Sleepy John Estes • Street Car Blues

 

Biography
by Barry Lee Pearson
Big Bill Broonzy called John Estes' style of singing "crying" the blues because of its overt emotional quality. Actually, his vocal style harks back to his tenure as a work-gang leader for a railroad maintenance crew, where his vocal improvisations and keen, cutting voice set the pace for work activities. Nicknamed "Sleepy" John Estes, supposedly because of his ability to sleep standing up, he teamed with mandolinist Yank Rachell and harmonica player Hammie Nixon to play the house party circuit in and around Brownsville in the early 1920s. The same team reunited 40 years later to record for Delmark and play the festival circuit. Never an outstanding guitarist, Estes relied on his expressive voice to carry his music, and the recordings he made from 1929 on have enormous appeal and remain remarkably accessible today.

Despite the fact that he performed for mixed Black and white audiences in string bands, jug bands, and medicine show formats, his music retains a distinct ethnicity and has a particularly plaintive sound. Astonishingly, he recorded for six decades on Victor, Decca, Bluebird, Ora Nelle, Sun, Delmark, and others. Over the course of his career, his music remained simple yet powerful, and despite his sojourns to Memphis and Chicago he retained a traditional down-home sound. Some of his songs are deeply personal statements about his community and life, such as "Lawyer Clark" and "Floating Bridge." Other compositions have universal appeal ("Drop Down Mama" and "Someday Baby") and went on to become mainstays in the repertoires of countless musicians. One of the true masters of his idiom, he lived in poverty, yet was somehow capable of turning his experiences and the conditions of his life into compelling art.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sleepy-john-estes-mn0000022845/biography

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Biografía
por Barry Lee Pearson
Big Bill Broonzy llamó al estilo de canto de John Estes "crying" (llorar) el blues por su evidente calidad emocional. En realidad, su estilo vocal se remonta a su época de líder de una cuadrilla de mantenimiento del ferrocarril, donde sus improvisaciones vocales y su voz aguda y cortante marcaban el ritmo de las actividades laborales. Apodado "Sleepy" John Estes, supuestamente por su capacidad para dormir de pie, se asoció con el mandolinista Yank Rachell y el armonicista Hammie Nixon para tocar en el circuito de fiestas domésticas en Brownsville y sus alrededores a principios de la década de 1920. El mismo equipo se reunió 40 años después para grabar para Delmark y tocar en el circuito de festivales. Estes nunca fue un guitarrista destacado, sino que se apoyó en su expresiva voz para llevar su música, y las grabaciones que hizo a partir de 1929 tienen un enorme atractivo y siguen siendo notablemente accesibles hoy en día.

A pesar de que actuó para un público mixto de blancos y negros en bandas de cuerda, bandas de jarra y formatos de espectáculos de medicina, su música conserva un marcado carácter étnico y tiene un sonido especialmente lastimero. Sorprendentemente, grabó durante seis décadas en Victor, Decca, Bluebird, Ora Nelle, Sun, Delmark y otros. A lo largo de su carrera, su música siguió siendo sencilla pero poderosa, y a pesar de sus estancias en Memphis y Chicago, conservó un sonido tradicional y casero. Algunas de sus canciones son declaraciones profundamente personales sobre su comunidad y su vida, como "Lawyer Clark" y "Floating Bridge". Otras composiciones tienen un atractivo universal ("Drop Down Mama" y "Someday Baby") y se convirtieron en pilares del repertorio de innumerables músicos. Uno de los verdaderos maestros de su lenguaje, vivió en la pobreza, pero fue capaz de convertir sus experiencias y las condiciones de su vida en un arte convincente.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sleepy-john-estes-mn0000022845/biography

Les McCann • Soul Hits

 

Biography
by Scott Yanow
A prime player in soul jazz and jazz-pop circles, pianist and vocalist Les McCann earned his first major notices as a member of the Gene McDaniels backing band in 1959, following a stint in the U.S. Navy. He formed his own trio in 1960 and remained consistently popular for decades. A fine, earthy singer, he also did well with romantic ballads and occasional protest songs. McCann proved himself a dependable player in terms of establishing grooves or setting up rhythms. He reached the peak of his popularity with his performance at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival, recording "Compared to What" and "Cold Duck Time" for Atlantic with Eddie Harris and Benny Bailey (released later that year on Swiss Movement).

McCann first gained some fame in 1956 when he won a talent contest in the Navy as a singer that resulted in an appearance on television on The Ed Sullivan Show. After being discharged, he formed a trio in Los Angeles. McCann turned down an invitation to join the Cannonball Adderley Quintet so he could work on his own music. He signed a contract with Pacific Jazz and in 1960 gained some fame with his albums Les McCann Plays the Truth and The Shout. His soulful, funk style on piano was influential and McCann's singing was largely secondary until the mid-'60s. He recorded many albums for Pacific Jazz during 1960-1964, mostly with his trio but also featuring Ben Webster, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Pass, the Jazz Crusaders, and the Gerald Wilson Orchestra.

McCann switched to Limelight during 1965-1967 and then signed with Atlantic in 1968. After the success of Swiss Movement, McCann emphasized his singing at the expense of his playing and he began to utilize electric keyboards, notably on 1972's Layers. His recordings became less interesting to traditional jazz fans from that point on, and after his Atlantic contract ran out in 1976, McCann appeared on records much less often. However, he stayed popular and a 1994 reunion tour with Eddie Harris was quite successful. A mid-'90s stroke put him out of action for a time and weakened his keyboard playing (his band began carrying an additional keyboardist) but Les McCann returned to a more active schedule during 1996 and was still a powerful singer. His comeback was solidified by 2002's Pump It Up, a guest-heavy celebration of funk and jazz released on ESC Records.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/les-mccann-mn0000245760/biography

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Biografía
por Scott Yanow
El pianista y vocalista Les McCann, uno de los principales intérpretes de soul jazz y jazz-pop, obtuvo su primer gran reconocimiento como miembro de la banda de acompañamiento de Gene McDaniels en 1959, tras su paso por la Marina estadounidense. Formó su propio trío en 1960 y mantuvo su popularidad durante décadas. Un cantante fino y campechano, también lo hizo bien con baladas románticas y canciones de protesta ocasionales. McCann demostró ser un músico fiable a la hora de establecer surcos o marcar ritmos. Alcanzó la cima de su popularidad con su actuación en el Festival de Jazz de Montreux de 1969, grabando "Compared to What" y "Cold Duck Time" para Atlantic con Eddie Harris y Benny Bailey (publicado ese mismo año en Swiss Movement).

McCann adquirió cierta fama en 1956, cuando ganó un concurso de talentos en la Marina como cantante que le valió una aparición en televisión en el programa The Ed Sullivan Show. Tras ser licenciado, formó un trío en Los Ángeles. McCann rechazó una invitación para unirse al Cannonball Adderley Quintet para poder trabajar en su propia música. Firmó un contrato con Pacific Jazz y en 1960 alcanzó cierta fama con sus álbumes Les McCann Plays the Truth y The Shout. Su estilo conmovedor y funk al piano fue muy influyente y el canto de McCann fue en gran medida secundario hasta mediados de los años 60. Grabó muchos discos para Pacific Jazz durante 1960-1964, sobre todo con su trío, pero también con Ben Webster, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Pass, los Jazz Crusaders y la Gerald Wilson Orchestra.

