Here is one more song, this includes a photo of Nat "King" Cole and W.C. Handy "Father of the Blues."
Here is some very early "Yard Bird" before he became famous. This is from the YouTube entry. Recorded: KFBI Studio, Wichita, KS December 2, 1940 Personnel: Jay McShann Orchestra Featuring Charlie Parker Charlie Parker - Alto Sax Buddy Anderson - Trumpet Orville Minor - Trumpet Bob Gould - Trombone /Violin Bob Mabane - Tenor Sax Jay McShann - Piano Gene Ramey - Bass Gus Johnson - Drums " In the summer of 1940 the Jay Mcshann Orchestra left Kansas City for its first road trip through Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. In the fall of that year the band found itself at liberty one weekend in Wichita. There, Mcshann he was engaged by an old friend. Fred Higginson, manager of radio station KFBI, to record a series of transcriptions. In 1940 this was something of a novelty. Few bands, certainly none in the unknown, or territorial category, had made radio transcriptions. On December 2, 1940, a Monday, an octet formed out of the Mcshann orshestra recorded five songs that would not be released commercially until the 1970s. That Charlie Parker, at age 20, was the inspiration of the Jay Mcshann Orchestra, and its best soloist, is made clear by the KFBI transcriptions, and the song Lady Be Good in particular. Lady Be Good had been a standard vehicle for Lester Young. It was one of the records Charlie had taken with him to the Ozarks, worn to the bottom of the grooves and memorized note for note. As one listens to the Wichita Lady Be Good, it is clear that Charlie has hatched from the Lestorian egg. This Lady Be Good is Lester, Lester in the disguise of a sedulous imitator, and on alto saxophone. When the tape is played at half speed, so that the register of the alto is lowered to that of the tenor, it is impossible to distinguish master from disciple. One hears the whole inventory of Lestorian devices...the rise and fall of the melodic line, and the effortless swing. The Wichita transcriptions are perhaps the most revealing record left by a jazz musician of his origin, inspiration, models and apprenticeship " . Ross Russell Bird Lives ! The High Life And Hard Times Of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker
Here is some more "Yard Bird" during the "Recording Ban" by the musicians union that locked out commercial recordings during WW2. Bird is playing a Tenor Sax on this. Charlie Parker On Tenor / The Redcross Recordings 1943 - Boogie Woogie Recorded: Unknown Venue, Chicago, Illinois February 15, 1943 Personnel: Charlie Parker - Tenor Sax J.B. "Dizzy" Gillespie - Trumpet / Voice Billy Eckstine -Trumpet Shorty McConnell - Trumpet Benny Harris - Trumpet Goon Gardner - Tenor Sax Hurley Ramey - Guitar Oscar Pettiford - Bass Bob Redcross - Brushes **This session begins with Dizzy Gillespie imitating Louis Armstrong: "...Cats gonna get away here, gonna jam a little while. Bobby boy, are you there? You there? You got them skins? When, where's the selection? "When" is the name of this number? Louie boy..." If you get a chance subscribe to JckDupp on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/user/JckDupp?feature=watch His channel is great!
Sonny Rollins Quartet 1955 ~ Raincheck Recorded: Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ December 2, 1955 Rudy Van Gelder is one of the greatest recording engineers ever. His recording techniques in 1950s still stun people listening today!
Do you know that Pulp Fiction moovie's opening theme is an old (from 1927) Greek song? It is called Missirlou, which means Egyptian girl (Misr is Egypt in Arab language) and perhaps is the most copied song (Dick Dale, The Surf Coasters, Beach Boys etc) Enjoy it:
Is this cause Of Brownie or cause of you and me always 'Goofin' ?.... Do you recognize the Chords or bass line?........You probably do, but for those that don't these are the "Back Home Again in Indiana" changes with an improvised head...Same thing as "Donna Lee"....That harmony makes for a great 'blowing' vehicle....
This is for Sonny Rollins' fans....he is 19 years old here....also on board with Bud Powell and the incomparable Fats Navarro...Fats was Clifford's Idol... This group was actually called the Bud Powell Modernists
Dunno why that didn't post as a video. So I'll try again! Stardust part 1- Lionel Hampton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6893F_S_bQ
Well, you'll have to click the link because it just ain't cooperating with me. Charlie Parker-I've Got Rhythm WOW! all I gotta say on this one. Holy crap, what a good tune. I'm new to Jazz but this is good.
Now you hit a song filled with mystery. Nature Boy. Here is Nat "King" Cole versions, both the original and later version for stereo. Here is some more about the mystery writer. http://blogs.kcrw.com/rhythmplanet/great-artists-youve-never-heard-of-eden-ahbez/ http://articles.latimes.com/1995-03-11/news/mn-41290_1_eden-ahbez Here are the lyrics. http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric....at-King-Cole/ADF31EF29958DA5948256AF1000B59DE
Now update around twenty years with the master Guitar Slinger and most excellent singer - George Benson!
Some more interpretations of the song. "Nature Boy" Frank Sinatra (((stereo))) - [a capella] Jose Feliciano - NATURE BOY Nature Boy - Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass Kurt Elling - Nature Boy - Jazz and Orchestra Each with a different approach and all interesting.
TO YOU BOB...You seem to dig the 'cool and intense' This is pretty intense....One of my best friends; Johnny Coles; is in the trumpet section on this recording....He said he was in Heaven...
