Someone at Pablo Records must have received a promotion or something, as suddenly a bunch of material from the venerable Norman Granz label is popping up all over the place. Keep up the good work!
One of Duke Ellington’s more obscure sessions has him in bands from 1959 and 1971-72. The three suites here are The Queen’s Suite, dedicated to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The velvety reed section of Hodges, Procope, Hamilton, Gonsalves and Carney is in all its glory on tunes like “Sunset and the Mockning Bird” and “Le ucrier Velours,” yet the highlight is the Ellington in a solo setting caressing “Single Petal of a Rose.” The nine minute “Loco Madi” from The Uwis Suite feature the glorious Johnny Hodges rockin’ the blues in an addictive groove, but it’s the texures created by arranger Billy Strayhorn that win the day here. YAY!
Dizzy Gillespie is in wonderful and buoyant form here with buddy Ray Brown and compatriots Joe Pass/g and Mickey Roker/dr as they deliver a cooking take of “Be Bop” as well as a bluesy “Birk’s Works” and thoughtful “September Song.” A couple extra takes include alternates of “Russian Lullaby” and “Jitterbug Waltz” with Pass producing his usual mind boggling solos with the ease of flicking a cigarette lighter. Cozy and intimate.
Caught in concert in Copenhagen back in 1979, Oscar Peterson and Stephane Grappelli joing with Joe Pass/g, Mickey Roker/dr and Niels-Henning Orsted P edersen/b for a wonderfully lyrical evening of melodious merriment. “Nuages” and “Someone To Watch Over Me” have Grappelli’s bow swoon over the strings, while Pass and Peterson go for the jugular on “SKOL Blues.” Three extra tracks include a swinging “I Got Rhythm” and a joyful “Honeysuckle Rose.” How do these guys make timeless music sound so easy?
One of warm toned tenorists all time great releases was his 1975 dedication to Gershwin. A supporting team of Peterson, Pass, George Mraz/b and Grady Tate/dr sure doesn’t hurt, as they cook like a Bunsen Burner on “I Got Rhythm” and “Lady Be Good.” But, with all things related to the tenor, ballads are the thing, and it’s the warm and supple breeze of Sims’ sax on “How Long Has This Been Going On” (with Pass) and “I’ve Got A Crush On You” (with Peterson) that will make your jaw drop. Would someone please play this for every tenor player under 40 to show them where they’re going wrong? A sax is supposed to sing, not yell, and Sims had it in his dna.
Where do you start with pianist Art Tatum? His mid 50s solo performances aren’t a bad place at all. His fingers never sounded more rococo, and the he sounds jubilant on material such as “ Too Marvelous For Words” and “Blue Lou.” Just where does he get those ideas for all of the little extra fluffy throwaway notes that work for no one else but the original “Mr T”? His fingers make “Willow Weep For Me” blow like a breeze through the leaves, and “ Body and Soul” would make Lilly Palmer inspire John Garfield one more time. Essential for all things beautiful, and proof that there is a benevolent and loving God.
Pablo Records
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