McCann cambió a Limelight durante 1965-1967 y luego firmó con Atlantic en 1968. Tras el éxito de Swiss Movement, McCann hizo hincapié en su forma de cantar en detrimento de su forma de tocar y empezó a utilizar teclados eléctricos, sobre todo en Layers, de 1972. A partir de ese momento, sus grabaciones se volvieron menos interesantes para los aficionados al jazz tradicional y, tras la finalización de su contrato con Atlantic en 1976, McCann apareció en los discos con mucha menos frecuencia. Sin embargo, siguió siendo popular y una gira de reunión con Eddie Harris en 1994 tuvo bastante éxito. Un derrame cerebral a mediados de los 90 le dejó fuera de combate durante un tiempo y debilitó su forma de tocar el teclado (su banda empezó a llevar un teclista adicional), pero Les McCann volvió a una agenda más activa durante 1996 y siguió siendo un cantante poderoso. Su regreso se consolidó con Pump It Up, de 2002, una celebración del funk y el jazz con muchos invitados, publicado por ESC Records.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/les-mccann-mn0000245760/biography

Clifford Brown and Max Roach • Study In Brown

 

Review
by Scott Yanow
Study in Brown features the 1955 version of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, a group also including tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow. One of the premiere early hard bop units, this band had unlimited potential. Highlights of this set are "Cherokee" (during which trumpeter Brown is brilliant), "Swingin'," and "Sandu." https://www.allmusic.com/album/study-in-brown-mw0000187908

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Revisión
por Scott Yanow
Study in Brown presenta la versión de 1955 del Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, un grupo que también incluía al saxofonista tenor Harold Land, al pianista Richie Powell y al bajista George Morrow. Esta banda, una de las primeras unidades de hard bop, tenía un potencial ilimitado. Lo más destacado de este set es "Cherokee" (en el que el trompetista Brown está brillante), "Swingin'" y "Sandu". https://www.allmusic.com/album/study-in-brown-mw0000187908

Mongo Santamaria • Explosions

 

Richard ''Groove'' Holmes • Comin' On Home

Tal Farlow • On Stage

T-Bone Walker • Funky Town

Yusef Lateef • Live at Pep's Vol. 1 & 2

Monty Alexander • Meets Sly and Robbie

Review by Rick Anderson
Jazz purists may turn up the nose at this jazz-reggae summit meeting, but that's their loss. It's not that they wouldn't have the right to be suspicious -- experiments in jazz-reggae fusion do not have a distinguished history. But the combination of Jamaican-born jazz pianist Monty Alexander and reggae godfathers Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare works beautifully here for a number of reasons: first of all, Alexander is a gifted melodist with an unerring sense of groove (not always a given with jazz players), and second of all, Sly and Robbie emancipated themselves long ago from reggae's rhythmic strictures, so there's lots of variety on this album. The grooves are never less than bone deep: on "Monty's Groove," Shakespeare's minimalist bassline and Dunbar's funky drumming propel Alexander into inspired (if a bit restrained) flights of improvisation, and "People Make the World Go 'Round" is a slow, dark dancehall workout that gives Alexander's piano lots of open space to work with. "Hot Milk," the album's closer, is a touching tribute to the late reggae organist Jackie Mittoo, on which Alexander plays mournful melodica over a modified rocksteady beat. There are times when you might wish Alexander would cut loose and wail a bit more, but this album is a delight from beginning to end.

 

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Reseña de Rick Anderson
Puede que los puristas del jazz levanten la nariz ante esta reunión cumbre de jazz-reggae, pero ellos se lo pierden. No es que no tengan derecho a sospechar: los experimentos de fusión jazz-reggae no tienen una historia distinguida. Pero la combinación del pianista de jazz de origen jamaicano Monty Alexander y los padrinos del reggae Sly Dunbar y Robbie Shakespeare funciona maravillosamente aquí por varias razones: en primer lugar, Alexander es un melodista dotado con un sentido infalible del groove (que no siempre se da en los músicos de jazz), y en segundo lugar, Sly y Robbie se emanciparon hace tiempo de las restricciones rítmicas del reggae, por lo que hay mucha variedad en este álbum. Los grooves nunca dejan de ser profundos: en "Monty's Groove", la línea de bajo minimalista de Shakespeare y la batería funky de Dunbar impulsan a Alexander a inspirados (aunque un poco restringidos) vuelos de improvisación, y "People Make the World Go 'Round" es un lento y oscuro ejercicio de dancehall que da al piano de Alexander mucho espacio abierto para trabajar. "Hot Milk", el cierre del álbum, es un conmovedor homenaje al fallecido organista de reggae Jackie Mittoo, en el que Alexander toca una melódica lúgubre sobre un ritmo de rocksteady modificado. Hay momentos en los que uno desearía que Alexander se soltara y se lamentara un poco más, pero este álbum es una delicia de principio a fin.

www.montyalexander.com ...

Jimmy McGriff • Funkiest Little Band In The Land / Tribute To Basie - 2 CDs

Max Roach + 4 • Moon Faced And Starry Eyed

 

Maynard Ferguson • Jam Session

 

T-Model Ford • The Ladies Man

 

Review
by James Allen
On The Ladies Man, T-Model Ford comes off more than ever as a living testament to the sustaining power of the blues. Pushing 90 (though his exact age is a bone of contention), Ford had just experienced severe heart problems and had a pacemaker installed when he recorded the album, but to say he sounds full of life here would be an understatement. It doesn't hurt that Ford was recorded in the optimum manner to capture his real, raw Mississippi sound -- he laid down these tracks live in the studio, accompanied with just the right amount of looseness by members of his frequent backup band GravelRoad and others, in one session, with no overdubs or second takes. Snatches of his conversations with the musicians are interspersed between some of the tracks, filling in the picture with even more vivid colors; he reminisces about being inspired to play by the music of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, enthusiastically shouts "It's Jack Daniels time!" (an album photo shows him happily hoisting a bottle of Jack), and instructs the band to "Let it all hang in, don't let it hang out." Playing tunes associated with Muddy Waters ("Two Trains") and Muddy's right-hand man Little Walter ("My Babe"), and revisiting quirky original tunes he has recorded in the past like opening cut "Chicken Head Man," Ford brings to bear his rough-and-ready vocal style and forceful acoustic fingerpicking with an intensity that suggests a performer a good few decades younger. Ford first came to fame during the ‘90s heyday of Fat Possum Records, alongside Mississippi hill country contemporaries like R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, but at a time when many of his peers have died off and even Fat Possum has embraced rock over blues, Ford's first studio album for a new label shows him to be not just a survivor, but a solid rock supplying a living, breathing foundation for his brand of blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ladies-man-mw0001397903


