miles davis and the modern jazz giants

Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants were workin' and relaxin' as they laid out some cookin' and steamin' vibes on this controversial collaboration.

Most of 'Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants' was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersy on December 24, 1954 with Miles Davis on trumpet, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, Thelonious Monk on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums.
It was the only time that Monk and Davis would record together in the studio. The fact that Davis asked Monk to 'lay out' during his solo has been built up to be some kind of fisticuff. Davis would express in his autobiography: "Monk was a serious musician. When I first met him, he used to stay fucked up a lot, high off Dexedrines. At least, that's what I heard. But when I was learning music from him - and I learned a lot from him - he wasn't getting high so much. He was a big, strong motherfucker, about six feet two, and over two hundred pounds. He didn't take no shit off nobody. When I heard stories later saying that me and him was almost about to fight after I had him lay out while I was playing on "Bags' Groove," I was shocked, because Monk and I were, first, very close, and second, he was too big and strong for me to even be thinking about fighting. Shit, man, he could have just squashed me if he wanted to. All I did was tell him to lay out when I was playing. My asking him to lay out had something to do with music, not friendship. He used to tell cats to lay out himself. But as great a musician as he was, I just didn't like what he played behind me, that is, the way he used to play chords in the rhythm. See, you had to play like Coltrane to play with Monk - all that space and disjointed shit he used to play. But that shit was bad, now. It was some top of the shit music. But it was just different."


"'Round Midnight" is an early version of the song from the new quintet of Miles Davis on trumpet, John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. It comes from a marathon two day session to crank out four albums ('Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet', 'Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet', 'Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet', and 'Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet') to fulfill Davis' contract with Prestige so he could move on to Colombia Records and release the classic 'Round Midnight' album.











https://www.milesdavis.com/











'Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants'
full album:

Side one

1. "The Man I Love" (Take 2) George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin 7:59

2. "Swing Spring"   Miles Davis 10:46

Side two

1. "'Round Midnight"   Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams & Thelonious Monk 5:25

2. "Bemsha Swing"   Thelonious Monk & Denzil Best 9:33

3. "The Man I Love" (Take 1) George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin 8:29

that's all right / blue moon of kentucky

Elvis Presley's first single bridged country, blues, and soul to define rock and roll and create a whole new genre of music.  Although he had paid to record a couple of singles on his own at Sun Records, he had had no success trying to break into the local music scene. Presley was asked by Sam Phillips of Sun Records to record a ballad that he thought could break the 'black' sound to a larger audience.  The session was a disappointment; and late at night as they were ready to call it quits, Presley started goofing around during a break with an upbeat version of 'That's All Right' which had been recorded by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup with lyrics based on Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'Black Snake Moan'.  Upright bass player Bill Black and guitarist Winfield "Scotty" Moore joined in and Phillips, taken aback by the change in the music came in and told them to start over so he could get a recording.  






http://elvis.com/










Well, that's all right, mama
That's all right for you
That's all right mama, just anyway you do
Well, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do

Mama she done told me,
Papa done told me too
'Son, that gal you're foolin' with,
She ain't no good for you'
But, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do

I'm leaving town tomorrow
I'm leaving town for sure
Then you won't be bothered
With me hanging' round your door
But, that's all right, that's all right.

That's all right now mama, anyway you do

I ought to mind my papa
Guess I’m not too smart,
If I was I’d leave you
Go before you break my heart
But, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do





Later that week they recorded a version of Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky" on the suggestion of Black.  They did in the same sped up rockabilly style.  





Blue moon, blue moon, blue moon
Keep shining bright
Blue moon, keep on shining bright
You're gonna bring me back my baby tonight
Blue moon, keep shining bright
I said blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue
I said blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue
Well, it was on one moonlight night
Stars shining bright
Wish blown high
Love said good-bye
Blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue
Well, I said blue moon of Kentucky
Just keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue
I said blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue
Blue moon of Kentucky
Keep on shining
Shine on the one that's gone and left me blue

Released on a single together, the two songs charted independently in the top ten of the local charts in Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans; but failed to break into the national market.  




"That's All Right" / "Blue Moon of Kentucky"




"That's All Right" / "Blue Moon of Kentucky"
live at the Louisiana Hayride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beLHR5azfuM

benny goodman sextet

Benny Goodman created some of his most engaging music in the laid back small group setting of his various sextets. Establishing himself as the 'King of Swing' with seminal performances at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles and at Carnagie Hall in New York, Goodman helped to bring jazz to mainstream audiences with his accessible arrangements.  A struggle with sciatica in July of 1940 forced him to break up his band; and, when he got back into the swing of things three months later, he had a new lineup with a new sound.  The sextet became the standard for Goodman's small combo recordings; although he continued to record and perform in a big band setting.  Often the group would swell to seven or eight; but Goodman hung on the sextet moniker.  






http://www.bennygoodman.com/

Released in 1944, 'Benny Goodman Sextet' was compiled from four individual 78 rpm records recorded between October of 1939 and March of 1942 with different lineups featuring:   Goodman on clarinet; Charlie Christian on guitar; Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, and Johnny Guarnieri on piano;  Lionel Hampton on vibraphone;  Cootie Williams on trumpet; Georgie Auld on saxophone;  Arthur Bernstein on bass;  and Dave Tough, Harry Jager, and Nick Fatool on drums.   Goodman considered these selections to be some of the best recordings he did for Columbia Records.  

