McBride no prejudice

[Serial_Apologist]

Sat 7 Sept
4pm - Jazz Record Requests
Alyn Shipton with listeners' requests for Ella Fitzgerald, Cannonball Adderley, Lionel Hampton, Nina Simone and others across a broad spectrum of jazz.

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

5pm - J to Z
Bassist Christian McBride has won six Grammy Awards and collaborated with Sonny Rollins and Herbie Hancock. In an exclusive interview, he shares some of the music that inspires him. Presenter Julian Joseph introduces UK saxophonist Leo Richardson and his quartet in a live performance of music from their recently released hard-swinging album Move.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00089n5

12midnight - Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
To mark today's 89th birthday of New York tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, Geoffrey Smith celebrates the man hailed as the greatest living jazz musician.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00089nf

Mon 9 Sept
11pm - Jazz Now
Soweto Kinch introduces the Houston Person Organ Trio in a performance they gave in late July at the Soho Jazz Festival in London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00087y3

On Thurs 12 Sept
11pm Late Junction
This particular programme features among its exotic treasures the eccentric (my word) British jazz band Pigfoot.

[Quarky]

12midnight - Geoffrey Smith's Jazz
To mark today's 89th birthday of New York tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, Geoffrey Smith celebrates the man hailed as the greatest living jazz musician.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00089nf

Will listen to this with interest. I seem to have a number of Sonny's most recent recordings. But compared to his work in the 50's - well I don't know.....

[Alyn_Shipton]

Vespare, you can always catch up with Sonny's own choice in the two Jazz Libraries we recorded a mere ten years ago (seems like yesterday!): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kkt0d and https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008g6wj

[Jazzrook]

Will listen to this with interest. I seem to have a number of Sonny's most recent recordings. But compared to his work in the 50's - well I don't know.....

I'd strongly recommend Sonny Rollins' 1955 quartet album 'Worktime'(RVG Remaster 2009) with Ray Bryant, George Morrow & Max Roach. Highly rated by Miles Davis & Steve Lacy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_waHZE1GLwM

JR

[Quarky]

I'd strongly recommend Sonny Rollins' 1955 quartet album 'Worktime'(RVG Edition) with Ray Bryant, George Morrow & Max Roach. Highly rated by Miles Davis & Steve Lacy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_waHZE1GLwM

JR

Much Appreciated, JR.

[Quarky]

Vespare, you can always catch up with Sonny's own choice in the two Jazz Libraries we recorded a mere ten years ago (seems like yesterday!): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kkt0d and https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008g6wj

Many thanks Alyn - that puts Sonny's output over the years into perspective. A fascinating discussion, with Sonny being extremely diplomatic. But I felt that improvisation on the Archers theme - an everyday story of country folk - was going a bit far.

[Old Grumpy]

Many thanks Alyn - that puts Sonny's output over the years into perspective. A fascinating discussion, with Sonny being extremely diplomatic. But I felt that improvisation on the Archers theme - an everyday story of country folk - was going a bit far.

And why not? No worse than "Over the Rainbow" or "Someday My Prince Will Come", perhaps!

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

"Someday My Prince Will Come"

Swansong of a failing printing firm...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

And why not? No worse than "Over the Rainbow" or "Someday My Prince Will Come", perhaps!

OG

AND, less we forget, "How are things in Glocca Morra" -Sonny Rollins Quintet, Bluenote 1956. A tip of the kilt to Tommy Steele and Julie Andrews, only Sonny could make sense and something of this. One of Sonny's neglected albums...

http://youtu.be/aySl9_o6O74

That opening theme phrase of Sonny is a gem. Chewed over and quasi bagpipes... humour never far away.


BN.

[Old Grumpy]

Swansong of a failing printing firm...

[Serial_Apologist]

Phew, what a scorching start to today's J to Z; how come I've managed to miss the young Mr Richardson? That was playing for all it's worth, with an ability more than to match and more than a promise of greater originality once the influences are absorbed. Maybe we'll learn more about him later on. And it followed what was possibly the most enjoyable JRR I've ever experienced - one brilliant track after another, launched with that Humph band backing Jimmy Witherspoon on one of many versions of that tune, and sounding almost identical with Mingus's work at that time! And then Hamp's 1953 assemblage of traddies encountering boppers - almost in a sense anticipating Mingus in this case. Other choices worth singling out: Miles with Cannonball's 1958 band; what the so-and-so was that? a 12-bar blues they were improvising on? - Miles already fully "modalised", Adderley following with a freedom over the form, whatever it was, which he seemed to lose in the later, more Soul/popular style he adopted in company with Charles Lloyd and Joe Zawinul. Zep Meissner offered high-kicking Dixieland of the highest order; and, while no great fan of Lou Donaldson, one had to admire the fact that few managed not to sound like Charlie Parker unless their name was Lee Konitz in 1953, and smile at the way "As Time Goes By" sneaked its way into his solo. A track from a new Quentin Collins album was played a few minutes ago; I've previously sung my praises for Mr Collins on here, having been knocked out by his twist on Freddie Hubbard's approach about 12 years ago when Andrea Vicari and Dorian Lockett hosted him at The Bedford in Balham in those halcyon days when live jazz was more plentiful in sarf London, and finding him to be modestly friendly in conversation. This was a new Collins for me, I might look out for this - the track oblique in feel - and Jean Toussaint did a lovely solo: again, a spin on an American player made his own, in Toussaint's case Wayne Shorter: which, with Jean one of Leo Richardson's teachers, completes my circle for me.

