Listening to Prestige 295 - Ray Bryant

Listening to Prestige makes a great Christmas gift for the jazz fan on your list!

Ray Bryant didn't have an extensive career with Prestige. He had been on a Miles Davis session in 1955, when Miles was starting to think about putting together a regular quintet for his jumpto Columbia. Bryant didn't make the cut, and he wouldn't really have been the right fit, but Miles did use one of his compositions on the date, and gave Bryant some advice (from an interview in JazzTimes): "He told me to play my chords a little shorter-not to let them ring so much.” This would, however, not be advice that would have a lasting impact on Bryant, as he loved those churchy sonorities of his youth.

Also in 1955, Sonny Rollins tabbed him for a Prestige date (he recalls the breakneck pace on "There's No Business Like Show Business").mIn 1957, he did an Art Taylor-led session with Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean, and had one of his earliest sessions as a leader (not quite his first--he had recorded with a trio for Epic two days earlier). During 1958 he he had a run of several Prestige sessions, culminating in this, his first solo album, although certainly not the last. After that, three sideman sessions in 1959, and then he took his career elsewhere, to huge success, including a couple of hit records. But Alone with the Blues remains one of his signature achievements.

Most of the record is original compositions, or a variety of variations on some basic blues themes (though the compositions have titles of their own, they're also known as Blues #1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). And Bryant was the right man for the job. He had grown up playing piano in church, but had been seduced by the devil when he went to a piano recital that featured both Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. He went on to love and master an unusually wide range of styles, from traditional to modern, and you can hear all of it in this session.

There's a great tradition of the solo piano in jazz, from Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton through Art Tatum through Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau, and Ray Bryant's solo work can stand shoulder to shoulder with all of them, as he would become one of the premier solo pianists of his generation.

Esmond Edwards produced the session. Alone With the Blues was originally a New Jazz release, and would later be re-released on Prestige. "Joy" and "Stocking Feet" came out on 45, but Bryant's huge success in the pop singles field would come later, with "Little Susie" and "Madison Time."



Order Listening to Prestige Vol 2 

 

Listening to Prestige Vol. 2, 1954-1956 is here! You can order your signed copy or copies through the link above.

Tad Richards will strike a nerve with all of us who were privileged to have lived thru the beginnings of bebop, and with those who have since fallen under the spell of this American phenomenon…a one-of-a-kind reference book, that will surely take its place in the history of this music.

                                                                                                                                                --Dave Grusin

An important reference book of all the Prestige recordings during the time period. Furthermore, Each song chosen is a brilliant representation of the artist which leaves the listener free to explore further. The stories behind the making of each track are incredibly informative and give a glimpse deeper into the artists at work.

                                                                                                                --Murali Coryell

Listening to Prestige 294: Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis - Shirley Scott

Listening to Prestige makes a great Christmas gift for the jazz fan on your list!

Talk about thematic! The kitchen has been tasty and nourishing for Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis and Shirley Scott, and since they can not only stand the heat, they can generate it, no reason for them to stay out of it.

The table du jour starts with "The Broilers," an item most famously on the menu of that knocked-out shack on the edge of Detroit, the House of Blue Lights. Of course, after the fryers, broilers and Detroit barbecue ribs, they served you the treat of the treats, those fine eight beats -- but growing up, with my mind already on food, I heard it as "they serve you all those fine baked beans."

From there Davis, Scott and Jerome Richardson give you a goose hanging high, like the one Scrooge ordered from the Victorian butcher shop in "A Christmas Carol," seasonal as they recorded it, seasonal as I write this nearly 59 years later to the day. They've got their skillets out, they're simmerin', they're ready to heat and serve. When they smoke this, it's a pork butt, not a reefer. And their jaws are ready for some chompin'. Even when they go to the standards, they bring a new gustatorial angle. "My Old Flame" is now a flame-broiled burger, and Randy Weston's "High-Fly"—still a new tune, but destined to become a jazz standard, has become “High Fry." Hey, the best cooks improvise on the original recipe, don’t they?

Only star-crossed lovers can eat stardust.

 But, we do know who's coming for Sunday dinner, don't we? The Rev.