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/benny-goodman-sextet/id192488650


http://www.last.fm/music/Benny+Goodman/Benny+Goodman+Sextet



1  
Rose Room (In Sunny Roseland)
Written-By – Hickman, Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4H7M2YFK0s


2  
Air Mail Special
Written-By – Benny Goodman


3  
Flying Home
Written-By – Goodman, De Lange, Hampton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kizoLacjV2k


4  
I Found A New Baby
Written-By – Palmer, S. Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMYYjSIU2kQ


5
Poor Butterfly
Written-By – Golden, Hubell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9YRDHO5-4


6  
Grand Slam
Written-By – Goodman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNdCgtg0xEY


7  
The Wang Wang Blues
Written-By – Johnson, Mueller, Busse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIsRI8cDcI4


8
As Long As I Live
Written-By – Arlen, Koehler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfMKfxHmEgc

Released in 1954, 'New Benny Goodman Sextet' shows Goodman revisiting the sextet setting after dissolving the band he had recorded with for Capitol Records.  It was recorded at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City and the various permutations of the band included:   Goodman on clarinet (and vocal!);  Terry Gibbs on vibraphone;  Lou Stein and Teddy Wilson on piano;  Allen Hanlon and Mundell Lowe on guitar;   Eddie Safranski and Sid Weiss on bass;  and Don Lamond and Terry Snyder on drums.   

http://www.last.fm/music/Benny+Goodman+Sextet/The+New+Benny+Goodman+Sextet

https://myspace.com/thebennygoodmansextet/music/album/benny-goodman-sextet-8110629



1  
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Written-By – Arlen, Koehler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF115U_Si-U



2
East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)
Written-By – Bowman



3
 Under A Blanket Of Blue
Written-By – Neiburg, Levinson, Symes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEuJj_n7lDc



4  
Undecided
Written-By – Shaver, Robin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoFhrKXJQEo



5  
I'll Never Be The Same
Written-By – Signorelli, Kahn, Malneck
http://www.last.fm/music/Benny+Goodman+Sextet/_/I'll+Never+be+the+Same
https://myspace.com/thebennygoodmansextet/music/song/i-ll-never-be-the-same-28369907-28179836



6
I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
Vocals – Helen Ward
Written-By – B. Rose, Waller, Link
http://www.last.fm/music/Benny+Goodman+Sextet/The+New+Benny+Goodman+Sextet/I%27ve+Got+A+Feeling+I%27m+Falling
https://myspace.com/thebennygoodmansextet/music/song/i-ve-got-a-feeling-i-m-falling-28369910-28179839


7
How Am I To Know!
Written-By – D. Parker, King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeg1056UDck



8 
Four Or Five Times
Vocals – Benny Goodman
Written-By – Gay, Hellman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjrE1ZpeiBU



9
Bye Bye Blues
Written-By – Lown, C. Gray, D. Bennett, Hamm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8UOS2FkLE

chet baker sings

Chet Baker expanded from rising jazz star to pop star with the smoldering emotional performances on his first set to feature vocals.  Baker had played with saxophonists Vido Musso,  Stan Getz, and Charlie Parker before finding success with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet.  When Mulligan went to jail a year later, Baker started his own quartet and released 'Chet Baker Quartet Featuring Russ Freeman'.  The next year executives at Pacific Jazz thought with his chiseled good looks he could become a teen idol and convinced Baker to do an album with vocals.   'Chet Baker Sings' was recorded with Chet Baker on vocals and trumpet; Kenny Drew on piano; Sam Jones, George Morrow, Carson Smith, and Jimmy Bond on bass; Philly Joe Jones, Dannie Richmond, Peter Littman, Larance Marable, Bob Neal on drums; and Russ Freeman on piano and celeste.  The original 1954  release was only a ten inch; and two years later it was re-released as a full album with an additional six songs recorded during the interim.  All of the sessions were produced by Richard Bock. While Baker's voice has its limitations, the simplicity of his delivery evokes an intimate romantic quality.  




http://www.chetbaker.net/

 'Chet Baker Sings' 
full album:


