A VISIT TO BASIE COUNTRY: HARRY EDISON, BUDDY TATE, BENNY POWELL, NAT PIERCE, FREDDIE GREEN, EDDIE JONES, GUS JOHNSON (10th Bern Jazz Festival, May 11, 1985)

The “original” Count Basie orchestra, by which I mean the 1938-40 band, was magical, a lovely family of brilliant eccentrics deeply attuned to each other. Buck, Jo, Page, Pres, Earle, Herschel, Vic, Bennie, Dicky, Shad . . . and of course Bill from Red Bank, New Jersey. 

Those masters were gone to other neighborhoods by 1985, but when the Bern Jazz Festival assembled a Basie alumni concert, many of the heroes were still fervently active: Harry “Sweets” Edison, trumpet; Buddy Tate, tenor saxophone; Freddie Green, guitar, had all been settled in before 1940. Gus Johnson, drums; Eddie Jones; double bass; Benny Powell, trombone, all came later; Nat Pierce, piano, was Basie’s first-call understudy for decades. 

No one at this concert imitates their predecessors or even imitates themselves, but the rollicking spirit is there, if only for an hour. And a bonus: look who introduces the band! 

It’s not a perfect time machine: Sweets’ WAVE is a little out of place, but when you are Sweets Edison and it’s 1985, you get to play what you want to play for your feature. But the other choices are right in there: LET ME SEE / WAVE (Sweets) / I WANT A LITTLE GIRL (Nat) / BROADWAY / JUMPIN’ AT THE WOODSIDE (Tate) / LI’L DARLIN’ / Encore: ONE O’CLOCK JUMP //  

It was nearly fifty years after the Reno Club, a few less after the Famous Door. What a blessing that this happened and that it was caught on videotape:

Thank you, Basie-heroes. Thank you, Bern Jazz Festival. May Basie be our guardian angel in the year to come. Let swing prevail throughout the land.

May your happiness increase!

THEY KNEW HOW: YANK LAWSON, RANDY SANDKE, KENNY DAVERN, GEORGE MASSO, ROY WILLIAMS, CHRISTIAN PLATTNER, BRIAN LEMON, BUCKY PIZZARELLI, BOB HAGGART, JAKE HANNA (Bern Jazz Festival 1991)

The jazz enthuasist Dick Gibson coined the name THE WORLD’S GREATEST JAZZ BAND for the floating assemblage of talent co-led by trumpeter Yank Lawson and double bassist / composer / arranger Bob Haggart. The musicians hated the name, and the good-natured hyperbole annoyed some people, so I am simply listing the brilliances who played this leisurely concert at the 1991 Bern Jazz Festival.

Yank Lawson, trumpet and co-leader; Randy Sandke, trumpet; George Masso, Roy Williams, trombone; Kenny Davern, clarinet; Christian Plattner, tenor saxophone; Brian Lemon, piano; Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; Bob Haggart, string bass and co-leader; Jake Hanna, drums.

Sometimes they were an extension of what the Bob Crosby Bobcats must have sounded like at the Blackhawk Hotel in 1938; other times they are simply a divine multi-layered and multi-inspired Mainstream group. You can hear and see for yourself. At the end of the concert video, Yank is abducted by a genial but not terribly wise interviewer (watch Yank’s hands for an indication of his feelings) for questions about what it feels like to be eighty and playing. It’s nice to hear and see Yank but the interview is, although brief, too long. But the music!

SOMETIMES I’M HAPPY / SQUEEZE ME / ST. LOUIS BLUES / BASIN STREET BLUES (Williams, Masso) / BLUE LOU / MY INSPIRATION (Davern, Haggart) / BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA (Haggart, Hanna) / WHAT’S NEW? (Sandke) / SOUTH RAMPART STREET PARADE / NUAGES (Bucky) / WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN / Encore: I WANT TO BE HAPPY // Interview with Yank:

The music is precious, whatever you might choose to call it. And since Yank and Bob did their final recording together around this time, it’s even more so.

May your happiness increase!

“DUKE ELLINGTON’S SPACEMEN,” REVISITED (Bern Jazz Festival, 1988)

It’s an honor to be able to share this concert. While Duke was alive, he was forever rearranging his band into units with different sizes and shapes: I think of the magnificent small-band recordings beginning in the middle Thirties, often thanks to Helen Oakley Dance. After he died, the most imaginative of his alumni — and I put Clark Terry high on that list — continued the impulse. I feel it was not simply for record dates or concert performances, but a way to honor the Maestro’s aesthetic curiosity (or restlessness) and have fun among friends as well.

Here is a frankly thrilling eighty-five minute presentation — far more than a re-creation or a ghost band — of the music Duke and his men made and continued to make, fresh, in 1988.