Biography
by Richard Skelly
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist T-Model Ford (James Lewis Carter Ford) played a raw-edged, visceral style of blues from the Mississippi Delta, accompanied much of the time by his drummer, Spam (Tommy Lee Miles). Ford caught a break when he opened up on a national tour for Buddy Guy and his band, playing respectable theaters and some festivals, but he was chronically under-recorded. He began playing guitar late in life and hadn't really toured much outside the Mississippi Delta until the 1990s and into the new millennium. He was well received at Antone's nightclub in Austin during the South by Southwest Music Festival, at the Chicago Blues Festival, and on tour with Guy and his band. When not on the road, playing mostly blues nightclubs, T-Model Ford and Spam set their instruments and amps up on Nelson Street in Greenville, Mississippi, where they would play for as much as eight hours straight. Ford's sound was raw, unadulterated Delta blues, and the music on his albums tends to sound sparse but is very rhythmic, given that his sole accompanist was the drummer Spam. His albums, all for the Fat Possum label, now based in Los Angeles, include Pee-Wee Get My Gun (1997), You Better Keep Still (1999), She Ain't None of Your'n (2000), and Bad Man (2002). After a six-year break from recording -- though he toured regularly -- Ford returned to the bins on the Alive imprint with Ladies Man in 2010; he followed it with Taledragger in 2011. Two years later, he died at home of respiratory failure after a short time in hospice care.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/t-model-ford-mn0000656822/biography

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Revisión
por James Allen
En The Ladies Man, T-Model Ford se muestra más que nunca como un testimonio vivo del poder del blues. A punto de cumplir los 90 años (aunque su edad exacta es motivo de discusión), Ford acababa de sufrir graves problemas de corazón y le habían instalado un marcapasos cuando grabó el álbum, pero decir que suena lleno de vida aquí sería quedarse corto. No es de extrañar que Ford haya sido grabado de forma óptima para captar su verdadero y crudo sonido de Mississippi: grabó estos temas en directo en el estudio, acompañado con la cantidad justa de soltura por los miembros de su frecuente banda de acompañamiento GravelRoad y otros, en una sola sesión, sin sobregrabaciones ni segundas tomas. Entre algunos de los temas se intercalan fragmentos de sus conversaciones con los músicos, que llenan el cuadro de colores aún más vivos; recuerda que se inspiró para tocar en la música de Muddy Waters y Howlin' Wolf, grita con entusiasmo "¡Es la hora de Jack Daniels!" (una foto del álbum le muestra felizmente alzando una botella de Jack), y da instrucciones a la banda para que "lo dejen todo colgado, no lo dejen colgado". Tocando temas asociados a Muddy Waters ("Two Trains") y a la mano derecha de Muddy, Little Walter ("My Babe"), y revisando extravagantes temas originales que ha grabado en el pasado, como el corte de apertura "Chicken Head Man", Ford saca a relucir su estilo vocal áspero y listo y su contundente forma de tocar con los dedos en acústico con una intensidad que sugiere a un intérprete unas cuantas décadas más joven. Ford saltó a la fama durante el apogeo de Fat Possum Records en los años 90, junto a contemporáneos del Mississippi Hill Country como R.L. Burnside y Junior Kimbrough, pero en un momento en el que muchos de sus compañeros se han extinguido e incluso Fat Possum ha abrazado el rock en lugar del blues, el primer álbum de estudio de Ford para un nuevo sello demuestra que no es sólo un superviviente, sino una roca sólida que proporciona una base viva y viva para su marca de blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ladies-man-mw0001397903


Biografía
por Richard Skelly
El cantante, compositor y guitarrista T-Model Ford (James Lewis Carter Ford) tocaba un estilo de blues crudo y visceral del Delta del Mississippi, acompañado la mayor parte del tiempo por su batería, Spam (Tommy Lee Miles). Ford tuvo una oportunidad cuando abrió una gira nacional para Buddy Guy y su banda, tocando en teatros respetables y en algunos festivales, pero fue crónicamente sub-grabado. Empezó a tocar la guitarra tarde y no había hecho muchas giras fuera del Delta del Mississippi hasta los años 90 y el nuevo milenio. Fue bien recibido en el club nocturno Antone's de Austin durante el Festival de Música South by Southwest, en el Festival de Blues de Chicago y en las giras con Guy y su banda. Cuando no estaban de gira, tocando principalmente en clubes nocturnos de blues, T-Model Ford y Spam instalaban sus instrumentos y amplificadores en la calle Nelson de Greenville, Mississippi, donde tocaban hasta ocho horas seguidas. El sonido de Ford era un blues del Delta crudo y sin adulterar, y la música de sus álbumes tiende a sonar escasa pero muy rítmica, dado que su único acompañante era el batería Spam. Sus álbumes, todos ellos para el sello Fat Possum, ahora con sede en Los Ángeles, incluyen Pee-Wee Get My Gun (1997), You Better Keep Still (1999), She Ain't None of Your'n (2000) y Bad Man (2002). Tras un paréntesis de seis años sin grabar -aunque salía de gira con regularidad-, Ford regresó a los contenedores en el sello Alive con Ladies Man en 2010; le siguió Taledragger en 2011. Dos años después, falleció en su casa de una insuficiencia respiratoria tras un breve periodo de cuidados paliativos.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/t-model-ford-mn0000656822/biography

Alexandre Cavaliere • Nomades

 

www.facebook.com/alexandrecavaliereofficial ...


Colaborador / Contributor:  Mich58

Hank Garland • Jazz Winds From A New Direction

Review by Richard S. Ginell
Lots of folks in the country music streets of Nashville and the jazz canyons of New York were shaken up by this release, for country supersession man Hank Garland demonstrated that he could be just as persuasive rattling off swift, sophisticated bebop as he was playing thousands of country licks on the jukeboxes. Nothing fazes him, not even the tricky "Move," for Garland had technique to burn and a thoroughly modern harmonic approach. Not only that, a 17-year-old Boston kid named Gary Burton makes an astonishingly brash and assured recorded debut on vibes on this record, and bassist Joe Benjamin and the Dave Brubeck Quartet's unquenchably swinging drummer Joe Morello (who had toured with Garland when Garland was a teenager) are on hand from New York. This record seemed to promise great things ahead for Garland in the jazz world, a prospect cut sadly short later in 1961 by a crippling auto accident. Originally recorded in Nashville by Columbia and country & western producer Don Law (another shock to the purists' systems), Jazz Winds has been in print in some form almost continuously.
Bio:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Garland

 

