Two Shades Of The Blues

The blues form has been paramount in jazz since the very beginning. Its basic 12-measure dominant format lends itself to all kinds of harmonic possibilities. Let's enjoy then three of the best exponents of jazz guitar exploring this ubiquitous form.

We start with jazz guitar semi god Wes Montgomery giving us one of his trademark compositions, West Coast Blues, an blues in 6/8, surrounded by a vast array of European and US talent in the likes of Martial Solal, Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott.

Taped for the German TV at NDR Studio 10 in Hamburg on April 30, 1965.

personnel:

Wes Montgomery (guitar)
Hans Koller (alto saxophone)
Johnny Griffin & Ronnie Scott (tenor saxophones)
Ronnie Ross (baritone saxophone)
Martial Solal (piano)
Michel Gaudry (bass)
Ronnie Stephenson (drums)

Wes Montgomery - West Coast Blues
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Next up, jazz guitar aces Jim Hall and his cohort Hungarian Attila Zoller giving us a taste of the blues sometime in the 70s in Oscar Pettiford's classic Blues In The Closet. They are superbly accompanied by bass giant Red Mitchell and Swiss drums veteran Daniel Humair.

Jim Hall & Attila Zoller - Blues In The Closet
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Coleman Hawkins 1962

A short tribute to the genius of Coleman Hawkins shot in Brussels, Belgium in 1962. The Hawk is superbly accompanied by Georges Arvanitas on piano (just watch this man swing!), Mickey Baker on guitar, Jimmy Woode on bass and Carl Donnell "Kansas" Fields on drums.

Jimmy Smith Quartet 1988

The master of the Hammond B-3 organ, the one and only Jimmy Smith (1925 - 2005) appearing in Germany in 1988 accompanied by the great late Herman Riley on reeds, Terry Evans on guitar and Frank Wilson on drums in a set guaranteed to make your trousers flap (if it were the seventies).

program material

Eight Counts For Rita
Mood Indigo
It's All Right With Me
The Cat / Walk On The Wildside
Laura
Honky Tonk

Cal Tjader - Milt Jackson

Vibes extravaganza in this small chunk of jazz TV history from the 70s.

First half teams up stalwart latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader with keyboard wizard Clare Fischer and percussion wonder Poncho Sanchez in a set containing Guachi Guara, aka Soul Sauce, and Manha De Carnaval.

Second half features legendary vibes player Milt Jackson in a set of standards and originals including his famous blues composition Bag's Groove.

Cal Tjader Quintet
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Milt Jackson Quartet
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Erroll Garner 1964

The one and only Erroll Garner (1921 - 1977), appearing on two consecutive airings of the legendary BBC TV show Jazz 625 circa 1964, accompanied by Eddie Calhoun on bass and Kelly Martin on drums. Host is Steve Race as always -- this is jazz with a broad grin.

Part I
Just One of Those Things
Dreamy
What Is This Thing Called Love
Spring Is Here/It Might Well Be Spring
Lover
Laura
Sonny Boy
Erroll's Theme

PartII
Honeysuckle Rose
No More Shadows
Mombo Erroll
Penthouse Serenade
Jeannine
On The Street Where You Live/I Could Have Danced All Night
All Yours
The Lady Is A Tramp
Erroll's Theme

Ben Webster 1964

Tenor sax giant Ben Webster giving us his own kind of magic at the Marquee club in London on Dec 21, 1964 for the legendary BBC TV series 'Jazz 625' with three fourths of the Ronnie Scott Quartet, the great Stan Tracey on piano, Rick Laird (of later Mahavishnu fame) on bass, and Jackie Dougan on drums. Ronnie Scott jumps on stage at mid set for an excellent rendition of A Night In Tunisia in true cutting contest fashion. Host is the omnipresent Steve Race.

part1



part2



part 3



program material:
1. Sunday
2. Chelsea bridge (Billy Strayhorn)
3. Poutin'
4.A Night In Tunisia
5. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (H. Arlen)
6. Perdido

Cannonball Adderley Sextet - London 1964 - Part II

Second part of The Cannonball Adderley Sextet appearance in London on May 12, 1964 at the BBC Television Theatre for legendary TV show JAZZ 625.