C JAM BLUES / MOOD INDIGO / WHAT AM I HERE FOR? / COME SUNDAY / SATIN DOLL / DO NOTHIN’ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME / ALL TOO SOON / PRIMPING FOR THE PROM / I LET A SONG GO OUT OF MY HEART / JUST SQUUEZE ME / SPACEMEN / Happy Birthday to Ernst Steiner / THINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE //

Clark Terry, trumpet, vocal; Willie Cook, trumpet; Britt Woodman, trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet; Norris Turney, alto saxophone; Harold Ashby, tenor saxophone; Aaron Bell, piano; Jimmy Woode, string bass; Louis Bellson, drums; Hal Crook, arrangements and trombone, added on PROM and after. Bern Jazz Festival 1988:

Marvelous that this was funded by Bern and even more that it was beautifully recorded and exists to be shared with us now. I’ve offered other Bern presentations on this site and there are more to come.

May your happiness increase!

“AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL” / “SALUTE TO BIX”: RANDY SANDKE, DAN BARRETT, KEN PEPLOWSKI, SCOTT ROBINSON, MARTY GROSZ, MARK SHANE, LINC MILLMAN, DAVE RATAJCZAK (Bern Jazz Festival 1993)

This post celebrates no anniversary in the brief life of Bix Beiderbecke: it’s always a good time to honor the man, the music, and “his era,” which this stellar band did at the Bern Jazz Festival in 1993.

Randy Sandke, cornet; Dan Barrett, trombone, trumpet-1; Ken Peplowski, clarinet; Scott Robinson, bass saxophone, C-melody saxophone; cornet-1; Mark Shane, piano; Marty Grosz, guitar, vocal*; Linc Milliman, string bass, tuba; Dave Ratajczak, drums. Bern Jazz Festival 1993.

Four or five excerpts from this concert have been posted on YouTube by various people, but I believe this is the first presentation of the complete concert in the best sound and clarity.

FIDGETY FEET / MY PRETTY GIRL (1) / SINGIN’ THE BLUES – I’M COMIN’ VIRGINIA / CHANGES* / MISSISSIPPI MUD in German* / THERE AIN’T NO SWEET MAN THAT’S WORTH THE SALT OF MY TEARS* / BECAUSE MY BABY DON’T MEAN ‘MAYBE’ NOW* / IN A MIST (Shane) – CANDLELIGHTS / SORRY / WAIT ‘TILL YOU SEE ‘MA CHERIE’ (Barrett, Shane, Millman) / RIVERBOAT SHUFFLE / CHINA BOY (Peplowski, Shane, Ratajczak) / I’LL BE A FRIEND ‘ WITH PLEASURE’* / AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL / Encore: CLARINET MARMALADE // Interview with Marty Grosz //

Note: this band recorded a longer tribute to Bix and his era in Hamburg, Germany, on May 1, 1993, which was issued on CD as “The Bix Beiderbecke Era,” Nagel-Heyer (G)CD002 [CD] and as part of (G) CD008, “Jazz at the Musikhalle.”

Gorgeous thoughtful hot and pensive music: a model performance that honors the past and stands on its own.

May your happiness increase!

“FOUR BASSES”: MILT HINTON, ARVELL SHAW, SLAM STEWART, BOB HAGGART, HANK JONES, BOBBY ROSENGARDEN (Bern Jazz Festival 1983)

No one talks during these bass solos, I assure you!

Milt Hinton, Arvell Shaw, Slam Stewart, Bob Haggart, string bass; Hank Jones, piano; Bobby Rosengarden, drums. YESTERDAYS (Arvell Shaw) / BODY AND SOUL (Slam Stewart) / BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA (Bob Haggart) / HOW HIGH THE MOON (ensemble) // “Four Basses,” Bern Jazz Festival 1983.

A precious document: four masters, having a deep friendly swinging good time.

I wish they had had a longer showcase, with more jamming, but it’s pointless to carp about what should have been . . .especially because this exists to be shared and treasured.

Bless these gentlemen, and bless the organizer of the Bern Jazz Festival who thought of this and the Swiss television people who had it televised. The words, “We don’t know how lucky we are,” float through my head, and I hope through yours.

And this one is for Bonnie Prince Andrew of Malta.

May your happiness increase!

SERIOUS SWING IN SWITZERLAND: WARREN VACHÉ, BILL ALLRED, BOB WILBER, DICK WELLSTOOD, BUCKY PIZZARELLI, MILT HINTON, JAKE HANNA, and WILD BILL DAVISON: “SONS OF CHICAGO JAZZ,” Bern Jazz Festival 1986.

Warren Vaché, photograph by Stuart Nicholson

I don’t think JAZZ LIVES’ readers will need an introduction to this wonderful band. Eddie Condon would have called this band SONS OF BIXES. And they are! (In a nice way, mind you.) Warren Vaché, cornet; Bill Allred, trombone; Bob Wilber, reeds; Dick Wellstood, piano; Milt Hinton, string bass; Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar; Jake Hanna, drums; guest Wild Bill Davison, cornet, who also talks about Al Capone with an interviewer at the end. (Bill hadn’t been able to warm up properly for his first chorus of MONDAY DATE but was in wonderful form a few minutes in.)

