Jack Sheldon RIP...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"On December 31, 2019, numerous reports emerged that Sheldon had died December 27; these reports are, so far, unconfirmed." (Wiki). These now seem to be confirmed, at least on Organissimo. He was in his mid/late 80s.

Jack Sheldon was a very good trumpet player, an associate of Art Pepper et al. Also a comedian, humourist and actor. At his best I think in the Curtis Counce Quintet with Harold Land and Carl Perkins, but he also cut some memorable sides with Marty Paich ("Jazz Picasso"). Martin Williams said once of him that he played off Miles but with the climaxes all in the wrong place places. I think that's unfair, and part of the interest in his solos was hearing him dig out of the holes he'd got himself into. He played the featured trumpet on the the Movie theme from the "Sandpiper", much more admired than the film itself.

Marty Paich, "Jazz Picasso", What's New", featuring Jack Sheldon"

http://youtu.be/_1X3HY3r_Kk

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

There has been a lot about jack Sheldon on some of the sites like All About Jazz and Jazztimes today. I would have to echo Bluesnik's enthusiasm for the Curtis Counce group (again, another group with the wonderful Harold Land.) What was equally sad was that there have been a number of other jazz musicians who passed away during the last month. By coincidence, one of these musicians happened to be on the Tania Maria record I had been playing at the time which is her cult classic "Come with me." This musician is guitarist Eddie Duran who was in his 90's. I always recall my Dad's shock at seeing Duran's name on this record as he considered Tania Maria to be too akin too pop music for his taste and I had no idea that Duran came from a much earlier generation. Throughout the 1950s he was the "go to" guitarist on the West Coast scene.

I was also shocked to learn that the guitarist Vic Juris had also died after an illness. He was a seriously under-rated jazz guitarist as anyone familiar with some of Dave Leibman's groups will testify. I think he was a little under the radar yet anyone familiar with his playing would have to acknowledge he was a brilliant and creative player. When All about Jazz had a chat room, he often used to contribute and I exchanged a few comments with him. He was one of the musicians on that site whose observations were worth listening to and he came across as a really nice bloke.

The other musician mentioned was Lawrence Leathers, not a name I was familiar with but as he was the drummer with Aaron Deihl's trio, I think I must have seen him perform at the Turner Sims. By the account that I have read, he was the victim of a homicide. He was 38.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Art Pepper/Jack Sheldon -"Tears inside" (Ornette Coleman) from the appropriately named album "Smack Up", Contemporary 1960. This must of been one of the first other artist recordings of an Ornette composition, maybe the MJQ were first with "Lonely Woman", but it's great....

http://youtu.be/EI3QO-cZKo4

[Serial_Apologist]

Art Pepper/Jack Sheldon -"Tears inside" (Ornette Coleman) from the appropriately named album "Smack Up", Contemporary 1960. This must of been one of the first other artist recordings of an Ornette composition, maybe the MJQ were first with "Lonely Woman", but it's great....

http://youtu.be/EI3QO-cZKo4

I remember, at the time, people saying, "I don't understand Ornette Coleman's method of improvising, but he writes great tunes"!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

The guitar version of Ornette's "Tomorrow is the Question" from last week's JRR was very good? (as recommended by Ian). Ornette's early tunes are maybe tricky but really memorable. I think "Lorraine" is a great "dirge" like ballad, written in memory of Lorraine Geller"? Played on JRR for one of my significant birthdays!

BN.

[Jazzrook]

Jack Sheldon with Art Pepper, Milcho Leviev, Tony Dumas & Carl Burnett playing 'Minority' in Hollywood, 1980:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=jN0b_ZGQnEU

JR