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Reseña de Richard S. Ginell
Este disco sacudió a mucha gente en las calles de la música country de Nashville y en los cañones del jazz de Nueva York, ya que Hank Garland, el hombre de la superación del country, demostró que podía ser tan persuasivo desgranando un bebop rápido y sofisticado como tocando miles de licks de country en las máquinas de discos. Nada se le escapa, ni siquiera la complicada "Move", ya que Garland tiene una gran técnica y un enfoque armónico totalmente moderno. Y no sólo eso, un chico de Boston de 17 años llamado Gary Burton hace un debut asombrosamente descarado y seguro con el vibráfono en este disco, y el bajista Joe Benjamin y el insaciable baterista del Dave Brubeck Quartet, Joe Morello (que había estado de gira con Garland cuando éste era un adolescente) están presentes desde Nueva York. Este disco parecía prometer grandes cosas para Garland en el mundo del jazz, una perspectiva truncada más tarde, en 1961, por un accidente de coche. Grabado originalmente en Nashville por el productor de Columbia y de country & western Don Law (otra sacudida para los puristas), Jazz Winds se ha publicado de alguna forma casi continuamente.
Bio:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Garland

New York Trio • The Things We Did Last Summer

 Also known as the New York Jazz Trio, this combo is a studio-only group who specialize in recording classic standards in a straightforward, post-bop style. The New York Trio features three gifted musicians who are firmly established on the East Coast jazz scene. Pianist Bill Charlap is a member of the Phil Woods Quintet, has accompanied the likes of Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, and Gerry Mulligan, and has recorded a handful of well-received albums for Blue Note as a bandleader. Bassist Jay Leonhart has recorded as a headliner since 1983, while also making a name for himself as a vocalist and songwriter as well as backing up Marian McPartland, Louie Bellson, Lee Konitz, and many others. And drummer Bill Stewart had handled demanding gigs with a variety of musicians, including jazz guitarist John Scofield, funky sax man Maceo Parker and R&B legend James Brown. In 2001, Charlap, Leonhart, and Stewart teamed up in the studio to cut the album Blues in the Night for the Venus Jazz label; featuring leisurely but heartfelt interpretations of eight classic melodies, the album was well-received by fans of classic jazz. Seven similar collections have been recorded by the trio for Japanese jazz labels. ~ Mark Deming

 

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 También conocido como New York Jazz Trio, este combo es un grupo de estudio especializado en la grabación de estándares clásicos en un estilo directo y post-bop. El New York Trio cuenta con tres músicos de gran talento que están firmemente establecidos en la escena del jazz de la Costa Este. El pianista Bill Charlap es miembro del Phil Woods Quintet, ha acompañado a artistas de la talla de Tony Bennett, Benny Carter y Gerry Mulligan, y ha grabado un puñado de álbumes bien recibidos para Blue Note como director de banda. El bajista Jay Leonhart ha grabado como cabeza de cartel desde 1983, al tiempo que se ha hecho un nombre como vocalista y compositor, además de acompañar a Marian McPartland, Louie Bellson, Lee Konitz y muchos otros. Y el baterista Bill Stewart se encargó de exigentes actuaciones con diversos músicos, como el guitarrista de jazz John Scofield, el saxofonista funky Maceo Parker y la leyenda del R&B James Brown. En 2001, Charlap, Leonhart y Stewart se unieron en el estudio para grabar el álbum Blues in the Night para el sello Venus Jazz; con interpretaciones pausadas pero sentidas de ocho melodías clásicas, el álbum fue bien recibido por los aficionados al jazz clásico. El trío ha grabado siete colecciones similares para sellos japoneses de jazz. ~ Mark Deming

Don Patterson • The Best Of Don Patterson

Billy Strange • Great Western Themes

Lionel Hampton & Milt Buckner • Alive And Jumping

Eddie Lockjaw Davis & Shirley Scott • Classics

 Eddie "Lockjaw" Davi : Biography by Scott Yanow
Possessor of a cutting and immediately identifiable tough tenor tone, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis could hold his own in a saxophone battle with anyone. Early on, he picked up experience playing with the bands of Cootie Williams (1942-1944), Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1945-1946), and Louis Armstrong. He began heading his own groups from 1946 and Davis' earliest recordings as a leader tended to be explosive R&B affairs with plenty of screaming from his horn; he matched wits successfully with Fats Navarro on one session. Davis was with Count Basie's Orchestra on several occasional (including 1952-1953, 1957, and 1964-1973) and teamed up with Shirley Scott's trio during 1955-1960. During 1960-1962, he collaborated in some exciting performances and recordings with Johnny Griffin, a fellow tenor who was just as combative as Davis. After temporarily retiring to become a booking agent (1963-1964), Davis rejoined Basie. In his later years, Lockjaw often recorded with Harry "Sweets" Edison and he remained a busy soloist up until his death. Through the decades, he recorded as a leader for many labels, including Savoy, Apollo, Roost, King, Roulette, Prestige/Jazzland/Moodsville, RCA, Storyville, MPS, Black & Blue, Spotlite, SteepleChase, Pablo, Muse, and Enja. ~ Scott Yanow


 Shirley Scott : Biography by Alex Henderson
An admirer of the seminal Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott has been one of the organ's most appealing representatives since the late '50s. Scott, a very melodic and accessible player, started out on piano and played trumpet in high school before taking up the Hammond B-3 and enjoying national recognition in the late '50s with her superb Prestige dates with tenor sax great Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Especially popular was their 1958 hit "In the Kitchen." Her reputation was cemented during the '60s on several superb, soulful organ/soul-jazz dates where she demonstrated an aggressive, highly rhythmic attack blending intricate bebop harmonies with bluesy melodies and a gospel influence, punctuating everything with great use of the bass pedals. Scott married soul-jazz tenor man Stanley Turrentine, with whom she often recorded in the '60s. The Scott/Turrentine union lasted until the early '70s, and their musical collaborations in the '60s were among the finest in the field. Scott wasn't as visible the following decade, when the popularity of organ combos decreased and labels were more interested in fusion and pop-jazz (though she did record some albums for Chess/Cadet and Strata East). But organists regained their popularity in the late '80s, which found her recording for Muse. Though known primarily for her organ playing, Scott is also a superb pianist -- in the 1990s, she played piano exclusively on some trio recordings for Candid, and embraced the instrument consistently in Philly jazz venues in the early part of the decade. At the end of the '90s, Scott's heart was damaged by the diet drug combination, fen-phen, leading to her declining health. In 2000 she was awarded $8 million in a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the drug. On March 10, 2002 she died of heart failure at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia.