This kitchen is definitely cooking up some soul food, and the presence of the Rev puts the official imprimatur on it: Soul Jazz is here. The door was opened for Shirley Scott by Jimmy Smith—and by Bill Doggett, although the jazz DJs and writers of the era might not have been inclined to have granted him membership in the club. Fans were tuning in to soul jazz, and to that churchy sound of the organ, but Scott was never content to take any easy paths with her playing. It’s also worth remembering that as huge a force as the organ would become in the sixties, in 1958 it was still a new phenomenon, and as innovative as some of Scott’s excursions may seem now, they were really innovative back then. And when she gets into a larger-than-trio setting, she finds different ways of making the organ work. In “Smoke This,” which begins with an extended organ solo, she concentrates on laying down a powerful groove that first Richardson and then Davis are able to build on. When Scott comes back to join Davis on a shared lead, with a powerful kick from Arthur Edgehill, the intensity is full-out. George Duvivier keeps it going with a bass solo before the ensemble finish.

Scott and Davis, with and without Richardson, had already solidly established themselves as important players in the new jazz sound that was developing. The cookbook motif may have been a little gimmicky, but it certainly helped establish Davis and Scott as a brand, and they were able to extend it as a menu du jour over a longer stretch than some trendy restaurants achieve. The Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Cookbook, Volume 2 was the first release, mixing tasty dishes with some of the catchy standards the chefs might have been humming in the kitchen: “Skillet” and “The Broilers” were joined by “Stardust,” “I Surrender, Dear” and “Willow Weep for Me” (from the September session), with “The Rev” overseeing the mix. The standards, however, provided most of the jukebox fare, as “The Rev” / “I Surrender, Dear” and “Willow Weep for Me” / “Stardust” were the two 45 RPM releases from the session.

The third and final volume of the cookbook series came out the following year, with the cheery “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” and the boisterous “Strike Up The Band” from the September session, with “Heat and Serve,” “The Goose Hangs High,” “My Old Flame” and “Simmerin’” providing the flavor.

Smokin’, in 1964, had “High Fry,” “Smoke This” and “Jaws,” along with several cuts from the earlier date. Esmond Edwards produced, as he had in September.



Order Listening to Prestige Vol 2

Listening to Prestige Vol. 2, 1954-1956 is here! You can order your signed copy or copies through the link above.

Tad Richards will strike a nerve with all of us who were privileged to have lived thru the beginnings of bebop, and with those who have since fallen under the spell of this American phenomenon…a one-of-a-kind reference book, that will surely take its place in the history of this music.

                                                                                                                                                --Dave Grusin

An important reference book of all the Prestige recordings during the time period. Furthermore, Each song chosen is a brilliant representation of the artist which leaves the listener free to explore further. The stories behind the making of each track are incredibly informative and give a glimpse deeper into the artists at work.

                                                                                                                --Murali Coryell

Listening to Prestige 285: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Shirley Scott

If the tenor sax-Hammond organ combination sounded a bit like a novelty the first time, it surely doesn't by this time. And Scott and Davis are so attuned to each other that they sound like an old married couple (which they aren't, although the later pairing of Scott and Turrentine will be). They can finish each other's thoughts, they can anticipate each other's moods. And they were getting people to listen, on the jukeboxes as well as in the clubs. Four different 45s were released out of this session.

Esmond Edwards is back as producer, as he was for their first session. The songs are standards for the most part. Since they recorded 16 tunes on this one recording date, they had enough for two albums, with a few left over to go onto one of their later Cookbook albums and a Prestige compilation album. The first release, Jaws, was all standards, plus a recent hit, "Too Close for Comfort," from the Sammy Davis. Jr., Broadway vehicle, Mr. Wonderful. It was on the shelves at Sam Goody's and on the jukeboxes around town before the year was out. The title tune of the album was a Davis original, and it wasn't the title tune of the album--"Jaws" was held off until the second release. Smokin', in 1964, which mixed standards with three by Davis and a Randy Weston tune, "Hi-Fly," which would become a jazz standard and was from a later recording session. Steven Spielberg probably did not know about the Davis title, and he was probably happy enough with John Williams, but it would have made an interesting addition to the movie.