The music: AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL / BEALE STREET BLUES / THERE’LL BE SOME CHANGES MADE (Vaché-Allred) / MOOONLIGHT ON THE GANGES (Wilber-Bucky-Milt-Jake) / add Wild Bill, Warren out: MONDAY DATE / BLUE TURNING GREY OVER YOU / YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME (don’t miss Bill’s Hackett-coda!) / Warren returns: LADY BE GOOD / Encore (Wild Bill out): HINDUSTAN //

Incidentally, the music is billed as “Chicago jazz,” and I suppose that is evident in some of the repertoire choices. But if you take away all the labels — “Nicksieland,” “hot jazz,” “Mainstream,” the music stands on its own, with masterful players regarding the past with affection and skill while completely being themselves. And, with no disrespect to the elegantly hot front line, WHAT a rhythm section! Make sure that fragile items nearby are secured because you will feel turbulence of the best kind throughout the cabin.

I could watch and listen to that all day. What a blessing that it was performed, recorded, and preserved, and that Warren and Bill are still with us, making music.

May your happiness increase!

“THIS BAND DOESN’T REHEARSE. WE JUST PLAY.” WARREN VACHÉ, ALLAN VACHÉ, JOHN ALLRED, GRAY SARGENT, RALPH SUTTON, JACK LESBERG, JAKE HANNA (Bern Jazz Festival 1997)

These were the 1997 Bern Jazz Festival All-Stars!

And the exclamation point was so well-deserved, with Warren Vaché, cornet; Allan Vaché, clarinet; John Allred, trombone; Ralph Sutton, piano; Gray Sargent, guitar; Jack Lesberg, string bass; Jake Hanna, drums. Bern, Switzerland, 1997.

As Uncle Jake used to say, “Pay attention.”

“This band doesn’t rehearse; we just play,” says Warren. And so they do, spectacularly.

YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY / LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME / AFTER YOU’VE GONE (Allan) / VIPER’S DRAG (Ralph) / NOBODY’S SWEETHEART NOW / I’M GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU (John) / WALKIN’ MY BABY BACK HOME (Gray) / NOBODY KNOWS (Warren – Ralph) / FRANKIE AND JOHNNY (Jack) / LIMEHOUSE BLUES (Jake) / BLUES:

What swing, what proficiency, what delight, individually and collectively. An amazing band, a memorable performance . . . and I don’t usually get hyperbolic, but I do here.

May your happiness increase!

SWINGING IN SWITZERLAND: CLARK TERRY, GEORGE MASSO, KENNY DAVERN, DANNY MOSS, JOHNNY LETMAN, RALPH SUTTON, HOWARD ALDEN, MILT HINTON, GUS JOHNSON (Bern 1989)

This astonishing band was assembled for the 1989 Bern Jazz Festival. Even more astonishing — across the distance of years — is that a concert was televised, the evidence remains, and you can see it here and now. We have Clark Terry, m.c., trumpet, flugelhorn, mouthpiece, vocal; George Masso, trombone; Kenny Davern, clarinet; Danny Moss, tenor saxophone; Howard Alden, guitar; Ralph Sutton, piano; Milt Hinton, string bass; Gus Johnson, drums; Johnny Letman, trumpet.

Couldn’t be better.

Howard Alden, a few years later.

Here’s the bill of fare: SWINGIN’ THE BLUES / MY BLUE HEAVEN / IT HAD TO BE YOU (Moss, Masso) / IN A MELLOTONE / THANKS A MILLION (Johnny Letman) / MOTEN SWING / TRAV’LIN ALL ALONE (Davern, Alden, Milt, Gus) / IN THE DARK (Sutton) / PULL ‘EM OFF (Milt, Clark, Alden, Gus) / GOD BLESS THE CHILD (Clark) / UNDECIDED / Encore: THINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE //

Some of these festival assemblages — you know them in the first ten minutes — have a “Do we have to go through this again?” weary air, with the opening ensemble number, a string of features, and a breakneck finish. Not this one: it is a gathering of wonderfully swinging friends, smiling at each other in person and in sound. And the familiar repertoire gleams.

I could have offered a portrait of any of the Eminences on the stand, but I choose Howard Alden for a few reasons aside from his natural sustained brilliance. In 1989, he was already a young veteran who’d recorded with everyone from Dizzy to Ruth Warrick to Joe Bushkin, Benny Carter, and Mel Powell . . . but there in the Swiss spring he was the Official Youngblood, and now he is the Eminence standing squarely on his own. I also salute him because when I asked him for permission to post this video, his response was (typically) gracious and swift: he remembers “a wonderful trip.”

A triumph of the Common Language of Jazz and the buoyancy of joy.

May your happiness increase!