 

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 Eddie "Lockjaw" Davi : Biografía de Scott Yanow
Poseedor de un tono de tenor duro, cortante e inmediatamente identificable, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis podía enfrentarse a cualquiera en una batalla de saxofón. Desde muy pronto, adquirió experiencia tocando con las bandas de Cootie Williams (1942-1944), Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1945-1946) y Louis Armstrong. Comenzó a dirigir sus propios grupos a partir de 1946 y las primeras grabaciones de Davis como líder solían ser asuntos explosivos de R&B con muchos gritos de su trompa; en una sesión se enfrentó con éxito a Fats Navarro. Davis formó parte de la Orquesta de Count Basie en varias ocasiones (incluyendo 1952-1953, 1957 y 1964-1973) y se asoció con el trío de Shirley Scott durante 1955-1960. Durante 1960-1962, colaboró en algunas emocionantes actuaciones y grabaciones con Johnny Griffin, un compañero tenor tan combativo como Davis. Tras retirarse temporalmente para convertirse en agente de reservas (1963-1964), Davis volvió a unirse a Basie. En sus últimos años, Lockjaw grabó a menudo con Harry "Sweets" Edison y siguió siendo un solista muy ocupado hasta su muerte. A lo largo de las décadas, grabó como líder para muchos sellos, incluyendo Savoy, Apollo, Roost, King, Roulette, Prestige/Jazzland/Moodsville, RCA, Storyville, MPS, Black & Blue, Spotlite, SteepleChase, Pablo, Muse y Enja. ~ Scott Yanow


 Shirley Scott : Biografía de Alex Henderson
Admiradora del seminal Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott ha sido una de las representantes más atractivas del órgano desde finales de los años 50. Scott, una intérprete muy melódica y accesible, empezó tocando el piano y la trompeta en el instituto antes de coger el Hammond B-3 y disfrutar del reconocimiento nacional a finales de los años 50 con sus magníficas citas en el Prestige con el gran saxo tenor Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Especialmente popular fue su éxito de 1958 "In the Kitchen". Su reputación se cimentó durante los años 60 en varias fechas de órgano/soul-jazz soberbias en las que demostró un ataque agresivo y muy rítmico que mezclaba intrincadas armonías bebop con melodías blues y una influencia gospel, puntuando todo con un gran uso de los pedales de bajo. Scott se casó con el tenor de soul-jazz Stanley Turrentine, con quien grabó a menudo en los años 60. La unión de Scott y Turrentine duró hasta principios de los 70, y sus colaboraciones musicales en los 60 fueron de las mejores del sector. Scott no fue tan visible en la década siguiente, cuando la popularidad de los combos de órgano disminuyó y los sellos se interesaron más por la fusión y el pop-jazz (aunque grabó algunos álbumes para Chess/Cadet y Strata East). Pero los organistas recuperaron su popularidad a finales de los 80, cuando grabó para Muse. Aunque es conocida sobre todo por su forma de tocar el órgano, Scott es también una magnífica pianista: en los años 90, tocó el piano exclusivamente en algunas grabaciones de tríos para Candid, y se dedicó a tocar el instrumento de forma constante en los locales de jazz de Filadelfia a principios de la década. A finales de los 90, el corazón de Scott se vio dañado por la combinación de drogas dietéticas, fen-phen, lo que provocó el deterioro de su salud. En el año 2000 se le concedieron 8 millones de dólares en una demanda contra los fabricantes del fármaco. El 10 de marzo de 2002 murió de insuficiencia cardíaca en el Hospital Presbiteriano de Filadelfia.

The Three Suns • Love In The Afternoon

 

The Three Suns was an American pop group, most popular during the 1940s and 1950s.

The group was formed in 1939 by brothers Al Nevins (guitar) and Morty Nevins (accordion) and their cousin, radio and vaudeville veteran Artie Dunn (vocals, electronic organ). They became a popular nightclub attraction; during a New York engagement in 1944, they were signed to appear in short musical films for the Soundies movie jukeboxes. They performed nine songs for the cameras.

A review in Billboard in 1942 addressed the group's potential. Referring to a December 13, 1941, remote broadcast from New York's Hotel Piccadilly on NBC Red, Dick Carter wrote: "Here was something out of the ordinary, and very welcome, too. The Three Suns are an electric organ, an accordion and guitar, and they produce some sensational musical effects."

In 1944, The Three Suns scored their first hit record, "Twilight Time"; their version was strictly instrumental and did not feature the lyrics written later by Buck Ram.[2] "Twilight Time" sold over four million copies and was awarded a gold record.

This was followed by "Peg o' My Heart", which was one of the best-selling records of 1947 in the United States. The group was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's Rope (1948) performing an off-screen "radio sequence", and in Two Gals and a Guy (1951). The band is also notable in that they were reputed to have been the favorite musical group of former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.

During the 1950s the group continued to play "live" dates with the same personnel, but their recording sessions would often have studio musicians substituting for one or another, because keyboardist Artie Dunn did not read music and guitarist Al Nevins became more interested in the production end of the recording business. The group's popularity waned as rock and roll became popular, but the group reinvented itself by using its RCA Victor recording sessions as an audio laboratory, employing additional instruments and novel stereophonic effects. These new arrangements became popular among fans of lounge music and exotica. Al Nevins remained with RCA Victor as a producer and arranger until his death in 1965; Morty Nevins then hired studio musicians Fred Mendelssohn and Vinnie Bell and recorded a new stereo album for Musicor in 1966, using the Three Suns name.

Founding member Al Nevins was also co-founder of Aldon Music, a Brill Building songwriting company.

Founding members:

    Artie Dunn — vocals, organ (died January 15, 1996, age 73)[5]

    Al Nevins — guitar (died January 25, 1965, age 49)[5]

    Morty Nevins — accordion (died July 23, 1990, age 73)[5]

Later members:

    George Barnes - guitar

    Johnny Buck (Bucky Pizzarelli) — guitar

    Joe Negri — guitar

    Joe Vento — accordion, piano

    Johnny Romano — guitar

    Tony Lovello — accordion

    Del Casher (Del Kacher) — guitar

    Vincent Bell - guitar

    Fred Mendelsohn - organ

    Eddie Layton – organ

Years active  1939–1966

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Suns

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The Three Suns fue un grupo pop estadounidense, más popular durante las décadas de 1940 y 1950.
El grupo fue formado en 1939 por los hermanos Al Nevins (guitarra) y Morty Nevins (acordeón) y su primo, el veterano de la radio y el vodevil Artie Dunn(voz, órgano electrónico). Se convirtieron en una atracción popular de clubes nocturnos; durante un compromiso en Nueva York en 1944, firmaron para aparecer en cortometrajes musicales para las máquinas de discos Soundies movie. Interpretaron nueve canciones para las cámaras.
Una reseña en Billboard en 1942 abordó el potencial del grupo. Refiriéndose a una transmisión remota del 13 de diciembre de 1941 desde el Hotel Piccadilly de Nueva York en NBC Red, Dick Carter escribió: "Aquí hubo algo fuera de lo común, y muy bienvenido también. Los Tres Soles son un órgano eléctrico, un acordeón y una guitarra, y producen algunos efectos musicales sensacionales."
En 1944, los Tres Soles compusieron su primer disco de éxito, "Twilight Time"; su versión era estrictamente instrumental y no incluía la letra escrita más tarde por Buck Ram.[2] "Twilight Time" vendió más de cuatro millones de copias y fue galardonado con un disco de oro.
A esto le siguió" Peg o' My Heart", que fue uno de los discos más vendidos de 1947 en los Estados Unidos. El grupo apareció en Rope (1948) de Alfred Hitchcock interpretando una "secuencia de radio" fuera de la pantalla, y en Two Gals and a Guy (1951). La banda también es notable porque tenían fama de haber sido el grupo musical favorito de la ex Primera Dama Mamie Eisenhower.
Durante la década de 1950, el grupo continuó tocando en fechas "en vivo" con el mismo personal, pero sus sesiones de grabación a menudo tenían músicos de estudio sustituyendo a uno u otro, porque el tecladista Artie Dunn no leía música y el guitarrista Al Nevins se interesó más en la producción. La popularidad del grupo disminuyó a medida que el rock and roll se hizo popular, pero el grupo se reinventó a sí mismo utilizando sus sesiones de grabación RCA Victor como laboratorio de audio, empleando instrumentos adicionales y nuevos efectos estereofónicos. Estos nuevos arreglos se hicieron populares entre los fanáticos de la música lounge y exótica. Al Nevins permaneció con RCA Victor como productor y arreglista hasta su muerte en 1965; Morty Nevins luego contrató a los músicos de estudio Fred Mendelssohn y Vinnie Bell y grabó un nuevo álbum estéreo para Musicor en 1966, usando el nombre de Three Suns.
El miembro fundador Al Nevins también fue cofundador de Aldon Music, una compañía de composición de Brill Building.

