RIP Clark Terry

[Ian Thumwood]

I think the problem with the CBS 1990 re-issue I have is that the album is lengthened by four extra tracks ("Doxie", "Soho Soul", "Half a sawbuck" and the brilliant "You're my everything" ) which makes too samey. The music doesn't have enough variety to 70-odd minutes. In this case, it's good to have some other tracks but I'm not a fan of alternative takes which unbalance albums. Costa is better on Coleman Hawkin's "3-4-5" but he is another really obscure musician who plays well on a couple of records and then disappeared.

[Serial_Apologist]

SA's comments about Terry being a "swing-bop" player rankled me as I see Terry as having little to do with swing era trumpet players like Allen, Eldridge, Berigan, Clayton, Edison, etc and more of a player who was post-Dizzy. I think there is some of Dizzy's crafty rhythmic play in Terry's music albeit Gillespie's articulation and use of dynamics marks him as perhaps the finest rhythmic front line player in the history of jazz. Terry was really part of the 1950's approach to the trumpet but he had a knack of making his playing more immediately communicative than any other player from his generation.

I could well be wrong here, but I seem to remember it being said, in a series of radio programmes about the history of jazz a good few years ago, that Clark Terry had already formulated his own distinctive approach to improvising before Dizzy came along. That's why I put him into that swing-into-bop transition, which would also include people like Don Byas, Errol Garner and Red Norvo along, of course, with Charlie Christian. Perhaps I should first check my c90s!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Eddie Costa was a much admired jazz artist who was killed in a car accident in July '62 aged just 31

Costa was chosen as Down Beat jazz critics' new star on piano and vibes for 1957; this was the first time that one artist had won two categories in the same year.[29] In 1962 he was invited to play at the first International Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C. by the President's Music Committee of the People to People program.[30] An indication of the esteem in which Costa was held by musicians is the caliber of those who performed at his memorial concert at The Village Gate on October 8, 1962: Cohn, Benny Golson, Zoot Sims, Charlie Byrd, Jim Hall, Mundell Lowe, Farmer, Clark Terry and Hawkins were among those who played.[31] The playing of the bands led by the last two was recorded and released as an LP.[32] Hawkins did not usually play at benefit concerts, but his feelings for Costa meant that he did what he could to make the seven-hour event a success.[

[Ian Thumwood]

SA

Clark Terry played with both Thelonious Monk (he was a big fan) and Cecil Taylor, if I am not mistaken. He was also pretty thick with the young Miles Davis.

If you want to put him in to any category, I'd say you would have to include him with people like Wardell Gray, Buddy DeFranco,, George Shearing, etc - that kind of generation of player.

[clive heath]

Quoted here from Allmusic about "gingerbread men" ( lower case on the LP):

"Perhaps because trumpeter Clark Terry and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer spent the majority of their respective careers as sidemen, they retain a remarkable spirit of generosity and unity as leaders. For all the virtuosity on display across Gingerbread Men, what impresses most is the selfless coherence of the session as a whole. Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Dave Bailey further underline the joie de vivre that characterizes the album, playing with exuberance and creativity. For all the music's visceral punch, it still boasts an uncommon and most welcome elegance. [Long out of print, Gingerbread Men was finally reissued in 2005 via the two-disc Clark Terry & Bob Brookmeyer Quintet Complete Studio Recordings.]"

This LP certainly illustrates Ian's point about cheering you up albeit with a smattering of self-indulgence on the trumpeter's part who is clearly a great fan of his singing! Its that Dave Bailey again on drums and to my mind Hank Jones is just wonderful at keeping things interesting in the background. Once I'd found that my Behringer DAC didn't seem to be allowing stereo recording and bypassed it I was able to put this on my site.

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/vinyl2.php

[Ian Thumwood]

"Gingerbread man" is a Jimmy Heath composition but it's ultimate performance must be on the Miles Davis "Miles Smiles" record which is probably one of the greatest studio recordings of all time. Terry was an associated of Miles in St. Louis where they both grew up.

I wouldn't hear anything against Hank Jones either. I heard him perform on a few occasions but the gig he did with Joe Lovano was a prime example of why musicians of this generation should be treasured.

[clive heath]

More quoting from Allmusic :

"Clark Terry led a short-lived big band in the mid-'70s, and the 18-piece orchestra is showcased on this set from the 1974 Wichita Jazz Festival. With arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Phil Woods, Jimmy Heath, and Allan Foust, the emphasis during this CD reissue is on swinging in a beboppish fashion. However, C.T. kept an open mind and his performance also has versions of Kenny Dorham's "Una Mas" and Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti" along with some more basic material. In addition to the flügelhornist/leader (who takes a trademark vocal on "Mumbles" and good-humoredly announces the songs), such soloists as altoist Phil Woods, tenor man Jimmy Heath, and pianist Duke Jordan are among the more important voices."

This LP cost me £2.99p in "Dobells", heaven knows when. I'd forgotten I had it until I saw the name on a list while I was tidying up paperwork, so it also has been added as above. It's a lot better than I remember with some nice arrangements. The engineers had the piano on the left on one side and on the right on the other. I've put it on the right all through keeping the drums on the left where they tend to be in big band performances.

[Ian Thumwood]

I think this was the band where Dianne Reeves was the featured soloist. If Jimmy Heath and Ernie Wilkins were writing the charts, it must be a good album.