Steele yourselves for our sceptred Iles, plus a Frankfurter

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 12 Aug
5.00 Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton showcases American pianist Herman Chittison (1888-1967) with recordings requested by listeners.

Never heard of him...

http://www.alynshipton.co.uk/blog

6.00 Jazz Line-Up
Kevin Le Gendre presents a duo set featuring saxophonist Stan Sulzmann and pianist Nikki Iles, recorded in April on the Jazz Line-Up stage as part of the Gateshead International Jazz Festival.

This, one of my favourite sax 'n' joanna duos, has been going for a couple of decades, and comprises two of the nicest personalities on the Britjazz scene, both of course associated with Norma Winstone and the great late Kenny Wheeler. The webpage link below adds trumpeter Guy Barker to the combo.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b090lm0p

12.00 Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
Geoffrey Smith introduces recordings that demonstrate why Duke Ellington's reputation as a solo pianist ought to equal his esteem as a band leader. Featuring highlights from across his career, including performances that illustrate Ellington's uniquely colourful keyboard style.

And it's not just the unaccompanied solo work, again according to the web page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01n6r00

Thought I'd include the following item, for obvious reasons:

Sun 13 Aug, Radio 2
9.00 Claire Teal
Big band and swing, with musician, composer and former Loose Tubes sideman Django Bates, who discusses Saluting Sgt Pepper - his new project with the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra.

Mon 14 Aug
11.00 Jazz Now
Soweto Kinch presents live music from the Edinburgh International Festival, featuring sets by trumpeter Colin Steele's Quintet and the duo of saxophonist Paul Towndrow and pianist Steve Hamilton.

People have been asking after Colin Steele recently; maybe we'll get to hear something.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b090tnyt

Next Tuesday's Late Junction (11.30 pm) includes "a lost nugget of township jazz from South Africa" among other non-jazz non-mentionables.

[eighthobstruction]

.....thank you sir....

[Serial_Apologist]

.....thank you sir....

Think nothing of it, Jeeves.

(Well, to me that sounds better than the ubiquitous "You're welcome" of these days!)

[Ian Thumwood]

Herman Chittison was one of those musicians whose name used to crop up every now and then on Humphrey Lyttelton's "Best of jazz. " I think the date you have for his birthday is incorrect as he was from a later generation and born in 1908. I suppose you would put him in the same category as Art Tatum insofar there are elements of stride in his piano playing but there are also hints at something more modern too.

It is good to hear forgotten players like Chittison rediscovered as he is the kind of musician who gives a wider impression of the jazz scene. The most celebrated music he produced was recorded whilst he was in France in the 1930's where he worked with the likes of the sadly under-appreciated Bill Coleman. He started his career in the late twenties with Zach Whyte's big band which had a reputation as one pf the finest of all the territory bands even though the recordings they made a handful of recordings which are pretty under-whelming. One of the tracks they cut was a cover of the Armstrong classic "West End Blues." Chittison was not the only celebrated musician to pass through the ranks of this band and I believe Roy Eldridge was a sideman at one point. The most famous musician associated with Whyte's band was arranger Sy Oliver who was poached by Jimmie Lunceford where he created this leader's bands identity before joining Tommy Dorsey's arranging staff in the 1940's. Like so many Territory bands, the records are said not to do the band justice.

Chittison spent much of his career in Europe and even further flung places where American musicians could find themselves as members of orchestras that were contracted to perform in prestigious hotels in Asia and Africa. I think Chittison ended up in Egypt. He was most famous for being part of the pre-War French jazz scene but being distanced from the burgeoning American scene, jazz had moved on by the time be returned to the States.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for that information Ian. To my ears, the track played would place him stylistically somewhere between Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Thanks for that information Ian. To my ears, the track played would place him stylistically somewhere between Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson.

The Ben Webster ("How long has this been going on) ballad track was utterly exquisite. I find myself listening to him more and more these days. An age thing, I didn't like him (the broad tone and air*) too much in my "formative" years. Older now and Bener.

BN.

Ben to a young Billy Higgins, "don't play those brushes kid, they cover up my phhhhhssss".

[Serial_Apologist]

The Ben Webster ("How long has this been going on) ballad track was utterly exquisite. I find myself listening to him more and more these days. An age thing, I didn't like him (the broad tone and air*) too much in my "formative" years. Older now and Bener.

BN.

Ben to a young Billy Higgins, "don't play those brushes kid, they cover up my phhhhhssss".

Love that story.

From a similar later vantage I tend to agree when it comes to Ben Webster. I remember as a teenager hearing him backed by Oscar Peterson and thinking, poor old chap, can't keep up with Oscar. There was that story in John Fordham's Scott biog where he and Pete King had to collect Webster from a train at Victoria, and being forced to transport his huge frame on a porter's luggage trolley to a taxi. I saw him during a season at Ronnie's around 1966 or 67, the band coming on uptempo, Webster staggering onstage, clearly pissed, the British musicians quickly closing that number in preference for a slow ballad, and continuing in that vein for the rest of the night. Ben had difficulties staying upright, but he played all those ballads so beautifully.

