First ever jazz single

[Pianorak]

Pleased to see that Earl Bostic is being "revived". His "Liebestraum" and "Song of the Island" single was my first-ever non-classical music LP when I were a lad.

http://avidgroup.co.uk/acatalog/info_AMSC1210.html

Childish, I know, but pleased as Punch to get a Twofer now.

[Ian Thumwood]

I grew up listening to my Dad's record collection and he had an old LP of Earl Bostic's greatest hits which fascinated me when I was very young. Bostic has almost been airbrushed out of jazz history with most references likely to relate to John Coltrane's stint in his group in the early 1950's. This always seem perverse because a lot of early Coltrane is not very interesting in my opinion whereas Bostic seems to be entirely written off as a commercial artist even though the likes of Benny Golson are on record as saying that Bostic's technique was even better than Bird's. He is alleged to have once given Parker a saxophone lesson during a jam session at Minton's. It is also fascinating to realise just how many top-notch jazz musicians came through the ranks of his bands including Golson, Sir Charles Thompson, the Turrentine brothers and Blue Mitchell.

The reworking of the Lizst is not a particularly great recording and he doesn't seem particularly inspired. However, the standard repertoire seems to always come up trumps. The recording of "Harlem Nocturne" is more typical and retains more influence of the kind of things big bands were doing in the 1950's. Whilst I think he kept to the melody pretty closely, the tone he produced is always the thing that grabs. It is "Flamingo" that sticks in my mind more than anything , with the booting rhythm, the vibraphone that sounds like someone tripping over a load of milk bottles and his fat tone on alto, achieved by playing with a tenor reed. "Flamingo" still sounds terrific. It is also checking out the track "Up there in orbit" which sounds like a contra-fact on a standard where Bostic delivers some technically impressive playing (especially at high register) which is fascinating as he outstrips the rhythm section which have all but given up by the end!

I suppose that a 4 CD collection would probably be too much in one bite but it is a shame that he is no longer that well remembered. His music is probably more redolent of the early 1950's than anyone else and maybe he was a precursor of the many bar-walking players later in the decade as well anticipating more modern soloists like Dave Sanborn. There is supposed to be a Bostic album called "Jazz as I feel it" whiuch features Richard "Groove" Holmes and Joe Pass. I have only heard the clips on Amazon but have read that this is supposed to be the one record where you get a much better impression of his technical prowess.

[Pianorak]

Ian - many thanks filling in some of the Bostic background, all new to me - and much appreciated.

[Rcartes]

I always had a thing for Bostic's version of Flamingo. I haven't heard it in years, is it still available anywhere?

[Rcartes]

And, widening the discussion a little, my first ever jazz single, in about 1957, was Humphrey Lyttelton's Fish Seller. The first track on a very long journey (to use the current idiotic cliche).

[burning dog]

I've only bought jazz singles recently but I remember as a small child family 78's Cherokee and Flamingo by Earl Bostic, Work Song by Nat Adderley and Exodus by Eddie Harris on 45. I guess after these my parents could afford exclusively LP's.

I later heard my Grandads 78's of Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller which I still have somewhere, including this classic.

[Pianorak]

I always had a thing for Bostic's version of Flamingo. I haven't heard it in years, is it still available anywhere?

You called, Sir? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flamingo-Ea...o+Earl++Bostic

[elmo]

My first jazz single was Brubeck's "Unsquare Dance" but my second was the one that did it - a Blue Note 45 of Trane's " Blue Train" - still got it

elmo

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

My first jazz 45 was Bill Doggett's "Blue Largo/Ram Bunk Shush" with Percy France on tenor (a hip JRR of mine not long ago). Then Mose Allison's " Baby please don't go". First Bluenote 45 purchased was "Amen/Fuego" by the Donald Byrd Quin avec Jackie Mac on H'alto. "Amen" has dated but Fuego still impresses.

EPs were really the thing, loads of those on Esquire. Monk, Trane, Mr.Rollins...

BN.

[Rcartes]

You called, Sir? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flamingo-Ea...o+Earl++Bostic

Yes, that's it, thank you. It can also be heard for free on Youtube here. Oddly enough, it comes up with a picture of Bostic playing tenor, whereas as far as I know he only played alto.

And another thing: I always wondered how Bostic had a Slovene name....

[Pianorak]

I'm very impressed with the remastering of four Earl Bostic Albums
(http://avidgroup.co.uk/acatalog/info_AMSC1210.html). I suppose it's "easy listening" rather than jazz which in any case I'm resigned I'll never get. Any recommendations of more Alto Sax, please? I especially like the Harlem Nocturne from the Dance Time Album.

Flamingo can also be heard for free on Youtube here. Thanks for the link, Rcartes.

[Ian Thumwood]

The closest contemporary artist similar to Earl Bostic, without wandering in to vacuous "smooth jazz territory" would be someone like Dave Sanborn. Whilst both are solidly jazz, the two other musicians worthwhile exploring would be Cannonball Adderley and Kenny Garret, both if whom have a strong ability to "connect."

[Serial_Apologist]

The closest contemporary artist similar to Earl Bostic, without wandering in to vacuous "smooth jazz territory" would be someone like Dave Sanborn. Whilst both are solidly jazz, the two other musicians worthwhile exploring would be Cannonball Adderley and Kenny Garret, both if whom have a strong ability to "connect."

To me, the strange thing about Sanborn was that at the start of his journey his approach was quite innovative, as can be heard in his solos with Gil Evans - he virtually inaugurated a new improvising vocabulary, partly based on Cannonball's idiosyncratic playing when he was with Miles but avoiding Ornette, Dolphy and McLean - a sort of alto Mike Brecker - and then watered it downin the way Gato Barbieri did to fit into cmmercial formats, and instead handed the approach on to future virtuoso alto stylists in more-or-less straightahead and fusion-tinged contexts: people such as Chris Hunter and Nigel Hitchcock - fabulous in one sense but rather formulated musical acrobats who tend to have the same approach regardless of the piece or the context. Maybe Steve Coleman and Greg Osby too?

Quite a number of the younger players have been schooled in this approach, but by no means all - and the best are managing to escape it, having used it as a basis for evolving their own approaches.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I always thought he took a load from Hank Crawford. And Crawford's early straight jazz albums on Atlantic, with most of Ray's small band of the early 60s, are quite tasty.

BN.

Ahem...D.S...

"Hank Crawford was a huge influence on me, not just musically but personally too. He always appeared so cool with that skinny look in classy tailored suits. He showed such refined taste and elegance. It was that combination of simplicity and sophistication that got to me.

What he did with the music still resonates with me today. He could leave these spaces in the music and the tune wouldn’t die. He taught me the value of space and how the notes you leave out are as important as the ones you play"

[Pianorak]

The closest contemporary artist similar to Earl Bostic, without wandering in to vacuous "smooth jazz territory" would be someone like Dave Sanborn. Whilst both are solidly jazz, the two other musicians worthwhile exploring would be Cannonball Adderley and Kenny Garret, both if whom have a strong ability to "connect."

Ian, thanks for the recommendations! Bearing in mind that I don't get jazz, have now listened to a few tracks on YouTube: Dave Sanborn (too saccharine?), Kenny Garrett (confusing - too many different styles?), but really liked some of the Cannonball Adderley tracks and will listen to some more of those. - But they all seem to improvise (if that's the right word) on some theme, undetectable to me. Maybe that's what jazz is all about?