BN LP 5057 | The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume 2

Side One
01. Jay (J.J.Johnson)
02. Time After Time (Styne-Cahn)
03. Old Devil Moon (Lane-Harburg)
Side Two
04. Too Marvelous for Words (Mercer-Whiting)
05. It's You or No One (Styne-Cahn)
06. Coffee Pot (J.J.Johnson)

Another of the often re-release sessions, but still worth a listen.

J.J. Johnson(tb) Wynton Kelly(p) Charles Mingus(b) Kenny Clarke(ds) "Sabu" Martinez(conga-*) Recorded on September 24,1954 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5056 | The Jutta Hipp Quintet - New Faces/New Sounds from Germany

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5055 | Lou Donaldson Sextet, Volume 2

No liner notes for this one. Re-released often as part of different formats and compilations.
Having said that - there is a reason for that, you get Kenny Dorham, Elmo Hope, Art Blakey, Matthew Gee and Percy Heath.
Interesting to think that Elmo Hope was heading towards being the in-house pianist for Blue Note at this stage - you can hear why.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5054 | The Gil Mellé Quartet - New Faces/New Sounds, Volume 3

From the sleeve notes;

"The problem of breaking through the barrier between obscurity and recognition on the jazz scene is one that has, inevitably confronted every musician of talent at some point in his career. For Gil Mellé, still in his early twenties, some of the bastions fell not long after his first Blue Note releases on BLP 5020, with the Quintet and Sextet and 5033, with a new quintet.
Since then, Gil has grown perceptibly in status (for his newest adventure is a more compact, more permanent one than it's predeccessors..."

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5053 | Julius Watkins Sextet - New Faces/New Sounds

From the sleeve notes;

As Julius Watkins said, "I think of the horn as sometimes very romantic, sometimes somber, sometimes a heroic type of expresssion". In these four performances he has shown, very eloquently, just what he had in mind.

I have to admit to not having listened to this recently and thought I should before posting. I find this a very pleasant outing, not just because of Julius Watkins, but because of the sidemen; Frank Foster is in good form and Perry Lopez is excellent on guitar - quite Tal Farlow in his style and sound to my ear.
Quite why the French Horn could be seen as so unusual, I'm not sure - if marching bands had had French Horn, then I'm sure it would have been there at the beginning in New Orleans along with the Saxophone and Trombone. Perhaps not the most agile instrument though.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5052 | The Cool Britons - New Sounds From Olde England

This is one of my favourites and as you probably know, (a) not easy to get (b) often expensive (c) never re-issued.
This one has a good story behind it as well - which only adds to the enjoyment (at least for me...).

Mike Nevard worked for Melody Maker and in the course of Leonard Feather's Jazz Club USA tour and other entrepreneurial activities, Feather commissioned him to assemble the cream of GB's (read London's) jazzers.
I'm sure some of you will agree with me that there were others, who could easily and should have been included in the selection - I'm thinking specifically of some guys from North of the Border (more north than the Watford Gap mind you).

If you can read the liner notes - you will enjoy it.
You also get Johnny Dankworth playing under the pseudonym of 'King John I'

In the past, I tried to research where the session was recorded and who had the copyrights - it would seem they were owned by Decca at some point and absorbed into another catalogue, and absorbed again probably - I never did get to the bottom of it.
However, I did find out that these songs were not the entire session, yes, there are more and I tracked them down - as well as getting a copy of the record.
I'll share them with you, once we reach the end on the 5000 series, as a form of mop-up and bonuses section.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5051 | Gigi Gryce and His Little/Big Band, Volume 3

-Never Released on Blue Note-



featuring Clifford Brown

There are 3 volumes listed by Blue Note, but Volume 3 was never issued. However for complete-ism, I have assembled the tracks together.

Again Vogue. Lionel Hampton at this point is, 'More and More Crazy'.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5050 | Gigi Gryce and his Little Band, Volume 2

featuring Clifford Brown



featuring Clifford Brown

Again Vogue. Lionel Hampton must have been, 'Real Crazy'.

There are 3 volumes listed by Blue Note, but Volume 3 was never issued.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

The Digital Economy Act 2010 - Enacted

The Digital Economy Act 2010 was recently forced through into law by the UK Labour Government, with full assistance by the Conservative front bench.
Regardless of how you feel about piracy and whether or not rampant illegal downloading has detrimentally affected the UK economy, it is now with us.
Although many MPs are trying to distance themselves from the Act, it is questionable that it will be repealed.