"That Old Feeling" (Sammy Fain, Lew Brown) – 3:03
"It's Always You" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 3:35
"Like Someone in Love" (Van Heusen, Burke) – 2:26
"My Ideal" (Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting, Newell Chase) – 4:22
"I've Never Been in Love Before" (Frank Loesser) – 4:29
"My Buddy" (Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson) – 3:19
"But Not for Me" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 3:04
"Time After Time" (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn) – 2:46
"I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)" (Hoagy Carmichael) – 2:59
"My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 2:21
"There Will Never Be Another You" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) – 3:00
"The Thrill is Gone" (Lew Brown, Ray Henderson) – 2:51
"I Fall in Love Too Easily" (Styne, Cahn) – 3:21
"Look for the Silver Lining" (Jerome Kern, Buddy De Sylva) – 2:39

haitian dances

Frantz Casseus found the perfect expression Haitian folk music with these magical compositions for classical guitar.  During his youth in Port-au-Prince, Casseus became obsessed with the guitar after his aunt's belonging were thrown away after her death, as is the Haitian custom:   “The sight of [Aunt Andree’s] mandolin perched on what seemed a pile of garbage—alongside the memory of her music—has never ceased to haunt me…I burned with desire.” 

He built his own instrument out of a box and some strings until he was able to get a real guitar.  He took on the task of bringing Haitian traditional music together with European classical music to protect the form that he saw falling into obscurity in the wake of occupation by the US military:   “Some with indifference, others with an indignant sadness, have witnessed the disappearance of one of our most delicious national dances which is like a precious pearl ornament of our folklore. [The Haitian Méringue] invites [one] to dance, contains a subtle and delicious melody…. [Its] character, its simple and limited form, made it a dance with noble stature, and even a classic.” 

Casseus immigrated to New York where he began composing music for the classical guitar based on the folk music of his homeland.  He also became the teacher for guitarist Marc Ribot.  His album, 'Haitian Dances' is the only document of his solo guitar playing that exists. Casseus would expound:  “I believe it is the artist’s function to render articulately and with beauty the soul of the land of his origin and also the world that he experiences…. As you may know, my work is considered an expression of the Haitian spirit. Yet, critics have stated (and this has been my hope) that it transcends regionalism and enters the realm of transnational art.”











'Haitian Dances'
full album:



01. Suite No. 1: Petro (00:00)
02. Suite No. 1: Yanvalloux (03:25)
03. Suite No. 1: Mascaron (05:44)
04. Suite No. 1: Coumbite (08:56)
05. Etude (11:18)
06. Romance (13:19)
07. Lullaby (15:48)

08. Sobo (19:15)

songs for young lovers

Frank Sinatra came back swinging with his first album for Capitol Records and his first collaboration with Nelson Riddle.  His career had waned as the 1940's came to a close and singer had contemplated suicide in the wake of having  his vocal cords hemorrhage on stage.  His television show was not the success he had hoped for either, and in 1952, Sinatra was dropped from both Colombia and MCA.  Alan Livingston signed him to Capitol within months on a one year contract with options to renew.  In the meantime, Sinatra's movie career took a dramatic turn when he appeared in 'From Here to Eternity', which won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Sinatra.  The Oscar winning Sinatra was primed for a major comeback and his first record for Capitol was produced by Voyle Gilmore.  For his first session, Sinatra worked with his longtime arranger Axel Stordahl; but, after that, he was encouraged to work with the young conductor Nelson Riddle to find a new sound.  George Siravo (who had worked on 'Swing and Dance with Frank Sinatra' - his last album on Colombia released more than three years before) did the arrangements for most of the songs.  

'Songs for Young Lovers' saw the return of 'The Voice'.  It went to number three on the US album chart.  It is often paired with paired with 'Swing Easy!', which was released later that same year.  In 1954, Sinatra was also named Metronome's 'Singer of the Year', bumping Eddie Fisher who had replaced Sinatra in recent years as the favorite among teenage girls.  His comeback was complete.  








http://www.sinatra.com/







'Songs for Young Lovers'
full album:



1. My Funny Valentine (0:00)
2. The Girl Next Door (2:31)
3. A Foggy Day (5:08)
4. Like Someone In Love (7:47)
5. I Get A Kick Out Of You (10:57)
6. Little Girl Blue (13:51)
7. They Can't Take That Away From Me (16:43)
8. Violets For Your Furs (18:41)



bonus tracks:

"Someone to Watch Over Me" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 2:56
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9tCBpCvCsE


"My One and Only Love" (Guy Wood, Robert Mellin) – 3:11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkWplI8fOyM


"It Worries Me" (Bix Reichner, Reichel Schulz, Carl Sigman) - 2:52
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R-q_BI94Co


"I Can Read Between The Lines" (David Franklin, Ramon Getzov) - 2:47
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1dNaljHW0s