MAIN EVENT. A Good Place to Get Started --- a.k.a "Table of Contents"
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MAIN EVENT. A Good Place to Get Started --- a.k.a "Table of Contents" |
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When I first fell in love with jazz a long time ago (now more than a half century), I quickly found that my newfound taste for jazz could be easily satisfied by looking for the label. That label was Prestige. If an album (this was during the time that long-playing vinyl was brand new) carried the notation Prestige, I could just about buy it without visiting one of those quaint listening booths (much like a telephone booth) in the local music emporium.
Over the years of its existence (Bob Weinstock founded the company in 1949 and continued as an independent label until 1971), Prestige produced some of the finest jazz music ever to come out of a recording studio. Fantasy Records bought out Prestige from Weinstock and has continued to comb the Prestige archives, reissuing on compact discs some of the best of the old material.
In perhaps its greatest effort to date, Fantasy's fine folks have just released "The Prestige Records Story" (Prestige Records), a boxed set of four outstanding discs that give a good idea of the talent assembled by Weinstock and allowed to prosper. Scott Yanow's notes for the set point out that Weinstock was just 20 when he began his record company. Writes Yanow: "It is obvious that Weinstock had a great ear for his type of jazz from the very beginning."
As Yanow points out in his notes, ". . . without knowing much about the specific artist, the music could be counted on to swing, to feature top straight-ahead artists, and to reflect its founders tastes in music."
The first disc, for instance, contains some of the great events of those jazz days. There's Lee Konitz and Lennie Tristano collaborating on "Subconscious Lee." Then comes Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager and Brew Moore in a dazzling saxophone orgy called "Four and One More."
The magnificent Wardell Gray can be heard in his classic "Twisted," later made into a hit vocal by Annie Ross. Its on the set, too. The stunning Sonny Stitt, one of my personal saxophone favorites, is present on "All Gods Chillun Got Rhythm." There are several contributions from Miles Davis, recorded in that period before he reached international recognition after being signed by Columbia Records.
Thelonius Monk, one of the most influential pianists of the century, is heard here to good stead on his clever and compelling "Blue Monk." The lineup of great musicians also includes such masters as James Moody, Sonny Rollins, Tadd Dameron, Red Garland, Gil Evans, and the wondrous Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis.
Mose Allison, who deserved to be a household name and never quite made it, is represented by one of his early hits, "Seventh Son." Roland Kirk, who came out of Columbus, Ohio, and created a sensation by taking jazz in new directions, is heard on "Kirk's Work." The sturdy blues singer Etta James demonstrates her jazz chops on "Don't Go to Strangers."
The fourth CD showcases some of the later Weinstock sessions, with such familiar names as Gene Ammons, George Benson, Richard "Grove" Holmes, Illinois Jacquet, Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and another product of Columbus, the blues boppin' Rusty Bryant.
"The Prestige Records Story" is a special collection that should delight anyone with an appreciation for good jazz played by special talents. Folks, this set belongs in the library of every serious jazz devotee.
The album, handsomely boxed, contains 14 examples from some of the country's best zydeco bands. Buckwheat Zydeco, who spends much of the time performing in venues large and small around the nation, is heard to good advantage on three songs, "Ya-Ya," "Hot Tamale Baby," and "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now."
Other groups featured include Danny Collett and the Swamp Cats, Boozoo Cavis and the Majic Sounds, and Terrance Simian. Also on the album are Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin, Beau Jacque and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie, and Li'l Brian and the Zydeco Travelers.
You'll find lots of fun on this one.
Darryl Purpose has a new album, "Travelers Code" (Tangible Records). He's lucky. He is lucky enough to have everything covered quite well. With a singing voice that would sound great doing "Pop Goes the Weasel," Purpose is already ahead of the game in this tough old music world.
Next, he plays excellent guitar. And best of all, he writes terrific songs, both on his own and, in a couple of cases, with a collaborator. The result is a CD that should find favor with longtime folk fans, and could wedge its way into the consciousness of lukewarm fans of the genre.
Purpose is a wizard with lyrics, as he demonstrates in a lovely duet with Lucy Kaplansky, "Ring on My Hand." Also devilish clever is "The Last Great Kiss of the 20th Century."
The publicist for the album compares Purpose with such icons as Harry Chapin (Purpose is a great storyteller), and Arlo Guthrie (one of the most likable musicians of the past 25 years). Ordinarily that would be so much balderdash, but Darryl Purpose lives up to the hype.
In case youre wondering, I really, reallyliked this album.
The set concentrates on the Weinstock era and demonstrates that the owner concentrated on three areas. Those categories were distinctive bop and hard bop greats, jam sessions with young players who later became giants in jazz, and during the 'sixties, soul-jazz organists.
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*Table Background courtesy of Jeffrey Zeldman Presents.
Its Madness
In the mood for a little bit of zydeco music? If you're only vaguely familiar with these sounds from the sunny South, a good introduction would be "Gaga for Ya-Ya" (Winter & Winter Records).
Good Folk
It's something of a given that folk singers don't necessarily come equipped with good voices. Think about it. There have been many warblers who have attained success in the field despite less than pleasant pipes. There's attitude, which can be important. And most important, the successful folk singer must come equipped with the ability to write good songs, or know where to find them.
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