Edit: Doncha just love the way the invited Americans tell us we're "listening to J to ZED"!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Phew, what a scorching start to today's J to Z; how come I've managed to miss the young Mr Richardson? That was playing for all it's worth, with an ability more than to match and more than a promise of greater originality once the influences are absorbed. Maybe we'll learn more about him later on. And it followed what was possibly the most enjoyable JRR I've ever experienced - one brilliant track after another, launched with that Humph band backing Jimmy Witherspoon on one of many versions of that tune, and sounding almost identical with Mingus's work at that time! And then Hamp's 1953 assemblage of traddies encountering boppers - almost in a sense anticipating Mingus in this case. Other choices worth singling out: Miles with Cannonball's 1958 band; what the so-and-so was that? a 12-bar blues they were improvising on? - Miles already fully "modalised", Adderley following with a freedom over the form, whatever it was, which he seemed to lose in the later, more Soul/popular style he adopted in company with Charles Lloyd and Joe Zawinul. Zep Meissner offered high-kicking Dixieland of the highest order; and, while no great fan of Lou Donaldson, one had to admire the fact that few managed not to sound like Charlie Parker unless their name was Lee Konitz in 1953, and smile at the way "As Time Goes By" sneaked its way into his solo. A track from a new Quentin Collins album was played a few minutes ago; I've previously sung my praises for Mr Collins on here, having been knocked out by his twist on Freddie Hubbard's approach about 12 years ago when Andrea Vicari and Dorian Lockett hosted him at The Bedford in Balham in those halcyon days when live jazz was more plentiful in sarf London, and finding him to be modestly friendly in conversation. This was a new Collins for me, I might look out for this - the track oblique in feel - and Jean Toussaint did a lovely solo: again, a spin on an American player made his own, in Toussaint's case Wayne Shorter: which, with Jean one of Leo Richardson's teachers, completes my circle for me.

Edit: Doncha just love the way the invited Americans tell us we're "listening to J to ZED"!

I liked the first tenor solo on the Rushing track, was that Jimmy Skidmore? Drums were "four square" thump. The Hampton track was er, definitely not for me. I DID like the solo piano Nuages/Django by the Scottish guy. The Miles/Cannon session is a classic..."that alright, Albert?", with also some very good Hank Jones.

I too was impressed by the Leo Richardson session, there's even more on YouTube. He can certainly play and make sense, I did hear bits of later Hayes etc and it was interesting to hear him straight after the Coltrane track in terms of tone. Key thing is what next? There are lot of similar very good "HB idiom" players around, particularly Canadian for some reason. But very pleasing. *He's the son of Jim Richardson, bassist of "If" for those who remember. (I read the bio).

BN

[Serial_Apologist]

I liked the first tenor solo on the Rushing track, was that Jimmy Skidmore? Drums were "four square" thump. The Hampton track was er, definitely not for me. I DID like the solo piano Nuages/Django by the Scottish guy. The Miles/Cannon session is a classic..."that alright, Albert?", with also some very good Hank Jones.

I too was impressed by the Leo Richardson session, there's even more on YouTube. He can certainly play and make sense, I did hear bits of later Hayes etc and it was interesting to hear him straight after the Coltrane track in terms of tone. Key thing is what next? There are lot of similar very good "HB idiom" players around, particularly Canadian for some reason. But very pleasing. *He's the son of Jim Richardson, bassist of "If" for those who remember. (I read the bio).

BN

What was interesting about the Cannonball track for me was the disorientating listener effect of Hank Jones's playing in the pre-Bill Evans harmonic style underpinning Miles's and Cannonball's concepts. I'll have to have another listen to that track: maybe I'll "get it" next time! I hadn't realised Leo was Jim Richardson's nipper - I met Jim last summer through being introduced by Henry Lowther. It was Henry's gig - Jim was at a nearby table; I knew about If, and was trying vainly to remember the name of a more recent trio Jim had led, very blues-based, with the tenor player Bob Sydor, who had once been with Graham Collier Music, and Jim kindly prompted me that it was called Pogo! Going back to the Witherspoon track, yes I think that tenor solo would have been Skidmore Senior. I came in on the b/cast at that point and without having seen Alyn's list made the assumption it was probably Zoot Sims - that more ballsy post-Lester approach a few other British players took up around that time as well.

[Alyn_Shipton]

S-A it was (as BN says) Rushing not Witherspoon with Humph, and the line-up (as per my website): Humphrey Lyttelton, t; John Picard, tb; Tony Coe, cl; Jimmy Skidmore, ts; Ian Armit, p; Brian Brocklehurst, b; Eddie Taylor, d; Jimmy Rushing, v. 11 Sept 1957.
Skidmore senior was on good form I thought - though Tony is on fantastic form elsewhere on the record.
I did the liner notes for Jim Richardson's Pogo albums on Spotlite back in the day. A good band, though his most interesting recent(!) releases have been the Chet Baker in London CDs that he recorded at the Canteen. Great bass player - heard him doing all the Ray Brown stuff on 'Two Bass Hit' with Pete Long's Gillespiana band at the 100 Club a few years back and he was excellent. Hung out with Jim again last year (well he borrowed my amp) and we talked a lot about Leo and how well he's playing. Good to hear him on R3.

[Alyn_Shipton]

PS Tony Coe featured on next week's JRR...