Showing posts with label Slam Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slam Stewart. Show all posts

Friday, June 19, 2026

Art Tatum Sextet • The Legendary 1955 Session

 



"Improbable as it may sound, the sextet was one of the largest groups that Art Tatum ever worked with; it may even be the largest for Tatum, who worked for most of his life with no accompaniment at all, towards the end showed a marked preference for a trio, but rarely ever appeared as one of six. The reasons are easy enough to surmise. Tatum, being a colossus, needed as much room as possible in which to operate, and the more other soloists there were to take solo time and to demand of Tatum the duties of an accompanist, the more Tatum must have felt like a thoroughbred on a light rein. For Tatum, when he worked with other musicians, would sometimes temper his genius with a little tact, for the sake of the cohesion of the performance as well as in deference to the egos of the other musicians involved. Now the listener never cared anything for all this.

Of the supporting musicians, the one with the longest list of battle honors was the founder of the vibes. Lionel Hampton, a musician who, having worked with both Armstrong and Tatum without exhibiting even a flicker of inhibition or loss of nerve, may therefore be said to have done and see everything there was to do and see. Harry Edison, who plays trumpet with Tatum, spent many years in the Basie band, where he perfected a personal manner which consists of paring down the content of every solo to the practical minimum. The rhythm players include Barney Kessel, who was one of the very first musicians to become associated with "Jazz at the Philharmonic", and the Granz recording labels. The drummer, Buddy Rich, is in his own way as remarkable a technical wizard as Tatum himself, although on the Tatum sides the demand for wizardry was limited. Instead Rich laid down a strong, solid beat, assisted by the bass playing of Red Callender." - Benny Green (From the original liner notes)

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"Por improbable que parezca, el sexteto fue uno de los grupos más grandes con los que Art Tatum trabajó; incluso puede ser el más grande para Tatum, quien trabajó la mayor parte de su vida sin ningún acompañamiento, hacia el final mostró una marcada preferencia por un trío, pero rara vez apareció como uno de los seis. Las razones son bastante fáciles de adivinar. Tatum, siendo un coloso, necesitaba la mayor cantidad de espacio posible para operar, y cuantos más solistas había para tomarse un tiempo en solitario y exigirle a Tatum los deberes de un acompañante, más Tatum debía haberse sentido como un pura sangre con riendas ligeras. Porque Tatum, cuando trabajaba con otros músicos, a veces templaba su genio con un poco de tacto, en aras de la cohesión de la interpretación, así como por deferencia a los egos de los otros músicos involucrados. Ahora bien, al oyente nunca le importó nada todo esto.

De los músicos de apoyo, el que tenía la lista más larga de honores de batalla era el fundador de the vibes. Lionel Hampton, un músico que, habiendo trabajado con Armstrong y Tatum sin exhibir ni siquiera un parpadeo de inhibición o pérdida de nervios, se puede decir que hizo y vio todo lo que había que hacer y ver. Harry Edison, que toca la trompeta con Tatum, pasó muchos años en la banda Basie, donde perfeccionó una manera personal que consiste en reducir el contenido de cada solo al mínimo práctico. Los músicos rítmicos incluyen a Barney Kessel, quien fue uno de los primeros músicos en asociarse con "Jazz at the Philharmonic", y los sellos discográficos Granz. El baterista, Buddy Rich, es a su manera un mago técnico tan notable como el propio Tatum, aunque en los lados de Tatum la demanda de magia era limitada. En cambio, Rich estableció un ritmo fuerte y sólido, asistido por el bajo de Red Callender."- Benny Green (De las notas originales)


Tracks:
01 - Verve Blues - 12:46
02 - What Is This Thing Called Love? - 7:40
03 - Plaid - 6:41
04 - Somebody Loves Me - 7:14
05 - September Song - 7:05
06 - Deep Purple - 8:02
07 - September Song (78rpm version) - 2:38
08 - What Is This Thing Called Love? (alternate version) - 7:51
09 - What Is This Thing Called Love? (trio version) - 7:03
10 - Trio Blues - 5:06
11 - September Song (trio version) - 3:19