It's just the four of them this time. They continue to work with George Duvivier and Arthur Edgehill, and a good thing, too. Duvivier, in particular, makes some striking contributions. This is music that's catchy and soulful and audience-pleasing...just like rhythm and blues, which as we know, is an equally important jazz genre.

The 45s, in order of release, were "Tangerine" / "I'll Never Be The Same," "Old Devil Moon" / "Body And Soul," "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart" / "You Stepped Out Of A Dream," "Willow Weep For Me" / "Stardust." I'm a little surprised they didn't release "Too Close for Comfort" as a single.

Order Listening to Prestige Vol 2

Listening to Prestige Vol. 2, 1954-1956 is here! You can order your signed copy or copies through the link above.

Tad Richards will strike a nerve with all of us who were privileged to have lived thru the beginnings of bebop, and with those who have since fallen under the spell of this American phenomenon…a one-of-a-kind reference book, that will surely take its place in the history of this music.

                                                                                                                                                --Dave Grusin

An important reference book of all the Prestige recordings during the time period. Furthermore, Each song chosen is a brilliant representation of the artist which leaves the listener free to explore further. The stories behind the making of each track are incredibly informative and give a glimpse deeper into the artists at work.

                                                                                                                --Murali Coryell

Listening to Prestige 277: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis connected with Shirley Scott in 1953, when he went looking for a jazz organist to form a group with. Which is interesting, because this wasn't exactly a common lineup at that time. Count Basie had recorded on organ with his big band, but the more usual formation, the one favored by Jimmy Smith, was a trio. Bill Doggett's recordings in the early 50s were trio recordings. Perhaps he got the idea of the organ-saxophone combo that shook the world with "Honky Tonk" from Davis and Scott.

It certainly turns out that Davis was onto something. This was a powerful sound for the nascent movement that would come to be known as soul jazz, and given an added richness with the presence of Jerome Richardson.

Differences between this and the previous week's trio session: for a start, while Scott  went for the under-three-minute format best suited to 45 RPM discs for the pop market, the quintet stretched out in the way that jazz groups became accustomed to as soon as it was clear that the LP revolution was here to stay.

There was a new producer in the Van Gelder control room and on the Prestige roster. Esmond

Edwards had been hired as a photographer in 1954, and he had done significant work in that role, contributing to a number of album covers. But his musical acumen combined with Bob Weinstock's readiness to ease up a bit on the production reins, brought him into the actual recording process. He would remain a prolific producer for Weinstock over the next decade, before moving on to Verve, Chess, and other labels. He would also continue his career as an important jazz photographer. And it's worth noting that he was one of the first African-American producers in the New York jazz recording world.

"In the Kitchen" became one of Davis and Scott's best known recordings, and it sparked the culinary theme that was announced with the release of this album as The Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Cookbook. It would be the first of three. Davis would get top billing on their Prestige releases;

later, when she teamed with Stanley Turrentine both at the altar and in the recording studio, she would be listed as leader on their Prestige recordings, he on their Blue Note discs.

"In the Kitchen" came out as a two-sided 45, as did "But Beautiful" (like Gene Ammons, Davis had two sides, funkmeister and sensitive interpreter of ballads.) "In the Kitchen" also was the B side of a 45 RPM release of "Misty," from a later session. "The Chef" and "Three Deuces" made for another single release.

Order Listening to Prestige Vol 2

Listening to Prestige Vol. 2, 1954-1956 is here! You can order your signed copy or copies through the link above.

Tad Richards will strike a nerve with all of us who were privileged to have lived thru the beginnings of bebop, and with those who have since fallen under the spell of this American phenomenon…a one-of-a-kind reference book, that will surely take its place in the history of this music.

                                                                                                                                                --Dave Grusin

An important reference book of all the Prestige recordings during the time period. Furthermore, Each song chosen is a brilliant representation of the artist which leaves the listener free to explore further. The stories behind the making of each track are incredibly informative and give a glimpse deeper into the artists at work.

                                                                                                                --Murali Coryell