A Mingus, A Rouse & Some Blue Note Questions
Here are a few more from the pre-updated Jazz Collector watch list from the past week, starting with Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um, Columbia 1370. This is an original mono pressing with the white promo label. The record and cover both looked to be in M- condition. We’ve been seeing promo Columbia pressings selling for a decent amount of money, particularly Miles Davis Kind of Blue. The seller was apparently hoping for more of the same and may have been disappointed. This one garnered a top bid of $110.50 but it did not meet the seller’s reserve. Very credible, reputable and experienced seller, I might add.
Charlie Rouse, Bossa Nova Bacchanal, Blue Note 4119. This looked to be an original pressing with the New York USA label and the Van Gelder and ears. It looked to be in about VG+ condition for the record, and maybe VG++ condition for the cover, although the pictures looked more like VG+ to me. The record sold for $194.41. The listing also triggered a couple of questions, for which I don’t have the answers at my immediate disposal. To my recollection this is the only Charlie Rouse LP as a leader on Blue Note. I was wondering how many other artists only issued one LP as a leader on Blue Note. The two obvious ones that come immediately to mind are John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley. Off the top of my head, I can also think of J. R. Monterose, Sabu, Solomon Ilori, Sonny Red, Howard Vick and, to a degree, Tina Brooks, because only True Blue was originally issued on Blue Note. I’m sure there are more, but I just can’t recall them off hand. The other question is, if this is Charlie Rouse’s only date as a leader on Blue Note, where else does he appear as a sideman? I do recall him playing on Donald Byrd’s Byrd in Hand, but I can’t recall any other sessions. I know he played for a long time with Thelonious Monk, so perhaps that limited his ability to record as a leader or even as a sideman on non-Monk records. All of which, I hope, is food for discussion on Jazz Collector.
Rouse played on the early Clifford Brown 10″ 5032 (which was then side 1 of the Memorial Album 1526). I think he also played some of the Fat Navarro / Dameron takes from 1531. He also played on Leapin’ and Lopin’ 4091, did he not? That’s all I seem to recall from Blue Note, but there could be more. As for his few records as a leader, “Takin’ Care of Business” Jazzland 19, is pretty good.
i find rouse to be a nice but not essential addition to monk’s band when i listen to the recordings he made with them. i love monk.
i hate it when piano players feel the need to tack a saxophone on their dates as a leader for good measure. it ends up feeling like the sax player’s date too often, and i HATE alto sax as the only horn, though there are exceptions. gotta pair it with a trumpet, at least.
i have opinions, yes i do.
i have opinions. how about you?
three more
Sonny Clark Leapin’ and Lopin’ 4091
Louis Smith Smithville 1594(?) Benny Green Back On The Scene 1587
Greg, who “hate(s) alto sax as the only horn”
Just too many exceptions to list of great alto sax sides, leaving aside much of the Bird oeuvre – Pepper, Desmond, Cannonball, Stitt, Konitz,Mclean, Morgan – I give up; too much to contemplate
Art Pepper’s alto sax sounds better to me in sessions without other horns…
Earl,
just my opinions. art pepper meets the rhythm section is indeed an important exception. that album kills, but mostly because he doesn’t ride the high end ad infinitum. of course i love ornette coleman, too, but he rarely played without another horn.
bird’s best was with another horn, in my opinion. cannonball too. which of his classic albums don’t have a trumpet or tenor sax on them?
love solo tenor, hate solo alto. and that makes me feel weird, but it’s how it is, man.
maybe you can suggest an album to help me see the error of my ways?
lee konitz
Mr. McLean
John Zorn!!
Fred Jackson – “Hootin’ ‘n Tootin”…one of the best one offs!!
Cannonball with Bill Evans – Know What I Mean?
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Marty Paich Quartet featuring Art Pepper
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Lou Donaldson – Blues Walk
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John Handy – No Coast Jazz
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Sonny Stitt – Personal Appearance
Eric Dolphy.
I just saw a “Marty Paich Quartet featuring Art Pepper” on Ebay. I wonder if it is better than my copy. I do like this album, A LOT!
Every time I see mention of the Paich-Pepper, I get sick – many years ago I received a copy (bought on E-bay) totally smashed in the mail – insurance covered the cost, but I haven’t seen a copy since at anywhere near what I paid then
[sigh]
For fans of the Marty Paich Quartet record – it was reissued as “Chile Pepper” on Charlie Parker Records: http://www.discogs.com/Art-Pepper-Marty-Paich-Quartet-Chile-Pepper/release/5630527
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The cover is disgusting, but it sounds MUCH MUCH BETTER than the original red vinyl Tampa LP. I bought my VG++ copy for $1; it’s so ugly, not many seller connect it up to the Tampa Marty Paich pressing, so throw it in the bargain bin. A serious value (for the music only, not the packaging!)
i like solo eric dolphy too, but mostly because of the bass clarinet. thanks for the suggestions! i’m currently chasing a konitz with miles davis down. coincidence!
Charlie Rouse’s other album as a leader, is the incredibly satisfying YEAH on Epic. An album of high musical value, IMHO superior to this latin session on Blue Note.
another single entry on blue note is tal farlow who only released that one 10″ as bandleader…i think…