If I only had one record label to purchase jazz records, UK based AVID would be in the top two, being a coin flip between it and Fresh Sound Records from Spain. That said, these four latest 2 cd sets are simply what every self respecting fan of music needs in his or her catalogue.
Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Jimmy Yancey make up the aptly titled Masters of Boogie Woogie, as they rode the crest of the 8 to the bar wave like no one else. These sessions from the 40s and 50s are the red meat of swing and hot piano playing. You can hear the roots of R&B and early rock throughout. Highlights? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!!! Lux Lewis with Louis Bellson on drums is a force to be reckoned with on “Yancey’s Last Riide,” while hitting the boogie blues with Jo Jones and Red Callender on “Meade’s Mambo” showing that the hand is quicker than the ear. Ammons defies gravity on small group studio and concert sessions from the late 40s with a rocking “Shufflin’ The Boogie” with son Gene and “You Are My Sunshine” with a hot trio. Johns and Albert go hip to hip on some mind boggling duets like “Sixth Avenue Express” and “Cuttin’ The Boogie.” Did music really have to change after this?
Tommy Flanagan is well known for two contrary facts: being one of the most delightfully tasteful and swinging pianists in jazz history, and for losing his spot during his solo on John Coltrane’s classic “Giant Steps.” He can be forgiven the latter, as who wouldn’t get confused? No confusion here on four timeless sessions from the mid 50s. A ’57 quintet with rarely heard Sonny Redd/as has a wonderful 13 minute medley that includes “My One and Only.” The same year he teamed up with Elvin Jones/dr and Wilbure Little/b for a hip trio in Sweden for wonderful material (mostly originals) that includes a vintage reading of “Willow Weep For Me,” while an April session with Coltrane and Kenny Burrell produces hard bop heaven on “Minor Mishap” and ”Solacium.” A 1958 tribute to The King And I with a quartet including the pristine and precious Wilbur Harden/tp does marvelous things with “My Lord and Master” and “Hello Young Lovers.” Timeless!
How much Lionel Hampton does anyone need? Well, if you have even a teeny weenie sense of interest in the vibes, you need this two cd set, as what is considered the greatest vibes solo of ALL TIME is on this collection. Recorded at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium back in 1947, the Just Jazz concert has Hampton delivering an amazing piece of art during “Stardust” that does everything except water your lawn. If your jaw doesn’t drop during this performance, check with your dentist for TMJ problems. The rest of the albums aren’t exactly filled with sloppy seconds either; Hamp’s Big Band from ’59 shoots into orbit with “Red Top” and “Big Brass”, and he plays vibes, drums and piano on a ’57 album a quintet that scintillates on “Just One of Those Things” and “I Know That You Know.” Then, you’ve even got him singing on a take of “And the Angels Sing” that has a R&B groove that would rival anything done by Big Joe Turner. WHEW! Swing and boogie are in the soul of these sessions!
Still alive and kicking the bass drum, Roy Haynes defined his classy style on sessions such as these from 1954-62. A Stockholm session from 54 has him with the unique sounds of Sahib shihab/bs-as, Bjarne Nerem /ts and Ake Persson/tb on some hip hard bop as on “Little Leona” and “Hagnes.” A classic Blue Note trio session from ’58 features him with Phinehas Newborn/p and Paul Chambers/b produces a wonderfully interactive “Sugar Ray” and smoking “Our Delight,” while a ’60 tio session also from Hackensack has him tackling “Con Alma” and a hip “Down Home” with Richard Wyands/p and Eddie De Haas/b. Most adventurous is his 62 album with an exciting Roland Kirk/ts-fl-etc, Henry Grimes/b and Tommy Flanagan as they make some amazing sounds out of “Fly Me To The Moon” and “Moon Ray.” This is ground zero for heavy hitting hard bop.
AVID Records