstage chemistry between McCann’s keyboards and Eddie Harris’ electrified tenor. In any case, the album became one of the best selling jazz albums of all time.
Les McCann “Compared to What” composed by Gene McDaniels from Swiss Movement (1969) on Atlantic — Les McCann, piano and vocals; Eddie Harris, tenor; Leroy Vinnegar; Donald Dean, drums.
John Coltrane “One and Four” composed by Coltrane from Like Sonny (1960) on Atlantic — John Coltrane, tenor; McCoy Tyner, piano; Steve Davis, bass; Elvin Jones, drums.
—James Clay another tenor player from Texas is a surprising talent. Clay, like many jazz musicians of the 40’s and 50’s, John Hardee included, fell into obscurity because the recording opportunities were just not there—so many great musicians; too few recording studios. As bizarre politically and religiously Texas may be, they are redeemed in my eyes because Texas loves their tenor men and are rightly proud of all of them.
James Clay, from Texas.
James Clay “Linda Serene” composed by Daniel Jackson from A Double Dose of Soul (1960) on Riverside — James Clay, tenor; Nat Adderley, cornet; Gene Harris, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Louis Hayes, drums.
Another great Texas tenor, Marchel Ivery.
Marchel Ivery and David Fathead Newman “Night in Tunisia” composed by Gillespie from Blue Greens and Beans (1990) on Timeless — Marchel Ivery, tenor; David “Fathead” Newman, tenor and flute; Rein de Graaff, piano; Koos Serierse, bass; Eric Ineke, drums.
Ray Charles “The Ray” composed by Quincy Jones from Black Coffee (1956) on Atlantic — Ray Charles, piano; David “Fathead” Newman, tenor; John Hunt, trumpet; Oscar Pettiford, bass; William Peeples, drums
Another great Texas tenor man, John Hardee, in a NYC recording studio early 40’s. Tiny Grimes in the hat behind him.
John Hardee “Sleep Walking” from A Little Blue (1975) — John Hardee, Tenor Saxophone; Gene “Mighty Flea” Conners, Trombone; Gerry Wiggins, piano; Bass – Bill Pemberton; Drums – Oliver Jackson
Steve Allen “Snacks at Pasternak’s” composed by Allen from Steve Allen’s All Stars (1958) on EmArcy — Steve Allen, piano; Terry Gibbs, vibes; Gus Bivona, clarinet; Al Viola, guitar; Red Mitchell, bass; Frank Divito, drums
John Coltrane “Locomotion” composed by Cotrane from Blue Train (1957) on Blue Note — John Coltrane, tenor; Lee Morgan, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trom; Kenny Drew, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums.
Call and Response 