[Serial_Apologist]

So its two duos on JLU: Nikki Iles with Guy Barker, and Nikki with Stan Sulzmann. Misunderstanding down to the advertised blurb,

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

So its two duos on JLU: Nikki Iles with Guy Barker, and Nikki with Stan Sulzmann. Misunderstanding down to the advertised blurb,

Dexter bought Ben's Selmer from his Copenhagen estate immediately after his death. A story he told of having to separate a "well refreshed" Webster and Johnny Griffin one night in the Montmartre after they were seriously coming to blows over whether Ellington or Basie had the better historic bands. Dexter "long and tall" picked up "little" Griffin bodily and carried him out into the night... must of been a sight with the three assorted "jazz" sizes.

The Stan Sulzmann was lovely. Cracked open the C90s.

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

The issue with Webster is that his playing evolved over the years. Lets not forget he made his recording debut in 1932 as a member of Bennie Moten's band (which included Basie) where he sounds nothing like his later incarnation. There were later stops with other bands including Teddy Wilson's neglected orchestra before he arrived with Ellington and was totally revitalised. This is where the attraction of playing ballads seems to have stemmed from but Webster later ended up on the West coast.

Personally, I prefer Webster's work with Ellington to his later stuff. For me, the stuff recorded by Coleman Hawkins seemed more "of the moment" than Webster yet Webster seems to be a touchstone for so many contemporary players so that you can even draw a line with between him and connect him with the ballad work of a player like David S Ware.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

The issue with Webster is that his playing evolved over the years. Lets not forget he made his recording debut in 1932 as a member of Bennie Moten's band (which included Basie) where he sounds nothing like his later incarnation. There were later stops with other bands including Teddy Wilson's neglected orchestra before he arrived with Ellington and was totally revitalised. This is where the attraction of playing ballads seems to have stemmed from but Webster later ended up on the West coast.

Personally, I prefer Webster's work with Ellington to his later stuff. For me, the stuff recorded by Coleman Hawkins seemed more "of the moment" than Webster yet Webster seems to be a touchstone for so many contemporary players so that you can even draw a line with between him and connect him with the ballad work of a player like David S Ware.

Well, he was out on the West coast as he couldn't get regular gigs, his star had faded. I think he toured for a while (and recorded) with Johnny Otis's R&B review on an agreement he "didn't go on stage drunk". The sessions with Granz brought his career back to life? Jimmy Rowles who worked a lot with him on the Coast said that when in drink, only Benny Carter could control him. He'd say, " Ben! Go sit in the corner" and off he'd go "like a schoolboy".

[Ian Thumwood]

I thought that his career must have picked up in the 50's judging by the number of Verve albums he appeared on. Quite a few musicians from his generation like Carter and Sweets Edison ended up in California where I thought they worked in the studios. Granz captured a lot of these players on his label but I have always felt he seemed better at looking after that generation of players than the post-Bird one which I always got the impression he did not care for. There is an album of Hawk and Webster which is really famous but I have felt it kind of capsized under the piano playing of Peterson and the guitarist who I think was Herb Ellis. When I first this record as a 16 year old it made a massive impression on me and both Webster and Hawkins seemed really comfortable in each other's company. There are similar Webster appearances with Rowles and Gerry Mulligan, I believe but Granz's lazy approach to repertoire and propensity towards jam sessions made generally made me stand clear. Maybe they are records I need to re-visit. My Dad has loads of these in his collection.

[Old Grumpy]

So its two duos on JLU: Nikki Iles with Guy Barker, and Nikki with Stan Sulzmann. Misunderstanding down to the advertised blurb,

Both duos excellent in their own way. I speak from first hand experience of the Sulzmann/Iles duo - I woz there. I didn't even realise the Iles/Barker duo was on, however.

OG

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

That's one of the few Granz dates with OP supporting that doesn't jar with me. Not the steamroller, actually sympathetic. The Mulligan/Webster date is wonderfully compatable, one of the best of that "Mulligan with" series. I don't think Ben took kindly to new material/ways. I know he played a concert with Dexter in Holland or Denmark with "Body and Soul" as their joint feature. As they started Gordon turned to the pianist and said, "Trane's changes" and Webster erupted in fury. That absolutely wasn't how Body and Soul was done.

BN.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Some rather partial opinions about Ben on these posts - especially from Ian. Time to listen to all the Montmartre sessions with Kenny Drew and NHOP I think and also the 'My Man' session from the same club in 1973 with Ole Kock Hansen, Bo Stief and Alex Riel. He's just remarkable - just as he was in his work with Blanche Calloway, Cab Calloway and Lionel Hampton (pre Ellington). Has Ian actually listened systematically through all this? And then Ben's mid-period work not only with Ellington but all the quintet and sextet sessions with Sweets or the Henderson Reunion band? It's easy to be an armchair critic but Ben was such a major talent almost everything he did was touched with genius.