Miembros fundadores:
    Artie Dunn-voz, órgano (fallecido el 15 de enero de 1996, 73 años) [5]
    Al Nevins — guitarra (fallecido el 25 de enero de 1965, 49 años) [5]
    Morty Nevins-acordeón (fallecido el 23 de julio de 1990, 73 años) [5]

Miembros posteriores:
    George Barnes-guitarra
    Johnny Buck (Bucky Pizzarelli) - guitarra
    Joe Negri-guitarra
    Joe Vento-acordeón, piano
    Johnny Romano-guitarra
    Tony Lovello-acordeón
    Del Kosher (Del Kacher) — guitarra
    Vincent Bell-guitarra
    Fred Mendelsohn-órgano
    Eddie Layton-órgano

Años activo 1939-1966

Fuente: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Suns

Tangerine Dream • Quantum Gate

www.tangerinedreammusic.com ...

Roomful Of Blues • Essential Recordings - Jump Blues Classics

 

Biography
by Steve Huey
Over the course of their decades-long existence, Roomful of Blues effectively became a franchise unto themselves, establishing a sound that endured despite nearly constant changes in their lineup. More than 45 musicians have been part of Roomful of Blues since their formation in the late '60s, and a number went on to notable careers of their own, including guitarists Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl, organist Ron Levy, pianist Al Copley, singer Lou Ann Barton, vocalist/harmonica player Sugar Ray Norcia, and drummer Fran Christina (later of the Fabulous Thunderbirds). While Roomful of Blues started out playing blues with a strong rock influence, they evolved into modern purveyors of jump blues, featuring a mighty horn section (who often moonlighted from the band by artists impressed with their sound) along with guitars, bass, keys, drums, and powerful vocals. Their self-titled 1977 debut, co-produced by legendary songwriter Doc Pomus, showed the band knew their blues history but didn't let it stop them from having a good time, and subsequent efforts like 1981's Hot Little Mama, 1994's Dance All Night, 2001's Watch You When You Go, and 2005's Standing Room Only all testified to their easy balance of chops and showmanship. The band also has a stellar reputation as a concert act, and 2013's 45 Live demonstrated that nearly a half century on, they've never lost their ability to work a crowd.

A nine-piece outfit for the majority of their existence, Roomful of Blues were founded in Westerly, RI, all the way back in 1967, by guitarist Duke Robillard and pianist Al Copley. Settling on drummer Fran Christina and bassist Larry Peduzzi, the group began playing around the local club and coffeehouse circuit, initially pursuing a contemporary blues-rock style. Robillard quickly rethought their direction when he discovered jump blues, and in 1970 he added a horn section featuring saxophonists Greg Piccolo (tenor) and Rich Lataille (alto/tenor), plus a more swinging drummer in John Rossi; baritone saxophonist Doug James joined up in 1971. After a couple of years honing their sound and achieving local popularity, Roomful of Blues started supporting established blues artists, and started what would become a 15-year residency at the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly. In 1974, they gigged with Count Basie, a professed admirer, and after a few more years of live work, songwriter Doc Pomus finally helped the band get a record deal with Island. Their self-titled debut was released in 1977, and they followed it up with 1979's Let's Have a Party for Antilles. Robillard subsequently left the group to pursue other projects, eventually finding considerable success as a solo artist.

Robillard's spot as guitarist and bandleader was taken by Ronnie Earl, and trombonist Porky Cohen was also added to flesh out the horn section. Meanwhile, female vocalist Lou Ann Barton spent a year with the group, and saxophonist Piccolo subsequently took over, making his vocal debut on 1981's Hot Little Mama (recorded for Blue Flame); the same year, trumpeter Bob Enos joined the group, as did bassist Jimmy Wimpfheimer (who was replaced by Preston Hubbard in 1983). Roomful of Blues' reputation had been growing steadily in the blues world, and they soon attracted more mainstream notice by serving as a studio backing group for legends like Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (1982's Eddie Cleanhead Vinson & Roomful of Blues), Big Joe Turner (1983's Blues Train), and Earl King (1988's Glazed); all three albums in question earned Grammy nominations. Roomful of Blues hit the studios on their own as well, signing with Varrick and recording 1984's Dressed Up to Get Messed Up. Helped by good timing, the record raised the group's profile even further following the emergence of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and they were able to tour heavily behind it. Unfortunately, Piccolo needed throat surgery, and at first Keith Dunn filled his spot in concert; vocalist/harpist Curtis Salgado was brought in as a longer-term replacement, and fronted the group on 1987's Live at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel; new organist Ron Levy also made his debut there, replacing Copley.

Unfortunately, Ronnie Earl left the group later that year, and while Roomful of Blues remained a popular touring attraction, it would be seven years before they would pull together and reenter the recording studio (at least, on their own; they did back Pat Benatar on 1991's True Love). Predictably, several personnel shifts ensued: Salgado left when Piccolo's voice healed; trombonist Cohen was replaced by Carl Querfurth in 1988 (later serving as the group's producer as well); guitarist Chris Vachon joined in 1990; and new pianist Matt McCabe came on board in 1992. With a trail of busted record deals behind them, Roomful of Blues eventually bankrolled their own sessions and found a home for the result, Dance All Night, on Bullseye Blues in 1994. With Piccolo now departed, Ronnie Earl's longtime friend Sugar Ray Norcia handled vocals and harmonica, and stuck around for the subsequent Bullseye albums Turn It On! Turn It Up! (1995, nominated for a Grammy) and Under One Roof (1997). Following the latter, a mass exodus of personnel left Roomful of Blues down to just a core of drummer Rossi, guitarist Vachon, trumpeter Enos, and saxman Lataille (even the long-running horn team was broken up). The remaining members restored the band to a nine-piece fronted by new vocalist McKinley "Mac" Odom, and returned in 1998 with There Goes the Neighborhood. Prior to recording their next album, longtime stalwart Rossi finally retired from the band and was replaced by Chris Lemp on 2001's Watch You When You Go. Looking to return to a more traditional blues sound, in early 2002 the band replaced Odom with singer/harpist Mark DuFresne. The group moved to Alligator Records in 2003 for That's Right, following it with a string of consistent albums for the label, including 2005's Standing Room Only, 2008's Raisin' a Ruckus, and 2011's Hook, Line & Sinker. The band celebrated their 45th anniversary in 2012 with 45 Live, recorded over three nights at Ocean Mist in Rhode Island. Alligator released the album from those shows the following year. 2020's In a Roomful of Blues, another release for Alligator, was produced by guitarist Chris Vachon, who also wrote several songs for the album; ten of the LP's 13 tracks were Roomful of Blues originals, the most yet on a ROB album.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roomful-of-blues-mn0000847022/biography

