Charlie Ventura • A Charlie Ventura Concert

 

Biography by Chris Kelsey
A fine swing-oriented tenor saxophonist, Ventura is best-remembered for his attempt at popularizing bebop during the tail end of the music's mid- to late-'40s heyday. Born Charles Venturo, he came from a large, musically inclined family. His first instrument was C-melody sax. He switched to alto before eventually settling on tenor. Ventura left his day job at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1942 to join Gene Krupa's band. He became a featured soloist with Krupa, playing with the drummer from 1942-1943 and 1944-1946 (working in the interim with guitarist/bandleader Teddy Powell). Ventura achieved considerable popularity while with Krupa, winning a Down Beat magazine award as best tenor saxophonist in 1945. He started his own big band in 1946 with middling results. He had more success fronting a small band, one version of which included trumpeter Conte Candoli, trombonist Bennie Green, alto saxophonist Boots Mussulli, drummer Ed Shaughnessy, and vocalists Jackie Cain and Roy Kral. Ventura recorded for small labels before getting signed to RCA Victor, which at the time wanted to capitalize on the emergence of bebop. An RCA executive purportedly told him that they wanted the word "bop" in the band's name. Ventura came up with the phrase "Bop for the People," which implied an accessible form of the music. Ventura formed a big band in 1948, but soon cut it down to eight members, retaining Cain and Kral, who were crucial components of the band's sound. The Bop for the People band worked through 1949 (during which time Ventura employed modern jazz's greatest saxophonist, Charlie Parker, on a record date), but in the end Ventura's stab at making a commercial success of bop failed. Indeed, as fine a player as he was, Ventura himself was never really a bopper. During the early '50s Ventura led another big band; formed a highly acclaimed group called the Big Four with bassist Chubby Jackson, drummer Buddy Rich, and pianist Marty Napoleon; briefly ran his own night club in Philadelphia; and also worked again with Cain and Kral. Ventura's health was not the best, yet he continued to work with Krupa into the '60s. After the '50s, Ventura recorded commercially only once (in 1977, with pianist John Bunch for the Famous Door label). Still, he remained active. He worked in Las Vegas (with comedian Jackie Gleason), and fronted various groups in the '70s and '80s, before dying of lung cancer in 1992. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-ventura-mn0000101628#biography

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Biografía de Chris Kelsey
Un excelente saxofonista tenor orientado al swing, Ventura es mejor recordado por su intento de popularizar el bebop durante el final del apogeo de la música de mediados a finales de los 40. Nacido como Charles Venturo, provenía de una familia numerosa y con inclinaciones musicales. Su primer instrumento fue el saxo C-melody. Cambió al alto antes de decidirse finalmente por el tenor. Ventura dejó su trabajo diario en el Astillero Naval de Filadelfia en 1942 para unirse a la banda de Gene Krupa. Se convirtió en solista destacado de Krupa, tocando con el baterista de 1942 a 1943 y de 1944 a 1946 (trabajando interinamente con el guitarrista y líder de la banda Teddy Powell). Ventura logró una considerable popularidad mientras estaba con Krupa, ganando un premio de la revista Down Beat como mejor saxofonista tenor en 1945. Fundó su propia big band en 1946 con resultados mediocres. Tuvo más éxito al frente de una pequeña banda, una de cuyas versiones incluía al trompetista Conte Candoli, el trombonista Bennie Green, el saxofonista alto Boots Mussulli, el baterista Ed Shaughnessy y los vocalistas Jackie Cain y Roy Kral. Ventura grabó para sellos pequeños antes de firmar con RCA Victor, que en ese momento quería capitalizar el surgimiento del bebop. Un ejecutivo de RCA supuestamente le dijo que querían la palabra " bop " en el nombre de la banda. Ventura ideó la frase "Bop para la gente", que implicaba una forma accesible de la música. Ventura formó una big band en 1948, pero pronto la redujo a ocho miembros, reteniendo a Cain y Kral, que eran componentes cruciales del sonido de la banda. La banda Bop for the People funcionó hasta 1949 (tiempo durante el cual Ventura empleó al mejor saxofonista del jazz moderno, Charlie Parker, en una fecha récord), pero al final fracasó la tentativa de Ventura de convertir el bop en un éxito comercial. De hecho, por muy buen jugador que fuera, el propio Ventura nunca fue realmente un bopper. A principios de los 50, Ventura dirigió otra big band; formó un grupo muy aclamado llamado Big Four con el bajista Chubby Jackson, el baterista Buddy Rich y el pianista Marty Napoleon; dirigió brevemente su propio club nocturno en Filadelfia; y también volvió a trabajar con Cain y Kral. La salud de Ventura no era la mejor, sin embargo, continuó trabajando con Krupa hasta los años 60. Después de los 50, Ventura grabó comercialmente solo una vez (en 1977, con el pianista John Bunch para el famoso sello Door). Aún así, se mantuvo activo. Trabajó en Las Vegas( con la comediante Jackie Gleason) y lideró varios grupos en los años 70 y 80, antes de morir de cáncer de pulmón en 1992. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-ventura-mn0000101628#biography

Tracklist:
A1 - Introduction And Theme Music  
 - A1a  - "Yesterdays"  
 - A1b  - "The Peanut Vendor"  
A2  - Euphoria  
A3  - Fine And Dandy
A4  - East Of Suez  
B1  - If I Had You
B2  - I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
B3  - Pennies From Heaven
B4  - How High The Moon


Credits:
Alto Saxophone – "Boots" Mussilli
Backing Band – The Charlie Ventura Septet
Bass – Kenny O'Brien
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy
Piano – Roy Kral
Saxophone – Charlie Ventura
Trombone – Benny Green
Trumpet – Conte Candoli
Vocals – Jackie Cain, Roy Kral (tracks: A2, A4, B2)
Voice [Talking With The Orchestra] – Gene Norman (tracks: A1a, A1b), The Septet (tracks: A1a, A1b)

1953

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