Credits:
    Bass – Red Callender (tracks: 1 to 8, 10), Slam Stewart (tracks: 11)
    Drums – Buddy Rich (tracks: 1 to 9), Jo Jones (tracks: 10)
    Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: 1 to 8), Everett Barksdale (tracks: 11)
    Liner Notes – Charles Boldt
    Liner Notes [Original] – Benny Green (2)
    Piano – Art Tatum (tracks: 1 to 11)
    Trumpet – Harry Edison (tracks: 1 to 8)
    Vibraphone – Lionel Hampton (tracks: 1 to 9)

Tracks 1 to 8 Los Angeles, California, September 7, 1955
Bonus tracks
9 Los Angeles, California, August 1, 1955
10 Los Angeles, California, January 26, 1956
11 New York, December 20, 1952

Label:    Essential Jazz Classics – EJC55409
Country:    Europe
Released:    2007
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Stride
https://www.discogs.com/release/22709951-Art-Tatum-Sextet-The-Legendary-1955-Session

 





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Monday, March 31, 2025

Joe Venuti - Stephane Grappelli • The Best of the Jazz Violins



Review by Scott Yanow
This LRC budget release includes two unrelated sessions from a pair of the greatest jazz violinists: Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli. Venuti is heard in 1971 with pianist Lou Stein and a pair of Italian musicians (bassist Marco Ratti and drummer Gil Cuppini) performing "The Hot Canary" (a novelty piece) and six familiar standards including "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Tea for Two." Grappelli is caught in 1975 jamming his "Sysmo," Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare," and five older songs in a quartet with guitarist Jimmy Shirley, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, and bassist Slam Stewart. No real surprises occur, but the violinists are in fine form. These two sessions are a bit rare and worth searching for by fans of swing violinists.

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Reseña de Scott Yanow
Esta publicación del presupuesto de LRC incluye dos sesiones no relacionadas de un par de los más grandes violinistas de jazz: Joe Venuti y Stephane Grappelli. Venuti se escucha en 1971 con el pianista Lou Stein y un par de músicos italianos (el bajista Marco Ratti y el baterista Gil Cuppini) interpretando "The Hot Canary" (una pieza novedosa) y seis estándares familiares incluyendo "Sweet Georgia Brown" y "Tea for Two". Grappelli es atrapado en 1975 tocando su "Sysmo", la "Parisian Thoroughfare" de Bud Powell, y cinco canciones más antiguas en un cuarteto con el guitarrista Jimmy Shirley, el pianista Johnny Guarnieri, y el bajista Slam Stewart. No hay sorpresas reales, pero los violinistas están en buena forma. Estas dos sesiones son un poco raras y merecen ser buscadas por los fans de los violinistas de swing.


Friday, November 8, 2024

Stephane Grappelli • Steff and Slam



Review by Ken Dryden
It only seems natural that violinist Stephane Grappelli and bassist Slam Stewart, two masters of swing whose careers both got underway in the 1930s, would eventually record together; they are joined by pianist Johnny Guarnieri, guitarist Jimmy Shirley, and drummer Jackie Williams. Things start off well with a lively run through "I Would Do Anything for You," featuring the leader's matchless violin and Stewart's trademarked bowing while singing in unison an octave above. Most of the rest of the numbers are also songs that both men likely played countless times during their respective long careers; there are no disappointments. Grappelli plays solo piano on two originals, "Sysmo" and "Flonville," while "Sweet and Lovely" was added from a different date, with Roland Hanna, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier, and Oliver Jackson taking over for the earlier rhythm section. Recommended.
 
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Reseña de Ken Dryden
Parece natural que el violinista Stephane Grappelli y el bajista Slam Stewart, dos maestros del swing cuyas carreras se iniciaron en los años 30, acaben grabando juntos; les acompañan el pianista Johnny Guarnieri, el guitarrista Jimmy Shirley y el batería Jackie Williams. Las cosas empiezan bien con un animado recorrido por "I Would Do Anything for You", con el inigualable violín del líder y el característico arco de Stewart mientras canta al unísono una octava por encima. La mayoría del resto de los números son también canciones que ambos hombres probablemente han tocado innumerables veces durante sus respectivas y largas carreras; no hay decepciones. Grappelli toca el piano solo en dos originales, "Sysmo" y "Flonville", mientras que "Sweet and Lovely" se añadió en una fecha diferente, con Roland Hanna, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier y Oliver Jackson sustituyendo a la anterior sección rítmica. Recomendado.