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Biografía
por Steve Huey
A lo largo de sus décadas de existencia, Roomful of Blues se convirtió en una franquicia en sí misma, estableciendo un sonido que perduró a pesar de los cambios casi constantes en su formación. Más de 45 músicos han formado parte de Roomful of Blues desde su formación a finales de los años 60, y algunos de ellos han desarrollado sus propias y notables carreras, como los guitarristas Duke Robillard y Ronnie Earl, el organista Ron Levy, el pianista Al Copley, la cantante Lou Ann Barton, el vocalista y músico de armónica Sugar Ray Norcia y el batería Fran Christina (más tarde de los Fabulous Thunderbirds). Si bien Roomful of Blues comenzó tocando blues con una fuerte influencia del rock, evolucionaron hasta convertirse en modernos proveedores de jump blues, con una poderosa sección de vientos (que a menudo era pluriempleada por artistas impresionados con su sonido) junto con guitarras, bajo, teclas, batería y potentes voces. Su debut autotitulado de 1977, coproducido por el legendario compositor Doc Pomus, demostró que la banda conocía su historia de blues, pero no dejó que eso les impidiera divertirse, y los trabajos posteriores, como Hot Little Mama de 1981, Dance All Night de 1994, Watch You When You Go de 2001, y Standing Room Only de 2005, dan fe de su fácil equilibrio entre las habilidades y el espectáculo. La banda también tiene una reputación estelar como acto de concierto, y el 45 Live de 2013 demostró que casi medio siglo después, nunca han perdido su capacidad de trabajar con una multitud.

Roomful of Blues, un grupo de nueve miembros durante la mayor parte de su existencia, fue fundado en Westerly, RI, en 1967, por el guitarrista Duke Robillard y el pianista Al Copley. Con el baterista Fran Christina y el bajista Larry Peduzzi, el grupo comenzó a tocar en el circuito local de clubes y cafés, inicialmente con un estilo de blues-rock contemporáneo. Robillard no tardó en replantearse su dirección cuando descubrió el jump blues, y en 1970 añadió una sección de vientos con los saxofonistas Greg Piccolo (tenor) y Rich Lataille (alto/tenor), además de un baterista con más swing, John Rossi; el saxofonista barítono Doug James se unió en 1971. Después de un par de años perfeccionando su sonido y alcanzando la popularidad local, Roomful of Blues comenzó a apoyar a artistas de blues establecidos, y comenzó lo que se convertiría en una residencia de 15 años en el Knickerbocker Cafe en Westerly. En 1974, actuaron con Count Basie, un admirador declarado, y tras unos años más de trabajo en directo, el compositor Doc Pomus ayudó finalmente al grupo a conseguir un contrato discográfico con Island. Su debut autotitulado se publicó en 1977, y le siguió Let's Party for Antilles, de 1979. Posteriormente, Robillard abandonó el grupo para dedicarse a otros proyectos y acabó teniendo un éxito considerable como artista en solitario.

El puesto de Robillard como guitarrista y líder de la banda fue ocupado por Ronnie Earl, y el trombonista Porky Cohen fue añadido para completar la sección de vientos. Mientras tanto, la vocalista Lou Ann Barton pasó un año con el grupo, y el saxofonista Piccolo tomó posteriormente el relevo, haciendo su debut vocal en Hot Little Mama de 1981 (grabado para Blue Flame); ese mismo año, el trompetista Bob Enos se unió al grupo, al igual que el bajista Jimmy Wimpfheimer (que fue sustituido por Preston Hubbard en 1983). La reputación de Roomful of Blues había crecido de forma constante en el mundo del blues, y pronto atrajeron la atención del público general al servir como grupo de acompañamiento en el estudio para leyendas como Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (Eddie Cleanhead Vinson & Roomful of Blues, de 1982), Big Joe Turner (Blues Train, de 1983) y Earl King (Glazed, de 1988); los tres álbumes en cuestión obtuvieron nominaciones a los Grammy. Roomful of Blues también llegó a los estudios por su cuenta, firmando con Varrick y grabando Dressed Up to Get Messed Up (1984). Con la ayuda de un buen momento, el disco elevó el perfil del grupo aún más tras la aparición de Stevie Ray Vaughan y los Fabulous Thunderbirds, y pudieron hacer una gran gira con él. Desgraciadamente, Piccolo tuvo que ser operado de la garganta, y al principio Keith Dunn ocupó su lugar en los conciertos; el vocalista y arpista Curtis Salgado fue contratado como sustituto a largo plazo, y lideró el grupo en el disco Live at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel de 1987; el nuevo organista Ron Levy también hizo su debut allí, sustituyendo a Copley.

Desgraciadamente, Ronnie Earl abandonó el grupo ese mismo año, y aunque Roomful of Blues siguió siendo una atracción popular en las giras, pasaron siete años antes de que se reunieran y volvieran a entrar en el estudio de grabación (al menos, por su cuenta; sí respaldaron a Pat Benatar en True Love, de 1991). Como era de esperar, se produjeron varios cambios de personal: Salgado se marchó cuando la voz de Piccolo se curó; el trombonista Cohen fue sustituido por Carl Querfurth en 1988 (que más tarde también fue productor del grupo); el guitarrista Chris Vachon se unió en 1990; y el nuevo pianista Matt McCabe se incorporó en 1992. Con un rastro de acuerdos discográficos frustrados a sus espaldas, Roomful of Blues acabó financiando sus propias sesiones y encontró un hogar para el resultado, Dance All Night, en Bullseye Blues en 1994. ¡Tras la marcha de Piccolo, el viejo amigo de Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, se encargó de las voces y la armónica, y se quedó para los siguientes álbumes de Bullseye, Turn It On! ¡Turn It Up! (1995, nominado al Grammy) y Under One Roof (1997). Tras este último, un éxodo masivo de personal dejó a Roomful of Blues reducido a un núcleo formado por el baterista Rossi, el guitarrista Vachon, el trompetista Enos y el saxofonista Lataille (incluso el equipo de vientos, que llevaba mucho tiempo, se disolvió). Los miembros restantes restauraron la banda hasta convertirla en un grupo de nueve miembros liderado por el nuevo vocalista McKinley "Mac" Odom, y regresaron en 1998 con There Goes the Neighborhood. Antes de grabar su siguiente álbum, el veterano Rossi se retiró finalmente de la banda y fue sustituido por Chris Lemp en Watch You When You Go, de 2001. Buscando volver a un sonido de blues más tradicional, a principios de 2002 la banda sustituyó a Odom por el cantante y arpista Mark DuFresne. El grupo se trasladó a Alligator Records en 2003 para That's Right, y siguió con una serie de álbumes consistentes para el sello, incluyendo Standing Room Only de 2005, Raisin' a Ruckus de 2008, y Hook, Line & Sinker de 2011. La banda celebró su 45 aniversario en 2012 con 45 Live, grabado durante tres noches en el Ocean Mist de Rhode Island. Alligator publicó el álbum de esos shows al año siguiente. In a Roomful of Blues de 2020, otro lanzamiento para Alligator, fue producido por el guitarrista Chris Vachon, quien también escribió varias canciones para el álbum; diez de las 13 pistas del LP eran originales de Roomful of Blues, la mayor cantidad hasta ahora en un álbum de ROB.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roomful-of-blues-mn0000847022/biography

www.roomful.com...