From wikipedia;

History of the Act

The Act follows the Digital Britain report[7] of June 2009 and contains many of its suggestions. It was announced in the 2009 Queen's Speech before the United Kingdom parliament.[8]
The first reading of the bill was presented to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on 16 March 2010.[9] The bill received its second reading on the 6 April 2010 in a Commons debate and was given support by the Conservative front bench[10] and as expected[11] was not debated at length in the Commons, and was instead pushed through in the "wash up". It passed third reading on 7 April[12] with Royal Assent granted on 8 April.

The Digital Economy Act 2010 has been brought into law - a sad day indeed.

BN LP 5049 | Gigi Gryce and his Big Band, Volume 1

featuring Clifford Brown


Again Vogue. At this point you begin to see why Lionel Hampton was getting angry. He had specifically banned his band from playing outside and solo. You can see by the number of sessions getting done in Paris, that the young ambitious players were taking every opportunity to record.
I have read different stories about Lionel Hampton's savvyness, when it came to extracting the maximum from promoters - so these out sessions would have cut him out of any earnings.
Touring a Big Band was an expensive proposition, so extra income would probably have helped to pay for the tour - I have to sympathise with him in that respect.

Still these 'out-of-school' / extracurricular recordings documented some up and coming talent.

There are 3 volumes listed by Blue Note, but Volume 3 was never issued.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5048 | Gigi Gryce/Clifford Brown Sextet

This is again a Vogue session - recorded during the same Lionel Hampton Big Band European Tour of 1953. Licensed by Blue Note for release in the US. In fact from jazzdisco, it would seem licensed by many!

* Gigi Gryce/Clifford Brown/Art Farmer - The Many Faces Of Jazz, Vol. 8 (Mode (F) CMDINT 9560)
* Clifford Brown - The Complete Paris Collection, Vol. 3: Jazz Legacy 52 (Jazz Legacy (F) 500102)
* The Clifford Brown Big Band In Paris (Prestige PR 7840; Fantasy OJC 359, OJCCD 359-2)
* Clifford Brown In Paris (Prestige PR 24020)
* Gigi Gryce And His Orchestra Featuring Clifford Brown - Jazz Time Paris, Vol. 10 (Vogue (F) LD 173)
= Gigi Gryce/Clifford Brown - Gigi Gryce And His Big Band, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 5049)

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5047 | Clifford Brown Quartet

Again this was originally a Vogue session licensed by Blue Note for US release.

Quoted from Don Waterhouse,

"On the strength of what he was putting down, Blue Note gave him the first session under his own name on 28 August 1953. By this time Brownie had signed up with Lionel Hampton, who was about to set off for europe with a heavy-weight big band comprising such talents as Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland and Gigi Gryce. Hamp had forbidden his men to undertake any recording work during the tour, although he himself did not hesitate."
"But such trivial constraints failed to dull the enthusiasm of Hamp's young crew, and, following a memorable jam session in Paris' Tabou Club, pianist Renaud was immediately entrusted with assembling the rhythm section for a series of recording sessions featuring this exciting new trumpet phenomenon."

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5046 | Lionel Hampton - Jazztime Paris

This session was originally a Vogue release - which was later licensed for the US by Blue Note.

I found this quote on answers.com,

"Hampton's popularity allowed him to continue leading big bands... and the 1953 edition that visited Paris (with Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland, Gigi Gryce, George Wallington, and Annie Ross) would be difficult to top, although fights over money and the right of the sideman to record led to its breakup."

I'll add the additional information that these were recorded at the école Normale de Musique, Salle Pleyel and that the next one BN LP 5047 with Clifford Brown, is an other Vogue session - and part of the reason for the above quote about disagreements.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5045 | George Wallington And His Band

Dave Burnes (tp) Jimmy Cleveland (tb) Frank Foster (ts) Danny Bank (bars, fl) George Wallington (p) Oscar Pettiford (b) Kenny Clarke (d) Quincy Jones (arr)
Audio-Video Studios, NYC, May 12, 1954

allmusic have some interesting background on him

"George Wallington was one of the first and best bop pianists, ranking up there with Al Haig, just below Bud Powell. He was also the composer of two bop standards that caught on for a time: "Lemon Drop" and "Godchild."
... He arrived in New York in the early '40s and was a member of the first bop group to play on 52nd Street, Dizzy Gillespie's combo of 1943-1944.
After spending a year with Joe Marsala's band, Wallington played with the who's who of bop during 1946-1952, including Charlie Parker, Serge Chaloff, Allan Eager, Kai Winding, Terry Gibbs, Brew Moore, Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, and Red Rodney.
He toured Europe with Lionel Hampton's ill-fated big band of 1953, and during 1954-1960 he led groups in New York that included among its up-and-coming sidemen Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean"