Lineup is Cannonball Adderley with his brother Nat on trumpet, Charles Lloyd on tenor, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on drums and Louis Hayes on drums.

The program consists of 1)The Weaver 2)Bohemia After Dark 3) Come Sunday 4)Sweet Georgia Bright 5) Unit Seven. Host is Steve Race, a cult BBC figure, enjoy his stiff upper lip and pure British phlegm.

Viewers are advised to fasten their seat belts as this swings hard!

Wes Montgomery Quartet - London 1965

Enough cannot be said about Wes Montgomery (1925-1968), the most important jazz guitarist to emerge since Charlie Christian. He has influenced hordes of guitarists, George Benson notwithstanding. Let's enjoy the Wes Montgomery Quartet appearing in London in 1965 for BBC's legendary TV show Jazz 625. Wes is accompanied by Harold Mabern on piano, Arthur Harper on bass and Jimmy Lovelace on drums. Hosting this seminal show is the great Humphrey Lyttelton, trumpet player of great finesse, BBC broadcaster and gentleman who has graced British TV for decades.

Track listing:
West Coast Blues
Yesterdays
Jingles aka Mr. Walker
Round Midnight
Twisted Blues
Full House
West Coast Blues

Wes Montgomery 1965 I/II
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Wes Montgomery 1965 II/II
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Cannonball Adderley Sextet - London 1964 - Part I

Rare footage of The Cannonball Adderley Sextet appearing in London on May 12, 1964 at the BBC Television Theatre for legendary TV show JAZZ 625.

Lineup is Cannonball Adderley with his brother Nat on trumpet, Charles Lloyd on tenor, Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on drums and Louis Hayes on drums.

The program consists of 1)Work Song 2) Song My lady Sings 3) Poor Butterfly 4) Jive Samba 5) Unit Seven. Host is Steve Race, a cult BBC figure, enjoy his stiff upper lip and pure British phlegm.

Viewers are advised to fasten their seat belts as this swings hard.

Stan Kenton 1962

Many things can be said about Stan Kenton (1911 - 1979) and his boisterous style, one thing that cannot be said though is that this man was boring. Starting his first band in 1941 featuring such soloists as Art Pepper, Stan Getz, altoist Boots Mussulli, singers Anita O'Day and June Christie, in 1950 he put together his most advanced band, the 39-piece Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra that included 16 strings, a woodwind section, and two French horns. Its music ranged from the unique and very dense modern classical charts of Bob Graettinger to works that somehow swung despite the weight. Such major players as Maynard Ferguson (whose high-note acrobatics set new standards), Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, John Graas, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Laurindo Almeida, Shelly Manne, and June Christy were part of this remarkable project, a literal jazz boot camp for players and arrangers alike.

This set from 1962 is the mellophonium incarnation of this great orchestra, featuring a four mellophoniums section (the cumbersome brass instrument with the huge bell), giving as such standards as "Limehouse Blues", "All The Things You Are", West Side Story's grand hit "Maria" and latin tinged "Malaguena" in the unique Stan Kenton way.

Regulars of this blog will no doubt recognize that this is yet another set of the landmark Jazz Scene USA TV series of the early '60s with hipster Oscar Brown Jr as host. Interviews and commentary have been left intact while editing this to preserve that time capsule feeling and to lament the state of TV today as opposed to these historic times, enjoy.

Stan Kenton '62 - Limehouse Blues - Jazz Scene USA
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Stan Kenton '62 - All The Things You Are - Jazz Scene USA
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Stan Kenton '62 - Waltz Of The Prophets - Jazz Scene USA
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Stan Kenton '62 - Maria - Jazz Scene USA
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Stan Kenton '62 - Malaguena- Jazz Scene USA
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