Rabih Abou-Khalil • Arabian Waltz

 

www.rabihaboukhalil.com ...

 

Colaborador / Contributor:  Mich58

I Know What I Know The Music of Charles Mingus

 

From the mid-1940s until his death in 1979, Charles Mingus created an unparalleled body of recorded work, most of which remains available in the 21st century. While there have been several volumes devoted to Mingus's colorful and tumultuous life, this is the first book in the English language to be devoted fully to his music. General jazz fans as well as musicians and music students who would like a better understanding of Mingus's complex, often difficult music, will find a complete, chronologically arranged, listener's guide to all of his legitimate recordings, from the 78s he recorded in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the mid-1940s, through the legendary albums he made for Columbia, Candid, Atlantic, and his own labels. In the process of providing these in-depth examinations, Jenkins corrects common errors and clears away old misconceptions about certain recordings. His approach will illuminate long-obscure aspects of this imposing and incredibly creative man's contributions to the art of jazz.

Touching upon Mingus's many innovations as a jazzman, I Know What I Know explores his advancement of the art of bass playing; his assimilations of Ellington and Monk with ideas leaning toward free jazz; his experiments with ensemble dynamics, instrumentation, and extended form; and his working relationships with partners such as Jaki Byard, Eric Dolphy, Jimmy Knepper, and Dannie Richmond. The book provides a broad, informative overview of Mingus's work without veering into technical musical terminology. Readers without an extensive background in music will thus understand and appreciate the analyses provided, and be able to use them to enhance the experience of listening to the brilliant work of this legendary jazz great.

 

Great God A'Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds: Celebrating the Rise of Soul Gospel Music

 

From the Jim Crow world of 1920s Greenville, South Carolina, to Greenwich Village's Café Society in the '40s, to their 1974 Grammy-winning collaboration on "Loves Me Like a Rock," the Dixie Hummingbirds have been one of gospel's most durable and inspiring groups.
Now, Jerry Zolten tells the Hummingbirds' fascinating story and with it the story of a changing music industry and a changing nation. When James Davis and his high-school friends starting singing together in a rural South Carolina church they could not have foreseen the road that was about to
unfold before them. They began a ten-year jaunt of "wildcatting," traveling from town to town, working local radio stations, schools, and churches, struggling to make a name for themselves. By 1939 the a cappella singers were recording their four-part harmony spirituals on the prestigious Decca
label. By 1942 they had moved north to Philadelphia and then New York where, backed by Lester Young's band, they regularly brought the house down at the city's first integrated nightclub, Café Society. From there the group rode a wave of popularity that would propel them to nation-wide tours, major
record contracts, collaborations with Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, and a career still vibrant today as they approach their seventy-fifth anniversary.
Drawing generously on interviews with Hank Ballard, Otis Williams, and other artists who worked with the Hummingbirds, as well as with members James Davis, Ira Tucker, Howard Carroll, and many others, The Dixie Hummingbirds brings vividly to life the growth of a gospel group and of gospel music itself.

 

Louie Louie The History And Mythology Of The Worlds Most Famous Rock n Roll Song...

 

 

From Publishers Weekly

In a vigorous discourse combining shrewd criticism and a conversational tone, Marsh ( Glory Days ) traces the evolution of one durable song from '50s cha-cha to '90s frat anthem. "Louie, Louie," in his estimation, is an archetype whose infectious "duh duh duh, duh duh" chorus bewitches teenage garage bands and major-label rockers alike. Inspired by a riff from Rene Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha," "Louie" was written in 1956 by Richard Berry, who imagined a Jamaican sailor telling Louie, a bartender, that he's leaving to meet his girl ("Louie, Louie/Me gotta go"). "Louie" later achieved a cult following in the Pacific Northwest, and in 1963 a version by the Kingsmen became a national hit. Its slurred, indecipherable lyrics (the singer wore braces at the time) led to individual interpetations and an FBI obscenity investigation. Marsh closes the book on "Louie"--for now, anyway--with a lengthy discography listing "Louie" performers from Ike and Tina Turner to Frank Zappa to grunge band Nirvana. Crammed with trivia and wit, this text convincingly argues in mock-profound terms its thesis that "Louie" is a melodic phenomenon far bigger than the mere mortals who perform it.

Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Here, rock critic Marsh (Born to Run, Glory Days, etc.) ventures beyond mere celeb biography or fan-boy appreciation. This cultural history of a single rock tune is an exercise in modern legend-making that also tells ``the story of rock 'n' roll in a nutshell.'' For Marsh, the official investigation of the allegedly obscene lyrics in ``Louie, Louie'' prefigures current efforts to censor pop music. The lesson in this case is skewed in Marsh's favor, since ``Louie, Louie,'' despite years of rumor and myth-making, is really a harmless sea chantey composed by a small-time performer in the mid-50's as ``an R&B dance tune with a hint of cha-cha.'' When Richard Berry sold the publication rights to the tune for $750, he had no idea it would reemerge in the early 60's as a monster hit. Although numerous West Coast artists cut versions, it wasn't until the Kingsmen recorded their slurred, one-track interpretation that the rumors began concerning the ``true'' lyrics. In Marsh's view, the ``protopunk'' sloppy recording of the song ``is the most profound and sublime expression of rock 'n' roll's ability to create something from nothing.'' Down and dirty, the Kingsmen's version frightened parents and inspired a thorough FBI investigation based on the underground circulation of spurious vulgar lyrics. Meanwhile, the ``stop-time cluster-chord'' song spawned offshoots by the Kinks, the Who, and Jimi Hendrix. The song was remade by the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Otis Redding, and disco king Barry White. There are instrumental remakes, jazz-fusion versions, punk homages, and a rap rendition. Despite references to Camille Paglia and Theodor Adorno, Marsh is no Greil Marcus. Though he tells the story of ``Louie, Louie'' well, his cultural analysis is shallow and dependent on all sorts of p.c. insights. A full discography attests to his central point: ``Louie, Louie'' lives! (Eight pages of b&w photographs)

 

 

The Renaissance Portrait From Donatello to Bellini • MET

American Furniture in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Vol I - Early Colonial Period The Seventeenth Century

American Furniture in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Vol II - Late Colonial Period

The Colonial Andes Tapestries and Silverwork 1530-1830