The Lionel Hampton connection will bring us neatly to the next release, which is Hampton's Jazztime in Paris.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5044 | Elmo Hope Quintet - New Faces/New Sounds, Volume 2

Freeman Lee (tp) Frank Foster (ts) Elmo Hope (p) Percy Heath (b) Art Blakey (d)
Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, May 9, 1954

Frank Foster is back again, so is Percy Heath - but you have Art Blakey sitting in on the skins. Elmo Hope is in good form. I couldn't find anything in Cook's Blue Note bio about this session.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5043 | Frank Foster - New Faces/New Sounds, "Here Comes Frank Foster"

Benny Powell (tb) Frank Foster (ts) Gildo Mahones (p) Percy Heath (b) Kenny Clarke (d)
Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, May 5, 1954

from his bio;

Born September 23, 1928 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Frank Benjamin Foster III began his long musical career at age eleven, when he took up the clarinet. Two years later he began playing alto saxophone, advancing technically to the point of performing with local dance bands at age 14. He began to compose and arrange at 15, and led his own 12-piece band while still only a senior in high school. Foster attended Wilberforce University, then left for Detroit in 1949 (with trumpeter Snooky Young) where he played with such local musicians as Wardell Gray.
Upon finishing his military service in 1953, Foster joined Count Basie's big band (replacing Eddie Lockjaw Davis) on the recommendation of Ernie Wilkins.

So after the May 5th date (Wednesday), Frank Foster also appears on BN 5044 (May 9, 1954 - Sunday), he also recorded for Prestige, (Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, May 11, 1954)(Tuesday), then Blue Note again, BN 5045 (May 12, 1954 - Wednesday) - so a busy week. Then again on BN 5053 (August 8, 1954).

On this date you get a good part of Basie's brass, with Foster and Powell - for me this is a pleasant date and perfectly enjoyable, but certainly not electrifying - but Leonard Feather found it a, "delightful set of performances" - you can judge for youeselves.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5042 | Tal Farlow Quartet

From Cook's;

"It was an experimental period as a much as one of achievement...., there were (also) dates for guitarists John Collins (eight rejected titles), Sal Salvador and Tal Farlow."
"Van Gelder..recorded guitarist Tal Farlow leading a quartet with another guitar player, Don Arnone."

Slim pickings on the info side, but as the sleeve notes tell us - after having guested on BN 5020 & 5033 (both Gil Melle), and Howard McGhee's BN 5024 - it looks like Alfred Lion was interested enough to offer a leader date.

My favourite is Flamingo, although it is simple and uses his 'harmonies' style - I find something melancholy and poignant in it - see what you think.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5041 | The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2

Bud Powell (p) George Duvivier (b) Art Taylor (d), WOR Studios, NYC, August 14, 1953

Cook's Blue Note;

After his most recent spell of wretchedness, Powell had come back to the local scene, although under a kind of supervision. He had a regular Birdland gig, and the club put him up in an apartment, in a situation which Lion characterised as 'house arrest'. The Blue Note man had to ask Oscar Goodstein, Birdland's manager, for access to Powell, and one day the pianist played Lion some new pieces;
"One piece really stood out. I asked him what he called it. He looked around the apartment and said, 'Glass Enclosure'. I knew that we had to record that...We rehearsed at Birdland in the afternoon.."
The August 1953 date for Blue Note yielded a remarkable nine titles - a mix of standards, Powell originals and Oscar Pettiford's 'Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas' (sometimes known as 'Blues in the Closet')...Powell does much that is thrilling.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5040 | Miles Davis, Volume 3

In this one you get, Miles Davis (tp) Horace Silver (p) Percy Heath (b) Art Blakey (d), recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, March 6, 1954

There are no liner notes to go with this release and scant information from Cook's Blue Note - but as was noted earlier, this is meant to be the best of the three sessions.

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project

BN LP 5039 | A Night At Birdland With Art Blakey Quintet, Volume 3

From the liner notes;

"BLP 5039 offers Lou in ballad mood with a fine solo on the old British standard If I Had You plus two familiar themes by Charlie Parker Confirmation and Now's The Time. The latter, a 12-bar blues, was written some time before the highly successful Hucklebuck."

For specific tracklistings, have a look at the excellent Jazz Discography Project